You can test your prowess in the unusual sport during the Gherkin Gauntlet competition at the Pickle Wars event at the Jungle Jim’s International Market complex.
The event runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 1 at the Oscar Event Center, 5440 Ohio 4. This is the third year for the festival, which celebrates pickles and has outgrown the produce department.
“It started in a silly way – what’s the next thing for a pickle,’’ said Mark Borison, emcee for the event. “What’s something funny we could do at a pickle festival – bobbing for pickles.”
This year’s Pickle Wars features 19 vendors from across the state. Each will offer samples of several pickles, totaling more than 80 different pickles. Among them are standard and spicy dill, along with bread-and-butter dill.
The pickle bobbing – Bobbing for Brine – is one of three competitions that begin at noon. The other events are the Brine Chugging Challenge and the Pickle Eating contest. Visitors can enter one or all.
The winners in each of the competitions are eligible for the Gherkin Gauntlet – three mini-rounds of competition with the winner receiving the Championship Belt.
There will also be a Brine and Dine menu offering pickle-themed snacks for purchase. Starlight Donut Lab is even making a pickle donut.
Among the snacks are: Koolickles – Cincinnati chili brined cocktail wieners-Dirty Coney - rainbow Kool-Aid soaked dill pickles, peppered pickled blueberry parfait, and pickled potato chips.
There will also be pickle-flavored mocktails and cocktails along with a merchandise booth with Pickle War T-shirts and other items for sale.
Early entrants will get a specially designed ‘I Got Brined at the Pickle Wars’ bumper sticker.
Tickets are $5 each and include a $5 coupon to purchase featured pickles at Jungle Jim’s. No admission fee for those under the age of 10. Get tickets at www.junglejims.com
About the Author