Second annual Pickle Paradise festival in St. Charles draws hundreds

ST CHARLES – Hundreds of pickle fanatics gathered in Pottawatomie Park in downtown St. Charles Friday evening for the second annual Pickle Paradise.

Pickles found their way into just about everything in the park, from beverages to candy. Several guests were even in pickle costumes.

The main event of the festival was the Dill Dash, a 1-mile race around the park. About 70 runners competed.

St. Charles student Ethan Hajik and his father Mark were the first to cross the finish line, just over eight minutes after the race began.

Hajik will be in sixth grade at Wredling Middle School next year, where he plans to try out for the cross country team.

The Hajiks ran in last year’s Dill Dash, but finished much faster this time around. They credited their strong finish to the training they’ve done together, and said their motto is “When it starts to hurt, push harder.”

Other family-friendly entertainment in the park included giant Jenga, Connect 4, hatchet throwing, music and a DJ.

In the Pickle Patch, guests sampled various pickle products from national brands and local retailers like Gindo’s Spices of Life, which offered samples of pickle-flavored hot sauces.

Outside the Pickle Patch, the Lovely Lemon, of Sycamore, served Pickle-aid, a lemon shake-up with pickle juice and pickle chips. Kissed by Fire BBQ & Pizza food truck served pickle pizzas.

Local candy store The Whimsey Farm sold pickle flavored snacks, including gummies, chips, soda, cotton candy, sunflower seeds and freeze-dried pickles.

Local breweries offered drinks for those 21 and older. Pollyanna Brewing Co. served Dill Bend, a specialty cocktail made from dill-infused alcohol and pickle brine. Riverlands Brewing Co. served Pickle Life, a pickle-flavored lager.

The event was hosted by the St. Charles Park District, which honored how St. Charles has been recognized as the Pickle Capital of the World since the 1970s, when Pickle Packers International was headquartered in the city.

Taylor Krawczyk, park district assistant superintendent of recreation, organized the first event last year in hopes of making it an annual tradition. He said he was pleased with another strong turnout Friday.

The St. Charles History Museum had a booth to educate guests on the city’s rich pickling history. According to museum records, the moniker was given to the city unofficially by Bill “The Dill” Moore, president of Pickle Packers International, in the 1960s. The Illinois General Assembly made the title official in 1978.

Although Pickle Packers International now operates out of Washington, D.C., St. Charles has retained the title of Pickle Capital of the World for more than 40 years.

All proceeds will support the St. Charles Park District’s Financial Aid Program, which helps residents benefit from the district’s classes and programs.