“Fun festival, hometown feeling, pickles everywhere!”

Christin Leon, Fayetteville, a member of Lumbee River EMC

Whether you consider it sweet or a big dill (yeah, we went there), the N.C. Pickle Festival in Mount Olive offers loads of fun and flavor. Held in April each year, the festival celebrates the eastern North Carolina cucumber crop that is transformed into the perfect pickles by the Mt. Olive Pickle Company, which is the top-selling brand of pickles in the U.S. That’s something to celebrate. The festival, which celebrated its 40th year this year, has activities for all ages, including a pickle costume contest; a 5K run; carnival rides; a pickle eating contest; a recipe contest; a beer, wine, and distillery garden; food and other vendors; a Tour de Pickle bike ride; a classic tractor show; entertainment stages; and more. Plan now for the 41st Annual N.C. Pickle Festival set for April 24, 2027.