Pickle Fest — amazing — how do the contestants eat so many dill pickles? We’re not talking tiny cocktail sized gherkins but those large pickles that make deli sandwiches satisfying.
People have been competing in this one-of-a-kind pickle-eating contest since the inaugural Pickle Fest in 1998 at the Bagel Street Deli on 27 S. Court St., Athens.
Friday, 45 contestants ate as many pickles as they could in 10 minutes during the contest. There were four rounds of pickle eating. Each round’s winner received a free Pickle Fest T-shirt.
For the first time ever, there were co-winners: Dylan Burke (winner from last year) and Reagan Farmer. They both ate 10 pickles in 10 minutes.
“They decided instead of competing in a tie-breaker, they would enjoy the fruits of their labor together,” said Megan Meyer, co-owner of Bagel Street Deli.
Last year, Burke won by eating contest by downing 11 large dill pickles in 10 minutes.
“There is nothing quite like Pickle Fest,” Burke said. “The atmosphere is unlike any other. I really recommend competing in it. I had stiff competition this year with Reagan!”
Burke said he and Farmer made a deal. “I got to donate to the charity of my choice, which was my IronPhi campaign and Reagan gets the hard job this year of coming up with the sandwich.
“It felt great,” Burke said of the win.” So much so I might have to go for the three-peat.”
Contest winners donate the money from the fundraiser to the charity of their choice. Burke chose was Live Like Lou — group working to support families of people with ALS and to fund research. So with the contestants’ registration fee and Bagel Street Deli matching that amount, the charity will receive a $500 donation.
Farmer said she was glad to have the opportunity to support a local business and a good cause. "... I'm thrilled to share the glory with co-champion Dylan Burke. I'm still brainstorming on what bagel I'm going to create, but I am sure that whatever I come up with will be great and pickle-filled."
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