Pretzel Fest builds the community, event organizers say

FREEPORT, Ill. (WTVO) — The fourth annual Pretzel Fest on Saturday featured live music, barbeques, axe throwing and face painting.

“It’s so awesome to have our community all together again, especially in the winter months and we’ve all been tied up inside,” said Events and Engagement Manager Katie Gentz. “So it’s great to have everybody out enjoying what Freeport and Stephenson County has to offer.”

One of those offerings is plenty of barbeque, the fest put on a competition, and pit masters came from all over to show off their goods, including Monroe Wisconsin’s Heart Attack BBQ.

“We’ve had a lot of people come back for the meatballs so they’re like, we hear you guys got the best meatball,” said Heart Attack BBQ’s Tony Wilhite. “So there’s been a lot of people coming up here asking for the meatballs.”

Wilhite said the best part of the competition is the people.

“It’s getting to know people, man like you get to taste different people’s stuff and everybody’s different,” said Wilhite. “If you tried something, you’d find out that everybody is different.”

Wilhite said he feels they have as good of a chance of winning the barbeque competition as anyone.

“Just about as much as anyone else, you just never know,” said Wilhite.

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