Pickle Run returns July 1-2 … bigger and better

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GaLION — The third version of this community’s Pickle Run Festival is just a couple weeks away.

For event organizer Sarah Capretta, the weeks leading up to festival will never be drama-free.

However, last-minute snafus are getting easier to overcome thanks to the assistance of volunteers who have helped pick up the Pickle Run baton in recent years and are helping Capretta run with it.

Pickle run 2017 is July 1-2. There are dozens of activities scheduled for families and individuals. The weekend will be capped off Sunday evening by the city’s annual fireworks show at Heise park.

“It is getting a little easier,” Capretta said, while answer texts and phone calls in her office last week. “But what is making it easier that people are stepping up and if something does go wrong or something is not getting done, there are others willing to take over.”

Last week, the group that had organized the Sunday morning car show at Heise Park, called Capretta and said they were not going to do it this year.

Capretta made the decision to have the event anyway, and within a matter of hours volunteers had stepped up to take the lead in making the car and cycle show a go.

“New flyers were printed up and handed out at the Bucyrus car show last week. Someone volunteered to be the emcee and play music on Sunday. We’ve got someone doing the goody bags for us,” Capretta said. “I can’t believe the number of people who have stepped up to make sure it will happen.”

But the car show isn’t the only example.

More and more volunteers and community organizations are taking part each year.

“I’m more excited this year than ever,” she said.

The festival kicks off Saturday, July 1, in Heise Park with Galion YMCA’s triathlon and 5K run. The punt, pass and kick returns at 11 a.m. and is open to boys and girls ages 6-15.

At Galion Community Theatre, there will be a Meet the Graders event from 1-3 p.m., followed by a movie screening. Kids who show their ticket stub can get into that evening’s Galion Graders baseball game at 7:05 p.m. for free.

A new event this year is the Homerun Derby, which begins at 10 a.m. at the high school baseball field. Other Saturday tournaments include: sand volleyball, 3-on-3 basketball and cornhole. Anything Goes will return at 4 p.m.

The day will close with a Galion Graders game, as well as a teen night at the Heise Park pool from 7-9 p.m.

The festival continues Sunday, July 2, with the popular Pickle Run Disc Golf Tournament located at Amann Reservoir. Online registration is currently open at www.discgolfscene.com.

The Car and Cycle Show is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a community church service will begin at 10:30 a.m.

The parade, that grows larger each year, is still a work in progress. It is open to all local groups and businesses and applications to take part in the parade are due June 26. The parade begins at 2 p.m. and will proceed down Church Street to Gill Avenue to Heise Park Lane. Kids are welcome to decorate their bicycles and ride them in the parade. Prizes will be awarded for best decorations.

Live music begins at 3 p.m. The lineup includes the Galion Area Band, The Cellar Dwellers, and the Crazy Gringos. The Galion Graders will have another home baseball game beginning at 7:05 p.m.

The music stage has been moved and will be on the west side of the park, closer to Portland Way North.

“It’s a better place for a lot of reasons,” Capretta. “The music will be focused toward the rest of the park and last year, we were dodging foul balls from the baseball field.”

Inflatables and games will open at 11 a.m. on both days.

‘We’ve got more food vendors, more inflatables and more games,” Capretta said. “We’re planning on moving the local vendors to the other side of Heise Park, near the log cabin.”

Food vendors will be open from 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. on both days. The Fraternal Order of Police is sponsoring a car bash from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both days.

The fireworks display is at dusk Sunday.

http://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2017/06/web1_Pickle-Run-at-Quay.jpg

http://www.galioninquirer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2017/06/web1_Pickle-Run-Quay.jpg

 

Russ Kent

Galion Inquirer

 

 

Pickle Run Festival

Saturday, July 1

YMCA Triathlon 7:30 a.m., Heise Park

YMCA 5K and Kids Fun Run 8:30 a.m. (the Kids Run will start after the 5K), Heise Park

Volleyball Tournament (age 14 and over) 9 a.m., Heise Park

Homerun Derby 10 a.m. Heise Park

Dunk tank, inflatables and games open at 11 a.m. at Heise Park

Food Vendors Open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Heise Park

Punt, Pass and Kick 11 a.m., Unckrich Stadium

3-on-3 Basketball 11 a.m. Heise Park

FOP Car Bash 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Heise Park

Cornhole Tournament 12 p.m., Heise Park

Meet the Graders 1-3 p.m. at Galion Community Theatre

Movie 3 p.m. at Galion Community Theatre

Anything Goes 4 p.m., Unckrich Stadium

Teen Night 7-9 p.m at the Heise Park pool

Galion Graders 7:05 p.m., James D. Heddleson Field

Sunday, July 2

Disc Golf Tournament 8 a.m., Amann Reservoir

Volleyball Tournament (age 13 and under) 9 a.m. Heise Park

Car and Cycle Show 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Heise Park

Church Service 10:30 a.m., Heise Park

Dunk tank, inflatables and games open at 11 a.m. at Heise Park

Food Vendors Open 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Heise Park

FOP Car Bash 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Heise Park

Parade and Kids’ Bike Parade 2 p.m.; Staging starts at 12:30 p.m. at the former Galion High School lot on North Union Street and Church Street.

Basketball Skills Competition 3 p.m. Heise Park

Live Music 3-9 p.m., Heise Park

Galion Graders 7:05 p.m., James D. Heddleson Field

Fireworks Dusk, Heise Park

 

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