GALION — Sarah Hider, 2015’s Miss Ohio, will sing the National Anthem to kick off Galion’s second annual Pickle Run, scheduled for July 1 to 3 at Heise Park.
“We’re so excited to have her come to Galion. We’ve never been able to have a Miss Ohio come visit us,” Pickle Run co-organizer Sarah Capretta said.
Galion’s Pickle Run used to be a yearly fundraiser for the high school’s booster club until its organizer, Ferd Unkrich, died.
“It was gone for 18 years but we brought it back just last year,” Capretta said. “We realized the community needed something to bring us all together as a whole again. So many people used to talk about how awesome it always was, so we decided it would be a perfect time to bring it back again.”
Although the Pickle Run festival begins at 8 a.m. on Friday, July 1, the festivities formally kick off during an opening ceremony from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Miss Ohio is scheduled to sing the national anthem before a Galion Graders baseball game.
“They scheduled all their games to be home during the Pickle Run,” Capretta said.
The festival will be located in Heise Park, near the baseball diamond and the Frank shelter. Capretta said there will be activities and food vendors scattered throughout the area. The color guard will also be present.
This year, students from Galion Middle School will compete to throw the Graders first pitch that evening. Each contestant wrote an essay on what they enjoy about living in Galion.
Capretta said a more detailed schedule is forthcoming. However, on the Saturday during the festival, Galion students will be invited to throw a whipped cream pie into their teachers faces.
Organizations and small businesses interested in setting up booths during the festival are encouraged to register before May 31. Prices to register range from $25 to $50, depending on the purpose of the booth. Informational booths are free.
Donations to the Pickle Run festival itself are being handled through Galion Community Foundation.
For more information to register for a booth, visit the festival’s website or Facebook page.
