6th annual Pickle Festival concludes in Berrien Springs

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. -- The Berrien Springs Pickle Festival wraps up year six at the Courthouse Square.

The festival began in the 1990s as a Christmas-season event tied to the village's designation as the "Christmas Pickle Capital of the World," it started to lose traction in the mid-2000s but was revived in 2021.

This year's festival saw a shortage of volunteers that almost led to it being cancelled.

Mike, a Berrien Springs resident has attended the festival since 2021 and described it as a reason residents feel the tradition is worth continuing.

"There are a lot of small towns in this world. Everybody wants to be that proverbial small town and then to come to a festival like this and see all these different people from all walks of life, and just here to enjoy being in a community to be a part of a community."

The festival featured pop-up tents selling merchandise, a petting area with rabbits, and a kids' section, and free pickles at the courthouse.

"Everybody was yearning for a good cookout, a good time, and just an opportunity to get together. One of the things that drew people out was pickles, the fun tradition of the Christmas Pickle, and they decided, let's do it again," said Jennifer Marren, the community engagement coordinator at Village of Berrien Springs.