The Picktown Palooza is a staple of summertime in Pickerington.
Founded in 2017 and sponsored by Gianino’s and G&J Pepsi, attendance increases each year, with visitors coming from around the country.
This year’s Palooza features a new national entertainment line-up including NSYNC’s Chris Kirkpatrick, Steven Adler of Guns N’ Roses, Quiet Riot and more.
What about the food?
The organization behind Picktown Palooza, Panger Productions, is spearheaded by long-time local, Chris Stein.
Panger Productions – whose name and logo are a combination of “Panthers” and “Tigers” from Pickerington’s high schools – puts Pickerington spirit first. Its top priority is attracting out-of-towners to stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants and support local businesses.
“We always make sure that the vendors are serving different foods from the others so there are a lot of great options and everyone’s happy,” Stein says.
Picktown Palooza
This year features 12 vendors, new and old, with a mixture of fair-style classics and ethnic cuisines. Stein ensures that each food vendor offers something unique.
New to the celebration are Fat Kid Burgers, offering its signature smash burgers and fresh-cut fries, and Donna’s Delicious Dozen, bringing donuts and cold brew coffee.
Also newer to the lineup are Big “O” Entertainment food – with its classic hamburgers, hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy selection – and Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, with its assortment of Bahama Mamas, bratwursts, German bologna, frankfurters, cream puffs and sides.
Gionino’s, back for its third year at the festival, is supplying the “Official Pizza of Picktown Palooza.”
Brain Freeze Concessions has been around since 2017, supplying great options for cooling down with Hawaiian shaved ice, soft serve cups and cones, Dole Dream Shakes, Dole Whip, snow milkshakes and frappes.
Other returning vendors offer confectionary favorites, including Banks Concessions’ funnel cakes, elephant ears, and deep-fried Oreos, Pool Concessions’ Lemonade Shake Up, and Grilled Cheese Gangsters’s gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and tater tots. You can also look forward to Steak Boys’ gyros, butterfly fries, corn dogs, chicken on a stick and chicken tenders.
City of Pickerington
Unique cuisine options include Zapata’s Mexican Kitchen’s tacos, quesadillas and street fries, as well as LaCarne’s Italian sandwiches and meatball subs.
These Palooza vendors love coming back to the celebration almost as much as the patrons, and Stein says many of them put down a deposit for the next year before the festival ends.
What to Expect
Picktown Palooza 2024 brings back many classics, including the Freedom 5K and the Car, Truck & Bike Show. Laser tag and COSI activities are returning to the Kids Corner.
Picktown Palooza takes place July 11-July 13. Check online for more details at www.picktownpalooza.org or on social media.
Fun Fact
If you look closely at the Picktown Palooza’s Panger’s eyes, you can find violet petals to represent Pickerington as the violet capital of Ohio.
Did you know that violets are also edible?
Recipe
Frosted Violet Lemonade: 6 Servings
Ingredients
- 2 cups of freshly-picked violets, plus additional for garnish
- 1 ½ cups of hot water
- 6 lemons
- 6 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup of cold ice water
- 6 cups of vanilla ice cream
Directions
- Combine 2 cups of violets with 1 ½ cups of hot water in a glass measuring container then stir. Let the combination steep until the water turns indigo, which should take about 30 minutes.
- Squeeze out 1 ½ cups of lemon juice, then pour into a pitcher. Then, use a fine mesh strainer on top of the pitcher as you pour the violet water into it. As the lemon juice turns pink, use a spoon to press more liquid out of the violets then compost the remnants.
- Pour the lemon juice mixture with cold water (without ice) and 6 tablespoons of sugar into a blender. Blend these together until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the vanilla ice cream into the blender and blend until they are all combined.
- Pour out the mixture and garnish with the extra violets if you like, then enjoy!
Jane Dimel is an editorial assistant at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
