International Horseradish Festival, Collinsville, Illinois. (June 5-7, 2015)

I visited the Festival on the morning of June 7, 2015. It is a small festival with one stage and a dozen or so vendors and artists. There were three different inflatables for kids and a beer vendor for adults.

Contests for kids include a Horseradish Root Derby where the kids build a derby vehicle (i.e., Cub Scouts Pinewood Derby). The "Little Miss Horseradish Festival Pageant" where girls between the ages of 4-6 years old participated to win a savings bond, crown, sash, trophy and flowers, and a photograph package.

For adults is the Amateur Recipe Contest, where amateur chefs compete to be named "Master of the Root."

A Root Toss is a throwing contest using a horseradish root. Each participant gets one free toss. Additional chances are $1 each. Prizes will be awarded to men and women in various age categories.

Root Golf, A closest-to-the-pin contest where participants use a golf driver to hit a horseradish root "ball." Prizes are awarded to both men and women each day. A $100 prize goes to the person who hits the first hole-in-one!

Root Sacking Contest put as many horseradish roots into the burlap sack in 30 seconds. The heaviest bag wins. And then there's the Horseradish 5-K Race.

Ahhh... the small-town life.

Article and Photographs, Copyright © 2015, Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved.