Pork Rind Festival 2010

One of my favorite events that kicks off the summer is the Harrod Pork Rind Festival. It's not because it's super fun (because it's not), but because it's a festival dedicated to something as peculiar as the deep fried skin of a pig. There's also the benefit of it being just down the road. In fact, I was just outside and I could hear the music here.

What music? You might ask. Well let me tell you. When I was there, there was a man singing gospel music. To pre-recorded music. Yes, it was gospel karaoke. I've never seen it before and it was pretty exciting.

I could have left right then and been happy. And, in fact, I left shortly after that, because it takes only about ten minutes to see each and every booth lined up. Since I (along with Pat and Todd) was there after a major thunderstorm (complete with a tornado warning and siren going off!), there were even fewer people and fewer booths.

Yet, it was sad not to experience some of the promised features. This was the first year for "Art that Oinks." Area high school students could enter art of a pig theme (see photo). The paper also featured a scupture of a pig statue of liberty holding a plate of pork rinds. If it wasn't titled "Statue of Pig-erty" it was a missed opportunity. The rain also kept the Cake Wheel from turning. We saw the wheel, we saw some cakes. But not cake wheel action.

The one place I wanted to eat of all the roach coach vendors was the very non-roachy bbq grill. Alas, the rain had kept this man from getting the grill going, so I'd have to wait a half hour for it. None of us could last that long.

Skipping the chili-cook-off (there looked to be only three entrants, another casualty of the storm), we were back in Pat's car and bound for the Dairy Barn. It was Fudge Friday after all, so I was really excited. I wished the high school girl a Happy Fudge Friday but she seemed unimpressed. All she wanted to know was what I wanted to eat. Hardly festive. Pat got the walking taco, which is my favorite in name and also is very tasty. Being in a bbq mood, I got the pork bbq and Todd got the coney dog. Yes, summer is here.

Then, it was on for the observance of Fudge Friday. Todd and I both got the fudge brownie sundae delight (he bought - thanks Todd!). Frankly, I find sundaes to be a bit showy what with their whipped cream peaks and fancy cherry on top. I'm really only interested in the ice cream and sauce is mostly unnecessary (unless it's Dietsch's peanut butter sauce which is AMAZING). Sadly, the brownie of the brownie delight was the meager Little Debbie variety. Lots of sugar, not a lot of flavor.

Overall, it was a perfectly adequate Pork Rind Day - look at everything, but purchase food elsewhere. Yet, there's still tomorrow, when I may run the Pork Rind 5k (if there isn't another thunderstorm). I hope there's a shirt involved. One can't help but wonder if it will be a sleeveless wife-beater type.

Squeal!