Pickles & the Band

The Yellow Jacket Marching Band held its end-of-the-year picnic last Thursday on high school grounds. With much planning from parent volunteers, grills and coolers were brought in. Tasty salads made of beans, pasta, potatoes and greens came from family kitchens.

There were beef and veggie burgers, hot dogs and quite an array of desserts raging from fruit salads, cookies and brownies to chips and pretzels. Countless jars of pickles were lined up near the condiments for  a special finale.

Parents were grilling and chilling while band members practiced for the fall marching season and siblings played ball, hung out with friends and helped with the festivities.

The highlight of the evening was a pickle-eating contest, chaired by Matt Laudano, an instructor with the program and also a band alumnus. The table was set with paper plates, napkins and jars of whole pickles. One catch to the contest: no hands allowed. Volunteers came forward for the fun competition, not to mention some parents, staff and siblings being coerced to participate.

Everyone present cheered on each contestant, and a few contestants even wanted to drink the pickle juice.

Can you eat a whole pickle without your hands?