Brought to you by Continental Divide Brew Pub & NYM Cultural Center
3rd Annual NYM Pickletoberfest
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Join us on Main Avenue on Saturday, October 3, 2026, as the Continental Divide Brew Pub and NYM Cultural Center team up for the 3rd Annual NYM Pickletoberfest—a FREE community celebration inspired by New York Mills' pickle-making history and Oktoberfest traditions.
Pickletoberfest takes place from 10 AM–10 PM, with activities happening throughout Main Avenue, the Continental Divide Brew Pub, and the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center.
Come for the market, stay for the games, contests, pickle-themed food and drinks, live music, and plenty of NEW adventures this year—including the Running of the Pickles, Flash Tattoo Fundraiser & MORE!
Pickletoberfest at a Glance:
Saturday, October 3, 2026 • 10 AM–10 PM • Main Avenue, New York Mills
| TIME | WHAT'S HAPPENING |
|---|---|
| 10 AM–4 PM | Outdoor Art Market + Family/Kid Activities |
| 10 AM–6 PM | Flash Tattoo Fundraiser |
| 10 AM–6 PM | Cultural Center Open: Gallery & Gift Store |
| 11 AM–10 PM | Divide Open: Pickle-themed food & drinks |
| 11 AM–10 PM | Beer Garden + Street Games |
| 2 PM – 4 PM | Pickle Contests |
| 4:30–4:35 PM | Running of the Pickles |
| 7–10 PM | Live Music by the Meat Rabbits |
Please Note: Specific activity times & details subject to change. Thanks for your flexibility!
NEW! Outdoor Artists & Makers Market
Make plans to join us for the Pickletoberfest Outdoor Market on Main Street from 10 AM–4 PM!
Come stroll the market, meet local makers, discover handmade goods, pick up fresh produce and tasty treats, and support the creative small businesses that make our community special. There will be something fun to discover around every corner!
Meet Our Outdoor Market Vendors:
- Auntie's Hobbies: baked goods, crafts
- Brambleberry Farm: fresh produce, canned goods, lemonade
- Canine Crunchies: homemade dog treats
- Ceder3Collective: plants, photography, watercolors
- Charlotte Mauro: handmade jewelry
- Connie's Roadside Market: fresh produce
- Dan's Honey Co: honey, baked goods, health products
- Donna Lee: whimsical crafts
- Hand Crafted at the Lakes: sweet treats
- Half Pint Homestead MN: tallow products
- Hooks, Hopes & Dreams: fiber arts
- Krafts by Kristina: fiber arts
- Rodney Goldenstein: jewelry, rocks, 3d printing
- Ronald Mauro: acrylic art
- Shane Brown: baked goods, jewelry, novelty items
- Stitches by Shell: fiber arts
- Strandberg Sourdough & More: sourdough
- Two Mules Legacy Food: fresh produce
- Two Sisters Pottery: handmade pottery
We only have a couple of spots left in our market! Interested in becoming a vendor? Click below, call 218-385-3339, or email info@kulcher.org.
Please note: We are not accepting food trucks at this event.
Click to Register for Pickletoberfest Market!
NEW! Pickletoberfest Tattoo Fundraiser
Get some new ink and support a great local cause!
Looking for a permanent way to remember Pickletoberfest? Stop by the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center during Pickletoberfest for our Flash Tattoo Fundraiser!
Professional tattoo artists from No Coast Tattoo and The Bee Hive Tattoo Parlor will be on hand from 10 AM–6 PM offering a variety of fun flash tattoo designs—including pickle- and Pickletoberfest-inspired designs, plus MORE! Tattoos are $100 each, with approximately 30–40 minutes of tattoo time per design (plus setup/cleanup).
The Details:
- 🥒 $100 per tattoo
- ⏰ 10 AM–6 PM
- 🎨 Flash designs only — choose from the available designs; no custom tattoos
- 🚶 Walk-ins only — no appointments or reservations
- 🖊️ Four artists will be tattooing throughout the day
- 💪 Arms and legs preferred (no privacy barriers available)
- ⏱️ Allow approximately 30–40 minutes per tattoo, plus setup/cleanup time
Featured Artists:
No Coast Tattoo from Fargo & The Bee Hive Tattoo Parlor from Fergus Falls
Come to Pickletoberfest for good food, good drinks, games, contests, the 'Running of the Pickles,' and maybe even some new ink!
Get tattooed. Support local artists. Support the Cultural Center. Leave Pickletoberfest with a memory you will have forever! 🥒
NEW! Running of the Pickles
Join us for the "shortest" mini-marathon race during the Pickletoberfest festivities!
At approximately 0.0262 miles, this is one race almost anyone can finish.
The whole thing will be over in about two minutes—so don't worry, you'll still have plenty of time for the beer garden.
Cost: $20 per person (includes t-shirt & beer) OR $10 per person (includes only beer, no shirt)
Time: 4:30 PM - 4:35 PM
Location: Meet in front of the Continental Divide Brew Pub (32 N Main Ave, NYM)
Register by September 18 to guarantee your t-shirt! Choose the $20 registration option for a t-shirt + beer, or register for $10 and get the beer only. Miss the shirt deadline? You can still register for the race and beer.
Wear your best costume and bring your pickle-racing spirit! The more creative, the better!
Come run, have fun, and celebrate Pickletoberfest with us!
Click to Register for Running of the Pickles!
Get Ready for Pickletoberfest: NEW Stein Building Workshop
Get ready for Pickletoberfest by creating your very own handmade ceramic stein! Join teaching artist and ceramicist Brad Wegscheid for a fun, two-part Stein Building Workshop at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center.
Dates: September 14 & 21, 2026
Time: 5:30 - 7:30 PM
Class Fee: $60 per person
Maximum Enrollment: 15 participants
Location: NYM Regional Cultural Center
During the first session, participants will build and decorate their handmade steins with guidance from Brad. During the second session, participants will glaze their pieces, adding custom color before firing.
Brad will fire the finished steins, and all completed pieces will be ready for pickup in time for Pickletoberfest!
As an added Pickletoberfest perk, Continental Divide Brew Pub will offer a special for stein-holders during the event. Bring your handmade stein to Pickletoberfest and enjoy the celebration with your one-of-a-kind creation!
Feeling extra creative? Additional steins may be made for $15 each, payable directly to Brad on the day of class.
To register, call 218-385-3339 or click below.
Click to Register for Stein Building Workshop!
Pickletoberfest Fun at the Divide & Cultural Center
Come for the Pickles, Stay for the Party!
The Divide will be open its normal hours all day (11AM - 10PM), serving a variety of pickle-themed food and drinks. There will also be a limited amount of Pickletoberfest merchandise available for sale -- get it while it lasts!
The Cultural Center will be open extended hours (10AM - 6PM), so you can enjoy FALL FUN both indoors and out. Check out the Gallery, peruse the Gift Store, get a FLASH TATTOO, and learn more about all the programs and events the Center brings to the community.
We invite you to check out both of these local businesses bringing you Pickletoberfest and SO MUCH MORE local community FUN! 
2026 Pickletoberfest Detailed Schedule of Activities:
10 AM - 4 PM Outdoor Artists & Makers Market + Family-Friendly Activities
Come early for our NEW market featuring local artists, makers, bakers & creative businesses. Also, enjoy fun for all ages, including pickle-themed crafts, street games, music & more.
10 AM - 6 PM Cultural Center Open + Flash Tattoo Fundraiser
Explore our gallery exhibit, browse our gift store, and get inked to support local art!
11 AM - 10 PM Continental Divide Brew Pub Open + Beer Garden
Pickle-themed food, drinks & fun indoors & out, all day long. Street games will also be available for all ages to enjoy.
2 PM – 4 PM Pickle Contests
Homemade Pickle Contest, Brat/Pickle Toss, Pickle Eating, Stein Holding outdoors on Main Avenue.
4:30-4:35 PM Running of the Pickles
Run the world's shortest marathon (probably). Just $20 gets you a memorable t-shirt and beer (must pre-register to guarantee your t-shirt). You're a marathoner and you didn't even know it!
7 PM - 10 PM Live Music in the Street: The Meat Rabbits
Back by popular demand, get ready to jam with the world's most dangerous polka band (probably). Oktoberfest attire, singing along, and dancing highly encouraged!
You are welcome to bring your own lawn chairs if you wish to sit outside and enjoy the music and festivities. Some picnic tables will be available.
Please note: Specific activity times and details are subject to change.
Interested in being the 2026 Pickle Queen or King?
Think your pickles are prize-worthy? Enter the 2026 Pickle Queen or King Contest!
Pickle Queen & King judging will take place from 2–3 PM on October 3, with the winner announced during the Pickletoberfest festivities.
NEW RULES FOR 2026:
- Appearance
- Texture
- Flavor
- Quality
A Little History on Pickletoberfest
New York Mills was once home to the Theissen Pickle Factory, which hosted the NYM Fall Pickle Fest in the late 1950s & 1960s, and included the Crowning of the Pickle Queen. In 2024, we decided to bring back this long-forgotten festival and combine it with the recently revived NYM Oktoberfest to create a one-of-a-kind fall festival as unique as our small town! So, dust off your lederhosen, dirndl, or pickle costume and join us for some good old-fashioned small town fun!
ALL ARE WELCOME -- we hope to see you there!
Questions? Call the Cultural Center at 218-385-3339 or the Divide at 218-385-7004.
