A longtime staple of downtown Brandon in the summer is returning this August, but a last-minute rights hiccup will see it return under an unfamiliar name.
What was once the Brandon International Pickle Festival will return to Brandon on August 22, but this time it will be known as the Brandon Brine Bash. Organizers said in a Facebook post they were still committed to delivering the former festival’s spirit if not its name.
“A couple months ago, we received a letter that informed us that due to “Pickle Fest” being a trademarked title with Pickle Fest Canada, we can no longer use this name in any capacity to promote this event,” explained the organizers on Facebook. “You may have noticed our social media quieted down and posts were removed as we navigated this.”
According to the post, the Pickle Fest name hadn’t been used since 1999, so they understood why other organizations would’ve scooped up the name in the intervening years. As of this month, they’ve rebranded to the Brandon Brine Bash, and their social media pages have been renamed to reflect this.
“Having this local Westman event under a different name doesn’t change the culture and history that so many are familiar with and want to see once again,” the post continues. “We’ve already received a lot of enthusiasm, feedback, memories, and suggestions for how to bring this beloved event into the modern day.”
Organizers promise live music, contests both new and familiar, and “so many pickles”. They’ve also committed to prioritizing local businesses, farmers, non-profits, and gardeners as the previous iteration of the festival had done.
The Brine Bash is still slated for Saturday, August 22.
