Starke County’s first major festival since the pandemic kicks off today. The North Judson Mint Festival runs tonight through Sunday. Festival President Donna Henry told WKVI’s Charlie Adams, “It was very difficult to make that decision last year, to cancel it, but we knew it was the right thing to do at the time, but we are just really overjoyed to be back.”
While there had been some uncertainty about how the Mint Fest would adapt to the pandemic, Henry says almost all of the regular attractions will be back. That means food, live music, parades and activities for the whole family.
But one thing that will be missing this year is carnival rides. “They had lost employees from COVID last year,” Henry explains. “They had to go elsewhere for work, and they didn’t get them back.” Additionally, the in-person pageant was replaced with an essay contest.
The North Judson Mint Festival starts this evening at 5:00 with an opening ceremony at Norwayne Field, where the father and grandfather of the year will be introduced and the queen will be crowned.
