Horseradish Festival

 Horseradish Festival

   Since 1988, Collinsville has celebrated its zippy crop grown here in the bottomland beneath the bluffs – horseradish. This year will be no different when the annual festivities are held on June 4-5 at Woodland Park.

     The celebration helps spread the word on the usefulness and whimsy of the hottest root around with plenty of music, games for all ages, demonstrations and – what else – plenty of food vendors offering up entrees served up with horseradish as a main ingredient.

     In addition to Root Sacking, Root Derby, Root Golf, Bloody Mary Contest, amateur recipe contest and other staple events, this year’s activity line-up includes the new Root Relay Race, root grinding demonstrations and an expanded children’s area.

     Visitors who want to savor the root’s distinctive aroma and flavor can buy it freshly grated and processed without preservatives at the festival from a secret recipe made once a year for the festival.

     This year the root of every Collinsville resident’s heart has finally gotten some much deserved international attention. The International Herb Association named the 2011 the year of the horseradish. IHA members were in Collinsville in July 2010 to celebrate their herb of the year during the group’s annual conference.