A Dill-icious Day Out: El Gran Pepino Festival debuts in Harlingen June 14

(This article was written by Abigail Muniz-Garcia and was featured in the June 2025 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)

It is a food that Americans consume about 9 pounds of in a year: pickles! And on June 14, Harlingen will be the site of the first ever El Gran Pepino Festival. The event is being organized and hosted by Sweetblazzin Pickles and Valley International Cold Storage. 

Sergio Reyna, owner of Sweetblazzin Pickles, is excited to bring this event to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV). 

Photo by Edith Romero

Fourteen years ago, Reyna started making pickles from a recipe that was given to his wife. Throughout the years, he tweaked and changed the recipe until he got it the way he wanted. At first, he shared it with just friends and family. Six years ago, they did their first pop-up market. 

“From there, it just kind of grew into what’s now wild and crazy,” Reyna said. “I say wild and crazy because we’ve added so many flavors.” 

The majority of Reyna’s pickles are sugar-free. With 21 flavors ranging from their newest: cotton candy to sweet and spicy pickles (with six different levels of heat), sixteen different Kool-Aid flavors to a Takis flavored pickle, Reyna has been spreading his love for pickles at different pop-up markets in the RGV and even outside of the RGV. 

Photo by Sweet Blazzin Pickles

When Reyna was approached by the CEO of Valley International Cold Storage with the idea of a pickle festival, he was on board. 

“We have to give these small businesses a chance to bring their stuff to the table… let the (Rio Grande) Valley know that some of these small businesses have some great products,” Reyna said of the vendors. 

As far as what attendees can expect, Reyna said there will be a variety of activities for the whole family. 

“There’s gonna be music, there’s gonna be a lot of food, there’s a pickle-eating contest, there’s a pickle-juice-drinking contest…” he said. “The main thing is to get out, have fun, enjoy yourselves. Bring the family.”

Photo by Sweet Blazzin Pickles

Mari Tapia, plant manager at Valley International Cold Storage, oversees the vendors and has helped with the planning of the event. She mentioned there has been good feedback and interest from individuals wanting to take part in the festival.  

“There’s a lot of buzz. People are really excited,” she said. “I want them (small business owners and vendors) to have good sales, to get known, and for the families to have a good time. It is family oriented.”

Besides the pickle-eating and pickle-juice-eating contests, various vendors will bring their own twist with pickle-flavored or pickle-themed items, a car show, a petting zoo, and pony rides. 

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 14 at Valley International Cold Storage, located at 200 N FM 509 in Harlingen. Presale tickets are $10 online. The gate fee for adults will be $15 and $10 for children older than age 10. Kids 10 years and younger will have free entry. For more information, search “El Gran Pepino Festival” as a Facebook event. You can also follow Sweetblazzin Pickles (The Pickle Guy) and Valley International Cold Storage, LLC on Facebook.