This A-Team was back together again this year, as Crystal VanDiver and Pete Olson joined me on this warm and sunny opening day of the 102nd Annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival. We set off right at the corner of 11th and Franklin, beginning at Booth #38. Here are the results!
Booth 38 (USI Art Club) Street Corn
They are serving Street Corn this year instead of corn on the cob and it is a special treat. Our corn was topped with sour cream, Parmesan cheese, Jalapenos and Cilantro. Completely loaded with a nice kick!
Booth 39 (Kiwanis Evansville) Franklin Street Quesadilla
This quesadilla was served with cheese, chicken, a bourbon drizzle and sour cream. It was served piping hot and the bourbon drizzle gives this just a hint of Kentucky bourbon country. A hit with the entire team!
Booth 40 (Riverbend Association) Shrimp ‘n Grits
What else can you say about this Fall Festival favorite? They served them to us loaded with shrimp, Andouille sausage and covered with a tasty gravy. Excellent, as always!
Booth 41 (Grace and Peace Lutheran Church) Donut Bank Burger
This was the smartest thing Grace and Peace did a few years ago, deciding to only sell one item and what a great choice it was! Enter the Donut Bank Burger, the perfect combination of sweet and savory and it was a major hit with Crystal and Pete, who had never had one.
Booth 42 (Armstrong Recreation Center) Freeze Dried Skittles “Friddles”
They also serve the Nisbet Inn’s famous Rib Gumbo, but we were intrigued by the freeze dried Skittles, especially “The West Side.” It’s freeze dried Ski Skittles along with freeze dried Grippos skittles. This is a brand new item on Franklin and they are amazing!
Booth 43 (Corpus Christi Chuckwagon) Sausage Burger
This is a Hall of Fame booth and with good reason. The sausage burger is killer! Both Pete and Crystal had never had one before and they both LOVED it!
Booth 44 (St. Joe Knights of St. Joe) German Bologna Sandwich
This was one delicious sandwich with the German Bologna coming from Merkley and Sons of Jasper. A wonderful flavor with just enough spice to make it interesting. Definitely a hit with the team!
Booth 45 (Boy Scout Troop #374) Scout Master Chili
This is the Scout Master’s Mothers secret recipe and it’s really good. There is a hint of sweet along with plenty of spice. Pete especially really, really liked this chili!
Booth 46 (Evansville Lutheran School) Pronto Pup
They also serve the famous Turkey Legs, but we wanted to try their Pronto Pup. The hot dog comes from the Old Fashioned Butcher Shop and it’s excellent! The batter was really tasty and they were fried to perfection.
Booth 47 (Evansville Racing Pigeon Club) Butter Beer Ice Cream
Harry Potter fans, this item is for you! It’s a very unique flavor and Crystal loved it so much, she ate the whole thing!
Booth 48 (Salem Heusler Church) Homemade Ice Cream w/Hot Fudge
They also sell a homemade Brownie sundae, but we opted just to try the homemade ice cream. It’s delicious and the Hot Fudge is legit!
Booth 49 (Vanderburgh County Republicans) Jumbo Hot Dog
They also serve shaved ice, which will be nice early in the week when it’s a warm start to the Fall Festival. We tried the jumbo beef frank, which is actually provided by Sam’s Club. It is absolutely one of the best hot dogs I’ve ever tasted and the team agreed!
Booth 50 (New Life Rescue & Adoption) *New Booth this year! BBQ Nachos
These nachos are smothered in delicious homemade BBQ pulled pork with plenty of cheese and jalapenos. Very delicious and very Franklin Street and Fall Festival. Please stop by this new booth and support them, as they are raising money to be able to build a new shelter.
Booth 51 (Forest Hills Wesleyan Youth) Chicken ‘n Dumplings
Crystal is our chicken ‘n dumplings expert and she is very exacting in her standards. These passed with flying colors! An excellent dumpling and plenty of chicken, with a wonderful flavor. Definitely worth a try!
Booth 52 (Harrison Warrior Command) Gator Wraps
This booth also serves Gator Tacos. Crystal and I sat this one out, but Pete Olson tasted them and he really liked them. Good flavor. His only complaint? “Too much lettuce for my taste, but otherwise really good!”
Booth 53 (Simpson United Methodist Church) Loaded Tator Tots
These did NOT disappoint! They were served with homemade taco meat, but you can also get them with pulled pork. The tator tots were fried perfectly; really crispy on the outside and hot and fluffy on the inside. Excellent!
Booth 54 (TTT Christian Youth Ministries) Hand Dipped Corn Dog
TTT Christian Youth Ministries recently celebrated their 3009th consecutive Saturday night ministries! What an accomplishment for this organization! Their hand dipped corn dog was excellent as well. Start with a good hot dog and home made corn batter and it’s a winner.
Booth 55 (Salem UMC Cub Scout Pack #335) Grippochos
This item is BBQ Grippos smothered with pulled pork and topped with cheese and BBQ sauce. A definite hit with the team!
Booth 56 & 57 (West Side Catholic School) Pronto Pup
They also serve and excellent peanut butter fudge, but of course we had to try the Pronto Pup and it’s still our favorite on Franklin Street!
Booth 58 (Reitz Instrumental Boosters) Famous French Waffles
This is the only booth where can get these delicate pastry delights covered in powdered sugar! Delish!
Booth 59 (Life Choice Maternity & Youth Home) Piggy Legs
Thick cut hardwood smoked bacon dipped in maple and dusted with plenty of brown sugar. What is not to love?! Pete ate the whole thing!
Booth 60 (Another Chance for Animals) No Food
But, you can still buy T-Shirts and other cute merchandise to support this wonderful group dedicated to finding furever homes for so many animals here in the Tri-State!
Booth 61 (Lambda Chi Alpha USI) Philly Cheese Steaks
An excellent choice, as the beef was perfectly seasoned. They loaded them with tons of onions and cheese on a tasty roll that could handle all of those ingredients with ease. Plus, the guys working the booth were a lot of fun!
Booth 62 (Cleaves C.M.E. Church) Chess Pie
They also serve BBQ mutton which is a popular choice, but the Chess Pie is the stuff of sugary legend! A must-try on Franklin Street!
Booth 63 (Alpha Omega Psi) Strombolis
Good sauce, tasty meat and lots of cheese……so says Pete Olson! One of the best Stroms on Franklin Street.
Booth 64 (Phi Delta Theta & Thrive Dance Company) Fried Cookie Dough w/Ice Cream
Pete took his time tasting this one and he finally came up for air, saying “THAT is outstanding!” This is a quintessential Fall Festival item worth trying!
Booth 65 (Reitz Varsity Scholarship Club) Miller’s Mac and Cheese Bowl
This item won the Golden Acorn award for the Best of the Fest from 2022, and with good reason. It’s is absolutely delicious!
Booth 66 (Northwoods Church & Redeemer Fellowship) Walking Taco
This comes in a bag specifically designed for the Walking Taco. You can get it with either Fritos or Doritos and we went with the Doritos. Delicious, seasoned ground beef, taco sauce lots of sour cream, tomatoes and of course cheese! A fan favorite.
Booth 67 (St. Peter’s on the Hill) Pronto Pups
They also have home made pies, cakes and bread and their new item this year is Pizza Bites. They are worth trying. The Pronto Pup batter at this booth is a very well-guarded secret and with good reason. It’s delicious and the hot dog was really good as well.
Well, that does it for this year. Enjoy all of your favorite Fall Festival foods and maybe this will encourage you to try a new item that could become a favorite! Be listening to the WIKY Morning Show as we recap our team’s tasting adventures and decide on the award winners. Happy Fall Festival everyone!!
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