Turkey testicle eat-off founder is pretty relaxed about nearby town copying his festival

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vWObko

There are plenty of turkey testicles for everyone.

That's the message of peace given to the world by the owner of Parkside Pub, a Chicago area bar that's been holding its Turkey Testicle Festival for 32 years. It now faces competition from a similar bird-balls-eating festival in East Dundee. Same time, same date, same delicacy: turkey testicles.

From an article in the Daily Herald, a local paper covering the Chicago suburbs:

Citing a need for a family-oriented fall event, East Dundee leaders announced this week they'll be holding their first Turkey Testicle Festival, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 25, the day before Thanksgiving.

That's the same name and time frame for a 33-year tradition in not-so-distant Huntley.

J.R. Westberg, whose Parkside Pub has been hosting a Turkey Testicle Festival for 32 years, took the competition in stride.

"Our only thought to this was that there was no originality placed on their event," he said, noting that Parkside's fest often brings in more than 4,000 attendees.

"We've perfected the execution over the years," Westberg said. "Thirty-three years of tradition is probably not going away for us."

But East Dundee downtown businessman Cliff Surges, who is organizing the fledgling event, said the village is not trying to upstage or compete with the Huntley event; there are plenty of turkey testicles to go around.

"Huntley has their market," he said. "We're looking at a different demographic coming in. There's more than enough to go around for everybody."

"Citing a need for a family-oriented fall event," they say.

"East Dundee jumping on the Turkey Testicle Festival bandwagon" [Daily Herald, Illinois]

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