PVDFest 2019 To Feature Pretzel-Eating Competition

PROVIDENCE, RI — For the fifth year in a row, the streets of Providence will be flooded with art in June. Over the weekend of June 6 through 9, the arts festival will showcase the finest Providence has to offer, including dancing, music, food trucks and more. This year's festival will feature something new: a record-breaking pretzel-eating contest sponsored by the Malted Barley.

“PVDFest is the unique, awe-inspiring expression of our community here in Providence,” said Mayor Jorge Elorza. “As the festival marks its fifth year, it is important to continue building upon the tradition of elevating local talent and supporting the exchange of creative ideas. I look forward to welcoming this year’s ideas, performances, and installations- as well as showing the world what it means to party with Providence!”

This year, the Malted Barley will be hosting a ptrezel-eating competition in an effort to set a new world record. Anyone can enter, and participants will have eight minutes to eat as many Malted barley pretzels as they can on Saturday, June 8.

"The Malted Barely is more than a craft beer and pretzel restaurant; it’s a place where people can reconnect with friends, relax after a long day, or get to know their neighbors," said owner Ron Koller. "PVDFest's celebration of food and community is a perfect fit with our brand. We are very excited to be participating in this year's PVDFest with the first-ever, world-record setting Malted Barely Competitive Pretzel Eating Competition, sanctioned by the Major League Eating Federation."

Since it was first launched in 2015, the festival has brought over 100,000 attendees to the city, as well as 5,000 artists and performers.

FirstWorks, a non-profit organization that is a founding member of the festival, said it will be bringing national and internatoinal performers from Italy, Uganda and Los Angeles to this year's event.

"Each June festival-goers gather in the streets to experience the magical performances, tastes, sounds, and sights of PVDFest. The memories of spectacles and creativity from the world’s stage are indelible," said Kathleen Pletcher, executive artistic director of FirstWorks.