Sadly, there’s been few reasons to laugh about COVID-19 – punch-ups in toilet paper aisles aside – so it’s definitely hats off to the editorial team at the local newspaper at Lenawee County in Michigan in the US.
Lenawee’s Daily Telegram has managed to turn the postponing of a local fair over coronavirus fears into a global social media smash.
Proof there’s a fine line between playing the straight bat and glorious humour, Tuesday’s front page screamed, “Testicle Festival On Hold”.
As bonkers as that may appear, it’s bang-on reporting from the Daily Telegram’s trusty scribes following the announcement that the much-loved Deerfield American Legion hosted “Testicle Festival” has had to be shelved following coronavirus fears.
Slated for May the 9th, the annual one-day festival apparently celebrates all things balls and attracts over 2500 participants to the small town of Deerfield. It’s also (ex-veteran association) American Legion’s biggest annual fundraiser.
Typically, the Testicle Festival celebrates the start of spring and brings likeminded people together to eat sliced and deep-fried cattle testicles and chicken gizzards, there’s also beer and t-shirt sales. Apparently, it’s also a homage to the area’s local abattoirs where workers and farmers have been chowing down on cow’s balls for well over 50 years.
Testicles were the local delicacy of The Deerfield Tavern until its untimely demise and the American Legion simply decided to carry on the town’s tradition.
Commenting on this year’s postponement, Nick Pulver of the Deerfield American Legion told the Daily Telegram: “People come from all over the state; all over the country to take part in the festival. We have people who travel 300 or 400 miles just for this one-day festival.
“This festival alone operates the American Legion for the year,” Pulver said. “It is sad to see it pushed back. So many people look forward to coming to Deerfield during this time of year, but this decision was made with the best intentions. I think we made the best choice to delay it.”
Thankfully, the festival’s postponement won’t have a negative effect on the American Legion’s finances.
Pulver adding: “We are not going to lose any of the food and products, baked beans will remain in the cans and the 300 pounds of testicles can remain frozen for at least two more months. We caught it at the right time.”