Deerfield American Legion hosts 2023 Testicle Festival today

Brad Heineman, The Daily Telegram
·2 min read
At the 21st annual Deerfield Testicle Festival in March 2022, dinner consisted of mountain oysters, chicken gizzards, baked beans, coleslaw and a dinner roll with butter. Proceeds from the fundraiser go back into the community in the form of supporting schools, sporting events, scholarships and veterans.
At the 21st annual Deerfield Testicle Festival in March 2022, dinner consisted of mountain oysters, chicken gizzards, baked beans, coleslaw and a dinner roll with butter. Proceeds from the fundraiser go back into the community in the form of supporting schools, sporting events, scholarships and veterans.

DEERFIELD — An event that attracts throngs of people from areas all around Michigan and beyond to Deerfield comes back for its 22nd year today.

The Deerfield Testicle Festival, which is sponsored and hosted by Deerfield American Legion Post No. 392, is more than two decades old and it doesn’t stray away from the promises of a good time and “having a ball."

Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with most of the action happening inside the Legion, 105 W. River St. Meals, which feature deep-fried rocky mountain oysters or chicken gizzards, will be served starting at noon and will continue until all of the food has been sold out. Sides of baked beans, coleslaw and dinner rolls with butter are included with each dinner.

More than 360 pounds of mountain oysters — sliced and deep-fried cattle testicles — are ready to go for today’s festival, which is known for attracting more than 2,000 people to the village annually. There will be a cash bar with plenty of beer. There will also be water and pop available.

Hundreds of people pack Deerfield American Legion Post No. 392 to attend the 2022 Testicle Festival. The event brings thousands of people to Deerfield and proceeds from the fundraiser go back into the community. This year's festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today with meal service starting at noon.
Hundreds of people pack Deerfield American Legion Post No. 392 to attend the 2022 Testicle Festival. The event brings thousands of people to Deerfield and proceeds from the fundraiser go back into the community. This year's festival is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. today with meal service starting at noon.

Funds generated from the festival allow Legion members the ability to make improvements to the Legion Hall as well as give back to the community. The post's revenue sources include the Testicle Festival — which accounts for 90% of the Legion’s yearly income — as well as monthly community breakfasts, membership dues and hall rentals. The Legion’s final community breakfast for the season is scheduled for April 16.

The Deerfield Legion’s Auxiliary is raffling off a soft-sided cooler bundle and a Roger pellet gun today. Drawings are scheduled for 5 p.m. and ticketholders are not required to be present in order to win.

The Sons of the American Legion (SAL) Post No. 392 will also conduct its annual gun raffle from 6 to 7:30 p.m. today. Three guns — two rifles and a pistol — are included in the raffle. People who have tickets for the SAL gun raffle are not required to be present to order to win.

Testicle Festival clothing and apparel will be available for purchase. There also will be a three-on-three basketball tournament at the Deerfield campus of Britton Deerfield Schools.

High temperatures for today are expected to reach in the upper 20s. Legion officials and festival organizers said they hope the weather does not deter people from coming out for the festivities.

“Don’t let the weather scare you off. We have tents, heaters and fried nuts to keep you warm,” a social media post on the American Legion Deerfield Michigan Post 392 Facebook page, said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Deerfield American Legion 2023 Testicle Festival is March 18