Stick candy (also called candy stick, barber pole candy, circus stick, or barber pole) is a long, cylindrical variety of hard candy, usually four to seven inches in length and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, but in some extraordinary cases up to 14 inches in length and two inches in diameter. Like candy canes, they usually have at least two different colors (either opaque or translucent) swirled together in a spiral pattern, resembling a barber's pole.
The candy has a long history in the United States, where it is believed to have been developed, and is often marketed as an "old fashioned" candy. It is often sold in general stores and similar shops specializing in nostalgia items. The Cracker Barrel chain estimates that its stores sell a total length of 940 miles (1,510 km) of stick candy each year.
