Artichokes, Apricots and Cherries Divine!
Californians welcome June with a bounty of vegetables and fruits grown fresh in the fields, on farms and in orchards. While most of us don’t actually make out to the source where they are grown, we do like to attend the festivals where they’re served up with other goodies such as live music, entertainment, contests, parades, car shows, beer, wine and cocktails, and fun things for kids.
An event that does actually offer trips to the farm where artichokes are grown is Castroville Artichoke Food and Wine Festival June 1-2, 2019. Artichoke experts give guided tours of Castroville’s artichoke fields in an experience that educates about what it takes to grow this unique vegetable (which is actually an un-bloomed flower).
One of our favorite Artichoke Festival contests (in addition to artichoke eating) is the Canasta Race. Artichokes are placed at intervals along lanes. Competitors wear a canasta bag on their backs, retrieving artichokes one by one and tossing them in their bag. The person to collect the most artichokes wins prizes such as tickets to California Rodeo Salinas and keeping their artichokes from the race!
A Tasty June Weekend
Avalon Restaurant Week
Downey’s St. George Greek Festival
Huntington Beach Elks Chili Cook-off
McKinleyville’s Pony Express Days Chili Cook-off
Monterey’s La Merienda Birthday Party
Murphys Ironstone Throw Down in the Vineyards State BBQ Competition
Norco’s Horse Town Brew N’ Que Festival
Taste of Pacifica
Palm Springs Restaurant Week (Greater Palm Springs area)
Riverside’s Inland Empire Salsa Festival
Sacramento Taco Festival
San Francisco Molloy’s Chili Cook-off
San Jose Greek Festival
San Luis Obispo Greek Festival
Tustin Street Fair Chili Cook-off
Wrightwood’s Taste of the Village
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