Barrie Summy: Avocado Festival

It's that time of the week again! My Town Monday! And today we're visiting the town of Fallbrook for their annual Avocado Festival.

I hesitated to do another post on a food festival, but decided to run with it for two reasons:
1. I have never met an avocado I didn't like.
2. The festival is coming up in April and just on the incredible off chance that any of you might meander out this way, I want you to be in the know.

First, a teeny bit about Fallbrook: It has a population of about 30,000 and is located in the northern sector of San Diego County. The town lost about 100 dwellings to the Oct 2007 wildfires. Fallbrook's main street is a bit off the beaten track which means you leave Highway 15 and drive west for about six miles on beautiful windy roads to get to the town proper. Fallbrook is 18 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Here are a few famous people who have lived in Fallbrook: Frank Capra, Rita Coolidge, Tony Hawk, Tori Spelling. AND, surprise, surprise, Fallbrook is well known for its avocado groves.

On Sunday, April 19 from 9 am to 5 pm, the quiet village of Fallbrook will host its annual Avocado Festival, also referred to as the green crop festival. About 70,000 people will descend upon the town to enjoy the craft and food booths, culinary contests and demos, farmers' market, live music. A couple of fun contests for the kids are the Best-Dressed Avocado and the Avocado 500 (where you build and race a model car made of an avocado). I think there's also going to be a "pit spit" contest! I have at least one son who could walk away with a first!

Culinary contests include Best Guacamole and Most Creative Avocado Dish. I will not enter, but will happily taste-test if requested!

Child #4 would so rock at the Best-Dressed Avocado contest!

A little trivia about avocados so that you can dazzle everyone with your brilliance: They are also called butter pears and alligator pears. "Avocado" comes from the Nahuati (Aztecan) language and means testicle. Your average avocado tree produces 120 avocados a year.

I'm not sure I can convince dh to hit this festival with me. But I know Child #4 will be game. She's at that perfect age (she's 8) where she's enthusiastic about everything! If you're going let me know. Maybe we can meet up for some guac and chips.

Our regular head honcho, Travis Erwin, has moved and is somewhat settled in. He's back to hosting My Town Monday. Please visit Travis' blog where he'll have a fun post and links to other participants.

And I'm off to write! Have a great day, all!!

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallbrook,_California
http://sandiego.about.com/b/2008/04/12/fallbrook-goes-green-with-avocado-festival-april-22.htm
http://www.fallbrook.org/index.php
http://www.fallbrookca.org/AvoFest/AvoFest%20Poster2009SM.pdf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado