STOCKTON, Calif. — The San Joaquin County Asparagus Festival is back, returning to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds for the first time since 2019.
The festival runs from May 6 - 8, opening at noon and closing at 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and at 8 p.m. on Sunday. Although asparagus might not be the first favorite vegetable that comes to mind, the San Joaquin County Asparagus Festival just might change that.
With food ranging from bacon-wrapped deep-fried asparagus to asparagus ice cream, the San Joaquin County Asparagus Festival has everything to satisfy everyone's cravings.
"Being back at the fairgrounds, through all this craziness of the pandemic, we're able to finally bring it into a bigger venue, which means more fun, more vendors, and of course, more asparagus," Alan Sanchez, spokesperson for the San Joaquin County Asparagus Festival, said.
The festival will also showcase cooking demonstrations by local restauranteurs and chefs who plan to show how to healthily prepare asparagus. Kids have their own free 'Kids Zone' with paid attractions such as carnival rides and games, a petting zoo and pony rides!
Another exciting addition is that there will be monster trucks rides with back seats open to passengers for just a $10 purchase.
The San Joaquin County Asparagus Festival works with city and county officials, as well as a security team, to make sure that it is a safe event.
"We've really taken that into account that we want to ease people's fears," said Sanchez. "This is something that is our top priority."
Artists and musicians such as Tim Hurley, Malo, Lindsay Ell, Los Morros del Norte, and many more are performing on the main stage at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds. Tickets and a full schedule of events are available on the festival's website.
"We're making sure that this is something that we all remember from back when we were kids. That asparagus festival? It's back here in Stockton," Sanchez said.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10: Eid Al-Fitr: Muslims around the world mark the end of Ramadan