SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. — The San Joaquin Asparagus Festival is coming to Stockton for the 38th year from April 12 to 14 and discounted tickets and carnival ride wristbands are on sale now.
Hosted at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds, friends and family gather every year for carnival rides, live music, games and food.
Asparagus-related dishes are set to be served by chefs across the festival, with meals including:
- Deep fried asparagus
- Asparagus ice cream
- Asparagus lumpia
- Asparagus Polish corn dogs
- Asparagus chili cheese fries & nachos
San Joaquin Asparagus Festival spokesperson Alan Sanchez said new attractions include camel riding and the return of monster truck rides for kids.
"This year we'll have more vendors than ever, over 250," he said. "The nice thing about having so many vendors is you have asparagus-related food, but other food too in case not everyone is a fan of the asparagus."
Farmers across the San Joaquin County area who grow asparagus would not be able to afford to do so if not for the Asparagus Festival, Sanchez said.
Local grown asparagus keeps festival organizers from having to source it from Mexico.
Festival organizers are also extending Friday and Saturday's hours from its previous closing time of 7 p.m. to now 10 p.m. because of popular demand.
The extended hours also mean more security and police will be present at the festival.
"Come get your asparagus before it's all gone," Sanchez said. "It's because of the Noceti family that we've kept this decades-long event in Stockton."
