Latest news with #ArtichokeFestival
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
End of an era: Artichoke Festival in Monterey County canceled after 65 years
After 65 years, the Artichoke Festival has been permanently canceled. Citing increasing costs and "growing financial strain," the nonprofit board of directors announced the official closure of one of the Central Coast's iconic agricultural events on May 9. "After 65 unforgettable years celebrating the region's agricultural heritage, artichoke royalty, and community spirit, the Artichoke Festival will not return in 2025," organizers stated in the media release. "The decision, made after months of thoughtful consideration, stems from the growing financial strain caused by increasing event production costs, insurance premiums, permitting requirements, and operational challenges that have made it no longer feasible to continue." The Artichoke Festival was long held in downtown Castroville "the artichoke capital of the world" before moving locations in recent years, including the Monterey County Fairgrounds and Event Center. This year's event was going to be held at the Monterey County Sheriff's Posse Grounds before the late-breaking announcement. "Ending the festival is one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make,' festival board officials stated. 'But the financial realities we now face are insurmountable. We want to extend our deepest thanks to the sponsors, volunteers, vendors, growers, and loyal guests who made every festival possible. Your support sustained us for more than six decades.' Executive director of the festival, Linda Scherer said the event has been a "labor of love" for the many people who have volunteered and taken part over the years. "Watching it grow from a hometown celebration to a regional highlight has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Sherer said. "The memories we've made, the people we've touched, and the good we've done together will live on far beyond this decision. Thank you for letting us be part of your family traditions.' Nearly 100% of artichokes from the United States are grown in California, with about two-thirds of them grown in Monterey County, the majority around Castroville. In 2023, the county grew more than 3,000 acres of the crop, generating more than $37 million in value. First brought to the Central Coast in the 1920s by Italian immigrant farmers, the artichoke thrived in the cool coastal temperatures and rich soil. By 1926, nearly 12,000 acres were under cultivation across the state, primarily in Castroville. Monterey County recognized artichokes as the county's official vegetable in 1986 and in 2013 artichokes were proclaimed to be California's official vegetable by Lieutenant Governor, Gavin Newsom. California's first honorary Artichoke Queen was Norma Jean Mortenson, better known as Marilyn Monroe, in 1948. Castroville hosted the first Artichoke Festival in 1959 as a celebration of the region's artichoke harvest. Over the years, the festival has expanded and evolved, welcoming celebrity chefs, local performers, food and crafts vendors and beer and wine tasting all the while showcasing the artichoke in a variety of dishes, whether they be fresh, fried, stuffed or grilled. The Artichoke Festival also became a source of funding for local nonprofits, generating thousands of dollars over the years. Organizers moved the location of the festival to the Monterey County Fairgrounds and Event Center from the streets of Castroville in 2013 as a cost-saving measure. As the organization winds down, the board will take time to reflect on the best way to preserve the festival's legacy and continue supporting the agricultural community that inspired it. 'To the community of Castroville and the entire Monterey County region: thank you," continued the release. "You've helped make the Artichoke Festival more than an event—you made it a home.' This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Artichoke Festival in California's Central Coast ends after 65 years
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Beloved Monterey County food festival announces permanent closure
(KRON) – A Monterey County festival that has been in production for more than six decades has announced its closure. The city of Castroville has had its last Artichoke Festival, the festival announced on Friday. According to the festival, the event celebrated the region's agricultural heritage, artichoke royalty and community spirit. The festival's board cited 'insurmountable' financial restraints, such as production costs, insurance premiums, permitting requirements, and operational challenges as the reason for the closure. TLC, various artists set to headline Marin County Fair concerts 'This festival has been a labor of love for so many of us. Watching it grow from a hometown celebration to a regional highlight has been one of the greatest honors of my life,' said the Executive Director of the Artichoke Festival, Linda Scherer. The festival originated in 1959 to honor and promote local agriculture, educate the public about the unique qualities of artichokes, and support community nonprofits through proceeds raised, said the festival. Another Northern California food festival recently declared its termination after decades of operation due to financial reasons. The Pittsburg Seafood and Music Festival announced last month it will not see its 41st year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
San Francisco Chronicle
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Monterey County Artichoke Festival abruptly canceled after 65-year run
A beloved Monterey County festival dedicated to artichokes will be permanently canceled after nearly seven decades due to 'insurmountable' financial challenges. The annual Artichoke Festival, which began in Castroville in 1959, was slated to take place in Salinas for the first time in June, But the festival's board of directors announced Friday that the event couldn't overcome 'growing financial strain caused by increasing event production costs, insurance premiums, permitting requirements, and operational challenges that have made it no longer feasible to continue,' the announcement reads. 'Ending the festival is one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make,' the board of directors said. 'But the financial realities we now face are insurmountable.' The organization did not respond to a request for further comment. The festival, which was run by a nonprofit, was a lively celebration of local agriculture. It included artichokes in many forms, from burritos to grilled cheese; field tours; and the crowning of an artichoke queen. Promotion for the event often notes that Marilyn Monroe was named California's first honorary artichoke queen in Castroville in 1948. Ticket proceeds generated hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years for local charitable groups, according to the organization. California produces the vast majority of commercially grown artichokes in the United States, with many farms based in Monterey County. Castroville, the self-proclaimed 'artichoke center of the world,' is home to the country's largest artichoke grower, the century-old Ocean Mist Farms.
CBS News
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Artichoke Festival in Monterey County permanently canceled after 65 years
The annual Artichoke Festival held in Monterey County since 1959 was canceled indefinitely on Friday by the festival's board of directors. The event was long held in Castroville but moved to the Monterey County Fairgrounds, in the city of Monterey, in 2014. It was scheduled to be held this year in Salinas for the first time ever, in June. But organizers said in a message on the festival's website that the board determined the costs of putting on the festival were unsustainable. "This decision, made after months of thoughtful consideration, stems from the growing financial strain caused by increasing event production costs, insurance premiums, permitting requirements, and operational challenges that have made it no longer feasible to continue," the board's statement said, calling it a difficult decision. Castroville, California, which bills itself as "The Artichoke Center of the World" and was the longtime home of the annual Artichoke Festival. Barbara Munker/picture alliance via Getty Images The board thanked the countless farmers, volunteers and visitors who made the festival possible each year. The festival's executive director, Linda Scherer, called the event a "labor of love" for those who invested their time and attention into it for so many years. "Watching it grow from a hometown celebration to a regional highlight has been one of the greatest honors of my life," Scherer said. "The memories we've made, the people we've touched, and the good we've done together will live on far beyond this decision. Thank you for letting us be part of your family traditions," she said. The board said it would contemplate how best to preserve the festival's legacy in the future and continue to support local agriculture in some way. The festival began when Swiss Italian farmers who had made the crop ubiquitous in Monterey County planned to raise money for the community, according to the festival's website. Organizers said hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable causes had been generated since the festival's inception. The festival featured artichoke offerings like burritos and fried artichoke hearts, other food offerings, music and activities. About two-thirds of artichokes consumed in the United States are grown in Castroville, according to the festival's organizers.
