Avocado Festival coming April 20

Fallbrook’s favorite crop will be celebrated at the 22nd annual Avocado Festival on Sunday, April 20, when it is estimated that 70,000 people will trek to the Friendly Village to enjoy the street festival that stretches six to seven blocks on Main Avenue. Featuring some 350 booths, the festival offers everything from tantalizing food choices to art, clothing, jewelry, and more. Two live bands will provide music at the refreshment gardens.

In addition to the street venue, several off-site attractions will be offered, including: a tour of an avocado packing plant, vintage aircraft display at Fallbrook Airpark, the Fallbrook Historical Society Museum and the Fallbrook Gem & Mineral Society museum.

Whether your interest is in shopping for fresh avocados, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, and more in the Farmer’s Market segment, or purchasing fresh made guacamole or avocado ice cream to sample, the festival holds fun for adults and children.

Kids can participate in the ‘Avocado 500’ race car event where real avocados are made into race cars, or in the ‘Best Dressed Avocado’ contest, where they bring an avocado dressed in a theme for judging.

Food contests for Best Tasting Guacamole and Most Creative Avocado Dish will be held at the festival, with categories for both amateurs and professionals. The contests will take place at 9 a.m. on festival morning at 330 South Main Avenue in Fallbrook. Contest application deadline is April 14. Call the Fallbrook Chamber for application information at (760) 728-5845.

Parking for the festival is available at Fallbrook High School (South Mission Road and Stage Coach Lane). A free shuttle service will run between all the festival venues. Pets cannot be brought to the festival’s street fair area due to a County code that prohibits live animals from food preparation areas.

To reach Fallbrook High School, take the Mission Road exit off of Interstate 15. Follow Mission Road to Stagecoach Lane. Turn left at the stoplight at Stage Coach Lane and follow it until it almost connects with South Mission Road. The high school is on the left just before you reach South Mission Road.

A more extensive article and full schedule of events on the Avocado Festival will appear on this Web site Thursday, April 17, 2008.