Avocado Festival is 'most excellent event'

When approximately 100,000 people show up for an event, law enforcement is ready for anything. The Avocado Festival in downtown Fallbrook has traditionally been a safe and fun family event and this year's edition followed the script, according to detective sergeant Patrick Yates of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

"It was a most excellent event," said Yates of the April 15 Avocado Festival. "We had very few problems."

Yates works out of the Fallbrook Sheriff's substation and was patrolling his seventh Avocado Festival.

"We had one missing kid and (the kid) was only missing for three or four minutes and was located," said Yates. "We had no reported crimes and lots of 'thank yous' from the crowd for our service and the fire department's service. It was a well-attended event that went very smoothly."

Yates said only one arrest – for drunk in public – was made in the festival area and it occurred after the festival had ended.

Yates was given an extra assignment at the festival by Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce CEO Lila MacDonald, who tabbed him to be one of the judges for the Guacamole Contest.

"All the guacamole was excellent but there were some that stood out," said Yates. "It was really impressive. I'm a guy that likes spice, something that's going to make my eyes water. The one that I chose on the amateur side won. On the professional side, the one I chose came in second. Both of those were on the spicier side. I really enjoyed being a judge."

MacDonald, who as the person in charge of the festival reported to duty at 3 a.m. and didn't call it quits until 7:30 p.m., said this year's festival couldn't have gone smoother.

"I thought it went wonderful," said MacDonald the morning after the event. "This is probably the first festival I was able to take my son out and taste salsas and do stuff like that with him. I'm normally too busy, running from one end (of the festival) to the other. It means the over-planning worked."

The festival was held under sunny skies in the morning and overcast conditions in the afternoon. The high temperature in Fallbrook April 15 was 77 degrees.

"The weather was gorgeous – Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce weather," said MacDonald.

The Beer and Margarita Garden, where people could enjoy live music as well as offerings from Prohibition Brewing Company and Cazadores Tequila, was crowded throughout the day, as was the area surrounding the Univision stage, where live Hispanic music was presented.

"I heard a lot of positive feedback regarding the Univision stage," said MacDonald. "That area was packed. The music brought a cool vibe to the festival."

The Artisan Walk on Alvarado Street, where handmade items from local artists were showcased, also proved very popular.

"I talked to the team that worked the Artisan Walk and they said there were a lot more people on the Artisan Walk this year," said MacDonald. "It's gaining exposure."

More than 450 vendors participated in this year's festival, offering a wide variety of goods and services and food.

"I talked to several of the food vendors and thanked them for being here, and they thanked me and said please let us come back next year," said MacDonald. "If vendors want to come back, that's positive."

The 2019 Avocado Festival will be held April 14.