61st Annual Artichoke Festival

The Artichoke Festival returns to the Monterey County Fairgrounds on July 24-25, with the theme, “Thistle be a Good Time!”

The 61st annual event expects 8,000 visitors; safety and social distancing protocols will be followed. Advance festival admission tickets will soon be available at www.ArtichokeFestival.org and at the door, ranging from $15 for adults; $5 for youth 6-12, $10 for active military and seniors (62+). Children under 6 are free. Early-bird ticket packages will be on sale until July 10.

Gourmet artichoke dishes, with products supplied by the region’s top growers, will be prepared in a variety of ways, including: fried, steamed, grilled, and forms such as lumpia, burritos, sausage, cupcakes and ice cream.

Cooking demonstrations showcasing the artichoke’s versatility will be given by chef Daniel Elinan, executive chef at The Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa; Eduardo Coronel, executive chef of Rio Grill in Carmel; and Chef Ivan, part of the culinary team at Tarpy’s Roadhouse in Monterey.

Chef demos will be hosted by Partnership for Children, which provides transportation to medical care and family support services for children with life-threatening conditions in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. Information: www.partnerforkids.org.

There will be a bountiful farmer’s market, an ag education exhibit, a new car show hosted by Gold Coast Rods, and a new carnival, a new art exhibit plus arts and crafts vendors, and the artichoke harvest contest.

Festival proceeds will benefit nonprofits. For information, see www.artichokefestival.org