With a usual annual attendance around the 100,000 mark, the 28th annual Stockton Asparagus Festival attendance experienced a drop this year. The April 26-28 event attracted 75,237 visitors, down from last year’s second highest of 104,158.
“The drop in attendance may be attributed to the psychological reaction to the Boston bombing incident, combined with the uncertainty of the festival’s location,” Executive Director Kate Post said. “However, there were many positive comments from festival-goers that it was easier to move around and to get the popular deep fried asparagus.” It may be that an ideal attendance for the “Best of the West Foodfest” is around the 85,000 mark.
Still to come are the final revenue tally and the annual allocation of proceeds to San Joaquin County charities. Last year, the festival distributed $314,972 to more than 100 nonprofit organizations. More than $5.8 million has been given to participating charities since the Asparagus Festival started in 1986.
Festival-goers enjoyed great weather, great food, great entertainment, and enough other events and sights to fill a day. Asparagus dishes were as popular as ever with 36,000 orders of deep fried asparagus served, over 10,000 scoops of asparagus ice cream, plus thousands of servings of asparaberry shortcake, asparagus & beef sandwiches, asparagus pasta, and asparagus burritos, with a grand total of 56,400 dishes served.
The 2014 event is scheduled for April 25-27. Although planning for next year has already begun, it begins in earnest in August. Booth applications for 2014 go online mid-September.