By Bay City News
The Artichoke annual festival, which was held in the county of Monterey since 1959, was canceled indefinitely on Friday by the Festival board of directors.
The event had a long time in Castroville but moved to the County Exhibition Parcée de Monterey, in the city of Monterey, in 2014. It was to be held this year in Salinas for the first time, in June.
But the organizers declared in a message on the festival website that the board of directors determined that the costs of putting the festival were not durable.
“This decision, made after months of thoughtful reflection, stems from the growing financial tension caused by the increase in event production costs, insurance premiums, permit requirements and operational challenges that have made the continuation of the prosecution,” said the council statement, calling for a difficult decision.
The board of directors thanked the countless farmers, volunteers and visitors who made the festival possible each year.
Festival Executive Director Linda Scherer described the “love work” event for those who have invested their time and attention for so many years.
“Watching him go from a celebration of the hometown to a regional culmination was one of the greatest honors in my life,” said Scherer. “The memories we have created, the people we have touched and the good that we have done together will live far beyond this decision. Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family traditions,” she said.
The board of directors said that it would consider the best way to preserve the inheritance of the festival in the future and continue to support local agriculture in one way or another.
The festival began when Swiss Italian farmers who had made the omnipresent harvest in the county of Monterey planned to collect funds for the community, according to the festival website. The organizers said hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable causes had been generated since the festival was created.
The festival included artichoke offers such as burritos and fried artichoke hearts, other food, music and activities offer.
According to the festival organizers.
California Daily Newspapers
