February 27 & 28, University of Arizona
"US (AZ): Annual ag "feastival" Yuma Lettuce Days"
That means visitors won’t just be sampling cuisine created using fresh Yuma produce, they will actually be surrounded by lettuce – and have the chance to pick it themselves, see it being thinned, flown over by drones and more.
“This is the real deal – Lettuce Days now sprouts up right in the heart of Yuma agriculture,” said Linda Morgan, executive director of Yuma Visitors Bureau, which organizes the festival. “We’ve evolved from a street fair with some ‘special dressing’ to an event with culinary flair, to a full-on farm adventure.”
New this year, you can get down and dirty and pick your own veggies at the Yuma Area Ag Council U-harvest field, and watch master gardeners arrange blossoms from on-site flower gardens. Besides veggies, there will be free tastings of citrus varieties and, if the weather cooperates, samples from a test planting of strawberry varieties.
Celebrity chef Michael Cairns of the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia will give two live cooking demonstrations each day, backed up by a lineup of local chefs that even includes “beer pairing” tips and samples.
The J.V. Smith Chop Chop Challenge returns this year, with both aspiring culinary students and professional chefs squaring off to see who can create the tastiest dish from a mystery basket of ingredients.
Also returning is Chef Ray Duey, renowned for his fanciful fruit and vegetable sculptures, along with red-hot ice carvers who transform blocks of ice into frozen masterpieces.
To celebrate Yuma’s status as the world’s largest producer of Medjool dates, an old-fashioned “Datewalk” sponsored by R. J. Moody Appraisers steps off hourly. The Tanimura & Antle Toss It Up Salad Bar offers the chance to tie into a healthy meal and score a sample of artisan red onions.
A special Dole Vegetable Kids’ AG-tivities area will offer a variety of free, hands-on activities, from arts and crafts projects to mini-tractor races to interactive education in the UA Water Lab. The free Tractor Supply farm animal petting zoo will also offer pony rides for a donation to Saddles of Joy. A rock climbing wall and castle maze with tower slide will be available at extra charge, either by the ride or with an unlimited-use wristband.
Back by popular demand on Saturday only is the Westerner Products Yuma Recipe Box tasting event, where an array of local restaurants offer samples of their specialties. To minimize waiting and lines, a limited number of tickets will be sold for three different serving times (1, 2 and 3 p.m.) this year. Cost for this adults-only (21 & older) event is $10.
New for 2016 is Salúd to the Field Workers presented by Pasquinelli Produce. This Sunday-only feature begins with a church service and includes a free art exhibit and poetry readings. Special presentations at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. (limited seating, separate $10 admission) will include custom videos, first-person storytelling, Q & A sessions, and tasting samples of five dishes featuring Yuma-grown fruits and vegetables. Proceeds benefit Campesinos sin Fronteras.
All Lettuce Days tickets -- including those for farm tours, Recipe Box, and Salúd are available now at the Visitor Information Center, 201 N. 4th Ave. (credit cards accepted) or on site at Lettuce Days (cash only).
"We’ve really tried to offer something for all ages and interests at Lettuce Days this year," Morgan said. "It’s all about family fun, so come on out and lettuce entertain you!"
For more information:
Yuma Visitors Bureau
180 W 1st St.
Suite D
Yuma, AZ 85364
1-800-293-0071
VisitYuma.com
