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Events around the World Which Celebrate the Wonderful Carrot
Several countries have an annual event to celebrate the successful harvest of the carrot. Here are the ones which have become known to the World Carrot Museum.
| Holtville California | Bradford Ontario | Ohakune New Zealand | Croissy sur Seine, France |
| Aarau Switzerland | Schenectady County NY | Creances France | Beypazarı, Turkey |
Also have a look at the Boston Vegetarian Society, which holds its Annual Food Festival in October and has a carrot in its main logo. They even produced a special carrot T-shirt! Click here for more.
The Holtville Annual Carrot Festival - January/February
Holtville in California, USA, calls itself the "Carrot Capital of the World"
and to acknowledge such a prestigious title it holds the Annual Carrot
Festival.
The year 2007 will see the holding of the 60th festival, organised by the Chamber
of Commerce, in late January. They refer to it as "The Annual Community salute
to the carrot". The Festival
took place on February 2nd to February 11th. See the full story and pictures of
the Carrot Museum's visit here.
Holtville is on the east side of Imperial Valley, in the area's most fertile agricultural region, producing quality crops of carrots, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, melons, wheat and cotton. The Carrot Festival comprises a week long schedule of events, culminating in hugely entertaining Carnival from noon until 10 p.m
The Festival Parade takes place mid-week and features schoolchildren, bands, floats, antique cars, equestrians, the Festival Queen, the Princess and Junior Princess. You can even have some carrot ice cream there, strictly during festival week!
Other intriguing events include, cookery contests, a golf tournament, two more carnivals a Student Art Show, Entertainment in the park and an Arts and Craft Fair.
All in all a thoroughly good time is plainly had by everyone, long may it continue.
The Holtville Chamber of Commerce's web site is: here
Learn more about the Carrot Festival and other Events at the Holtville CA web site here.
The Annual Carrot Fest - Bradford West Gwillimbury, Ontario, Canada - August
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One of Canada's biggest carrot producing areas is Bradford, where, every year the Annual Carrot Fest takes place.
It celebrates the area's agricultural heritage and the important role played
by the carrot in the economy. Bradford West
Gwillimbury alone supplies Ontario with 99% of all of their carrots AND onions!
This means that Bradford also supplies Canada with 50% of their carrots and 60%
of their onions
Here is a sample of what the crazy locals get up to !! See the report of
John's visit in 2006 - HERE.
The local newspaper report of the day's event can be seen here.
STOP PRESS: See the Carrot Fest Flyer for 18 August 2007 HERE
Fête de la Carotte - Annual Carrot Festival - Croissy sur Seine - September
A tradition since 1860!
At the end of the 18th century, Croissy discovered a vocation for itself as a
gardening village located 12 kilometers from the main food markets of Paris (the
main one in Paris is known as Les Halles). Thanks to a predominantly sandy
terrain, a plain which is sheltered from the western winds, and underlying
ground water (possibly an aquifer), the village very rapidly became the queen of
the markets - and remained so until the 1970’s. It gained a reputation for
her famous vegetables used in making pot-au-feu, of which the carrot was of
superior quality.
In 1860, the first community festival of Croissy was held. With the rapid development of market gardening, Croissy became the natural choice for the festival of the carrot. The queen of the markets has therefore been celebrated for nearly 150 years in Croissy every second weekend of September.
6,7 and 8 September 2008
It is the traditional festival of Croissy sur Seine, "carrot capital" since the mid 19th century. As ancestral home to the vegetable which once gave glory to this former market-gardening town, Croissy pays homage to the carrot with an annual festival held on the second weekend of September.
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The itinerary includes a torchlight procession, fireworks, evening DJ, mass of the 'Saint Fiacre', procession of floats, the traditional great meal “beef carrots”, a forum of local associations and a fun fair,
A procession of carrot objects is held, basically anything which moves! - bicycles, child's scooters, wheelbarrows, soapboxes, skate boards, rollers blades and so on. See the full story and pictures of the Carrot Museum's visit in 2007 here.
See the Carrot Festival Flyer for 2007 HERE
Click here to see more photos of this great festival from previous years.
The Annual Carrot Carnival - Ohakune, New Zealand - July
Over to Ohakune in New Zealand where The Big Carrot was set up in September
1984, a symbol of the pioneering work of the early Chinese market gardeners
and today's entrepreneurial growers who have developed thriving business in
hard times with plenty of mud, slush, cold and rain.
Ohakune comes from the Maori translation meaning "Place To Be Careful."
The Carrot Carnival in Ohakune celebrates the important role the colourful,
tasty, famous plays
in the life and livelihood of the Ohakune community. The first Carrot Carnival
was held in 1990 in an effort to provide a fun occasion for the local children
and encourage people to support their local retailers. Each year the carnival
has become a little bigger, a little better and a little better known and
always the weather has been cold, wet, windy or all three but this does not
dampen the enthusiasm of the organisers or participants.
The day starts off with a market with local organisations and also visitors
having stalls which range from the local food through to a blacksmith working
on a forge. Entertainment is provided by local as well as visiting artists,
demonstrations by local organizations, Karate, Aerobics, Children’s
Dance, competitions run by retailers for best decorated shop windows, Carrot
poems, Vegetable sculptures, wearable art, a shoppers draw (usually $1000),
and last but not least, the parade of floats, horses and horse drawn vehicles,
trucks, tractors and all other forms of motor vehicles.
New
Zealand's premier landmark has been named - and it's not the harbour bridge or
Sky Tower. It's not even the Viaduct Harbour or One Tree Hill. It's a park in
New Plymouth. Pukekura Park and its two-month festival of lights has won
the prime Mayfair spot on the new Monopoly, Here and Now New Zealand board.
The provincial park knocks off Auckland's Queen St, which
held the top spot for 21 years. Rangitoto Island takes the neighbouring Park
Lane square, the only Auckland feature to make the board. The Viaduct, Sky Tower
and bridge were all nominated by local authorities.
But in public voting, the vibrant America's Cup venue was beaten by a big
carrot and an oversize kiwifruit.
The Ohakune and Te Puke landmarks were winners in the quirky kiwiana section.
2008 Festival is 26 July.
Web site here.
The small town of Creances in Normandy, France celebrates the apiaceae family - or the humble carrot.
The inhabitants of Créances have been known for growing a whole range of
different vegetables since the 13th
Century. Carrots, leeks, beetroot and salsify grow in the "mielles", a sandy
area close to the sea.
As growing conditions improved, from about 1919 the local population started
selling their produce at markets in the area and as far away as Paris.
Growing carrots took off in a big way once a market garden co-operative was created in 1943. Thanks to the persistence of its members, the quality "Label Rouge" mark was awarded in 1962 to carrots grown in Créance’s sandy soil and since 1990 the town has organised a special festival dedicated to its "queen of vegetables", held every second Saturday in August.
The town
produces high-quality vegetables, carrots in particular, and every year the
local farming community congregates to celebrate its terroir and the
local produce with performances, a market, food stalls and music.
The programme includes a parade of carrot growers, the "Mougeous d’Carottes", a cooking competition, a fair open to everyone and musical entertainment. Every year about 25,000 visitors come to join in the fun.
Créance’s market garden area produces approximately 35,000 tons of "carottes des sables" and 10,000 tons of leeks every year
2007 - 11 August. More information here.
Always the first Wednesday in November, the town of Aarau, in Switzerland - known as "The town of beautiful gables" holds its annual "Rüeblimart" (Carrot festival).
Aarau is a beautiful place - within minutes you can be by the river Aare, in the Jura hills, in the city or going on the Intercity train somewhere; or you can be on the "Riviera" in one of the many pub gardens in Schachen.
Aarau has an attractive location in many different respects. The town is
situated between Basel, Berne, Lucerne and Zurich.
Aarau is also heavenly. The painted gable roofs on the numerous houses in the
Old Town are unique. They are guaranteed to turn your head when looking at them.
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The Day the town turns into Carrot wonderland and all manner of baked carrot products (carrot cakes, carrot muffins, carrot bread etc), carrot soup, carrot jam, carrot cheese, are on display. |
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The County holds its Annual Carrot Festival in September.
What's all the fuss about Carrots in New York? and why a Festival?
Begun in 1978 as a modest farmers market, Congregation Agudat
Achim’s annual mid-September Carrot Festival has evolved into an eagerly awaited
mega-autumn harvest fair and community carnival, featuring arts, crafts, games
and musical entertainment. Huge crowds from all over New York and surrounding
states spill across the expansive front lawn of the synagogue to enjoy wonderful
food cooked al fresco. The visitors stroll among artists’ and crafters’ stalls
and display tables piled high with succulent produce trucked in from nearby
Schoharie Valley farms.
If you like fun and music, carrot cakes, carrot bagels and other carrot goodies,
Multi-cultural foods, and if you are looking for
children's activities and a
chance to buy plants and farm-fresh produce, and to shop at 50 craft booths,
you'll love the Schenectady County Carrot Festival. Held whether it rains
or shines!!
Over 25 years ago one of the local farmers and some of his friends thought they
could have a celebration that featured their farm's most important crop - the
CARROT. Since then the carrots have kept growing and so has the FESTIVAL. Today
it is one of the area's most popular September activities.
Previous Carrot Festivals have featured - the 5K Carrot Run, and the business
and professional tent fresh organic produce from Schoharie County; honey and
plants; over 40 craft tables; fun for the kids; and, of course, the Walking
Carrot. Sounds like great fun!
The festival’s crowning glory is its incomparable slate of carrot-based baked
goods, the festival’s signature carrot cakes, crowned by a heavenly two-layer
praline filled carrot cake, topped with a lush cream cheese frosting. The other
carrot cakes are prepared non dairy. They include applesauce carrot cake, banana
chocolate chip carrot cake, zucchini carrot loaf, chunky apple cake, traditional
carrot strudel, contemporary apple carrot strudel and pineapple carrot cake with
streusel topping.
In Castro Verde, Portugal every January, the Purple Carrot Fayre takes place consisting of market stall down to Ermida do Santo. Tradition says that the pigs should be slaughtered and the land tilled and ploughed before this date. (no further information)
The Society seeks to make a better world for people, animals, and the earth
through advancing a healthful vegetarian diet and a compassionate ethic. They
provide education, encouragement, and community support for vegetarians and for
anyone wishing to learn more about a healthy, environmentally friendly and
humane way of life.
BVS organizes a variety of popular events, and hope everyone will join in! They
offer cooking classes, monthly speaker events and dinners, holiday events,
special outings, outreach, and more! The events are open and welcoming to all,
vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. They also organize the annual Boston
Vegetarian Food Festival, one of the largest vegetarian events in the world.
john had the privilege of visiting one of the Society dinners in August 2006 and
acquired an unusual manner - see below.
See the BVS website
here.
Here is the magnificent t-shirt they produced for the 2005 Food Festival.
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Sample of the Boston Food Festival T-Shirt |
This is "Sparkle" who kindly swapped (out in the street!) his unique carrot shirt with John at the BVS Carrot Dinner. |
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