The Holtville California Carrot Festival 2007

John had the privilege and honour of visiting the 60th Annual Carrot Festival in Holtville California

in February 2007. Meeting up with fellow carrot collectors Jeff and Michele, we were dubbed the Carrot Road Warriors and were the stars of the main street parade. The float was festooned with beautiful posters handsomely crafted by Quentin and Ellen Burke our local hosts, who treated us like royalty. Jeff managed to include some of his rare carrot bags on the vehicle, and the crowds were treated to the full display of Michele's tattoos depicting 31 carrots in total. The parade also featured marching groups, bands and a myriad of floats and some mounted entries.

Great fun was had by all as we sampled the winning entries in the carrot cook off competition. Prior to the announcement of the winners, John was invited to draw the raffle tickets. Each Carrot Road Warrior gave a short talk on their collections and activities in the carrot world. Our thanks to Soroptimist President Margaret Riddle, and her cohorts Margie Stacey and Sylvia Nelson and the other volunteers who stage he contest and who made us so welcome.

After the main events we also got to visit local carrot growing areas, see the geothermal power plant, have a dip in a natural hot spring and view the glorious sand dunes nearby.

Earlier in the week that had been a mighty rib cook off, where 16000 pounds of pork ribs had been cooked and consumed in the day! We were treated to samples of the prize winners, which Quentin had specially saved for our arrival. On hand for us to have with the ribs was the winning sauce from the contest: Hosa-Bs Original Recipe, which combined honey, strawberries, tabasco and other "secret" ingredients. Yummy! Thank you, Don and Skip Williams of Modesto! - visit the sauce site here.

There was a fun fair in the town park and a multi coloured craft and gift fair, where the Carrot people jostled cheek by jowl for carrot goodies.

There was a welcome to the Warriors from Grimmway Farms out in the carrot field. Holding a sign from our float was field foreman Medrano Pastor of Bakersfield. Grimmway carrots are shipped all over North America

Left: the Carrot Road Warriors about to experience the Parade.

Right: Jeff and John are convinced by Michele to have temporary tattoos!!

Jeff also sporting his carrot shorts.

The Carrot Gang in the field pulling real carrots

Jeff, Quentin, Ellen and Michele inspecting a carrot patch - notice the bandana which Michele found in the Festival market.	The Carrot Road Warriors leaving town, via the Sand Dunes

Samples of the winning dishes from the Carrot Cook Off

Mark Garewal cooks a pig on a rotisserie Sunday during the second annual Dia De Familia cook-off, which concluded the 60th annual Holtville Carrot Festival.	The 60th annual Holtville Carrot Festival Parade with entries of all types rolling down Fifth Street. The big winner of the day was Rusty Payne and his Highline Cooling float, which won the commercial float, best use of theme and sweepstakes trophies.