Monterey County: 2025 Artichoke Festival canceled without plans to return amid financial strain

By Bay City News The annual Artichoke Festival held in Monterey County since was canceled indefinitely on Friday by the festival s board of directors Related Articles Fest alert The Mill Valley Music Festival arrives May - Check out these Bay Area events on Mother s Day weekend and beyond May the Fourth and rest of month be with you at these Bay Area events Pittsburg Seafood and Music Festival comes to an end after years Bay Area events calendar for April weekly editions The event was long held in Castroville but moved to the Monterey County Fairgrounds in the city of Monterey in It was scheduled to be held this year in Salinas for the first time in June But organizers explained in a message on the festival s website that the board determined the costs of putting on the festival were unsustainable This decision made after months of thoughtful consideration stems from the growing financial strain caused by increasing event production costs insurance premiums permitting requirements and operational challenges that have made it no longer feasible to continue the board s report declared calling it a complicated decision The board thanked the countless farmers assistants and visitors who made the festival manageable each year The festival s executive director Linda Scherer called the event a labor of love for those who invested their time and attention into it for so a large number of years Watching it grow from a hometown celebration to a regional highlight has been one of the greatest honors of my life Scherer announced The memories we ve made the people we ve touched and the good we ve done together will live on far beyond this decision Thank you for letting us be part of your family traditions she stated The board stated it would contemplate how best to preserve the festival s legacy in the future and continue to endorsement local agriculture in particular way The festival began when Swiss Italian farmers who had made the crop ubiquitous in Monterey County planned to raise money for the region according to the festival s website Organizers stated hundreds of thousands of dollars in charitable causes had been generated since the festival s inception The festival featured artichoke offerings like burritos and fried artichoke hearts other food offerings music and programs About two-thirds of artichokes consumed in the United States are grown in Castroville according to the festival s organizers