Foodies will be in heaven with the series of this weekend’s 43rd Annual Kiwanis Citrus Festival competitions that will ask cooks to try their best to snag 1st Place $100 grocery store gift cards in the prepared food contests.
Kids will also have a chance to join in the fun by cooking up the best way to turn lemons, avocadoes and oranges into the best dressed in Santa Paula using fruitful fashion design.
Contest Coordinator Debbie Johnson said the series of contests are among the most fun of Citrus Festival events. “Everybody loves the contests, especially our celebrity judges,” and those lucky observers that get to sample the treats following the competitions.
And everyone also enjoys the Best Dressed Avocado, Orange & Lemon Contests where kids are urged to use divine design to dress the fruit up using whatever will stick whether it be paint, paper, fabric or liquid glitter among other fruit fashion supplies.
Johnson said entry forms can be found online on the festival website www.santapaulafestival.org (the form is listed under Citrus Competitions and Contests) or can be brought directly to the Limoneira Citrus & Avocado Pavilion at Harding Park on the day of the contest up until the time of the competition.
But Johnson urges those who bring entries – whether pre-registered or just directly – to make sure they get a good head start to ensure they are on time… and not miss out on the fun!
Saturday, July 17 the Best Guacamole, Most Creative Avocado Dish and Best Orange Dessert Competitions will be held at 1:30 p.m. At 3:30 p.m. the Kids Best Dressed Avocado, Orange & Lemon Contest will be held.
Sunday, July 18 at 2 p.m. judging will be held for the Best Lemon Dessert, Best Orange or Lemon Marmalade and for the Biggest Avocado, Orange or Lemon.
“We have so many wonderful, imaginative cooks in Santa Paula and throughout Ventura County,” that Johnson expects will be lined up for the competitions. And, she noted, “We look forward to seeing you all at the Citrus Festival!”
