Walla Walla valley's onion festival is one sweet treat
Walla Walla valley's onion festival is one sweet treat
WALLA WALLA, WA -- Toasty temperatures in the Walla Walla valley eventually pushed the mercury into triple digits, but it did not put a damper on the recent 22nd annual Walla Walla Sweet Onion Festival.
The free event, held at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds July 14-16, showcased the famous Walla Walla sweet onion, a variety as distinctive as the area in which it is grown and marketed.
Anticipating ongoing success and good attendance, this year's event was expanded to more than two days -- the first time in its history. Kathy Fry, marketing director for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee, manned the organization's booth at the festival and said it "just keeps getting better and better."
The festival was kicked off the evening of July 14 with a special dinner honoring the valley's growers and shippers. On Saturday, a number of crowd-pleasing events returned, including cooking demonstrations and barbecue cookoffs featuring Wall Walla sweet onions as a prominent ingredient. The festival also provided an outlet for arts and crafts vendors and tastings of locally produced wines.
An expanded music concert was offered this year, with three bands keeping the place jumping on Saturday night.
Ms. Fry said that the committee has always partnered with local nonprofit organizations to help with fund raising as a way to "give back to the community." Fund-raising activities included two local poker runs and a pancake breakfast.
New to the schedule this year was a 5K/10K fun run sponsored by Walla Walla Friends. On Sunday, a total of 61 runners and walkers - including The Produce News' Northwest Editor Kathleen Thomas Gaspar - participated in "The Sweet Power of Friendship Fun Run" (see story below). Walla Walla Friends mentors work with local at- risk youth, and some of the contestants were youth-mentor pairs who ran the course together in a show of solidarity.
Multicultural Marketing & Recruitment Director Joey August was stationed at the finish line cheering the participants on as the race clock rolled.
"Everyone finished," he told The Produce News, adding that he had already received feedback about ways to expand the event in 2007. He said he is looking forward to implementing those suggestions to make next year's run bigger and better.
The free event, held at the Walla Walla County Fairgrounds July 14-16, showcased the famous Walla Walla sweet onion, a variety as distinctive as the area in which it is grown and marketed.
Anticipating ongoing success and good attendance, this year's event was expanded to more than two days -- the first time in its history. Kathy Fry, marketing director for the Walla Walla Sweet Onion Marketing Committee, manned the organization's booth at the festival and said it "just keeps getting better and better."
The festival was kicked off the evening of July 14 with a special dinner honoring the valley's growers and shippers. On Saturday, a number of crowd-pleasing events returned, including cooking demonstrations and barbecue cookoffs featuring Wall Walla sweet onions as a prominent ingredient. The festival also provided an outlet for arts and crafts vendors and tastings of locally produced wines.
An expanded music concert was offered this year, with three bands keeping the place jumping on Saturday night.
Ms. Fry said that the committee has always partnered with local nonprofit organizations to help with fund raising as a way to "give back to the community." Fund-raising activities included two local poker runs and a pancake breakfast.
New to the schedule this year was a 5K/10K fun run sponsored by Walla Walla Friends. On Sunday, a total of 61 runners and walkers - including The Produce News' Northwest Editor Kathleen Thomas Gaspar - participated in "The Sweet Power of Friendship Fun Run" (see story below). Walla Walla Friends mentors work with local at- risk youth, and some of the contestants were youth-mentor pairs who ran the course together in a show of solidarity.
Multicultural Marketing & Recruitment Director Joey August was stationed at the finish line cheering the participants on as the race clock rolled.
"Everyone finished," he told The Produce News, adding that he had already received feedback about ways to expand the event in 2007. He said he is looking forward to implementing those suggestions to make next year's run bigger and better.
