FACING THE SECOND HALF... of an avocado, when all you really intended to do was consume the first part? And there isn't anyone around to share the whole alligator pear with you? And your neighbor isn't home, otherwise you'd run the second half over to him? Clearly, after a minute of contemplation, or maybe less, you're going to arrive at this conclusion: It's time to finish the whole yummy thing, from bumpy top to bumpy bottom. If this is you, and we suspect most avocado eaters fit the finish-it-all bill, then you know that a weekend spent dipping into various appetizers, and guacamoles, and main meals, the kind of edibles all built around avocados, is, in a way, a bigger and more festive version of eating an entire avocado on your own.
BUT... what if that weekend was actually three days, and what if you could avo-up to your heart's happy content in strolling distance of the ocean, and what if there was avocado ice cream, too, to complete the satisfying scene? You'd be at the California Avocado Festival, in Carpinteria, one of the planet's most perfect pit-oriented parties. As is tradition, the fest will stir up the dip-ready goodness in early fall, so plan to be in pretty Carp from Oct. 5 through 7 (yep, a Friday through Sunday). There are contests, believe it, including the classic guacamole showdown and a competition devoted to "best dressed avocado."
AS FOR THE EATING? The booth scene is way big, so save lots of room, and bring bucks, for all sorts of avocado-centric meals, from guacamole to salads to savories to, yes, sweets. And bringing the bucks is made a tad easier, for, as is tradition, the festival is free to enter. Happy 32nd, California Avocado Festival!
