Nuttin' but Fun

True, Gilroy has the Garlic Festival, but Bakersfield is hosting the Second Annual Nut Festival, Saturday, June 7, at the historic Kern County Museum. In 2009 Bob Price, an editor with the Bakersfield Californian, wondered why Kern County, a major agricultural area, did not have an agricultural festival. The seed was planted (yes, pun intend) and a group of local businesses and civic leaders met to discuss the possibility, but plans were shelved due to economic hard times.

Sheryl Barbich and Betty Pandol, members of the Kern County Museum Foundation, took the plans off the shelf in 2012 and the project caught like wildfire, this time. Organizations, groups, companies and individuals set up committees to organize the Nut Festival. There are now over 85 individuals on festival committees.

One of the top agricultural counties in the nation, Kern County leads in the nut production of almonds, pistachios and – to a lesser degree – pecans and walnuts. Millions of dollars are generated annually and thousands are employed by the nut industry in Kern County.

The primary beneficiary of the festival revenues are the Kern County Museum Foundation, supporting the historic Kern County Museum.

The Festival begins at 9 a.m. and closes at 4 p.m. Cooking demonstrations, nutty concoctions, music, dancing, crafts, art, games, contests, agricultural exhibits and other "nutty" activities, will go on throughout the day.

Adult tickets are $10 and children are $5. Tickets may be purchased on the museum website. Free parking will be available and the GET bus will operate service from various locations. The General Information page for the Kern County Nut Festival has information regarding parking, getting to the festival and festival guidelines. The Museum is located at 3801 Chester Ave. For further information call 661-437-3330 or visit the website at http://kcmusem.org. Vendor applications are still being accepted.

For a "Shell of a Good Time" get crackin' and mark you calendars, June 7 for the Second Annual Kern County Nut Festival at the Historical Kern County Museum.