A day set aside for tiny orange fruits and fun
It’s that time of year when the tiny tart orange fruit reigns supreme in Dade City — the town on the eastern edge of Pasco County, with quaint shops lining its downtown streets and a historic courthouse in its center square.
About 35,000 people are expected at the festival this year, said John Moors, executive director of The Greater Dade City Chamber of Commerce, which is the event organizer.
“They literally come from all over,” he said, noting visitors come from Sarasota, Sun City Center, all over Pinellas County, The Villages, The Nature Coast, Orlando, Lakeland, and other nearby areas.
Volunteers work all year to prepare for the event, and on festival day, crews begin to arrive at 4:30 a.m., to get the vendors lined up on the streets.
“We couldn’t do this without the almost 200 volunteers,” Moors said.
The free event features Kumquat Growers, in the Wells Fargo parking lot, where visitors can learn all about kumquats and purchase some to take home.
There are lots of fun things to see and do, too.
The festival features more than 400 vendors, offering everything from arts and crafts, to fresh produce to all sorts of kumquat products.
There’s a Kid’s Corral, with all sorts of activities for children, a Quilt Show at the Hugh Embry Library, and a car and truck show in the parking lot at the Judicial Courthouse.
If you enjoy entertainment, you’ll find plenty of choices — with a full slate of acts scheduled throughout the day. There’s also a Health & Wellness Area and an area where festival sponsors have set up their booths.
There’s free parking, free shuttles and free admission.
There’s also free entertainment all day, Moors said.
“You can spend your money on some of the arts and crafts that are featured, or in some of our wonderful shops,” he said.
The sponsors, including this year’s headline sponsor Florida Hospital Zephyrhills, play a vital role in making the event a success, Moors said. “We couldn’t do this without the support of our sponsors,” he said.
Besides entertainment, there’s plenty of choices for food and drink.
“The local restaurants do a great business. They adjust their menus, so they can get our attendees in and out. Have them well-fed, quickly and efficiently, so they can get on and enjoy the festival,” Moors said.
“This year, we’re featuring kumquat beer by a number of local craft beer breweries. There’s also kumquat wine available for sale by the bottle,” Moors said. “People can enjoy a beverage, and stroll along the streets and look at the arts and crafts featured.”
While the kumquat takes center stage during the event, this year’s crop has been negatively affected by citrus greening and insect damage, Moors said.
Still, Moors said, “there’s going to be kumquats for the festival, and there’s going to be ample kumquat products, pies, jams, jellies, ice cream, marmalade, kumquat beer and kumquat wine — all of those things will still happen.”
The growers are also working hard to replant trees and the hope is they’ll be back in full production within a year or two.
Meanwhile, preparations go on for this year’s festival, which Moors said is Dade City’s way to invite visitors to come see what the area has to offer.
“Our message is: Enjoy the festival. Come back and visit the area at your leisure,” Moors said.
21st annual Kumquat Festival
Where: Downtown Dade City
When: Jan. 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free admission and free parking. Free shuttles run continuously from the Pasco County Fairgrounds on State Road 52 and from a lot next to Jarrett Ford on the U.S. 301 Truck Route. The shuttles run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking is available near the festival, but those spaces fill quickly.
Details: More than 400 vendors will be offering arts and crafts, foods and all things kumquat. There will be live entertainment, a car show, a quilt show and activities for kids.
Info: There are information booths at the intersection of Seventh Street and Meridian Avenue, and also at the intersection of Third Street and Meridian Avenue. (They’re Orange Tents with information in large green lettering.) Pick up your festival information flyer there.
The Kumquat Festival entertainment lineup
Jan. 27 at the Historic Courthouse Square
9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.: Saint Leo University Totally TABS
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.: Calvary Assembly of Dade City (Christian Contemporary, National Anthem/Prayer)
11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.: Sweet-n-Southern Cloggers
Noon to 1:30 p.m.: Eli Mosley, country
1:45 to 2 p.m.: St. Rita Catholic Church Folklore Dancers
2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.: Dean Johnson’s Music & Friends, various styles
3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.: Seventeenth Street, contemporary/country
Turning Point Church of Dade City is providing and operating the sound equipment.
Published January 24, 2018
