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3mo ago

Monterey Artichoke Festival Permanently Canceled After 65 Years

The nonprofit board cites insurmountable financial challenges, ending a decades-long celebration of Castroville’s agricultural heritage.

The annual Monterey County Artichoke Festival, which began in Castroville, was canceled weeks before it was slated for Salinas in June. 
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The vast majority of the world’s artichokes are grown in California, with many farms based in Monterey County. 

Overview

  • The Monterey Artichoke Festival, established in 1959, has been permanently canceled due to rising production costs, insurance premiums, and operational challenges.
  • The festival was set to debut in Salinas in June 2025 but will no longer take place after the board deemed financial pressures unsustainable.
  • Over its 65-year history, the nonprofit festival celebrated Monterey County’s dominance in U.S. artichoke production and supported local charities through ticket sales.
  • The event was known for its artichoke-inspired dishes, agricultural field tours, and the crowning of an artichoke queen, with Marilyn Monroe famously named the first honorary queen in 1948.
  • California produces the vast majority of the nation’s artichokes, with Castroville home to major growers like Ocean Mist Farms, underscoring the festival’s agricultural significance.