After 65 years, the Artichoke Festival, which celebrated the iconic vegetable in Castroville, has been canceled permanently due to financial strains. The festival was initially set to debut in a new location in Salinas in June 2023. The Festival Board cited increasing production costs, insurance premiums, and operational challenges as insurmountable hurdles. They expressed immense gratitude to everyone who supported the festival over the decades, highlighting its cherished role in the community and its successful history dating back to its first Artichoke Queen in 1948.
Ending the festival is one of the most difficult decisions we've ever had to make. But the financial realities we now face are insurmountable.
The growing financial strain caused by increasing event production costs, insurance premiums, permitting requirements and operational challenges...
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