The 31st San Joaquin Asparagus Festival returns to the San Joaquin county fairgrounds.
The festival is a three day event on April 15-17.
We almost lost the Stockton asparagus festival but thanks to Tony and Carol Noceti of Noceti Group, Inc., the festival was given another chance.
The Noceti Group mainly focuses on motorsports and other event promotions, but now take on more family oriented festivals.
Those who have worked with the Noceti’s always have something good to say.
Julie Linesburgh, staffer at the Asparagus festival, and is also known as Aspara-boss by those who work for the festival, has volunteered for almost three decades.
“I’ve been involved with the festival starting as a volunteer 28 years ago serving Pepsi for a group, Beta Sigma Phi and then through the years I got involved at this level. The Noceti took it on last year, they asked me to become involved I was more than happy to do it. I was born and bred here in Stockton. I’m all about Stockton and having it succeed and I’m just really proud and happy to be part of this,” said Linesburgh.
There were 42 fryers and 180 people helping prepare and box orders as people lined up.
Guillermo Rodriguez, from the Titans Baseball Club, was helping out with frying and preparing the asparagus to raise money for their team to play in New York in 2017.
“I’m here for the organization and to help out, so we’ve came out here, this is our second shift, we been here since 7:30 a.m. in the morning so we’re done at 5pm trying to get all these people feed, there’s a lot of people out here,” said Rodriguez.
The festival has moved locations several times. From Eight Mile road to Downtown Stockton, then to the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
“Honestly I think is a better venue as it relates to parking there’s plenty of shade and actually waiting in line for the asparagus you could wait indoor don’t have to wait in the hot sun like you had to do for many years, air condition, tables, it’s a lot [more] convenient and I think they had a customer in mind this year,” said Sam Fant, Board of Directors at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds and is also a Candidate for Stockton City Council District 6.
The asparagus festival helps celebrate not only our county, but also our beloved city.
“Support your city, volunteer, do whatever you can and then this happens all by itself,” said Rodriguez.