Businesses, locals, and tourists react to Artichoke Festival farewell

Quick Bites | Artichoke Festival permanently shuts down after 65 years

MONTEREY COUNTY Artichoke Festival closes up shop Last Friday, event organizers announced the immediate and permanent closure of the annual Artichoke Festival. This year’s event, originally scheduled for June 14-15 in a new Salinas location, was slated to offer a range of artichoke dishes, cooking demos, wine tasting, art and craft vendors and more. The statement included: “After 65 unforgettable years celebrating the region’s agricultural herit…

Businesses, locals, and tourists react to Artichoke Festival farewell

CASTROVILLE, Calif. (KION-TV)-- Businesses, locals, and tourists alike are feeling all choked up. The annual Artichoke Festival is officially calling it quits after decades on the central coast. After 65 years, the artichoke festival is bidding farewell to Monterey County. The event helped put Castroville on the map — the small town now known to many as the artichoke capitol of the world. “We just drove down for the day for Mother's Day, and I d…

2025 Artichoke Festival canceled without plans to return amid financial strain - Local News Matters

The annual Artichoke Festival held in Monterey County since 1959 was canceled indefinitely last week by the festival’s board of directors. The event was long held in Castroville but moved to the Monterey County Fairgrounds, in the city of Monterey, in 2014. It was scheduled to be held this year in Salinas for the first time ever, in June. But organizers on Friday said in a message on the festival’s website that the board determined the costs of …

Organizers put an end to the Artichoke Festival after 65 years, blaming rising costs.

The Artichoke Festival, a celebration of agriculture, has ended after 65 years due to rising costs. Organizers cited financial challenges affecting operations and permits. Learn more about the festival's history and its contributions to local charities.