Asparagus Days festival returns to Stockton
Free vaccine clinic offered at festival
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Updated: 12:47 PM PDT May 13, 2021
Free vaccine clinic offered at festival
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Updated: 12:47 PM PDT May 13, 2021
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WESTBOUND COMMUTE. TONI:TONI: BACK TO YOU. THANK YOU. THE GATES TO SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY' S FAVORITE, THE ASPARAGUS DAYS, AS IT IS NOW CALLED, ARE BACK. TY: THE FOUR-DAY FESTIVAL STARTS TODAY IN THIS YEAR IS AT A NEW LOCATION BUT ALL THE FAVORITES ARE STILL THERE. KCRA 3’S BRIAN HICKEY JOINS US LI IN STOCKTON WITH MORE AND WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO THE ASPARAGUS FESTIVAL. WHAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW US? BRIAN: THAT IS RIGHT. WE ARE STILL IN THE KITCHEN. WE HAVE TO KICK IT OFF WITH A DEEP RIGHT ASPARAGUS BECAUSE THAT IS TRULY WHAT EVERYONE LOVES, ALONG WITH THE MUSIC AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT WE HAVE JULIE, THE ASPARA-BOSS, AT THIS FOR THREE DECADES, AND I SEE YOU HAVE GOT THIS DOWN. >> THREE DECADES I STARTED POURING PEPSI AND THEN IT GREW FROM THERE. I’M HAVING A LOT OF FUN. BRIAN: THIS IS ONE OF THE ITEMS PEOPLE LINE UP FOR LITERALLY. >> LITERALLY. I THINK THIS IS THE REASON PEOPLE COME, QUITE FRANKLY. YOU CAN GET A CORNDOG ANY TIME OF YEAR AT ANY FESTIVAL, BUT DEEP-FRIED ASPARAGUS ONLY NOW AND HERE AND ONLY THIS FLAVOR HERE AND NOW. BRIAN: WHAT MAKES THE ACTUAL ASPARAGUS SPECIAL? WE ONLY USE CALIFORNIA ASPARAGUS, DELTA QUEEN ASPARAGUS, BEAUTIFUL. IT HAS A FLAVOR LIKE NO OTHER IN THE WORLD. THE FLAVOR, THE TEXTURE, THE SIZE, IT IS PERFECT. BRIAN: IT IS FROM KLEIN FAMILY FARMS HERE IN STOCKTON. >> YOU BET IT IS. BRIAN:BRIAN: THEY HAVE DEEP-FRIED ASPARAGUS AND MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHER ASPARAGUS DISHES LIKE BACON WRAPPED ASPARAGUS, ASPARAGUS ICE CREAM AND ASPARAGUS MARGARITAS, SO LITTLE BIT OF SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY OUT HERE. YOU WANT ONE OF THOSE? >> YES PLEASE. BRIAN: I WILL SEE WHAT I CAN DO. WE ARE AT THE STOCKTON 99 SPEEDWAY. NORMALLY THIS WOULD BE AT THE SAN JOAQUIN FAIRGROUNDS. THEY WERE NOT QUITE READY TO HOST, SO THEY MOVED IT TO THE RACEWAY, WHERE THE RUNNER OF THE BASIS SAYS WE WILL RUN THE FESTIVAL HERE, -- RAC, SAYS WE WILL RUN THE FESTIVAL HERE, S WILL PREVIEW GET TO WALK RIGHT ONTO THE TRACK WHERE THEY HAVE THE BAND SET UP. SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR, THE SAN JOAQUIN HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL OFFER FREE VACCINES. YOU DON’T NEED ANYTHING BUT AN ID. THAT INCLUDES FOR KIDS 12 AND OLDER. THEY WILL HAVE THE PFIZER VACCINE. I JUST LEARNED ONE DOLLAR FROM EVERY TICKET SOLD FROM THE FESTIVAL WILL BE GOING TO THE FAMILY OF FALLEN OFFICER JIMMY INS. A GREAT REASON TO COME OUT TO THE FESTIVAL, ENJOYING FRESH AIR, AND THEY WILL BE REQUIRING MASKS. YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF WHEN YOU ARE EATING MORE SOCIALLY DISTANCE FROM OTHERS, BUT MASKS ARE REQUIRED WHEN YOU’RE AT THE FESTIVAL. TONI: A LOT OF INCREDIBLE REASONS TO GO OUT. NICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AGAIN. HOW SHOULD PEOPL DRESS? WE KNOW IT WILL BE WARM, BUT IS THERE A LOT OF DIRT, AS WELL, BEHIND YOU? BRIAN: THE CARNIVAL IS DIRT, AND THAT IS DIRT, BUT WE ARE IN THE KITCHEN RIGHT NOW SO WE CANNOT SEE TOO MUCH, BUT IF YOU LOOK TO THAT FENCE OVER THERE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS PAVEMENT ON THE RACETRACK AND DOWN IN THE INFIELD A SHORT GRASS, SO I WOULD NOT WEAR YOUR FANCY SHOES IF YOU ARE GOING. TONI: THAT IS WHAT I WAS BRIAN: GETTING UP. BRIAN: 10 ISSUES -- TONI: THAT IS WHAT I WAS GETTING UP. BRIAN: I WAS THINK