Almond Festival returns; Chamber of Commerce mixer
The annual Capay Valley Almond Festival is making its return Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 24 and 25 at every town up the valley from Esparto to Rumsey.
“The 109-year-old Almond Festival is back for 2024,” the Esparto Regional Chamber of Commerce's website emphasized. “The fun does not stop in Esparto. Every town up the valley will be offering their own twist on the Almond Festival, so you will want to be sure you won't miss a thing.”
The two-day event kicks off with family day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday featuring live music, local non-profit organizations, a bake-off contest featuring recipes that include almonds as an ingredient and food at Esparto Community Park
The event continues from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday with “the usual Almond Festival that we all have come to know and love.”
“This will include the vendors in the Esparto Community Park, restaurants and businesses offering goods, food and music,” the website stated. “The car show will be in its usual spot around the Esparto Fire Department.”
For more information, visit espartoregionalchamber.com.
Last year, the festival persisted despite unfortunate weather conditions.
“Our objective was to plan an Almond Festival and we did it rain or shine,” Laura Gordon, vice president of the Esparto Regional Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of the festival, said last year. “So even if one person had shown up, it would have been a success.”
Gordon noted that although the 2022 Almond Festival welcomed roughly 5,000 people to the valley, she only estimated about a third of that attended the 2023 festival.
She argued that what hurt the event most last year were businesses and vendors choosing to cancel their weekend events due to the weather.
“You'd have to go back and look up when the last time the valley even had snow,” she emphasized. “The weather impacted the people coming out but the people that were coming out were diehards.”
To read more about last year's event, visit dailydemocrat.com/2023/03/01/capay-valley-almond-festival-persists-through-bad-weather-conditions.
• Meals on Wheels Yolo County is encouraging people to be a senior's valentine this month by donating to the local nonprofit organization.
“This month of love you can be an isolated senior's valentine by ensuring increasingly heart-healthy meals either doorstep delivered anywhere in Yolo County or served in a supportive social dining setting at a local community center,” the organization's press release stated.”
The nonprofit's “eat well, age well” focus promises more fresh and locally sourced ingredients, medically-tailored meal options, expanded congregate dining availability and more rural meal access.
“MOW Yolo's mission is rooted in love,” the release added. “Your gift of funds or time today at mowyolo.org sends valentine's love from MOW Yolo's kitchen — the heart of our mission — to the hearts and homes of seniors in your neighborhood Let's `eat well, age well' together this Valentine's Day.”
• The Yolo County Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act Program is running a prison-to-employment program that promises to help make once-incarcerated individuals' career dreams a reality.
The prison-to-employment program can help people succeed by offering funding of up to $7,000 for eligible training and education programs; leads on employment opportunities and events; career and interview preparation; referrals to support services; and up to $1,000 incentive upon program completion.
If interested in participating in the program, email wioaprogram@yolocounty.org.
• The Woodland Chamber of Commerce will be holding a membership mixer from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at The Burger Saloon located at 601 Main St.
“Have some fun and grow your network,” the event's flyer stated. “Free to attend, food and drinks available for purchase.”
For more information, visit woodlandchamberofcommerceca.growthzoneapp.com/community-calendar/details/membership-mixer-1058507.
• Blue Note Brewing Company will be hosting the Sacramento Valley Manufacturing Alliance's Mixer of Yolo County manufacturers from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29 at 750 Dead Cat Alley in Woodland.
“Join us for a fun and exciting in-person event,” the event's website stated. “Get ready to mingle with fellow manufacturers from Yolo County and enjoy a night of networking and collaboration. This event is a great opportunity to connect with industry professionals, exchange ideas and forge new partnerships.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/svma-mixer-of-yolo-countymanufacturers-feb-29-tickets-813500922157?aff=ebds sbdestsearch.