Last week I was lucky enough to explore the beautiful city of Palisade, Colorado where Colorado wineries are fruitful, agriculture tourism is high, and where my son and I had some of the the best peaches we have ever tried! Where ever you go, out in the orchards and wineries or in and around Palisade, you hear about the buzz about the 2014 Palisade Peach Festival. The festival starts this week on August 14 thru the 17th. All over the Valley and beyond, beginners and seasoned cooks are busy figuring out their Peach Recipe Contest entry. Everyone is salivating over the sample sales after the contest. Local chefs are busy creating their dishes to present at the Peach cuisine with Colorado chefs. Peach jams, jellies, cobblers, pies and vendor peach specials are being prepared.
The Festival down at Riverbend Park Friday and Saturday joins all the activities going on all over town with the Peach Parade, Recipe Contest, Peach Pancake Breakfast and restaurant peach specials. Where ever you go in and around Palisade… peaches rule!
Growers and valley chefs bring to you, “Feast in the Fields” where guests will enjoy a gourmet meal with local wines, among the peach trees at Z’s Orchards and Suncrest Orchard Alpacas. When you’re in Palisade Peach Country during the festival, it’s all about the Power of the Peach with this years bumper crops of those juicy, sun kissed, high dessert, grown to perfection, peaches! How sweet it is! Come join us!
Special note: The Grand Junction Rockies join in the celebration with “Peach Night at the GJ Rockies” on the Wednesday night August 13th, the day before the festival starts, Tim Ray, general manager for the GJ Rockies is pleased to help honor the best peaches in the world and those who grow them! For more information call 464-7458 or go to www.palisadepeachfest.com
Schedule of Events
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13th
Peach night with GJ Rockies 7:05 PM
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14th
Hisotrical Society documentary: Roller Dam 100 Yrs 5:00 PM
Ice Cream Social & Street Dance 5:30 PM
Peach Cake Stroll 6:00 PM
Town Grouch and Peach Queen & Court 6:30 Pm
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15 th
Historical Walking tours 10:30AM & 12:30PM
Peach Festival in Riverbed Park 3PM – 9PM
Peach Cuisine w/ CO Chefs 3:00PM – 5:00PM
Peach Jammin Stage 5PM – 9PM
Feast in the Field Dinner at Z’s Orchard 6PM – 9PM
Feast in the Field Dinner at Suncrest Orchards 6PM – 9PM
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16th
Peach Recipe Contest 7:30AM
Peach Festival Parade 9AM
Lions Club Pancake breakfast 7AM – 10Am
Peach Festival @ Riverbend Park 9AM – 9PM
peach eating contest 12:00 pm
Peach Cuisine w/ CO Chefs 1:00PM – 5:00PM
peach plunge 4:00 pm
Guns vs hoses tug of war 4:45 pm
Peach Jammin Stage 1 PM – 9PM
Feast in the Field Dinner at Z’s Orchard 6PM – 9PM
Fruit & wine byway agri tours
sunDAY, AUGUST 17th
Farmers Sunday market 10Am – 2PM
Fruit & wine byway agri tours
Palisadepeachfest.com