Empire Asparagus Festival: Fun at the Foot of the Sleeping Bear Dunes
Ah Leelanau County! You were in bloom this weekend from your lacy cherry blossoms in the north to your little green-coneheads of asparagus shooting up from the sandy soils of the south. I took my own blossom tour driving to and from my son’s soccer game in Northport, then continued on down to Empire (the little village on M-22 in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore) for the Asparagus Festival.
When the village’s homespun marketeers launched the Asparagus Festival several years back, it seemed more spoof than bona fide event. But judging from the parked cars that lined Empire’s side streets and the crowds under the tasting tent (and did we mention that 100 people showed up on a rainy Saturday morning to run the Kick Ass-paragus race?) this little festival-that-could is making it on folks’ social calendars. No doubt, that has plenty to do with a food and drink tent that housed over a dozen of the best flavors of the county I’ve tasted in one place in a long time—mostly asparagus themed, of course. Think: Art’s Tavern’s deef-fried asparagus, risotto from La Becasse, pear wine from Blackstar Farms …
Gratefully, there was still plenty of vintage Empire funkiness to prove that this village isn’t ready to get too slicked up yet. The parade stalled for a few moments when the fire engine couldn’t make it down narrow Union street, and the 1967 Ford Galaxy convertible that was to transport the asparagus queen (borrowed from Oceana County because Empire gals just aren’t prone to crowns and gowns) wouldn’t start before the parade. But finally it all came together and the minute-long parade went round the block twice—the traditional route for all Empire parades. ‘Er, make that traditional for the only other parade this itty bitty village holds a year at their Anchor Days festival in July.
Here are some photos from the festival:
Art's Tavern owner Tim Barr serves up deep-fried asparagus
When the village’s homespun marketeers launched the Asparagus Festival several years back, it seemed more spoof than bona fide event. But judging from the parked cars that lined Empire’s side streets and the crowds under the tasting tent (and did we mention that 100 people showed up on a rainy Saturday morning to run the Kick Ass-paragus race?) this little festival-that-could is making it on folks’ social calendars. No doubt, that has plenty to do with a food and drink tent that housed over a dozen of the best flavors of the county I’ve tasted in one place in a long time—mostly asparagus themed, of course. Think: Art’s Tavern’s deef-fried asparagus, risotto from La Becasse, pear wine from Blackstar Farms …
Gratefully, there was still plenty of vintage Empire funkiness to prove that this village isn’t ready to get too slicked up yet. The parade stalled for a few moments when the fire engine couldn’t make it down narrow Union street, and the 1967 Ford Galaxy convertible that was to transport the asparagus queen (borrowed from Oceana County because Empire gals just aren’t prone to crowns and gowns) wouldn’t start before the parade. But finally it all came together and the minute-long parade went round the block twice—the traditional route for all Empire parades. ‘Er, make that traditional for the only other parade this itty bitty village holds a year at their Anchor Days festival in July.
Here are some photos from the festival:
Art's Tavern owner Tim Barr serves up deep-fried asparagus
Tags: 45 north, art's tavern, asparagus festival, blackstar farms, empire, la becasse, sleeping bear dunes
Add a Comment
You need to be a member of MyNorth to add comments!
Join this network