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Entertainment

Little fruit suits crowd's tastes

Festival organizers expected to draw kumquat fans and the curious by the thousands.

By MICHELLE JONES
Published January 29, 2006

DADE CITY - Before visiting the Kumquat Festival, Jocelyn Dellafere had no clue about the small, orange fruit.

"Now I make the refrigerator pies and introduce my friends to the kumquat with a slice," she said. "I make salads with sliced kumquats, grilled chicken, greens, carrots and a good dressing. It makes a good combination."

Dellafere lives in Brooksville during the winter months and Connecticut the rest of the year.

By 10:30 a.m. Saturday, the streets surrounding the Historic Courthouse in Dade City were jammed with serious shoppers and browsers. Even with competition from the Gasparilla parade in Tampa, the festival drew a huge crowd. Thousands of people were expected.

The weather couldn't have been better, with clear skies and comfortable temperatures.

Vendors offered a variety of kumquat products including pies, cookies, candles, sauces, honey and kumquat trees.

Aileen Henderson and Samira Haslet, who named their company Two Hippie Chicks, offered aromatherapy infused body scrubs, oils and salts. Of course, some of their products are infused with the essence of kumquats.

"Our business is doing quite well," Haslet said.

Caryal and Joan Smith of Haines City said they visit the festival every year.

"There are so many goodies to look at," Smith said as she and her husband shared a slice of kumquat pie. "We share because it is so rich, but it is very good."

At the Cabot Creamery of Vermont booth, Bill Pollock was handing out free samples and coupons of his product.

He was proud to tell visitors that Cabot cheese won the Best Cheddar in the U.S. Award in Wisconsin for five years in a row.

John Domborski of Dade City tried two of the cheeses and declared them very good.

"The Seriously Sharp cheese was the best," said John Brown of Davenport.

The Kumquat Growers gave samples of kumquats and orange balloons for children. They also sold bags of both varieties, the Meiwa and Nagami, for $1 each.

For the hungry visitors, food choices ranged from kettle corn to homemade ice cream to barbecue dinners to hot dogs.

Native Americans played selections of CDs they were selling and a Master Gardener from the Pasco Extension Service answered questions.

Richard Pierson from Zephyrhills wanted to know what to do with sucker growth on his orange trees.

"Just cut them off," said Adah Weitzel, one of the gardeners at their booth.

She knew of no other way to prevent this growth, but she took his phone number and said she would research the subject and get back with him.

Entertainment scheduled throughout the day offered the walkers a respite with several stages and chairs set up for observing and listening.

Betty Wiley of Canada and Zephyrhills was enjoying the music offered by a group from the Society for the Preservation of Early Country and Western Music.

"This is a great show and the festival is good for Dade City to have such a nice outing," Wiley said.

Her friend Lois Field said she liked the unique gifts and jewelry the festival offered.

As the music group played A White Sport Coat and A Pink Carnation, Field said she hoped they would play her favorite The Green Green Grass of Home.

By noon the streets were packed and people were beginning to shed their jackets as the day became warmer.

"I think we have been given a fabulous day from the beginning," said Roxine Barthle, one of the founders of the Kumquat Festival. "We should have a record crowd, it should exceed the past eight years. I believe a lot of people were praying for this day."

[Last modified January 29, 2006, 01:28:20]