Parker County Peach Festival

Tomorrow, Saturday, July 12, 2008, the Parker County Peach Festival takes place in Weatherford, Texas. Weatherford is the county seat of Parker County, about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. I've been to the Peach Festival a couple times. Texas does this type festival really well, small Texas town festivals and parades are a good thing.

It's hot in July in Texas, so the Peach Festival uses multiple walk through misters to cool people down.

Click here to view photos, directions and my description of my last visit to the Parker County Peach Festival.

The Peach Festival is a one day affair. I learned this a few years back when I tried to go on a Sunday. It is odd that this is only a one day thing, as the Peach Festival is huge, covering several blocks surrounding Weatherford's cool county courthouse square. A lot of bother for a one day event.

The Peach Festival has multiple music venues and 100s of vendors. And peaches. You can get them fresh, in cobblers, in ice cream, in juleps and in forms I've likely forgotten.

Now, Parker County does not produce many peaches, but they are intensely proud of their peaches.

Me, being a Washington boy, having lived most of my life in a state that produces peaches for export, in addition to apricots, nectarines, cherries, berries, grapes and apples, has a high flavor standard expectation regarding the quality of my fruits. Washington's eastern Washington soil, climate and irrigation are perfect for producing big, sweet, flavorful peaches.

In other words, both times I tasted a Parker County peach I said, "are you kidding me?" It barely even tasted like a peach. Maybe they were bad years, not enough sun or water.

At the last Peach Festival I attended there was a peach bobbing tub full of peaches floating in water. You bobbed for prizes. A big sign assured Texans that none of their precious Parker County peaches were being desecrated in this tub of water, that these are all California peaches, purchased at the local Albertsons.

See what I mean? This is a fun festival. I don't know if I'll go tomorrow. 6o miles roundtrip is a huge investment in gas. I suppose if I start walking now I could make it in time.