Kumquats and Jackfruit and Litchis, Oh My!

When it comes to fruit, most shoppers stick to the lowest hanging branch: bananas, apples, oranges, etc. Snore. We can’t think of anything more boring than a banana flanked by a couple of grapes. It’s one thing if you live in Lapland and have to eat that Granny Smith to avoid scurvy, but when you’re living on the Tropic of Cancer, there’s no excuse for missing Mother Nature’s entire menu.

Enter, stage overhead, the Redland Summer Fruit Festival at the Fruit and Spice Park, where breadfruit commingles with date palm, and guava gets busy with persimmon. The fun doesn’t stop at fruit; many other delicious foods will be available, along with local artisans selling crafts, and a bevy of children’s activities including a petting zoo, pony rides, an interactive puppet and magic show, and what the park describes as a “wild and wonderful Everglades reptile show.” For the sonically-inclined, there’s also a live performance by the Strictly Business Blues Band. The festival blossoms between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $7 for adults, while children under 11 get in free.
Sat., June 20, 10 a.m.; Sun., June 21, 10 a.m., 2009