STOCKTON – Organizers have been prepping 10 city blocks since April 15 for a party highlighting the only spears that can draw a bigger
Stockton crowd than Britney. The three-day 2009 Asparagus Festival is expected to draw more than 100,000 visitors to Weber Point. You don’t have to be a fan of asparagus to be entertained. And the weather forecast calls for near-perfect conditions, with temperatures in the 70s. Starting Friday morning, sea lion shows, celebrity chefs, an international deep-fried asparagus eating contest, arts and crafts exhibits, a 5-kilometer race and other entertainment promise to breathe life into downtown Stockton. • Admission: $12 for adults (18-59) $7 for teens (under 18), college students with ID, seniors (60 or older) and persons with disabilities. Children 10 and under are free with an adult. • Gates open: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. all three days. Headlining events • Skyy Dogs: 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. each day
• Sea Lion Encounters: 2 and 4:30 p.m. daily