STOCKTON – There’s only one way to prepare asparagus, according to Asparagus Festival volunteer Rich Guido.
“Dyed, fried and laid to the side,” said Guido, a Stockton schools custodian who has worked a deep-fry station at Asparagus Alley for five of his 17 years as a volunteer. 2 p.m.: Sea Lion Experience 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Skyy Dogs “That’s the way we do it. That’s the way it’s best,” he confirmed. The 24th annual Asparagus Festival kicked off Friday with 43 deep fryers pumping out thousands of thick spears dipped in batter and sunk into bubbling oil for two minutes. Six dollars buys a basket with six spears and a side of ranch dressing. “I came from Nevada just for this,” said Kevin Cuthbertson, holding up a battered spear. “It’s absolutely worth the drive.”
A light rain and clouds didn’t deter thousands of people from filtering in to the year’s first major downtown event. The sun was out by noon, and crowds thickened to watch the high flying Skyy Dogs, a skateboarding bull dog, and sea lions up close.