Empire holds 14th annual Asparagus Festival, May 19-20
From staff reports
The beloved and spear-ited 14th annual Empire Asparagus Festival is back. This year’s festival is Friday, May 19 and Saturday, May 20. Our Friday night block party kicks off the festival at 7 p.m., with a pig roast and live music under the big tent on Front Street in Empire. There’s a $5 entry fee and the pig roast is $11 per person.
On Saturday, tie up your racing shoes for the Kick Yer Ass-paragus 5K Fun Run at 10 a.m. Meet at the Empire Public Beach (where the race begins) to register at 9 a.m. The entry fee is $25 and includes a free t-shirt. The rest of the day will be filled with Asparagus Festival favorites including the parade, poetry contest and the recipe contest, plus live music.
The big tent on Front Street will be open all day from noon until 10 p.m. Local asparagus from Norconk Farm is used by our food and drink vendors, who are all serving up food and libations with an asparagus twist. Deering’s will be grilling asparagus brats, Right Brain Brewery will have Spear Beer on tap and there will be plenty of other asparagus options available as well.
This year we are once again a proud zero waste BARC certified event.
See below for the schedule, or visit the Empire Chamber webpage.
Friday, May 19
Live Music from Jack Pine & Pig Roast, 7–10 p.m.
Entry fee is $5 per person, 16 and under is free!
Pig Roast is $11 per person.
Come and dance with us under the big tent. There will be live music from Jack Pine and we’ll be serving up a delicious pig roast too. It’s the perfect way to kick off the 2017 Asparagus Festival.
Saturday, May 20
Kick Yer Ass-paragus 5K Fun Run
Race starts at 10am, registration is at 9am at the Empire Public Beach. The entry fee is $25 and comes with a free t-shirt.
Asparagus Recipe Contest Asparagus Cook-Off, Noon
Due to the popularity of this event, the audience will be limited to the first 100 people in line.
Empire Area Museum is open 1–4pm
Asparagus Parade, 1:30 p.m. A parade in Empire “is so nice, it goes around twice!” Anyone is welcome to participate, but must salute asparagus. We welcome the eccentric. Just call Ashlea to be involved at 231.883.8297 or email besquirrely@gmail.com. Parade participants can begin to line up on Lake Street near the old Storm Orchard Barn at 1:15 p.m.
Ode to Asparagus Poetry Competition, 2 p.m . The poetry contest includes Children, Youth & Adult categories. Please send entries to info@glenlakelibrary.net and include: Name, Age and Contact info
Children’s Magic Show with Gordon Russ, 3:30pm under the big tent on Front Street
Music & Entertainment; 1–3:30pm: Andre Villoch & Friends; 5–7pm: Benjaman James; 7:30–9pm: The Benzie Playboys
Food & Beer Tent:
Noon–10pm
Entry Fee: $5, 16 & under free entry
Food Vendors
• Art’s Tavern
• Deering’s Market
• Hearth & Vine Black Star Farms
• Kontiki Foods
• Scalawags Fish & Chips
• MI Grill (Baytown Kitchen)
• Norconk’s Fresh Asparagus
• Pleva’s Meats
• Rocco Old World Pizzeria
Breweries & Vintners
• Acoustic Mead
• Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery
• Black Star Farms
• Lake Ann Brewery
• Laurentide Winery
• Right Brain Brewery
• St. Ambrose Cellars
