Avocados rule April in Fallbrook, where a festival honors the offbeat alligator pear

AVOCADO-IANIA... is a state of delicious mind we gladly live in for much of the year. It is also flavorfully fortunate that California happens to be a state where the avocado flourishes so well. The iconic fruit is a celebrated staple of a bevy of dishes, from omelets to toast to guacamole, at all points around the Golden State, and finding a festival honoring the alligator pear? You can, at different times of the year, which is another tasty testament to how avocado-licious this lovely land of produce plenty really is. There's the avocado festival in Carpinteria in October, a three-day snack-around spectacular, but you don't have to wait for autumn if you're hankering for some creamy avo amazingness in April. Fallbrook has long been the spot for an avocado-centered celebration, a daylong gathering that has savory showdowns, a beer and wine garden, music, and quirky contests, too.

APRIL 21, 2024: The delicious date is guac-ing, er, walking our way, and prepare, we must. There's an Awesome Avocado Attire Contest, so arriving in our greenest garb seems to be the order of the day. Other quirky events, like the Avocado Holding Contest, are on the docket, as well as the all-important Guacamole Contest. Admission is free and you'll need funds for bites and beverages. Important to know: You'll need to leave your furry besties tucked up at home, as pets are not permitted. This festival is one of the succulent signifiers of spring celebrations around our state, a place where fruit tributes flower throughout April and May. It's a can-do 'cado kind of meet-up, a gathering beckoning alligator pear people for an array of avo temptations.