Category: Events

6th Annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival a Record-Breaking Hit

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date November 14, 2014

6^th Annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival a Record-Breaking Hit

SAHUARITA, Ariz. – The 6^th Annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival last Saturday raised more funds for local non-profits than ever before. Blowing past the records of previous years, the 2014 Festival raised over $13,000 benefitting our community partners. The Pecan Classic and Nut Run also broke past records of participants, boasting a total of 275 runners.

“This has been our most successful Festival yet. A big thank you to our incredible vendors and sponsors who made Saturday possible,” said Jennifer Zubieta, Director of Community Relations and Events. “And special thanks to our outstanding volunteers who went above and beyond to make sure this event ran seamlessly. We couldn’t have done it without you!”

The Festival collected over 600 pounds of food for the Community Food Bank and averaged between 20,000 and 22,000 guests. Returning this year was Southern Arizona Arabian Horse Association (SAAHA) with parades and demonstrations. As always, Power from the Past Tractor Pull was especially popular. Activities also drawing big crowds included the hayride run by the Green Valley-Sahuarita Community Food Bank, and our free KID’s Area sponsored by Sahuarita Sun.

A great day of family-fun was had by all who attended. Make sure to mark your calendars for next year’s festival scheduled for Saturday, November 14, 2015. See you there!

Events Food Marketplace News Partner Pecan Classic

Schedules and Maps For Today

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date November 8, 2014

The big day is here! Make your way over to the Green Valley Pecan Company, 1625 E Sahuarita Road, Sahuarita, AZ 85629 for the nuttiest festival in Arizona. 9am-5pm. Bring a hat, sunscreen and water. It looks to be clear blue skies all day.

Take advantage of our FREE Shuttle from 3 locations, the Sahuarita School District, Quail Creek Grill and Walden Grove High School parking lots. The shuttles start loading at 8:30am.

Bring your non-perishable food items or pay $3.00 per person to enjoy the horse drawn hay wagon into the orchard. Hayride leaves from Heritage Area.

Below is the schedule for the day. Make sure you pick up a 2014 Sahuarita Pecan Festival Program at one of the information booths. See you around!

Main Stage [map]
9-10:00 am – Mariachi Cielo de Mexico
10-11:00 am – Sahara with Tony Corrales Band
11:00 am – Welcoming Ceremony
11:30 am – Tony Corrales Band
2:00 pm – Pecan Cracking Contest & Pecan Pie Winner Announcement

Heritage Area [map]
9:00 am – 5:00 pm – Heritage Tent – Come see native food crops displayed, historical photos and watch how Native American basket weaving is staying alive!
9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Community Food Bank Harvest Demonstration in the Orchard – Bring your non-perishable food items or pay $3.00 per person to enjoy the horse drawn hay wagon into the orchard to see how we harvest pecans.
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Power from the Past Tractor Pull

Children’s Area 9:00 am to 5:00 pm [map]
Our children’s area is completely FREE! Come bounce on the gravity jump, bounce houses, take pictures with your friends and see what the Walden Grove High School Robotics team is up to.

Horse Demonstration Area
9:30 am – Horse Parade
10:30 am – Insiders guide to selecting the right horse – Lee Boles
12:00 pm – Horse Shoeing – Robert Burkett
12:30 pm – Cutting Demo
1:00 pm – Basic horse handling, grooming & tack – Kris Searle
2:00 pm – Basic veterinary care & when to call a vet – Mary Campbell
3:00 pm – Distance Riding Demo
3:30 pm – New Horse Owner Equine Nutrition – Patti Woodbury – Kuvik
4:00pm – Horse Parade

The Sixth Annual Pecan Classic
8:00 am – 15k & 5k Run
10:00 am – Nut Run – Family Fun Run/Walk through the orchard

Events News Pecan Store

Pecan Cracking Contest Tomorrow

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date November 7, 2014

One of the Sahuarita Pecan Festival’s family friendly activities will be the Pecan Cracking Contest. It will be held under the main tent area throughout the day. Winners will be announced at 2:00 pm.

Groups of contestants will sit down with a kit of pecans and a cracker. Contestants have 5 minutes to crack as many pecans as they can and present to the judges the complete halves. *HINT* A complete half is considered 7/8 or greater.

Take a look behind the scenes of Green Valley Pecan Company. From our farm to your table.

Pecan Cracking Contest

Agricultural Crafts Events

One of the Many Unique Features of the Sahuarita Pecan Festival is the Heritage Area

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date November 1, 2014

Don’t pass this up! The Heritage area will showcase Power from the Past, tractor pull contests, antique tractor displays, and the heritage tent where guest can learn about traditional basket weaving, and agriculture and history of the Santa Cruz River Valley. Horse-drawn wagon rides into the orchard for pecan harvest demonstrations will be available for either a food or monetary donation to the Green Valley-Sahuarita Community Food Bank.

FICO/Green Valley Pecan Company – See all the equipment the farm uses to harvest pecans.
www.greenvalleypecan.com

Power from the Past – Antique tractor and engine club. Come see how to make rope and old fashion ice cream! Tractor pull starts at 12pm.

Rancho Soñado – Rancho Soñado offers performance Arabians, Half-Arabians for sale and quality boarding facilities for all breeds in Amado, Arizona.
www.ranchosonado.com

Saraficio O’Odham Baskets – O’odham baskets of all sizes & shapes.
520-240-2420

Tohono O’odham Nation Traditional Tortillas – Fresh traditional cowboy tortillas made with whole wheat flour for sample tasting.

Heritage Area Schedule 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

9:00 am – 5:00 pm – Heritage Tent – Come see native food crops displayed, historical photos and watch how Native American basket weaving is staying alive!
9:30 am – 4:00 pm – Community Food Bank Harvest Demonstration in the Orchard – Bring your non-perishable food items or pay $3.00 per person to enjoy the horse drawn hay wagon into the orchard to see how we harvest pecans.
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Power from the Past Tractor Pull

Events Food News Pecan Store

Who Makes the Best Pecan Pie?

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date October 21, 2014

Do you know someone that makes the best pecan pie? Or do you have THE recipe that everyone raves about? Let it be known to all and register for the Pecan Pie Contest at this year’s Sahuarita Pecan Festival. The cost is $10 (includes 1 lbs bag of Green Valley Pecans) and open to all ages. Registration forms can be picked up at Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue in Sahuarita or download the form online. Bring 2 pies, (1 for presentation display and 1 for judging) between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Please read full rules below.

The 2014 Pecan Pie Contest is sponsored by Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue! Mama’s menu features traditional Hawaiian Plate Lunches, Homemade desserts and a daily special with island flair. Mama’s serves the full menu seven days a week. Visit the Sahuarita location or the 3 others around Tucson.

Contest Rules | Registration Form

Sahuarita Pecan Festival Pecan Pie Contest Rules

Enter Pie
a. Registration forms can be picked up at Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue in Sahuarita or online. There is a $10.00 fee to enter contest and must be paid at time of registration at the Rancho Sahuarita Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue location only. Contestants will also receive a 1 lbs bag of Green Valley Pecans for their pies when they pay their registration.
i. Pies must be entered in the name of the person who made it.
ii. Acknowledge that the entered pies become the property of the Sahuarita Pecan Festival and that you do not get your pie or pie pan back.
iii. If you are a winner, you give your permission to have your photo taken during the announcement ceremony and have it used for Festival promotional materials, including the website and Facebook.
b. Bring two pies (one for presentation display and one for judging) to the contest site (contest table will be in entertainment area, VIP Tucson Originals tent) between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on the day of the Sahuarita Pecan Festival.
c. NO PIES WILL BE ACCEPTED AT MAMA’S HAWAIIAN BBQ. You must deliver your pie on Saturday, November 8, 2014 to the stage area – Tucson Originals VIP Tent.
d. One general parking pass is given for parking. Please be aware of major construction and delays and plan delivery on Saturday, November 8 accordingly.
e. ABOSOLUTELY NO PIES THAT REQUIRE REFRIGERATION (i.e. dairy or cream). The person running the Pie Contest will have the final say on acceptability of pies.
f. A copy of your pie recipe is required. It may be used in future festival promotions. It will be posted on our Facebook pages as well.
g. All contest entrants will receive a “PIE BAKER” ribbon.
Categories
a. Adult
b. Youth (Max. age = 18)
Prizes
i. 1st Place ribbon and $100 gift card and $50 gift card to Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue.
ii. 2nd Place ribbon and $50 gift card, $50 gift card to Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue.
iii. 3rd Place ribbon and $25 gift card to Mama’s Hawaiian Barbecue.
Judging
a. Judging will start at about 12:00 pm. It is closed to general public.
b. Criteria
i. Overall appearance
ii. Crust
iii. Taste
iv. Amount of pecans used
c. Scoring
i. Each judge assigns a numerical value (1-10) in each criteria category, without consultation with the other judges.
ii. The pie receiving the highest total numerical value is the winner.
iii. In the case of a tie, the judges will judge those pies again.
d. Winners will be announced after the judging is complete.

Events News

FREE Festival Shuttle From 3 Locations Around Green Valley / Sahuarita

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date October 18, 2014

Heading out to the Festival on Nov 8th? Worried about traffic? Take the shuttle!

There will be major road construction at the Sahuarita Rd. Railroad Crossing. Please take advantage of the free shuttle service from around Sahuarita to get to the Festival grounds. Shuttles will be located in the parking lots of the Sahuarita School District, Quail Creek and Walden Grove High School.

Parking will be available immediately south of the festival grounds for $5.00 per car for the day; a portion of the proceeds going to local community organizations volunteering at the Sahuarita Pecan Festival.

To learn more about the Town of Sahuarita road construction project please visit Town of Sahuarita website.

Events Food Marketplace Pecan Classic

The Nuttiest Festival in Arizona is 1 Month Away!

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date October 8, 2014

SPF postcard The day starts with the Pecan Classic 15k and 5k and The Nut Run – A Family Fun Run – 1.5 Mile at 8:00 AM. Come be a part of this run, and run through the Pecan orchard in November in all it’s fall colors… The race route will travel a scenic course on the orchards south of Sahuarita Road on dirt roads and trails through the pecan orchards, giving runners a unique opportunity to see the farm and enjoy the most amazing Fall running experience under the trees.

The Sahuarita Pecan Festival starts at 9 a.m. and runs to 5 p.m. The Festival will celebrate the culture, cuisine and music of the Santa Cruz Valley. Designed to be fun for all ages, live entertainment and family-friendly activities, including real harvest demonstrations, hayrides and games, will be available for children and adults to enjoy. A variety of regional food and pecan-related dishes will be showcased, along with a local arts and crafts market and live music.

Events News Pecan Classic Pecan Store

6th Annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date September 22, 2014

SAHUARITA, Ariz. – Preparations are well on their way for the 6th Annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival, an old-fashioned country fair with activities for all ages. It will take place on Saturday November 8, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at The Green Valley Pecan Company, 1625 E. Sahuarita Road, Sahuarita. Admission to the Festival will be free.

The day’s festivities will kick off with the Pecan Classic 15k and 5k and The Nut Run – A Family Fun Run – 1.5 Mile at 8 a.m. More information on taggrun.com. Register by November 2, for your free T-shirt.

This year’s festival attractions include a KID’s Zone. The KID’s Zone will include bounce houses, carnival games, petting zoo and pony rides.

As in years past, there will be arts and crafts vendors in the marketplace to start your holiday shopping. Also, food vendors from throughout Southern Arizona will be preparing great BBQ and other local fare along with sweets and treats. The Pecan Store will have a large outdoor store with whole pecans, flavored pecans, pecan meal and much more.

The entertainment area will feature live music performances, traditional Tohono O’odham dance, Mariachis and our famous pecan cracking contest.

The Heritage area will showcase Arabian horse demonstrations, tractor pull contests, antique tractor displays, and the heritage tent where guest can learn about traditional basket weaving, and agriculture and history of the Santa Cruz River Valley. Horse-drawn wagon rides into the orchard for pecan harvest demonstrations will be available for either a food or monetary donation to the Green Valley-Sahuarita Community Food Bank.

SPF postcard Festival attendees please take advantage of the free shuttle service from around Sahuarita to get to the Festival grounds. Shuttles will be located in the parking lots of the Sahuarita School District, Quail Creek and Walden Grove High School.

Also, parking will be available immediately south of the festival grounds for $5.00 per car for the day; a portion of the proceeds going to local community organizations volunteering at the Sahuarita Pecan Festival.

A key focus of the Pecan Festival is the support it provides local community organizations. Sponsorships and vendor participation and other activities enable the Sahuarita Pecan Festival to financially support the work of these local groups.

The Sahuarita Pecan Festival has averaged nearly 12,000 attendees each year. Over the past four years, the Festival has raised more than $13,000 and 2,600 pounds of food for local charities.

Presented by FICO and The Green Valley Pecan Company

Events News Pecan Classic Pecan Store

6th Annual Pecan Classic 15k and 5k Run and The Nut Run

Post author By Pecan Festival
Post date July 29, 2014

The Sixth Annual Pecan Classic 15k and 5k and The Nut Run – A Family Fun Run – 1.5 Mile

DATE: Saturday, November 8, 2014

LOCATION: Green Valley Pecan Company, 1625 E Sahuarita Road, Sahuarita, AZ 85629

START TIME: 8:00am

COST: Pecan Classic 15k & 5k – $30 until 8/1, $35 8/2 to 9/30, $40 10/1 to race day

Nut Run – $15 12 & under, $20 13 & over

PARKING: Parking is free until 8:30am Anyone arriving after that will have to pay $5.00.

We are introducing new distances to the Pecan Classic. Come be a part of this run, and run through the Pecan orchard in November in all it’s fall colors… The race route will travel a scenic course on the orchards south of Sahuarita Road on dirt roads and trails through the pecan orchards, giving runners a unique opportunity to see the farm and enjoy the most amazing Fall running experience under the trees. The Pecan Classic 15k features prize money and unique awards to first place man and woman. The top three men and top three women will receive gift baskets from the Pecan Store. Awards to top three finishers in each division in the Pecan Classic 15k and 5k. All race participants in the Pecan Classic will receive a FREE tech t-shirt which is guaranteed to all who pre-register by 10/26/14 or a cotton t-shirt which is guaranteed to all who pre-register from 10/27/2014 thru 11/2/2014. The Nut Run features ribbons to all participants and a cotton t-shirt if pre-registered by 11/2/14. This years beneficiary will be decided by the Pecan Festival Committee later in the year. Come for the pecans and much more!

The Sahuarita Pecan Festival will be held on Saturday, November 8th , from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Festival will celebrate the culture, cuisine and music of the Santa Cruz Valley. Designed to be fun for all ages, live entertainment and family-friendly activities, including real harvest demonstrations, hayrides and games, will be available for children and adults to enjoy. A variety of regional food and pecan-related dishes will be showcased, along with a local arts and crafts market and live music.

Download Pecan Classic Flier here

Online registration here