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Sahuarita Pecan Festival on KGUN9

Thanks to KGUN9 for this great segment about the 2014 Sahuarita Pecan Festival. Rikki Mitchell describes what goes on at the nuttiest festival in Arizona. Full transcript and video can be viewed at KGUN9

Thousands attend annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival

TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) – If anyone knows pecans, it’s the Walden’s.

“We’re a nutty kind of family,” said Deborah Walden Ralls, who’s the granddaughter of Keith Walden, the man who founded Farmers Investment Co. back in 1948.

And her parents, Dick and Nan Walden currently run FICO, the parent company of the Green Valley Pecan Company. 

“We have a lot of second and third generation employees and we treat them and feel about them like they are our family,” said Nan Walden. “And both of our kids Debbie and Rich are also working in the business and our grandsons, who are 7 and 10 are going to help out this summer, so we’re breaking them in too.”

The Waldens invited the community into their company on Saturday for the sixth annual Sahuarita Pecan Festival.

“Being a food and agriculture production company, we can’t allow people to come into our plant,” said Deborah Walden Ralls. “So this is a way for us to give demonstrations, show people what we do and how we do it.” [Read full transcript]

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Events Food Marketplace News Partner Pecan Classic

Schedules and Maps For Today

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.

Green-Valley-Pecan-AM12Take 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

 

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Events Food Marketplace Pecan Classic

The Nuttiest Festival in Arizona is 1 Month Away!

SPF postcardThe 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.