National Lentil Festival facts for kids
Quick facts for kids National Lentil Festival |
|
|---|---|
| Status | active |
| Genre | Food |
| Date(s) | 1989 |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Location(s) | Pullman, Washington |
| Country | United States |
| Years active | 28 |
| Sponsor | USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council |
The National Lentil Festival is a fun yearly food festival. It happens in Pullman, Washington, a town in the United States. This festival celebrates the lentil, which is a tiny, healthy bean. People come together to enjoy food, music, and games, all while learning about lentils.
Festival Fun
The National Lentil Festival takes place every year. It usually happens just before students go back to Washington State University in Pullman. The festival is packed with exciting things to do for everyone.
Friday Night
Friday evening kicks off the festival with lots of energy. You can enjoy live music performances. There is also a special carnival just for kids. Best of all, you can get free lentil chili! Many local businesses and craft sellers also have booths.
Saturday Events
Saturday is a full day of activities. There are fun contests to join. A big highlight is the 'Legendary Lentil Cook Off'. You can also find many art and business vendors. A grand parade marches through the streets. For breakfast, you can enjoy a lentil pancake meal. If you like to run, there's the Tase T. Lentil 5K Fun Run/Walk. There's also a food court with many tasty lentil dishes. A large kids' area offers even more family activities.
The Cook-Off
The 'Legendary Lentil Cook Off' is a very popular part of the festival. People create amazing dishes using lentils. This cooking contest is supported by the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council. This group helps farmers who grow peas, lentils, and chickpeas. They work to promote these healthy foods.
Festival History
The very first National Lentil Festival happened in 1989. The main goals were to bring visitors to the Palouse area. It also aimed to promote the special beans grown there, especially lentils. At that time, almost all lentils grown in the United States came from the Palouse region. The first festival was a big success, with about 4,000 people attending.
The festival has been held every year since it started. However, it was paused in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned in 2021.
The festival is put together by the Pullman Chamber of Commerce. A special festival committee also helps plan everything. Many volunteers give their time to make sure the event runs smoothly each year. The Palouse region still grows a lot of lentils. According to the festival's website, it grew 18% of all US lentils in 2017.
