Citrus festivals are budding

Menton's extravaganza, Battle of the Oranges and festival update

Feb 19, 2025

Hello Lemonistas,

Welcome to the latest edition of The Lemon Grove newsletter.

Celebrations have started with the annual lemon festival in Menton, on the French Riveria. Sadly, I can’t be there this year, but have enjoyed a February boost of Côte d’Azur sunshine and plenty of lemony Vitamin C many times. Here, I give a glimpse into visitors' enthusiasm and joyful times in the town.

This issue also offers a list of citrus-themed festivals over the coming months. Please help fill in the gaps by letting me know of a festival you’ll be attending or know about through the link below:

Menton Lemon Festival: Voyage to the Stars

a statue of a woman holding a baseball bat

15 February - 2 March. Menton, France

Take a trip to the stars is the theme of this year’s Menton Lemon Festival. Giant structures made with thousands of lemons, oranges, chicken wire and elastic bands define this festival.

The Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) is one of my favourite citrus events. I’ve been there several times, but as one of 200,000 annual visitors, I never feel the crowds dominate. Spread out over 15 days, the celebration includes day and nighttime parades, an outdoor exhibition of giant citrus sculptures, a crafts fair and a festival of orchids. Last year, I took a bus and toured the gardens of Serre de la Madone garden, created by Britain’s Major Lawrence Johnston (of Hidcote, Gloucestershire garden fame), followed a walking tour of buildings associated with the Bello Époque era, ate farinata and lemon sorbet from street stalls and tasted as many tarte au citron (lemon pie) as I could find.

If you find yourself in southern France in the coming months, you might also want to attend these events.

Saint-Tropez hosts its own Provençal carnival. Folk groups, dressed in costumes and playing instruments, immerse visitors in the traditions of Provence.
The Nice Carnival is one of the most famous in the world. For two weeks in February, Nice is alive with festival-goers and artists from all over the world. It’s also an opportunity to discover ganses and tourte de blettes, two of Nice’s most famous Carnival specialties.
The colour yellow of the mimosa plant dominates the town of Mandelieu-la-Napoule! The Fête du Mimosa pays tribute to the flower that has made the town famous, while walking the legendary 130-kilometer Route du Mimosa between January to March, offers breathtaking scenery of the iconic French Riveria. Start at Bormes-les-Mimosas and head for Grasse for the grand finale.

Ivrea Carnival, Battle of the Oranges

people sitting on the street during daytime — Ivrea’s Battle of the Oranges in full swing

A. Centro Storico and Borghetto, Ivrea, Italy
Saturday, March 1 to Tuesday, March 4

The Carnival of Ivrea is an electrifying, adrenaline-fueled spectacle. Every year, this Italian town erupts into a vibrant battle of oranges, where thousands hurl citrus fruit in a historic reenactment of rebellion against tyranny. The festival can be traced back to the 12th century and a revolt against the Count of Monferrato. The air is thick with the sweet scent of oranges, and teams from around the town hurl the fruit with furious energy, supported by cheering crowds. Locals in medieval garb clash in a dazzling display of passion and tradition. When I took part in 2019, I was hit in the face and shoulders by fruit and splattered in orange chaos. It’s reminiscent of the great Spanish tradition La Tomatina, held each August in Buñol, with tomatoes the fruit of choice, rather than oranges.

Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival

February 28 to April 21, 2025.Anaheim, California, USA
Website: Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival This annual festival offers a variety of food and beverage experiences, including citrus-inspired dishes and drinks, along with culinary demonstrations and entertainment.

Citrus Club Charity Expo & Showcase

Monday, March 24. Orlando, Florida, USA
An event bringing together local charities and businesses, featuring exhibitions and networking opportunities. Click here for more information.

Monterosso Lemon Festival

Saturday, May 17. Monterosso al Mare, Italy

This event celebrates the local lemon harvest with decorations, food stalls and competitions for the largest lemon, most lemony cake and best-decorated window.

3rd Annual Citrus Festival

Saturday, April 5. Riverside, California, USA

Hosted at the California Citrus State Historic Park, this festival features live music, citrus tastings, cooking demonstrations, and activities for all ages.

Sagra degli Agrumi

a woman and a little girl dressed in traditional clothing — The Sardinian gown of Muravera celebrates its local produce with festivals and tastings each year. Photo, Giampiero Fanni

April (tbc) Muravera, Sardinia

Since the 1960s, the seaside town of Muravera has celebrated its abundance of fresh, local citrus with a citrus festival, including tastings, music, art shows, and parades.

Gran Fira de Valencia

Throughout July, Valencia, Spain,

While not exclusively focused on citrus, Valencia's rich citrus heritage is often highlighted during these celebrations.

Cooking with Flowers & Giardini di Villa della Pergola

April 4 – 6, and from March. Alassio, Liguria, Italy

a beach that has some buildings on it — The beautiful town of Alassio, a place of history and taste. Photo by Diletta Davolio

This year’s cooking with flowers festival, Festival della Cucina dei Fiori, on the Italian Riveria in the town of Alassio, offers ideas, events and inspiration from a brigade of Sicilian chefs who teach you how to create dishes with some of the many foraged wildflowers that grow on the hills around the town. Events include foraging hikes and cookery lessons.

But if you don’t manage to visit the town in early April, there are always the spectacular Gardens of Villa della Pergola. Just a ten-minute walk from the train station, you’ll find various botanical collections, including a famed patch growing more than 40 different varieties of citrus. Look out for the locally celebrated Chinotto di Savona, Buddha's Hand Citron, a Trifoliate Orange - the only deciduous citrus fruit in nature, and the Murraya Paniculata, reputed to be the world’s smallest citrus fruit.

RECIPE INSPIRATION

I have just returned from a Creative Food Writing assignment at the University of Gastronomic Sciences Piedmont, northern Italy where, over four days I managed to order, eat and drink five citrus-based dishes and drinks.

Four days in the northern Italian towns of Bra and Pollenzo, home to the University of Gastronomic Sciences and I enjoyed five citrus based dishes and drinks. (Clockwise from top left, and as described on the menu) Seabass pudding with citrus fruits sauce; Citrus marinated chicken nuggets, breaded and fried, black cabbage, yogurt, sweet sauce, onion and sweet and sour apples; orange marmalade and chocolate tart; Limone Ripieno, a sweet and tart dessert of lemon sorbet served in a lemon shell; and finally a mixer, Acetyco, a soda made with vinegars and citrus infusions. All images © The Lemon Grove

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