Livingston flying solo with Sweet Potato Festival this year

The Livingston Sweet Potato Festival kicks off next week, but the city will put it on without the backing of a coalition of growers.

The festival is in its fourth year, and the California Sweetpotato Council had been a partner with the city during the last two celebrations. Jason Tucker, the council’s president, said Thursday the council weighed its options and decided to sit this one out.

“The city of Livingston has always been a good supporter of the sweet potato industry, and although the California Sweetpotato Council will not be involved with this year’s festival, we would like to wish the city of Livingston a successful event,” he said in an official statement.

Gurpal Samra, Livingston’s mayor pro tem, said the city and the Sweetpotato Council didn’t come to an agreement on a contract before time ran out. So the City Council decided to run the festival alone this year.

Tucker said the council has not given the city money during past events to promote the festival or otherwise cover expenses. He said the council has paid for some of its own expenses related to marketing and a booth it set up during the festival.

Individual growers are not prohibited from being involved in the festival, he said, but the Sweetpotato Council is not officially involved in it.

Samra said the festival won’t be affected in the short term by the absence of the Sweetpotato Council, but coming to an agreement in the future will be necessary for the long-term growth of the festival.

“We want them back, of course,” he said. “Next year, we’ll get our contract sorted out.”

The festival will open Oct. 2 and continue through the weekend.

Organizers hope to make it a destination festival that draws people in from around the state. Samra said the festival is important for branding the city, which made moves earlier this month to officially call the city “The Sweet Potato Capital.”

California is the country’s third-largest sweet potato producer, behind North Carolina and Mississippi, according to the California Sweetpotato Council, and 95 percent of the state’s crop comes from the Livingston area.

Toni Marquez, a recreation specialist with the city, said the festival offers recipe contests, a BMX bike show, a scarecrow contest and other events Oct. 3. The Department of Rock, a Reno-based cover band, will also play classic rock that day.

The offerings Oct. 4 are Latin-themed, with music from Rocio Y Su Sonora and performances from folklorico dancers and charro horseback riders.

The Livingston Sweet Potato Festival opens at 6 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Max Foster Sports Complex, 2600 Walnut Ave. Planned are carnival rides, live bands, baking contests, a bike exhibition and more. Oct. 3 and 4, the festival runs from noon to 11 p.m.

For more on the festival, go to www.livingstoncity.com and click on Sweet Potato Moe.

This story was originally published September 24, 2015 at 6:52 PM with the headline "Livingston flying solo with Sweet Potato Festival this year."