Last Updated on November 22, 2023
The 2024 Annual Dade City Kumquat Festival is on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
Basically, as soon as the holidays subside, we know the Dade City Kumquat Festival is just around the corner.
The FREE Festival occurs in the heart of historic downtown Dade City at the end of January every year.
Did you know Dade City, Florida, is the world’s leading supplier of kumquat, a tasty petite fruit (with a funny name)?
Next year’s event is Saturday, January 27th, from 9 am – 5 pm. There will be approximately 300 vendors in attendance featuring arts and crafts, food from local restaurants, food trucks, live entertainment, and more.
Be sure to arrive early! Each year this festival gets more and more popular. It’s free, fun, and family-friendly.
In fact, the 2019 Kumquat Festival program featured AuthenticFlorida.com on page 2 (published by the Tampa Bay Times).
The same year, the festival made it on CBS Sunday Morning, a popular national news show.
So what is a kumquat? Orange in color, this small bite-sized fruit can be eaten — skin and all — providing a flavorful, pungently sweet and sour taste.
It’s a member of the citrus family. It is often baked into desserts or used as a glaze/flavoring for main dishes.
The kumquat is a native of China. Therefore it has long been a symbol of prosperity during the Chinese New Year celebrations.
In the U.S., two species are grown: the Nagami and the Meiwa.
The more common Nagami (oval-shaped) kumquat is tart and ideal for marmalades and jellies. The Meiwa (round-shaped), is sweeter and ideal for snacking, lacking the tartness of a Nagami.
Kumquats are called “the little gold gem of the citrus family.” The kumquat has a thin, sweet peel and a zesty, somewhat tart center.
Did you know the kumquat tastes best gently rolled between the fingers before being eaten? This releases the essential oils in the rind.
Eat kumquats as you would eat grapes (with the peel). The peel is the sweetest part of the fruit. The sourness comes from the kumquat pulp of seeds and juice.
Many insist the best way to savor this dainty fruit is by removing the stem, cutting it into small slices, and eliminating the seeds. Others prefer it whole.
The Kumquat Festival
The Kumquat Festival is a homegrown family event. It provides fruit tastings of every imaginable combination, including kumquat pies, cookies, smoothies, ice cream, marmalade, marinades, vinaigrettes, and salsa.
There is plenty of fruit to purchase for creating your own signature dishes at home.
Lots of wonderful vendors and sponsors come together to make this a fun-filled day of celebration.
Don’t miss Mr. and Ms. Kumquat, the arts and crafts exhibition, the antique car show, and the downtown storefronts dressed in “kumquat themes.”
Admission is FREE, transportation from two satellite parking areas is FREE, and city-owned public parking downtown is FREE. The experience of a unique, authentic, and fun-filled festival is priceless.
Local entertainment gives the event a special homespun feel.
The Kumquat Growers Open House: The Best-Kept Secret
One of the best-kept secrets occurs before the Festival. The Kumquat Growers Cooperative hosts a two-day Open House before the Festival. This smaller event is a great opportunity to meet the kumquat growers in person.
Held in nearby St. Joseph at the Kumquat Growers Packinghouse, local growers welcome guests, and discuss the origin and history of the kumquat.
They also offer tips for growing the fruit and provide tours of the packing house where it is processed and shipped.
To experience the agricultural side, tram tours take visitors on a ride through the kumquat grove. Growers explain the nuances of growing. Kumquats, including tasty baked treats and gift items, are for sale.
Tours and event schedules are also subject to change. Make sure to check Kumquat Growers official website for the latest info.
Furthermore, Florida kumquats are available in the produce section of larger food stores and/or citrus, fruit, produce, and vegetable markets from November until April.
Gift fruit boxes of nagami kumquats are available at this link: http://www.kumquatgrowers.com/retail.
Don’t miss these cool places not far from Dade City: