DADE CITY, Fla. — For kumquat grower Frank Gude, this weekend is his favorite time of year.
Tens of thousands of people Saturday filled downtown Dade City for the annual Kumquat Festival, with it featuring hundreds of vendors and, of course, all things kumquat.
"Well the big event today, of course, is the festival, it has meant a tremendous amount to us over the years," Gude said. "We were involved in the first one and we are going to be involved in every festival that we have from now on."
One day away from turning 90, Gude has not missed a kumquat festival since they got started.
"Twenty-two years. And we started out with the first festival, and people at that time didn’t know what kumquats were at all. So that was a big thing that drew people, and it still draws them,” Gude said.
Many visitors are still having their first taste of a kumquat at the festival.
"I mean, I am still trying to get used to eating the peel at the same time. I am not used to that. But yeah -- it does taste really good," said first-time kumquat eater Kyle Apa.
Some visitors prefer their kumquats in other food items.
“To me, the kumquat ice cream is really good. And you can tell that it’s really fresh because it’s not overly sweet. And with that, you know that there are no added sugars or anything. And it’s just sweet from the kumquats itself,” explained 12-year-old Austin Makinson.
One huge draw to the festival every year is the kumquat pie.
“It’s not real sweet, and it’s not real sour, it’s just perfect," Willie Olson said.
Those pies typically sell out before the festival is over for the day, but if you didn’t get your hands on one, you can always make it at home.
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