The 2023 Courtland Pear Fair

In the tiny Delta town of Courtland, the last Sunday of July is known as the “Big Day”—a celebration in honor of its primary crop, the pear.

The day is expected to begin with early morning runs along winding pear-tree-lined roads to rev up the metabolism for a feast of fair treats like pear fritters, pear doughnuts and pear mimosas.

“Pears brought a lot of farmers and families to the area 160 years ago,” says Ryan Elliot, a sixth-generation farmer at Stillwater Orchards. “We still pay homage to the heritage they started.”

While Courtland growers cultivate a variety of pears, from the russet-skinned Golden Bosc to the creamy French Butter, the most popular is the Bartlett, which turns golden yellow to signal the moment of custardy ripeness. Just-picked fruit will be available by the bushelful at the festival and can also be tasted in fresh-baked pie form, a recipe carefully guarded by the River Delta Unified School District’s PTA coalition. If you want your slice a la mode, Gunther’s pear-studded ice cream is likely to put a cool, creamy spin on Big Day swelter.

The Pear Parade is the fair’s high point: You’ll see a dedicated tractor pulling the year’s largest pear, as determined by a cutthroat weigh-off, and the Pear Fair Royal Court making their much-anticipated appearance. “In a [town with population 600], this is the one day of the year when there’s actually traffic,” says Elliot, laughing.

Free ($20 parking). July 30, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 180 Primasing Ave. Courtland. pearfair.com 

MUST EAT

Using a decade-old hush-hush recipe, homemade pear pies are baked by PTA parents, who dish out over a thousand slices of the dessert to bankroll student activities.

This article originally appeared as part of our round up 16 Fun Food Festivals in 2022.