Empire strikes back with the 11th edition of the Leelanau County town’s Asparagus Festival. This year’s Northern Michigan festival, which runs from Friday, May 16th to Sunday the 18th, will feature Northern Michigan food and drinks—including a cook-off that highlights the versatility of asparagus—, performances by Northern Michigan musicians and more. So come on down to the Empire Asparagus Festival!
The festival’s full schedule is as follows:
Friday, May 16th
- Dance & Pig Roast — Art’s Tavern’s Famous Pig Roast, accompanied with Asparagus Spear beer from Traverse City’s Right Brain Brewery and tunes from the Benzie Playboys. Front St. in Empire from 7 to 10 pm.
Saturday, May 17th
- 5K Kick Ass-paragus Fun Run/Walk — Registration for the run starts at 9 am at Empire Public Beach, race at 10.
- Asparagus Recipe Contest Asparagas Cook-Off — 11 am at the Empire Town Hall.
- Asparagus Parade — Beginning at 4 pm, walk, dance, pedal, or ride on horseback through Empire in your green regalia. No entry fee.
- From 1 pm to 4, BoBossa Swing Band performs; from 6 pm to 9, The Accidentals perform.
- Food and beverages under the Big Tent from 11 am to 9 pm, with food from the likes of:
- Joe’s Friendly Tavern
- La Becasse
- Deering’s Market & Bakery
- Norconk’s Asparagus
- Black Star Farms
- Left Foot Charley
- And many more!
Sunday, May 18th
- Empire Eagles’ Famous Breakfast — 8 am to noon at the Empire Township Hall
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