Fruit
The fruit-growing region of the Okanagan Valley will be a fitting host for ‘Fruitarians’ from around the world at the Great Canadian Fruit Festival, from August 10-13.
Organizer Ted Carr says it’s about celebrating the health and vitality of eating fruit. “I’ve been eating a fruit-based diet now for nine years and I’ve gone to festivals around the world,” says Carr. “It’s a way of connecting with other people who eat the same way and sharing ideas.”
“It is really hard to find people who eat the same way, a fruit based diet, but when you have a festival all these people from around the world get together,” says Carr. “They share with each other what works and what doesn’t work, what they have found.”
“There’s still a lot to learn about how to do the diet perfectly, mistakes to avoid,” explains Carr. “We will have a lot of educational workshops and seminars going on to help people do it even better.”
“We have a list of local farmers who said they could provide us with some fruit,” Carr adds. "There will also be tropical fruit from Miami and some papayas from Jamaica, from two of our sponsors. Sponsorships are available from $500-$5,000, contact via their website.
There will lots of other things too, Carr points out. “The festival is really more about everything else in life besides the fruit,” he says. “The fruit just makes you feel super good so that you can go and do other stuff.”
That “other stuff” will include music from noon every day, yoga, meditation, dancing, slack lining, beatboxing and art.
“One thing that is setting us apart from some other fruit festivals is our line up is just outstanding,” says Carr. “We have some really big names. People with several million followers on Instagram and You Tube, definitely some celebrities coming to the event.
The Fruit Festival will be held at the Komastket campgrounds on First Nations land on the north west side of Okanagan.
“It makes no sense not to have a fruit festival in Canada,” says Carr. “The fruit is really good and we have so many people who are into the diet.”
“I absolutely love a fruit based diet,” adds Carr, a former triathlete. “It’s changed my life and changes the life of whoever adopts it as well, in all areas.”