Larry Strawther was the guest speaker at Friday’s Los Alamitos Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast and Strawther told those in attendance about the upcoming Sugarbeet Festival.
Strawther has helped organize the inaugural event, which is scheduled for July 13. The event is planned as a fundraising opportunity for local non-profit organizations that want to get involved in ticket sales or in the silent auction.
The event will include a full day of events, beginning with a 5K obstacle course challenge as well as an expo and a street festival. The event is modeled slightly on the Taste of Los Al event, which has become a very successful fundraiser for Los Alamitos area schools. But the Sugarbeet Festival will include a wide variety of activities to see what might work best for future events.
“We’re throwing a lot of mud against the wall to see what sticks,” Strawther said.
The sugarbeet was chosen for its historical significance to Orange County and to Los Alamitos. In the early 1900s, the acreage of sugar beets in Orange County was five times that of Oranges, according to Strawther’s research. And the first sugar beet factory in the county opened in Los Alamitos in 1897.
The 5K obstacle course run will weave throughout the historic downtown district, which will be recreated for the events. The event will offer a range of other competitions, including a karaoke contest, a chef showdown amongst local restaurants, a youth egg toss and a pre-school parade.
The expos will include health and fitness, education, sports, the military, and arts & crafts. Any organization or business that would like to be involved can get more information at sugarbeetfestival.com. Strawther can be contacted at larrystrawther@gmail.com. LAUSD Board Member Diana Hill can also provide information and can be contacted at dhill@dianahill.com.