Yesterday I received a gift basket in the mail that I was supposed to pick up at the annual Lafayette Oatmeal Festival. This reminded me that I’m the twit who ditched the oatmeal festival (though for very understandable reasons). As I took the gift basket out of the box, it fell, making me the twit who also broke a Quaker oatmeal bowl she received for not attending the Oatmeal Festival. Whoops-si-doodles!
Then I took a picture of all these things and was reminded that my photos are crap and I cannot even be bothered to move the PediPaws I bought at Walgreens out of the background of my photos. (Nope, haven’t bought a Snuggie yet, but my friend Jenny knows how to make one!) Someday I’ll buy a D-SLR camera and become a real blogger!
Anyway, to feel less twit-like, I interviewed Ellen Kanazawa, the organizer of the Oatmeal Festival. Only, I interviewed her over a month ago, so again – I’m such a twit! Be grateful I manage to put on pants in the morning. So, hear you go, all your burning oatmeal questions answered, including an explanation as to why Colorado holds an oatmeal festival in winter!
I read that Lafayette started out as a coal mining town, but you’ve held an oatmeal festival for over 10 years now. What inspired your community to start an oatmeal festival, and not, for instance, a coal festival?
Because downtown Lafayette was faced with the newly constructed Hwy 287 bypass (that would re-route traffic away from downtown), retail and business owners looked for a way to peak interest and bring visitors to the heart of downtown during the slowest month of the year. Someone read that January was oatmeal month, thus, the idea was born.
Is there a particular reason the festival is held in January, besides the fact it is nice to eat a warm bowl of oatmeal on a cold day?
January is oatmeal month. To the best of our knowledge, the Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival is the only one of its kind in the country.
Planning a festival like this must be a lot of work. Does anything go on behind the scenes that people might be surprised by? What kind of cooking pot do you use to make that much oatmeal?
Most people do not realize this Festival is actually three events in one: the 5K, the oatmeal breakfast and the health fair! And we pull it off with a staff of 3 part-time people. We are so fortunate to have so many in our community come together to help with this event. For instance, the Blue Parrot Restaurant in Louisville, CO, has been cooking pancakes from the very beginning (a huge undertaking!) Read more in this article.
The recipient of the Colorado Governor’s Award for Excellence, the Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival includes an Oatmeal Breakfast with the world’s largest toppings bar, the Quicker Quaker 5K Walk /Run, a certified qualifier for the Bolder Boulder, and an interactive Health Fair. Boulder Community Hospital and Community Medical Center sponsor the Heath Fair which includes health screenings, health and science related programs and demonstrations. Attracting thousands from Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Washington, this one day event will be held on January 10, 2009, in Lafayette, Colorado. Produced by Lafayette Community Events, more information on the Lafayette Quaker Oatmeal Festival can be obtained by visiting www.discoverlafayette.com
What’s your favorite oatmeal topping?
I enjoy walnuts, brown sugar and fresh fruit….and Colorado peach jam!
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Thanks to Ellen for putting up with me and for the gift basket, which I will try not to destroy when I move it off of my living room floor. You can view photos of the festival here. If you are in Lafayette, Colorado next January 9, 2010, stop by for a bowl!
Shar says
March 13, 2009 at 8:21 amI am still smitten by your Oatmeal Pancake recipe. I make it several times a week. Thanks for bringing us all things Oat. Love em…
Jen Hughes says
March 13, 2009 at 8:49 amIs that soap in the broken bowl? *confused*
Mara @ What's For Dinner? says
March 13, 2009 at 9:27 amI would love to go to an oatmeal festival!! Great loot…and btw, i bought the pedi-paws too and LOVE it for our Rottweiler!
Julie says
March 13, 2009 at 9:44 amI hate to shift focus from the intent of the post, but I’ve never seen PediPaws before. My cat lurrrrves to scratch any wooden furniture. Was your cats’ behavior similar and has PediPaws improved the situation?
Since I’ve delurked anyway, I should mention that as a frequent migraine sufferer I think of your chronic headache and the associated suckage factor often.
PastaQueen says
March 13, 2009 at 10:23 am@Jen Hughes – Yeah, it’s soap. I’m guessing it is a local product of Lafayette. If not, I am confused too.
PastaQueen says
March 13, 2009 at 10:24 am@Julie – I’ll write about the PediPaws eventually, trust me.
GP says
March 13, 2009 at 12:26 pmlol.. maybe it’ cause we’re here in montana but here i’ve been on a serious oatmeal jag for the better part of 6 months. Hmm how do I eat it? Let me count the ways
Wonder if Manker (aka the B&B dog) would go for pedipaws?
gp
Andy Lee says
March 13, 2009 at 12:51 pmHey – can you comment on eating oats that have been genetically modified or contaminated w/grains that are modified? I tend to cringe from the sound of that vocabulary, but honestly I don’t know how bad it is for us. I know that corn has modifiers in it to keep away pests and rot, yumm! But not sure about oats. Meanwhile, I get Irish oats, which are maybe at least as good as the American variety, but not contaminated. Till there is evidence all is well in the heartland, I’m steering clear.
lee (getting fit) says
March 13, 2009 at 1:44 pmI lurve oatmeal. I’m about to make some…um. Too bad about the broken bowl. :(
The heart shaped soap was probably a symbol of oatmeal’s “heart healthy” properties.
PastaQueen says
March 13, 2009 at 1:48 pm@lee (getting fit) – Oooooh! I bet you’re right. You are genius (or bombarded by Oatmeal propaganda). Thanks!
G.G. says
March 13, 2009 at 5:52 pmPeaches grow in CO? Huh. Would have thought it got too cold!
Rebecca says
March 13, 2009 at 8:58 pmOr maybe it’s oatmeal soap! I’ve heard of putting oatmeal in your bath, and scrubbing with it.
anji says
March 13, 2009 at 10:07 pm@PastaQueen – It’s probably Oatmeal soap! I have a few bars, it’s great for exfoliating :D
kristisummer says
March 14, 2009 at 3:58 pmI love oatmeal with nuts on top. Adds a little protein and crunch.
Sara says
March 16, 2009 at 12:21 amHey there! Long time reader, first time commenter :) I enjoy your posts about oatmeal…I recently decided to post a recipe for baked oatmeal on my site that I think you might like. It’s fast and easy and can be stored in the fridge for days! Don’t know if you’ve ever tried it, so thought I’d throw it out there :) Take care!
Jenna Z says
March 16, 2009 at 6:46 pmInterested to hear your thoughts on Pedipaws. My thoughts: Pedipaws=stupid, single-tasker, just buy a dremel! Or check out the tutorial I posted on how to stop being a weenie and just trim the nails with clippers:
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-trim-your-dog_s-toenails/
Not that you asked. Anyway, my real reason for commenting is to tell you that our family vacation last year (or was it the year before) was to stay at the Quaker Square Inn:
http://www.quakersquareakron.com/
where they have fresh hot oatmeal cookies and serve you old-school oatmeal by the vat every morning! Oh, and did I mention the rooms are located in the old Quaker grain silos???!!!! We slept in a silo! I still don’t understand the connection between Quaker and Lafayette. Is there a factory there? Or did they just contact the Quaker people to see f they could use the brand name?
Jennifer says
March 16, 2009 at 7:11 pmI think the peaches in CO actually come from the mountains believe it or not.
I need to hear about the Pedi Paws thing too. I have 3 cats. ‘Nuff said.
Ro says
March 16, 2009 at 11:30 pmOatmeal? mmm … with plump raisins or with bananas are my fav. Maybe a little brown sugar. Oh! and cinnamon amon