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Yuma Lettuce Days is an annual festival occurring in Yuma, Arizona during late February and early March. Due to the sunny high desert climate and availability of water from the Colorado River, Yuma has become a major supplier of winter produce in the United States...:..〔http://arizonaexperience.org/land/yuma-county-americas-winter-vegetable-capital〕 This regional festival, like many regional vegetable festivals such as the Gilroy, California Garlic Festival or the (Vidalia, Georgia Onion Festival ), highlights a specific produce item that has become economically important for the area. Taking place at the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center Valley Farm,〔http://cals.arizona.edu/aes/yac/〕 it consists of vendor and exhibitor displays, live entertainment, children's exhibits, agricultural demonstrations, the annual Harvest Dinner, and cooking demonstrations. ==History and Background of the Yuma Lettuce Festival== Yuma, Arizona has been recognized as the sunniest place in the world, with a year-round average of 11 hours of sun a day.〔http://www.currentresults.com/Weather-Extremes/sunniest-places-countries-world.php〕 This, along with its rich river bottom soils and irrigation from the Colorado River, has made it one of the most important producers of winter vegetables in the United States. Up to 90% of the leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. from November to March originate in Yuma.〔http://www.visityuma.com/agritourism.html〕 To highlight the importance of Yuma as an important supplier of winter vegetables, especially leafy greens, the Yuma Lettuce Festival began as a partnership between the Yuma Visitors Bureau and the University of Arizona.〔http://www.visitarizona.com/events-calendar/17th-annual-yuma-lettuce-days-agri-culinary-festival-02-28-2015〕 Additionally, the idea of "agritourism" as an additional source of income for traditionally agricultural areas has increased in popularity. Yuma sees its population nearly double in winter months due to the availability of RV parks, resorts, hotel rooms, and other tourist amenities. Festivals such as the Lettuce Festival, as well as other agricultural events, provide a mechanism for two of Yuma's major economic players to mutually support one another.〔Yuma Arizona. Hosea Rosenberg to Headline Yuma Lettuce Days. Yuma Visitors Bureau, 16 Dec. 2014. Web. 7 May 2015.〕 The Yuma Lettuce Festival has been a yearly event since 1999. Originally, the festival took place as a street festival in downtown Yuma on Main Street. However, some felt that the Lettuce Festival became too arts-and-crafts oriented in this location, and wished to re-emphasize the agricultural connection 〔http://www.yumasun.com/lettuce-days-to-honor-ag-industry-at-quartermaster-depot/article_28f3f3cc-061d-5aa1-8592-aa3852f7a449.html〕 As a result, in 2011 the festival was moved to the historic Quartermaster's Depot 〔http://azstateparks.com/Parks/YUQU/〕 in an effort to again highlight Yuma area agriculture.〔http://visitarizona.com/events-calendar/17th-annual-yuma-lettuce-days-agri-culinary-festival-02-28-2015〕 This move did concern some Main Street businesses, as they saw the festival had increased foot traffic and sales.〔Source: "Businesses worried by Lettuce Days' move". The Sun, Yuma, Az, June 23, 2011.〕 The continued growth of the Lettuce Festival over the next four years required a subsequent move in 2015 to its current location at the Yuma Agricultural Center's Valley Farm. In 2011, the Festival earned the Arizona Governor's Tourism Award as best Arizona special event in a community of 75,000 or greater population.〔http://www.yumasun.com/top-tourism-award-goes-to-yuma-lettuce-days/article_112f9120-fd4d-5101-a00b-3e091fa5fd0f.html〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Yuma Lettuce Days」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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