Lima bean poppers from the San Dieguito Heritage Museum’s Lima Bean Festival 2015. Photo by Laura Groch

The San Dieguito Heritage Museum in Encinitas is holding its free annual festival  from noon-4 p.m. Oct. 8. That’s this Saturday.

I’ll be helping judge the entries (and entrees), which will have a broader reach now, since the festival has morphed from being all about the limas to a Beans and Greens theme this year. Even when it was limited to limas, that didn’t stop people from coming up with lima bean ice cream, lima bean cookies and the like. The tastings are from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Looking forward to seeing what everyone comes up with this time around!

And if you care for neither beans nor greens, the family-friendly festival should still have something that will appeal. Besides touring the historical buildings, there will be crafts, games, a 4-H Petting Farm, face painting and photo ops using vintage clothes. Not to mention vintage cars, and live music, bingo, silent auction and bake sale. Beer and wine will also be on the menu, as will veggie burgers, hot dogs and smoothies.

So come on down! Visit www.sdheritage.org or call 760-632-9711. Tasting tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door; children 12 and younger are $5. The museum is at 450 Quail Gardens Road in Encinitas.

(c)  copyright 2016 Laura Groch