Hang Ten

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

It seems like we're always making excuses not to go out of town for the weekend. After all, breaking free of the hustle and bustle of city life can be hard. You've got household chores to do, paperwork to catch up on, and a new week to plan. But what if, for one weekend, you threw aside those things and made a pact with your family to get out of Dodge? You'd discover that there are lots of places to visit within a two-hour drive that can put a little zest back in your life.

Speaking of zest, an hour and a half's drive north on Highway 65 will put you in a town with just over 10,000 people, all waiting to greet you with open arms and a whole lot of oranges.

Known as Central California's Citrus Center, Lindsay is a perfect spot for a day-cation.

The town is cradled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and surrounded by scenic farmland but it's not simply another agricultural hot spot (though it is known worldwide for olives and orange groves)—there is history and culture in Lindsay, a 1995 All-America City winner that has been referred to as “the heartbeat of the Central Valley.”

The First Citrus

Before Captain Arthur J. Hutchinson, the man known to be the founder of Lindsay, came to the area in 1889, Julius Orton built a homestead on 160 acres and was the first to plant orange trees in the area in the early 1880s.

But Hutchinson would cement the area as a growing town when he bought 2,000 acres and formed the Lindsay Land Company. And when the Southern Pacific Railroad came through the area in 1889, development of the Lindsay townsite began under the Pacific Development Company.

The townsite was laid out by Hutchinson and the community was named for his wife, Sadie Lindsay Patton Hutchinson.

A fellow named Stockton Berry also migrated to the area about the same time as Hutchinson and farmed several thousand acres of grain, grapes, and oranges.

The area began growing at a rapid pace for 20th century standards. According to the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce website, “by 1905, approximately 700 acres of oranges had been planted in the district, but only a few were in full bearing. Excursion trains from Southern California arrived every few weeks carrying people interested in settling in the Lindsay area. This influx of people sparked the development of some 75,000 acres of land by 1910, along with packing houses to process the agricultural products.”

Incorporation of the City of Lindsay took place on February 28, 1910, with some 700 residents within the city limits. By 1916, there were 23 blocks of paved streets and the population rose to 3,000. Citrus is still a big industry and it helped to cement Lindsay's place in California agriculture early on.

Orange You Glad To Be In Town

Lindsay is a unique town that incorporates the past and the present. No matter what time of year you visit, you'll happen upon a variety of community-themed events geared toward celebrating all that's good about this quaint area of Central California, including street festivals and parades. And from May to November, every Friday night is a party.

“The Friday Night Market and Street Faire is special, with exceptional products and goods and the mellow, low-key, local feel of a small town community.” If you're looking for something to do on Friday evenings, stop by the Farmer's Market and enjoy entertainment, a sense of community (since each Friday, nearly 6,000 area residents attend) and a selection of the best, most succulent produce from the best growers in the valley.

There are also music and art projects, courtesy of the Lindsay public schools. It also sports a flea market where you can find sunglasses, purses, shoes, jewelry, and more!

The event even provides free entertainment such as Brazilian dancers, mariachi, and country music. Approximately 200 stalls are occupied by food, arts and crafts, consumer goods, and produce vendors. There's also bounce houses and face painting for the kids.

Fresh local food, paired with live music, has turned downtown into an inviting place where families can kick off the weekend together. This market opens for the season in March and runs every Friday from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Sweet Briar Plaza, on North Sweet Briar Avenue, between North Westwood Avenue and West Tulare Road.

Coming up this fall, the Lindsay Community Theater's 6th Annual Brewfest will have entertainment, great food, and up to 40 different kinds of beer on tap on September 24, from 2 to 6 p.m. at the Sweet Briar Plaza, in the heart of downtown Lindsay.

For more information about the Brewfest and other events sponsored by the Lindsay Community Theater please visit lindsaycommunitytheater.com.

Lindsay's beautiful downtown, rich in history, offers a delightful shopping and browsing experience.

Downtown also plays home to McDermont Field House, the premier indoor sports and entertainment destination in the Central Valley. Originally a fruit-packing house, it has been transformed into a state-of-the-art, 172,000 square-foot venue where families can spend time together, be active, and have fun. The facility includes two arena soccer fields, a zip line, The Hippo (the world's largest inflatable slide), Flowrider (an indoor surfing simulator), a skate park, two NCAA regulation basketball courts, a rock climbing wall, bounce houses (an entire soccer field full of them), a dance floor, and many other areas for activities.

For more information on events, visit www.mcdermontfieldhouse.com.

But perhaps the most notable event to take place in Lindsay is the Orange Blossom Festival. Every April, the fragrant smell of orange blossoms fills the air. As such, the town plans a massive festival for not only residents of Lindsay but for the many tourists who come to honor all things citrus. The festival originated in 1932, so 2012 marks the 80th year of this annual celebration.

Over the course of a long weekend, an Orange Blossom Queen is crowned, multiple art receptions take place with cocktails and hors d'oeuvres, not to mention a pancake breakfast at Sweet Briar Plaza.

Of course, the scene stealers are the 62 Mile Metric Century Bicycle Tour and 20 Mile Orange Bicycle Tour, both begin at the McDermont Field House; and the Orange Blossom Parade. With festivals, dances, and carnivals making up the schedule for the weekend, there won't be time to think about anything but having fun.

Even if you're not a big fan of oranges, there's always something to do in Lindsay. You and the family can spend time traversing the community, trying new things, and tasting the sweet flavors of small-town life.

For additional information on Lindsay, visit lindsay.ca.us or the Lindsay Chamber of Commerce at thelindsaychamber.com. You can also call (559) 562-4929.

Photos courtesy McDermont Field HouseLindsay/Chamber of Commerce

Article appeared in our 28-3 Issue - August 2011