KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Beautiful fall weather and a day full of fun activities drew thousands of people to downtown Kelseyville on Saturday for the 31st annual Pear Festival.

The daylong event celebrated Lake County’s agricultural history and one of its most enduring crops.

Kicking off with a pancake breakfast and the morning parade, the day was filled with color, music, dance, art and great food.

In the Grande Pear Parade, Clear Lake State Park took top honors for its float, followed by Realtor Anne Mary Skeen, with Latinos United of Lake County and Kelseyville High School’s Homecoming float tying for third place.

Lining the town’s streets, there were vendors of every kind — from food to pear souvenirs — plus tractors and other farm equipment, and classic cars.

The California Women for Agriculture spent Friday baking 100 pear pies and more than 700 pear popovers, which people lined up to buy.

Across the way at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, the Presbyterian Women once again presented their beloved cool treat — pear milkshakes. 

On Friday, judges in the pear dessert contest considered 26 entries, which organizers said was an increase over the previous year.

Emily Navarro won for her holiday pear cake balls. Rebecca Molloy took second place for her buttermilk-cheddar-pear biscuits with pear blend ice tea and pear jalapeno jam, Isabella Mays won third place for pear cream cheese danishes, fourth place went to Erin Malaspina for her “pearadise swirls” and the fifth place award went to Heather Brown for her “I can’t believe it’s not pears” dessert.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.