National Lentil Festival

They’re tiny, mighty and totally worth celebrating. Don’t forget to show everyone’s favorite legume the love at Pullman’s 35th National Lentil Festival, which is personally my favorite festival of the entire year. There’s a race, a parade, live cooking demonstrations and live music, plus the world’s largest bowl of lentil chili that you can partake of for free. Hosts are so gracious, they even hand out the recipe so you can celebrate lentils all yearlong. The recipe calls for everything from salsa, cinnamon, chili powder and bell pepper to the all-important secret chili ingredient that makes everything good: Mexican chocolate. If for some reason that doesn’t persuade you, maybe the pickleball tournament or the experiments at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories’ science tent will. No matter what, you’re sure to fall in love with Tase T. Lentil, the adorable mascot for the powerhouse of the Palouse.

National Lentil Festival • Sat, Aug. 17 at 7:30 am-10 pm • Free • Reaney Park • 690 NE Reaney Way, Pullman • lentilfest.com • 509-334-3565