It’s OK if you cry at this festival that celebrates a Georgia staple

A celebration of a vegetable that brings tears to the eyes of many is underway in Georgia.

The Vidalia Onion Festival is taking place through Sunday in, of course, the town of Vidalia. Among the 40th annual festival highlights are an onion cook-off, air shows, daily carnival and for the unafraid: the “World Famous Onion Eating Contest” on Saturday.

Also, southern rock group Blackberry Smoke is headlining the festival with a Saturday evening concert. People are also invited to tour the Vidalia Onion Museum.

But before you go to the festival, be sure to brush up on some interesting tidbits about the sweet Vidalia onion courtesy of the state’s tourism and travel site Explore Georgia.

▪  An onion can only be deemed an official Vidalia if it’s harvested within one of 20 counties designated by a 1986 act;

▪  Vidalia onions account for $90 million in sales, or about 40 percent of the spring onion crop;

▪  The onion is designated at Georgia’s official state vegetable;

For more information on the festival visit www.vidaliaonionfestival.com or visit its Facebook page.

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 10:29 AM with the headline "It’s OK if you cry at this festival that celebrates a Georgia staple."