Marysville’s Sweet Summer Tradition: The 26th Annual Peach Festival

When you stroll down Main Street in Marysville this weekend you can’t help but smell something sweet in the air – not the usual barbecue or fried dough, but the unmistakable perfume of ripe peaches. That scent has been drawing crowds for 26 years now, turning a simple family conversation into one of Yuba‑Sutter’s biggest summer parties.

It all started around the Sodaro‑Baggett kitchen table more than two decades ago. Sara Baggett remembers her mother, Carmela, pulling out an old photograph of a long‑forgotten peach fair that used to be held in Marysville. “We were just laughing over wine and pasta, thinking ‘Why not bring it back?’” Sara recalls. The idea was simple, but the execution turned into something much bigger than anyone imagined.

Fast forward to today: the city’s historic downtown buzzes with dozens of stalls, live bands, kids’ games, and, of course, mountains of fresh, juicy peaches. Local vendors slice the fruit on the spot, serve up peach‑infused lemonade, and even get creative with grilled peach tacos. The highlight for many is the ever‑popular peach cobbler, baked from Grandma Carmela’s handwritten recipe – a page‑long family heirloom that the Baggett clan still prints and hands out to anyone who asks.

Sara, now in her thirties, has been helping at the festival since she was about eight. “I grew up watching my grandparents load crates of peaches onto the old brick steps and watching neighbors line up for a bite of cobbler,” she says, eyes shining. “Seeing new generations of kids running around, tasting the same flavors, feels like a full‑circle moment.”

The event isn’t just about fruit, though. Local musicians fill the evening air with everything from bluegrass to pop covers, while artisans showcase handmade jewelry, pottery, and peach‑themed artwork. Families spread blankets on the grass, kids chase each other around the carousel, and seniors swap stories about the old Marysville peach orchards that once dotted the valley.

For many visitors, the festival is a reminder that a peach can be more than a snack – it’s a bridge between past and present. “When I bite into a peach here, I think of my dad hauling crates in the ’70s, of my grandma’s kitchen, and of the whole community coming together,” says long‑time resident Mark Jensen, who’s attended every festival since it was revived.

As the sun sets and the lights twinkle over the riverfront, the scent of caramelizing sugar from the cobbler stands mixes with the cool night air. The festivities run until 10 p.m., giving everyone a chance to savor the last bites of summer before the season slips away.

And while Georgia may officially claim the title of “Peach State,” Marysville proudly wears its own crown every July – a crown made of community, nostalgia, and the simple joy of sharing a perfectly ripe peach.