By Charly SHELTON

Members of the Peanuts gang are residents of Knott’s Berry Farm year-round, but once a year for the Peanuts Weekend festival, Snoopy and the gang take front and center for a celebration which, this year, is even more special as Peanuts celebrate its 75th anniversary. The fun starts right as you walk through the gate with special comic strip photo ops and festive banners that can be found in different themes throughout the park. It’s a great place for kids to interact with some of their favorite characters, especially for super young kids who are particularly drawn to Snoopy because he’s entirely black and white.

This festival is a recurring one every year but each year brings a few new additions; this year is no exception. This year’s “Let’s Celebrate 75th Anniversary Peanuts Show” at the Calico Mine Stage honors the history and legacy of Peanuts in song and dance featuring appearances by the entire gang. And for guests roaming throughout the park, the “Peanuts on the Go Cavalcade” is a great way to get up close and personal with the characters in short dance parties that don’t really cut into your day. Or guests can meet the Peanuts gang at the “Peanuts Cowboy Jamboree” as the littlest cowpokes are taught all the skills they’ll need to be a cowboy in Calico Ghost Town. From the fun shows and cute decor to the festive merchandise and great photo ops, there’s something for everyone here. But honestly, as with all festivals at Knott’s, the biggest draw for me is the food.

Usually, the Peanuts Weekend is not the best food festival of the year. It’s mostly focused on kid foods, like mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, chicken tenders, etcetera. But this year, the culinary team knocked it out of the park (no pun intended) with some interesting foods that break the norm of what the Peanuts festival food has been in the past. One of the food highlights of our trip was Sally’s Shrimp and Grits Double-Stuffed Baked Potato, which is a twice-baked potato topped with shrimp and has buttery grits mixed in with the mashed potato, shoved back inside the existing baked potato. I don’t know if a lot of kids would go for this but it definitely satisfied parents. Similarly, the Tots with Sausage Gravy and a Fried Chicken Leg really won over the whole family. The tots were a hit for the kids, the sausage gravy brought an extra pop of flavor and fun, and considering the entire theme park wouldn’t exist if not for Mrs. Knott’s fried chicken, adding that to any dish at the park is always a good idea.

These aren’t necessarily the simple foods that kids would usually go nuts for, but it absolutely satisfies those with a more adventurous palate. My son, at 11 months old, enjoyed the sausage gravy tots and the potato with grits. For those kids who want to stick to the tried and true favorites, there’s of course, Peppermint Patty’s Melt and a deep-fried PB&J Uncrustable, a PB&J Cookie-wich, and a banana funnel cake that are sure to satisfy any appetite.

Overall, this is a fun festival that takes place on the weekends and it’s great for kids. The Boysenberry Festival is good for the whole family but there’s absolutely something to be said for going out with your friends to enjoy the adult beverages and more adventurous foods of that festival. But this festival is really about the kids. The photo ops, the activities, the shows, the foods – all of it is centered toward family fun. Peanuts Weekends continue through March 9.