Make 'Date Night' Unforgettable In Yuma

YUMA, ARIZONA - Think that enjoying a multi-course gourmet dinner under the stars in a date grove is a treat only available to pashas and potentates? Think again - and enjoy an unforgettable 'Date Night' in Yuma, the world's largest producer of Medjool dates.

Set for Nov. 13 (2015), and Jan. 22, Feb. 12, and March 11 (2016), these special dinners are being presented by Yuma Visitors Bureau in cooperation with the Bard Valley Date Growers Association to showcase both Yuma's delightful desert weather and the culinary versatility of one of its more unique crops.

The dinners will take place at Imperial Date Gardens, 1517 York Road, Winterhaven, Calif., an easy 15-minute drive through lush produce fields from downtown Yuma

Tickets for all four dates go on sale Oct. 22, online at VisitYuma.com (http://www.visityuma.com/date-night-dinners.html) or at the Visitor Information Center, 201 N. 4th Ave., 928-783-0071. To ensure a quality dining experience, dinner is served to just 36 guests, so reservations are essential.

"There's a lot more to dates than just milkshakes," said Linda Morgan, YVB executive director. "This is a great way to feature a local product so good that even people in the Middle East import dates from Yuma."

The inclusive price of $70 per person includes a multi-course gourmet meal prepared by Cordon Bleu-trained Chef Alex Trujillo and his Catering by Design team, entertainment, a tour of Imperial Date Gardens' sorting and packing facility, and even samples of beer and wine made from dates (a cash bar is also available).