Long heralded as a champion among leafy vegetables — and nowadays even drafted for service in health drinks and herbal gels — spinach consumption has lately been on the rise. The crop even attained first place status in a 2005 Bon Appetite “What’s Your Favorite Vegetable?” survey. Popeye was apparently way ahead of the curve on that one — so let’s celebrate his foresight and the vegetable’s prowess. Perhaps a spinach festival — or three — is in order.

As it turns out, there is a bit of dispute when it comes to laying claim to the weighty title of “spinach capital of the world.” Alma, Arizona; Lexana, Kansas; and Crystal City, Texas all seem to think that their particular town deserves the honor. And each of these proud locales boasts an annual festival to prove its legitimacy. Each event bears its own special charm, but quilt raffles and Popeye-based publicity seem to be popular among them all.

Alma’s fest, an April affair, offers a spinach cook-off, a “Swee’ Pea Photo Contest,” and the ever-anticipated “Spinach Drop,” in which an airplane deposits a bundle of the stuff onto a bingo-style grid. The winner gets $1000; the Boys and Girls Club gets the rest. No word on who gets to keep the produce. Wilted spinach is gourmet, you know.

In Lexana, the September fair will set you back $1.00; it is, however, money well spent. Where else will you have the distinct opportunity to watch Popeye & Olive Oyl — who arrive in style on a vintage 1930s Belgian farm truck — mix “the world’s largest spinach salad?” Children can check out the petting zoo, green rock skipping, Popeye Muscle Man contest, and green bubble gum blowing competition to round out the day.

And in Crystal City, the longest-standing spinach festival tradition kicks off each year during the second weekend in November. The carnival, entertainment, and other attractions draw thousands, and a spinach queen is crowned before the celebration comes to a close. Your guess is as good as ours as to the duties and perks of being named spinach royalty.

Random vegetable festivals are good times, indeed. There does, however, seem to be a bit of rivalry amongst the towns. Let’s just say that a certain Popeye statue at one point went missing and turned up in a Wal-Mart trash bin. But that is a story for another day. In the meantime, if you’re having trouble deciding between all the choices at your local market (the big spinach leaves seem unwieldy; the baby spinach offerings seem wimpy), you will be happy to know that Planet Organics has put out a “teen” variety. No joke. …We only hope the stuff cooperates in recipes.