Texas Blueberry Festival (photo by Emily Schneider)
Is there anything more all-American than a summer blueberry festival? Residents of Nacogdoches certainly think so, and you’d be quick to agree if you find yourself in their blueberry-lovin’ town on June 9. The Texas Blueberry Festival is a daylong, state-sanctioned celebration of the harvest—the only one in Texas. For 29 years, the indigo-toned superfood has attracted nearly 20,000 people annually to downtown Nacogdoches, where thousands of pounds of blueberries are sold in an eight-hour span. The pre-festival revelry kicks off Friday night, June 8, with a bluegrass concert in the park, and the party continues to the main event all day Saturday. Notable happenings include the Running (or walking) of the Blueberries 5K, a blueberry pancake breakfast, a pet parade, various cooking and eating contests (Blue Pies Smiling at Me pie-eating contest, anyone?), a bounce park, and arts and crafts. Throughout the day, local merchants and shops will open their doors to attendees with sales and specials inspired by the day. For those who’d rather forage for their spoils, festivalgoers can take free shuttles from downtown every 10 minutes to handpick blueberries from nearby farms. The entire day is family-friendly, and most of the events are free of charge—sweet in more ways than one.
