The Texas Blueberry Festival is a daylong celebration of the annual harvest. Hosted in Nacogdoches, this is the only state-sanctioned blueberry festival in the Lone Star State. Each year, 19,000 people from Texas and surrounding areas flock to the festival for a smorgasbord of food, activities, and entertainment.
In 1989, Nacogdoches residents Leon and Patsy Hallman coordinated community leaders and volunteers to plan an affordable, family-friendly event that highlights downtown businesses and attractions, while celebrating and promoting local industry. The festival continues to grow over the years, and now welcomes many food and product vendors from all over.
The 2017 festival opens on June 10 with the Running of the Blueberries, starting at 7:30 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. and a fresh blueberry pancake breakfast served near the historic town square. Activities for blueberry lovers of all ages include a bounce park, make-and-take arts and crafts, a pet parade, “The Big Blue” mural painting, Blueberry Hill Soda & Sweet Shoppe, pie eating contests, washer board tournament, and food and arts vendors. Downtown merchants and local businesses offer blueberry sweet specials inspired by the festival. The entire day is a fun, family-oriented event and many of the activities are free of charge.
Experienced and novice cooks submit their best recipes and prettiest plates to compete in blueberry pie and blueberry cupcake contests. Live musical entertainment including acoustic folk guitar, country, jazz and soft rock will fill the air from stages located downtown and in Festival Plaza. Thousands of pounds of fresh blueberries are sold and festivalgoers also can catch free shuttles to tour and pick their own blueberries right off the bushes at nearby farms.
For more information including vendor applications, visit www.tbf.nacogdoches.org.