A look in from the 2022 Blueberry Festival. (Submitted photo/Amy Leer)

By Martin Martinson

Fun for the Family

St. Walburg Wild Blueberry Festival, the ‘berry on top’ of summer

Aug 25, 2023 | 4:00 PM

The St. Walburg Wild Blueberry Festival kicks off tonight (Friday), bringing to life the biggest weekend celebration of the summer in the St. Walburg community.

With as many as 3,000 to 3,500 people expected to take part in the festival tonight and Saturday (Aug. 25-26), president of the Chamber of Commerce and chairperson for the Blueberry Fest, Amy Leer said it’s an event that’s sure to tickle the sweet tooth.

“First and foremost it brings in vendors that sell wild blue berries picked in our area, and then from there we have a lot of local vendors that make blueberry pies, blueberry jams, blueberry syrups and things like that,” she said; adding that though the blueberry frenzy may be where the festival gets its name, the berries and baked goods are just the tip of the iceberg.

“We have over 120 vendors coming in to sell all kinds of homemade and handmade items, with everything from homemade honey, to the pies, tarts and jams, to local bison farmers selling bison jerky… we’ve got mukluks, jewlery… you name it.”

An overhead view of the annual Blueberry festival back in 2019, an event that continues to grow at a seemingly exponential rate. (Facebook/St. Walburg Wild Blueberry Fest)

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The festival kicks off tonight with two sittings for a beef supper at 5 and 6 p.m. to accommodate all, available for $25 a plate. From there, the evening will then roll into an old-time dance with live music at the Parrish Hall starting at 8 p.m.

Saturday, the day will begin with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., running to about 11 a.m., when food vendors will begin to set up in the food court area. A stage in the middle of the main street will also feature live music from local artists throughout the day from 9-4 p.m.

Heading into its 35^th year, the Blueberry Fest continues to gain momentum year-over-year to this day, with a maximum capacity of 124 vendors reached this year, along with more than 120 vehicles expected for the Show ‘N Shine car show, just one of the many events that has been added in recent years and has hit the ground running.

Taking place right in the middle of downtown St. Walburg, the entertainment and activities cross the spectrum, making it something all can enjoy.

“We’ve got entertainment, we’ve got the kid’s zone with games set up where kids can [win] prizes, get face painting done… we’ve got the food trucks, we’ve got the car show, and then in between we’ve got the vendors,” Leer said.

“We have vendors coming from Shellbrook all the way to Vermillion, Bonnyville, Cold Lake, and Wainright. We’ve got people coming down from Meadow Lake and up from Battleford, so it’s drawing a really big area.”

With no cost required to attend, Leer said the Blueberry Fest is simply about bringing the community together for a fun weekend celebrating the best of the town.

“All proceeds go to the groups and vendors who attend and sell or put on their events, [and] any profits made on the 50/50 go back into the fund for next year to pay for the entertainment, bands, hall rentals, porta potties etc.,” she said. “This is strictly to help our local businesses and vendors while having a fun day in our community.”

For more information on the St. Walburg Wild Blueberry Festival, visit the event Facebook page.

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1