For more than three decades, it’s been the sweetest summer festival in the Lehigh Valley.
The 31st annual Blueberry Festival will celebrate all things blueberry July 15 and 16 at Burnside Plantation. There is delicious food, family events (even for your furry family members), games, crafts, live music and more.
The event is hosted by Historic Bethlehem Museums and Sites.
Of course the festival is known for its amazing food. Here are some of the delicious highlights:
- The Blueberry Dessert Tent: You’ll find ice cream and slices of blueberry pie, coffeecake and strudel.
- Take Out Desserts Tent: This is the place to buy treats to take home. Warning: They go fast so you may want to pre-order (and then pick up at this tent). Here’s the lineup: Whole blueberry crumb pie from Tombler’s Bakery (Easton), $15; large blueberry strudel from the Bakery Nook (Coplay), $10; blueberry coffeecake from the Bakery Nook, $11; blueberry pierogies from Black Forest Deli (Bethlehem), $12 per dozen; blueberry kiffles made by amazing local baker Eva Seibert of Salisbury Township, $6 per half dozen.
- Blueberry Brewery Tent: Sample craft blueberry beer, wine, mead and vodka here. New tastings this year include: Blueberry Moscow Mules from Eight Oaks; wine from Boyd’s Cardinal Hollow Winery; and beer from Sly Fox. And Shangy’s, HiJinx Brewing Co., Fegley’s Brew Works, Saucony Creek Brewing Co., Funk Brewing Co. and Colony Meadery will be returning.
You can buy a combo ticket for festival admission as well as tastings in the brewery tent. At the gate the combo ticket gets you four tastings. You can get two more tastings with combo tickets purchased online.
- Blueberries: You can buy fresh-picked blueberries from farms such as Bechdolt’s Orchard of Hellertown.
- Culinary contest: This year’s contest seeks the best blueberry dessert. There’s an adult category (noon July 15) and one for kids under age 15 (noon July 16). The deadline to enter is July 12.
- Pie-eating contest: If you have a second stomach, try the annual pie-eating contest, held 2 p.m. both days. Sign up at the Info Tent.
- Cooking demonstrations: Get inspired or just learn something new at numerous demos scheduled throughout the festival including: Julia Intrepido-Kmetz, culinary contest coordinator for the Allentown Fair, who will be making a cucumber/blueberry salad with grilled chicken; Tammy Westney, a nutritionist and healthy cooking instructor, will demonstrate a fermented blueberry salsa; John Glagoa of The Wayfare Baker will show how to make and use puffed pastry; and Eight Oaks Distillery of New Tripoli is doing a demo on the history of distilling.
- Kids events: Children can enjoy pony rides, Colonial crafts and games, story time and a petting zoo, and make pine-cone bird feeders or a personalized pet bandana.
- Pet activities: If you think your dog is a super model, sign up (online) for the second annual Pet Parade, 3 p.m. July 16. After the parade, be wowed by dog agility demonstrations presented by Lehigh Valley Dream Weavers Agility Club, whose members will entertain with their fast-paced coursework and expert handling skills of their dogs at 10:30 a.m, 1 and 4 p.m. both days. You can also try out the obstacle course with your own furry friend.
- Animal presentation, hike: The Wildlands Conservancy of Emmaus will host a live animal presentation noon July 16, about animals that love blueberries. You can also take a guided hike with Wildlands staff to look for signs of animals eating in the wild and identify animal food sources. Hikes will be at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days.
- Entertainment: Live music and performances at the festival include new performers the Peter Johann Band, David Fields, The Wild Hymns and Copper Fields. Returning this year will be groups such as the James Supra Duo, Hector Rosado, Twin Rivers Violins, Charter Arts High School Big Band, Jump Start, Lehigh Valley Little Brass Band, Barrel House Brothers, Magnolia Sadies, Rose Ostrowski, the Pennsylvania Youth Theatre and 99 Stringz.
DETAILS
What: The 31st Annual Blueberry Festival
When: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. July 15; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. July 16
Where: Burnside Plantation, 1461 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem
How much: At the gate: $10, adult; $5, children ages 4-17; $20, adult admission plus four brewery tastings. Advance online: $25, family pass for two adults, two kids; $20, Blueberry Brewery Combo (adult admission and six brewery tastings). Registration for the Pet Parade and the Culinary Contest is free and does not include festival admission.
Info: historicbethlehem.org/blueberry-festival
