Again this year the celebration of Sudbury’s best above ground natural resource was a success with many events during the Sudbury Blueberry Festival.
The 32nd annual Festival featured multiple Blueberry Pancake Breakfasts and Blueberry Barbecues and teas throughout the area, many attended by the Festival Mascots the Sud-berry Bear and his mate Sudbrina Bear, both huggable favorites for young and old alike.
Many events take place every year, such as the Skead Pancake Breakfast and the Ukrainian Garden Party, the Celebrity Pie Eating Contest and the Blueberry Bash at the downtown Market. The week-long festival during the third week of July opened and closed with concerts at Bell Park.
New events this year included a Blueberry Barbecue at the Parkside Older Adult Centre and free blueberry rock painting hosted by Monique Legault at her studio on Elgin Street (pic attached).
The free draw for a blue sapphire diamond ring donated by Ambrosia jewellers was won by a resident of Parry Sound indicating the Festival encourages tourism which was one of the reasons for the event as envisioned by the founder former Mayor Peter Wong.
Thanks to the festival sponsors, Downtown Sudbury, Service Canada, the City of Greater Sudbury and the Sudbury Credit Union. This was not only a good year for the Festival but for blueberry pickers, who after a couple of disappointing crop years, were able to fill their baskets with the delicious blue fruit, the best tasting we believe comes from our area.
For more information on the Festival plus the Blueberry Pickers Song by our own Andy Lowe go to www.blueberryfestival.ca.
— John Lindsay, Chair Sudbury Blueberry Festival