With a late frost meaning the 2015 blueberry crop was a bit of a bust, the organizers of this year's Sudbury Blueberry Festival were anxiously awaiting to hear about this year's crop.
The verdict? It's much better than last year, but don't expect easy picking in your local blueberry patch.
“There was a lot of great confidence it was going to be a terrific crop,” said John Lindsay, the July 17-24 festival's longtime organizer.
“However, we've gone through a drought. It appears there are blueberries there, but they're smaller than normal. But that's okay, you just pick more.”
The 31st edition of the festival features 29 events, many of them hosted by individual businesses and organizations, and free of charge.
Larger events include the Downtown Celebrity Pie Eating Contest, set for noon July 21 at the Rainbow Centre (don't miss Sudbury.com videographer Patrick Demers honing his pie-eating skills) and the Blueberry Bash, taking place 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 23 at The Market.
Other events include several blueberry-themed socials and pancake breakfasts, hikes and art workshops. Festival mascots Sud-Berry Bear and Sudbrina make it out to about half of the events.
“We know the blueberry bears are loved by two particular groups — that's the young and the old,” Lindsay said. “They just can't get enough of the blueberry bears.”
A few years ago, the festival's organizers were considering wrapping it up, as the event is run by a very small committee.
“But the fact is, the interest keeps growing each year,” Lindsay said. “We have 29 events this year, and it's all over the whole region.”
For a full listing of Sudbury Blueberry Festival events, visit www.blueberryfestival.ca.
