SOUTH HAVEN, Mich. — The National Blueberry Festival is once again taking over South Haven for its 60th year to celebrate the blueberry.
It begins on August 10, 2023 and runs through August 13, 2023 with a variety of family-friendly activities throughout South Haven.
It is free for all to attend.
The National Blueberry Festival recognizes, appreciates and celebrates the cultural and economic significance of blueberries, blueberry production and agritourism in the region to promote the education and future of agriculture in Southwest Michigan.
The festival is held on the second weekend of August each year, and is one of the country's oldest continuously-running fruit festivals. Van Buren County is the Nation's most prolific producer of high-bush blueberries. Michigan as a whole produces upward of 100 million pounds each year. Growers, packers, u-picks, specialty equipment, agritourism, cottage industry and more convene right here in Southwest Michigan, and it's all thanks to the delicious and healthy king of fruits- the almighty blueberry.
On Thursday, Fleming Bros/Value Market Farm Day featured area blueberry farms with buckets for U-Pick and a chance to earn a free slice of pie. The Huron Street Pavilion hosted the Meijer Youth Program, where the Blueberry Court was crowned, and the Farmland Trust Pie Social.
The pavilion will also be home to Blueberry Central Market which will run Friday through Sunday beginning at 10:00 a.m. each day.
Riverfront Park will feature the North Bay Produce Mainstage with musical performances Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the park will feature Meijer Kids’ Day.
Saturday kicks off with the Naturipe 5K Run/Walk benefiting We Care Community Resource Center at 7:45 a.m. where over 800 runners and walkers will take on the challenging landscape of South Haven.
Degrandchamp Farms Parade will step off at 11:00 a.m. from South Haven High School and continue down Kalamazoo Ave to Phoenix St. returning the the high school via Center St.
The ever popular Blueberry Pie Eating contest presented by Meijer will begin at 12:00 p.m. with kids ages six to 12 competing for free, and adults immediately after for $25 each.
On Sunday the festival will wrap up with the Sand Sculpture Contest at 10:00 a.m. on North Beach, with the winners being chosen by the National Blueberry Festival Court.
The Festival will also feature fundraisers and events of various local non-profit organizations including Al-Van Bark-B-Q, Bobby Walker Basketball Tournament, Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast, Steelheaders Fish Boil, AAUW Book Sale, South Haven Chamber of Commerce Craft Fair, Quilters Haven Quilt Show, and the Rotary Club Fly In & Breakfast.
For a complete list of times and locations, click here or download the official National Blueberry Festival app.
