Sudbury Blueberry Festival celebrates three decades

With the Sudbury Blueberry Festival reaching its 30th birthday this year, there was some talk about this year being the festival's last.

The committee that puts on the July 12-19 festival is small, and because most events are free, the festival can't survive without corporate sponsors. But the festival secured major backers, including the Sudbury Credit Union.

There also still seems to be interest in the Sudbury Blueberry Festival, which was started three decades ago by the late Peter Wong, a former Sudbury mayor. In fact, the festival has 10 new events this year, meaning there's more than 30.

“Thirty years — who knew?,” said long-time Sudbury Blueberry Festival committee chair John Lindsay at a July 7 press conference kicking off the festival.

“I guess Peter Wong didn't really realize that a blueberry festival would go for 30 full years.”

Lindsay attributes the festival's longevity to Sudburians' enthusiasm for blueberries, which he calls “our best above-ground natural resource.”

“We feel that because of the acidic soil here in the Sudbury area, it gives a special flavour to blueberries,” he said.

“And who doesn't love blueberries? I go out to classrooms, and there's only generally one kid in every classroom who says they don't like blueberries.”

So how is this year's blueberry crop coming along? Lindsay said he's been out to check, and the blueberries are still small.

“With the rain we have today, I think it's going to plump them up a little bit,” he said.

For a full listing of Sudbury Blueberry Festival events, visit www.blueberryfestival.ca, search for Sudbury Blueberry Festival on Facebook or phone the festival hotline at 705-920-5778.

Don't miss:

Downtown Celebrity Pie Eating Contest – July 16 from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Rainbow Centre near the escalators.

Blueberry Bash – July 18 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., downtown at The Market.