BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Blueberry Festival is back, and this year it comes with a bounce.
In its 37th year, the festival runs this weekend at historic Burnside Plantation at 1461 Schoenersville Road.
Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 13, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 14.
There'll be plenty of blueberry pie, blueberry coffee cake, blueberry strudel, tarts and cookies — even half-gallons of blueberry ice cream.
Visitors can expect all the trimmings and trappings of what the festival has provided over the years.
Berries in many forms — even adult sips
But this year, there's a new feature — the Blueberry Tavern Tent, where folks can sample and buy unique, centuries-old tipples made just like George Washington favored.
Such as Sun Inn colonial brewerChristmas City Spirits'"Blueberry Bounce."
"It tasted like a little trip back to an 18th century beverage at an 18th century farm."Beth Beatty, Historic Bethlehem Museum & Sites events director
"It's brandy based, with spices," Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Events Manager Beth Beatty said. "I had a small sample, and it is warm and delicious. It tasted like a little trip back to an 18th century beverage at an 18th century farm."
Christmas City Spirits Manager Monica Round said the batch for the festival was just made three weeks ago.
"We wanted a new flavor, and it’s the time for blueberries, so this is our new cordial," Round said.
Christmas City Spirits also makes a cherry bounce, George Washington's favorite, and a cherry blossom, its lighter version, as well as apple cider whiskey and a few others.
"Our spirits are on the sweeter side," Round said. "Blueberry bounce is a blueberry liquor with hints of lemon and vanilla."
It's the first year Christmas City Spirits will participate in the festival. It will lemonade in 12-ounce cups, but also have free tastes of all of their spirits. Bottles of bounce will be for sale. A 750 ml size is $41.99.
Xplorer Spirits will offer its Blueberry Bourbon, made with lemonade and honey bourbon, and its PB&J, made with peanut butter whiskey and blueberry pomegranate juice. Prices range from $36 to $48.
New Tavern Tent, new festival manager
Beatty is in her first year as festival manager but said the Tavern Tent is a concept long in the making.
"We wanted to have one tent, adjacent to the live music stage, where folks could sample small tastes and purchase full-size pours," she said.
"It's convenient and it allows our visitors great personal interaction directly with local purveyors and distributors. This really puts it all together."
"Way, way back in history, brewing was a home-based activity done by women. As it became an industry and monetized, men took it over. So she has reclaimed the heritage of brewing."Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites Events Manager Beth Beatty
Beatty was born in Bethlehem and attended Lehigh University, and said she's happy to be back in the area. She was last employed as a living historical events producer at Fort Mifflin in Philadelphia.
Other Tavern purveyors include Rebel Hive Meadery, Bru Daddy's and McCall CollectiveBrewing.
"McCall has a really interesting story too, run by a female brewer," Beatty said.
"Way, way back in history, brewing was a home-based activity done by women. As it became an industry and monetized, men took it over. So she has reclaimed the heritage of brewing."
Blueberry food, crafts, too
On both festival days, kids and adults alike can hunker down at sticky blueberry pie-eating contests, offer up their best blueberry recipes in the dessert culinary contests, and take advantage of outdoor games, live music and live demonstrations.
Visitors also can indulge in kitschy creations by local crafters throughout the festival grounds and in the Barn Shoppe.
In 1974, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives passed a joint resolution recognizing July as “Blueberry Month.”
According to Blueberry.org, then-President Richard Nixon called “on all Americans to ‘observe that month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.’”
And so we do.
Blueberry Festival Tavern Passes are $25 ordered online and include one adult admission, a tasting glass, and five tastings; $27 if bought the day of attending and includes admission, glass and four tastings.
Historic Bethlehem Museum & Sites members get two free tickets. Otherwise, admission to the event is $10 for adults if you order online, or $12 in person, and $5 for ages 4-17.
Free parking can be found at Nitschmann Middle School (1002 W. Union Blvd.) and at the Moravian University X Lot (1150 Mauch Chunk Road). Shuttle buses will run on a continuous loop all day to and from the festival site at the 6.5-acre Burnside Plantation.
