In the USA is it possible to celebrate almost anything - and fruit is no exception. With a plethora of events and festivals celebrating everything from apples to watermelons, and everything you can do with blueberries and raspberries from Arkansas to Washington, almost every fruit is represented somewhere in some way.
ARKANSAS
Annual Hope Watermelon Festival
August
Hope, Arkansas
Features of this festival include watermelon eating and seed spitting contests, Watermelon Olympics, variety of live music all four days, fishing, archery, arm-wrestling and horseshoe tournaments, 5K run, more than 300 craft booths, food booths, antique engine and car shows, and motorcycle show.
For more information visit: www.hopemelonfest.com
DELAWARE
Apple-Scrapple Festival
October
Bridgeville, Delaware
Typically made of hog offal, Scrappel is like a pork meatloaf and is best known as a regional food of Delaware. The Apple Scrapple Festival takes place during the 2nd weekend in October in Bridgeville, a small town in Sussex County, and celebrates both scrapple and the apple harvest.
Festivities start with a carnival and street dance on Friday night and continue on Saturday morning with a wide range of activities including games, like scrapple carving, live entertainment, carnival rides, and food - everything from apple fritters to scrapple sandwiches.
There are also live bands playing bluegrass, country, rock, and soul music.
For more information visit: www.applescrapple.com
INDIANA
Marshall County Blueberry Festival
September
Plymouth, Indiana
Held over Labor Day weekend the Blueberry Festival is one of the Midwest's premier events and has been named a "Top 100 Event" in North American by the American Bus Association in 1997, 1999 and again in 2007.
Attractions of Indiana's largest four-day festival include over 300 craft vendors from all across the United States and 100 food booths featuring everything from blueberry pies to donuts, sports activities, hot air balloons, Labor Day parade and spectacular fireworks display.
For more information visit: www.blueberryfestival.org
MAINE
Machias Blueberry Festival
August
Machias, Maine
For over 33 years, the people of Machias have gathered together to celebrate the blueberry harvest in a festival that that lasts all weekend long and offers a real old-fashioned good time.
Events and attractions include a children's parade, a fish fry, a homemade blueberry pancake breakfast, arts & craft show and more.
For more information visit: www.machiasblueberry.com
WEST VIRGINIA
Strawberry Festival
May
Buckhannon, West Virginia
A unique, traditional celebration to promote the strawberry harvest, the Strawberry Festival offers good, family style entertainment that offers exciting educational and cultural events for everyone.
There is a carnival, arts and craft exhibits, quilt show, photography show, souvenir shop, band competition, car show, strawberry auction, all rounded off with the huge block parties on Friday and Saturday nights.
For more information visit: www.wvstrawberryfestival.com/
UTAH
Bear Lake Raspberry Days
August
Garden City, Utah
Celebrating the Bear Lake Valley harvest of Raspberries, the annual Bear Lake Raspberry Days event attracts people from all over the world not only for the delicious raspberries but also for the rodeos, parades, fireworks and a craft fair.
The parade is filled with floats, marching bands, antique cars, drill teams and more. The participants in the parade usually have bags and bags of candy and beads, which is thrown into the crowds as they make there way down the parade route.
For more information visit: www.gardencityut.us/raspberrydays.html
VERMONT
Dummerston Apple Pie Festival
October
Dummerston, Vermont
For more than 40 years, the Dummerston Apple Pie Festival has been held each year on the Sunday of Columbus Day weekend, the peak of colorful autumn foliage in Southern Vermont. A full 1,500 apple pies are made by many church members and friends.
Folks from all over the United States travel by motorcycle and automobiles to take part in the festivities. Join us for a piece or take home a whole pie. In addition, the locals serve Vermont cheddar cheese, homemade ice cream, cider, coffee, and donuts.
WASHINGTON
Raspberry Festival
July
Lynden, Washington
Lynden, often referred to as "A Little Bit of Holland", celebrates the largest harvest of raspberries in North America with the annual Raspberry Festival complete with a benefit golf tournament, children's activities in downtown Lynden, raspberries and ice cream sundaes, jazz music and a basketball tournament.
Other attractions include petting zoos & wagon rides,wine tasting, the "Berry Fair" Street Market & Sidewalk Sale, the “Razz & Shine” cruise-in car show. and an “all you can eat” raspberry pancake breakfast !
For more information visit: www.lynden.org
WISCONSIN
Cranberry Festival
September
Warrens, Wisconsin
Flooded cranberry marshes filled with a sea of bright crimson cranberries herald in the harvest as the “Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin” celebrates the tart fruit. Cranberry delights of every type imaginable are available to tickle the taste buds. Travelers can take a tour of the marshes Friday and Saturday; or enjoy the sights and sounds of the arts and crafts fair, cranberry parade and live entertainment.
For more information visit: www.cranfest.com
Apple Festival
October
Bayfield, Wisconsin
A festival featuring more than 40 orchard and food booths with traditional festival foods, as well as apple desserts is fun for all ages. More than 100 artists and crafters, and a grand parade with a band of over 500 musicians playing “On Wisconsin” will entertain. Visitors enjoy ongoing stage entertainment from Big Top Chautauqua, a traditional fish boil, carnival rides and games, and an evening dance in the historic Pavilion on the waterfront. Other attractions include orchard visits (free shuttle), apple pie and peeling contests, an evening boat parade, and the Apple Dumpling Gang prize drawing.
For more information visit: www.bayfield.org/visitor/applefestival
