About 10,000 people are expected Friday in downtown Wilton and Saturday for the 33rd annual Wilton Blueberry Festival, a two-day celebration that includes art shows, boat rides, live music, food and other events.
The festival started in 1982 as a blueberry church bazaar and has grown to include more than 60 events throughout the weekend.
“It’s a family event,” said Shannon Smith, chairwoman of the Wilton Blueberry Festival Corp. “There really is something for everyone.”
The theme of this year’s festival is “All About Reading and Writing.” Ten authors will be doing readings Friday at the Wilton Free Public Library, and there are other events also related to reading and writing planned for the weekend, Smith said.
The readings begin at 10 a.m. and include authors Tim Caverly, Carolyn Gelland, Laurel Mills, Lawrence Wilbur, Kathy Lynn Emerson, Trish Flyn, Jane Parker and Luanne Wren. There is also an open reading at 4 p.m. for community members to share their work.
The festival starts with a book sale at 8:30 a.m. Friday at the Western Maine Expo, followed by a Blueberry Bazaar at the First Congregational Church featuring blueberry cake, coffee, baked goods, crafts and flower sales.
All events are free, with the exception of a 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer road race Friday evening, starting at the town garage, Smith said.
On Saturday the Wilton Lions Club will host a blueberry pancake breakfast and there will be a parade starting at 9 a.m. at the Western Maine Expo. A blueberry bake-off is scheduled to take place from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Academy Hill School cafeteria. Entries must arrive between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in the following categories: desert, breakfast, main dish or miscellaneous.
Maine-made blueberry products from more than a dozen farms will be for sale throughout the weekend.
For more information, visit www.wiltonbbf.com.
Rachel Ohm — 612-2368
Twitter: @rachel_ohm
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