Laura-Jane Adventures

The Marshall County Blueberry festival equals a food coma. Donuts, shakes, ice cream, I had it all and I do not regret one bite.

During my first ever Labor Day Weekend my host family kindly took me with them to meet their extended family and attend Blueberry Festival. I must admit the festival overall slightly lacked blueberries, as stated in the title, but it did not lack character and possibly every other food on the planet. The festival is held every year over the Labor day holiday and is a haven for small craft shops, boutiques and outdoor garden accessories to make anyone stop and stare. For the ambitious, wannabe, runner within me I was glad to see them offer a yearly 5K, 10K and 15K run, alongside a bicycle cruise, softball, tennis tournaments and a variety of other sports. Moreover, the festival offers a pageant, parade and, my favourite moment of the whole weekend, a fireworks display.

Immediately on entering the festival you are greeted with an abundance of tightly organised stalls. Each year over 300 craft vendors flock from across the United States to showcase and sell their own goods. The vendors which drew my attention were those who offered crafts and homeware which expressed warmth, perfect for that fall feeling. The theme of thanksgiving was extremely prominent within these stalls and it made me excited to experience that for the first time.

Additionally, there were also vendors who offer an exclusive product which is not typically found at classic fares. One such stall that caught my eye was gourmet, handmade dog treats. Yes, I know not appetising for humans but at the time I was thinking of Molly, the new dog in my life! Molly is my host families dog and unfortunately pets are not allowed at the Marshall County Blueberry Fest but they are not forgotten.

At Blueberry Fest there is something for everyone and if you don’t like the thought of crafty petite booths than why not visit Ginger the Camel! This incorporation of the festival highlights the use of camel milk based products with an extra special selling point, Ginger. I would say that Ginger was not very fond of me but the feeling was not mutual.

What I have learned from attending American festivals and fares is that they go all out when it comes to food. Blueberry fest was no exception. A festival must is the warm blueberry donuts made with fresh blueberries grown in Marshall County. Myself, my host sister and host mum waited over 40 minutes in line but boy was it worth it when we took the first bite! Another great tasting blueberry treat is the shakes and the ice cream. Ainsley, my host sister also introduced me to her favourite, steak tips, and these did not disappoint. I indulged in these festival favourites over the two days we spent there and paid for it at the gym over the coming days after leaving Plymouth, Indiana.

The perfect end to my first Labor day weekend was the Firework Show that is held every year on the last day of the Marshall County Blueberry Festival. There is also a hot air balloon glow annually but unfortunately this year the winds were too high for them to be inflated. Regarding the fireworks, if you want to ensure that you get the best spot for great firework views you need to place your chairs/picnic matt down around about noon. The area fills up very fast and finding those you are with is not an easy task in the dark! This was the moment that I had been waiting for all weekend as it gave me the chance to try and capture some great photographs and I was pretty happy with the outcome.

If you ever get the chance to visit Blueberry Festival I would highly recommend taking it. The festival is a chance to purchase some beautiful crafts, taste some amazing food and simply spend some quality time with loved ones. It offers something for everyone and I would argue that is often difficult to find, with smaller festivals. Overall, I enjoyed every minute of the festival experience.

Lots of love,

Laura Jane x