MONTROSE, Pa. — For over 40 years, people have flocked to Montrose to sample all things blueberry, including traditional blueberry pies, muffins, and even blueberry pizza. The annual blueberry festival benefits the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association.
Joni Kaiser is the administrator at the library and says it's something that they look forward to every year, but some people may be disappointed to hear the blueberry festival won't be as bountiful.
"Some people actually plan their vacation around it," Kaiser said. "We're sorry that it's not going to be the one that they're going to remember, but that's why we're calling it the mini blueberry festival because we'll have some parts of that festival."
Last year there was no festival because of the pandemic. This year, Kaiser says time just wasn't on their side, so there will be less food and fewer events.
"If you're planning this kind of thing, you got to do it starting in like December, so that made a difference, and then the number of volunteers that we could get also made a difference this year," Kaiser said.
The festival is usually held in August when the blueberries are ripe, so there may not be as many blueberry treats to taste, but organizers hope that people still want to come out and support the cause.
"Believe it or not, we actually might have blueberries. There are some at peak level, and we're hoping to get those from Blue Haven Berries, and we also will have baked goods."
Festival organizers teamed up with Montrose's monthly event called Third Weekend. The library and historical society will have booths with items for sale, along with raffling off some baskets and the blueberry festival quilt.
"We did it with them so that there was at least some promotion that we could all share together. So they'll have that in August and September as well. We may join in and one of those other months as well."
The Mini Blueberry Festival begins Thursday.