The blackberry bonanza is back.
The community’s annual civic celebration may be a bit small this year, but organizers of the Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival is gearing up for an in-person event on Saturday, Aug. 7, after a year hiatus.
“This year, the event will be smaller with fewer activities; we are aiming to make the fair as COVID safe as possible,” said Rae Leiper, publicity chair for the festival’s committee.
There will be plenty of hand sanitizer around courtesy of the Clallam County Health Department. Our fair will have fewer vendors so we make sure that people can social distance as they browse.”
While attendees can expect plenty of safety precautions, the heavily anticipated blackberry pies are back in the spotlight, Leiper said.
“The freshly baked pies are made with the celebrated local wild blackberries,” she said. “We are hoping to bake more than 200 pies. Slices of pie topped with ice cream are on sale starting at 10 a.m. for as long as they last.”
Proceeds go towards scholarships and local projects.
Slices of pie await purchase by Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival visitors at the 2018 festival. File photo by Keith Thorpe/Olympic Peninsula News Group
Highlights of the festival also include a parade, children’s activities, an arts and crafts show, vendor booths, demonstrations and live entertainment.
The Joyce Fire Department will have their fire engines available for children to visit. There will be a lawn mower derby at the Blackberry Cafe after the parade.
The annual event kicks off at 9 a.m. and lasts until 3:30 p.m.
Entertainment begins at 10 a.m. Local bands will be featured throughout the day in front of the Joyce Museum.
Two regular events will not be happening this year in order to keep people safe, Leiper noted: the early morning pancake breakfast along with the popular pie-baking contest is also canceled.
For more about the festival, visit joycedaze.org or facebook.com/Joyce-Daze-Wild-Blackberry-Festival-1443509042341350.
Email to joinus@joycedaze.org for more information.
2021 Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival
• 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. — vendor booths open, Joyce Center
• 9 a.m.-3 p.m. — Clallam County Fire District 4 equipment showing, Mini Mall
• 10 a.m. — blackberry pie sales open, Joyce Depot Museum
• 10.m.-3 p.m. — children’s activities, lumber yard east of Joyce Museum
• 10 a.m.-3 p.m. — live entertainment, Joyce Depot Museum
• 10:30 a.m. — parade judging, Crescent School
• 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. — salmon bake, Crescent Bay Lions Club/Mini Mall
• 1-2 p.m. — Grand Parade, US State Route 112
• 3 p.m. — drawing for winning button numbers
• 2 p.m. — Registration for lawn mower derby, Blackberry Cafe Lawn
• 2:30 p.m. — extremee slug racing, Family Kitchen Beer Garden
• 3 p.m. — Drawing for winning button numbers.
