Brooksville Blueberry Festival, The yearly festival in Brooksville is jam-packed with one-of-a-kind goods, unique regional artwork, gifts, and décor from all over and well a lot of blueberries.
- Every year, Brooksville has a festival with a wide selection of unique items, unusual locally made art, gifts, and home products from across the globe, and, well, a lot of blueberries. Come check out the unique items our local craftsmen have for you on April 29 and 30, 2023, in Downtown Brooksville.
Brooksville Blueberry Festival 2022
- The Brooksville Blueberry Festival will be held April 23–24, 2022, on the courthouse grounds in Brooksville’s downtown square beneath the protection of gnarly oak trees.
Events at Brooksville Blueberry Festival
- The Brooksville Blueberry Festival in 2022 will include a range of kid-friendly activities, as well as different food vendors. Other important points include:
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“Craft Beer Experience” in cooperation with the adjacent Weeki Wachee brewery Marker 48 Brewing.
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Wendy Rich, The Gaturze, Lost and Found, Borderline, Nuthin Fancy, Local Harmony, Trinity, Leesburg Blues Brothers, and Peyton Monarch Band are among the performers on the free live music bill.
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Everything related to blueberries may be found on Blueberry Lane, including blueberry pies, cheesecake, shortcakes, jam, honey, plants, and freshly picked blueberries as well as blueberry plants.
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Nearby, at Upicktopia, 19125 Phillips Road, Masaryktown, 352- 308-0110, you may pick your own blueberries.
Brooksville Area’s Beauty
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Brooksville/Hernando County is the hub of one of Florida’s most untouched natural areas even without the blueberry.
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The World Wildlife Fund listed the Withlacoochee State Forest nearby as one of the “10 Coolest Places in North America You’ve Never Seen.”
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The Withlacoochee River, considered by many to be Florida’s nicest river for kayaking and canoeing, is located in the forest, as is what could be the state’s greatest paved biking route (the 46-mile Withlacoochee Bike Trail.)
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Excellent mountain biking routes are also close by, as well as Weeki Wachee Springs and the spring-fed Weeki Wachee River.
Blueberry Stages, Wildlife
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Florida’s strawberry season is coming to an end, so the packing companies are focusing on locally sourced blueberries.
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The harvest festivities move from Plant City to adjacent Brooksville, where the Brooksville Blueberry Festival takes place every year at the end of April because Central Florida’s berry farmers hate to miss a chance for a party.
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Florida may not come to mind as a blueberry country, yet the state is currently ninth in the US for output. (Twenty years ago, blueberry production was nonexistent, but University of Florida scientists created the ‘Southern Highbush’ types, which need just a few hours of frost to thrive.)
Brooksville Blueberry Festival Flordia
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The Florida Blueberry Festival has been held in Brooksville at least since 2012. However, following the 2017 festival, location and financial concerns led the Florida Blueberry Festival’s organizers to move the festival to Kissimmee, Florida. The Brooksville Blueberry Festival was started by municipal citizens and authorities who were unwilling to let a long-standing custom disappear.
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On the final weekend of April, downtown Brooksville hosts the Brooksville Blueberry Festival. The event is free to attend, as is the parking. A kid’s area, a large number of food and craft vendors, a craft beer garden, a community showcase, and the historic ambiance of downtown Brooksville are among the attractions.
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However, “Blueberry Lane,” where all things blueberry are available, will undoubtedly be the main attraction for the majority of attendees. Here, you can find blueberry pie, blueberry wine, blueberry pieces of bread and shortcakes, blueberry beer, blueberry soaps and candles, and - of course - lots of fresh blueberries that are perfect for snacking or taking home.
Brooksville Blueberry Festival Returns April 23-24
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When local entrepreneur John Lee took control in 2018, the Brooksville Blueberry Festival changed its name to the “Brooksville” Blueberry Festival.
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The pandemic prevented the event from taking place in 2020 or 2021. Fortunately, tradition survives, and this celebration will take place over the weekend of April 23 and 24, 2022, to coincide with the local blueberry season.
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With 330 vendors scheduled, the event has greatly increased in size this year (up from 156 vendors in 2019). The festival is well renowned for its “Blueberry Lane,” which has “all things blueberry,” including blueberry beer, wine, cheesecake, muffins, pies, cobbler, and shortcake, and lose fresh blueberries.
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The bandshell in Hernando Park (205 E. Fort Dade), where live music will be performed continuously, will be open on April 23 and 24, 2022, from noon until 10 p.m. and from noon to 6 p.m., respectively.
Brooksville Blueberry Festival Fun
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Attorney Frank Miller has played a significant role in Hernando County’s history, just like the Brooksville Blueberry Festival has. Over 30,000 individuals attended the celebration this year to indulge in anything blueberry-related! Local foods, music, and crafts were sold by merchants in the “Hospitality Corner,” which Frank sponsored.
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For the previous seven years, this event has done a fantastic job of demonstrating to all attendees a genuine Brooksville welcome. Frank genuinely appreciates taking the time to support this event each year as a way of giving back to the neighborhood. His legal practice’s legitimacy depends on having roots in the community.
Summary:
An annual two-day food and music event called the Brooksville Blueberry Festival takes place in Brooksville, Florida, in late April. Visitors may savor freshly picked blueberries as well as a variety of foods and goods made with or including blueberries, including blueberry pies, cheesecake, shortcake, jam, honey, and more.
The first Florida Blueberry Festival in Brooksville
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Brooklyn Residents of Hernando County will start to notice hints of what organizers believe will eventually become the county’s defining community event over the next few months.
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The first Florida Blueberry Festival won’t happen for another four months, but an ambitious group has already built a lot of the groundwork for it. The county and its environs will begin to see the installation of banners, signs, and posters in March. The goal of local media advertising is to draw tourists from all across the state.
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The three-day celebration, which gets underway on May 4 with a procession of 130 floats, will demonstrate the labor of love that has gone into it, according to Michael Heard, the festival’s chairperson.
Sponsorship, When It Started: All About Blueberry Festivals
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Heard anticipates that even though it is a first-time event, over 40,000 people will attend. Twelve city blocks in the center of Brooksville have been designated for entertainment tents, five live music stages, kid-friendly activity booths, and more than 150 vendor booths.
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The event, which is held when the region’s blueberry harvest is at its best each year, is supported by producers in the 15 counties of Central Florida where the berries are produced. Heard predicted that several of them would be there selling their loot.
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She stated, "The farmers have shown fantastic support for the festival. They joined the team early and gave us several useful suggestions, which we were able to implement.
Summary:
Heard’s group received an initial $20,000 grant from the Hernando County Tourist Development Council to aid with publicity and construct a website in order to get the festival up and running. Fresh from Florida and the Florida Blueberry Growers Association each provided $50,000 as key sponsors. As a result of 60 sponsorships from the neighborhood and regional companies, an extra $130,000 was raised.
FLORIDA FOODIE ROAD TRIP
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The city of Brooksville has its yearly Blueberry Festival every spring to honor Florida’s blueberry crop. The Sunshine State is actually really, really good at cultivating blueberries, despite the fact that most people don’t identify with them.
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Since I like blueberries and spent my childhood picking them at my mom’s farm, I was thrilled when VISIT FLORIDA invited us to write about this wonderful celebration. Not only were there a tonne of inventive street food sellers, but there is also a super-fun 1,000-foot waterslide that runs through the center of downtown Brooksville and a local blueberry market where you can buy everything (you guessed it) connected to blueberries.
Florida Blueberry Festivals in 2020
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You must be aware by now if you reside in Florida that the state has emerged as a significant blueberry grower. In fact, Florida produces the first crop of plump, juicy, delicious blueberries in the whole country because of the state’s warm, sunny environment.
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There will probably be a blueberry festival nearby between now and early June, no matter where you are in Florida. Celebrate one of the few fruits native to North America by looking through the list of blueberry festivals below to find one near you. The berry!
Florida’s Adventure Coast
It is undeniable that blueberries have gained popularity recently. Blueberries are not only an excellent addition to many dishes, but they are also a superfood loaded with vital vitamins. Blueberries are among the fruits with the highest antioxidant content and are rich in Vitamin C. They raise the bar for deliciousness in healthy eating since they are sweet and juicy.
Blueberries on Florida’s Adventure Coast
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Although the Florida blueberry season is brief, the period from mid-March to late May is when you should really enjoy all the wonderful blueberries you may pick at Brooksville-Weeki Wachee, a U-Pick farm on Florida’s Adventure Coast.
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Upicktopia, JG Ranch, and Margo’s Blueberry Farm are just a few of the places along Florida’s Adventure Coast where you may pick blueberries. For a comprehensive list, see our page on agritourism. It’s wise to call ahead and ask about their business hours and days of operation.
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Here are some helpful hints to make selecting blueberries more pleasurable and joyful if you and your family are planning to enjoy the fun at one of the U-Pick farms.
1. Constantly check the weather before venturing out. Bring a drink, and don’t forget to put on sunscreen and a hat.
2. Be careful to stop at the ATM en route to the farm because some U-Pick locations only accept cash.
3. U-Pick orchards are active farms. Wear the proper footwear to negotiate uneven terrain and other dangers. Shoes with closed toes are advised.
4. Keep in mind that you should only enter specified locations for your own safety.
5. If you’re unfamiliar with U-Select farms, heed the directions and only pick ripe, blueberries.
6. After you leave, thank the staff for having you, and don’t forget to post about your experience on social media.
Summary:
The Brooksville Blueberry Festival will come back on April 23–24, 2022, to mark the beginning of blueberry season along Florida’s Adventure Coast. The event will feature a brand-new craft beer garden with brewers serving unique blueberry beers, free live music, and Blueberry Lane, where you can get pies, cheesecake, shortcake, jam, honey, plants, and a variety of other blueberry-related items.
Rating Of Festival
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Florida is the blueberry state! The state produces the eighth-most blueberries in the country. The annual event honoring the spring crop attracted 15 counties this year. Brush with the Blues was the theme. The majority of the live performances were blues music, and there was a painting competition for regional painters (thus the “brush”).
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The whole downtown area of Brooksville, a tiny town, was closed to traffic and crowded with stalls, food trucks, and street performers. Blueberry pies, blueberry jams and syrups, blueberry honey, blueberry shortcake, blueberry beer and wine, and plain blueberries were all available, as one might anticipate. The shortcake with blueberries was excellent.
April Events in Central Florida
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On April 28 and 29, from Noon to 6 pm, Hernando Park will host the Brooksville Blueberry Festival to celebrate the blueberry crop. A short drive from Mission Inn Resort & Club lies Brooksville, which is renowned for its beautiful trails and fantastic recreational environment.
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In addition to a unique culinary lineup that celebrates the underappreciated blueberry, the festival also has a Lynryd Skynyrd tribute band, a Blues Brothers show, kid-friendly activities, and locally made goods like soaps and candles.
13th Annual Central Florida Earth Day on April 21
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The 13th Annual Central Florida Earth Day is one of the activities taking place in April there. The 13th Annual Central Florida Earth Day, a celebration of health, well-being, and the environment, takes place on April 21.
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Speakers on a range of subjects will be present, as well as unusual demonstrations, raffles, yoga and meditation sessions, vegan food vendors, and unique kid-friendly activities like storytelling and a vegetable scavenger hunt. At Lake Eola Park in Orlando, which is roughly 45 minutes away from Mission Inn Resort & Club, the action begins at 10:00 am.
Summary:
Every year, Mission Inn serves as a center for golf, organizing international competitions, providing top-notch coaching, and luring golf fans from all over the world. With first-rate lodging, food, and services, Mission Inn is a well-liked gathering spot for the locals as well as a popular tourism destination. April activities in Central Florida represent possibilities for cultural interaction, community connection, and bounty of a crop or celebration of a community or the preservation of the planet’s health.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Let’s have a look at important faqs regarding blueberry festivals.
1. Where is the Blueberry Festival in Brooksville?
The Brooksville Blueberry Festival will be held April 23–24, 2022, on the courthouse grounds in Brooksville’s downtown square beneath the protection of gnarly oak trees.
2. What is Brooksville Florida known for?
Hernando County’s lovely county seat, Brooksville, is renowned for its 19th-century railroading business and stunning historic buildings. A number of the Withlacoochee State Forest’s units in the area provide a wealth of outdoor leisure possibilities, making it a haven for nature lovers.
3. How much is the Blueberry Festival in Brooksville?
The event is free to attend, as is the parking. A kid’s area, a large number of food and craft vendors, a craft beer garden, a community showcase, and the historic ambiance of downtown Brooksville are among the attractions.
4. What time of year is best for blueberry picking?
Between June and August, blueberries are normally ripe for harvesting. Wait a moment before picking the berries when they turn blue. A few days should pass. They should simply fall off and into your hands when they are ripe.
5. Are there bears in Brooksville Fl?
The night “Bubba Bear came to town” will not soon be forgotten by Brooksville police and firefighters. Early on Friday, the 258-pound black bear was pursued by several police and fire personnel as it made a quick tour of Brooksville.
6. Is it expensive to live in Brooksville Florida?
Housing costs in Brooksville are 68% less expensive than the national average, while utility costs are 2% less expensive.
7. How much are tickets to the Strawberry Festival in Florida?
Every concert during the event is accessible with Florida Strawberry Festival passes. The cost of general admission tickets varies per year. They may cost anything between $188 and $235. You can enter all of the outdoor stages and tents with these tickets.
8. What time of year are black bears most active in Florida?
If you leave food outside unattended, whether at your campground or home, the likelihood of a bear encounter increases considerably as Florida black bears become active in the late winter and early spring. The bears emerge from hiding when the weather warms and the wildflowers begin to blossom.
9. What time of day are Florida black bears most active?
Since bears are most active between night and dawn, these times of day are when most vehicle-bear incidents occur.
10. Can you conceal carry at Florida Strawberry Festival?
With a firearm, you may confront the Strawberry Queen. With a concealed carry permit and a ■■■■■■ you brought from home, you may climb the new $5.5 million music amphitheater built for the event and gaze down on the stage, midway, or basketball courts at the adjoining Tomlin Middle School.
Conclusion:
The Brooksville Blueberry Festival is the much smaller, bluer cousin of Plant City’s enormous Florida Strawberry Festival. The Brooksville Blueberry Festival will be held April 23–24, 2022, on the courthouse grounds in Brooksville’s downtown square beneath the protection of gnarly oak trees.