2023 Blueberry & Book Festival

If you are looking for a good time on July 22 – the Berkshire Blueberry and Book Festival is the place to be!  The festival is located on Route 38 at the corner of Jewett Hill Road, in the Town of Berkshire.  The main events of the festival will run from 9-4, rain or shine. But, if you are an early bird, library volunteers will be cooking a blueberry pancake breakfast featuring locally grown blueberries and locally produced maple syrup starting at 7am and ending at 10am in the Fire Station dining hall.  After breakfast, browse around the grounds of the Library, Community Hall, and Fire Station, and check out the wares from the many artisans and vendors,  including those selling fresh blueberries. 

Be sure to stop in the Community Hall’s top floor and view the art work of local artists and vote for the People’s Choice Award.  After viewing the art, sit and rest a while and enjoy listening to a variety of musicians who will be entertaining people throughout the day in the Community Hall. After that,  visit the ground floor of the Community Hall where you will find a large selection of used books available.  All books are available for a donation, so stock up for your summer reading.

Since this is also a Book Festival, stop and chat with the local authors who will be scattered throughout the festival grounds.  Many of the authors will be doing a short book talk  throughout the day.  There will be lots of opportunities to learn about their books, their lives, and self-publishing.  It is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and your curiosity satisfied.  Most authors will also have their books for sales.  Take home an autographed copy.  

In the Fire Station truck bay, look over the many raffle baskets and gift certificates.  Buy a few tickets and try your luck at winning the baskets of your choice.  While you are there, look over the entries in the Blueberry Bake Off sponsored by the Berkshire Congregational Church. Do not leave without checking out the bake sale, courtesy of the Richford Congregational Church. All proceeds from the sale will go to the Helping Hands Food Pantry, so take some delicious treats home with you. There will also be live entertainment in the Fire Station for you to enjoy while you browse the raffle items!

When you are ready for lunch, consider the many choices prepared by Berkshire Fire Department volunteers as well as other food  vendors including the Scoops Ice Cream truck. Take home some local, freshly picked blueberries.

New to the  kids’ area, and those who remain young at heart, will be a bouncy house and a dunking booth.  Come see who is going to get dunked.  As well as games and activities, Dan the Snake Man, and  Story Laurie. The Berkshire History Museum on the second floor of the library will also be open for browsing.  There should be something for everyone.  Come enjoy the fun with your family, neighbors, and friends.  You will not be disappointed!

This event provides funding for the Berkshire Free Library, which serves both the Berkshire and Richford communities.  The Berkshire Free Library does not receive money collected in school taxes as do many local libraries.  Besides the generosity of the program advertisers, and countless community volunteers, the festival is sponsored by the Town of Berkshire, Visions Federal Credit Union and the Northern Tioga Chamber of Commerce.  Many thanks to all that support us in so many ways.