Trinity Episcopal Church in Moorestown will host its annual Blueberry Festival on Friday, June 21, from 5 to 8 p.m.
“As many people in Moorestown and the surrounding counties know, the various fruits that are grown here locally have a nice harvest season and a good following at some of our local churches,” said Blueberry Festival Committee Chair Liz Louie. “ … We have enjoyed our Blueberry Festival for many years and we’re happy to see it come back.”
There will be grilled sausages, hot dogs, salads, kid’s games, live music and lots of blueberries. Admission is $8 for a single person, $15 for two and $20 for a family to enjoy the event’s amenities, including a chess master and a bounce house.
“We have all kinds of dessert treats that people can get with that admission fee,” Louie noted. “Obviously, there will be plenty of plain blueberries, but we will also offer ice cream and cake to go along with that … We will have jam that some of our parishioners have made for sale (and) we will also have some fresh, homemade blueberry pies that people can purchase, as well as flats, half-flats and pints of blueberries.”
Weather permitting, the event will be held in the church’s parking lot.
“If the weather is nice, it’s a beautiful night to walk,” Louie said. “Moorestown is a very walkable town, so as people are walking around, we hope that they’ll stop by. If the weather is not nice, we will be inside still hosting our festival and it should be a fun time.”
The blueberries come from a family farm in Hammonton and will be picked up and delivered on the same day. The festival is a timeless tradition at the church that always brings people together.
“A lot of our parishioners graciously volunteer their time and talent for the baking and serving and directing,” Louie explained. “It’s a lovely way to meet neighbors, it’s a lovely way to connect with your family. It’s always an annual, lovely event that we all enjoy.”
The blueberry – along with the cranberry – is an important crop in the New Jersey Pinelands. Like the cranberry, it was known to the Indians and early settlers in its wild form, according to www.nj.gov. Today, the state is one of the leaders in fresh blueberry production.
“There’s nothing like fresh blueberries,” Louie emphasized. “Once you’ve had them, you definitely look forward to having them again. They freeze well, they’re wonderful to have all year round and they are a superfood, so a lot of people that are trying to be a little more health conscious enjoy eating blueberries and knowing that they are fresh from a local farmer.
“We’re supporting the New Jersey economy, which is fantastic.”
For more information about the festival, visit Trinity’s website or Facebook page.
