About 4,000 people attended this year’s annual Blueberry Festival at the Burnside Plantation. Held on the second weekend in July, during prime blueberry picking season, the event featured a mix of colonial activities and demonstrations and blueberry offerings, as well as vendors, food, live music and activities for children.

New to the festival this year, according to the organizers from Historic Bethlehem, were expanded historic demonstrations and activities. Visitors enjoyed period-attired tinsmithing and cider activities, and a display of a model barn frame utilizing historic joinery methods.

The weather was not optimal for outdoor activities that weekend, including the Blueberry Festival.

“It was uncomfortably hot, particularly on Saturday,” said an organizer, “and there was a threat of storms on Sunday, though Burnside Plantation stayed dry.

Extreme heat impacts outdoor events similarly to a steady rain.

“Weather is always a factor with any outdoor event,” the organizer said. “and we plan ahead to minimize the impact of potential weather circumstances.” For example, the colonial wood-fired hearth was not running, though there were still colonial cooking demonstrations.

Another part of the festival was online sales. The sales are held before the Blueberry Festival and Apple Days, which happens in mid-September. Ordering takes place through a link on the Historicbethlehem.org website.

Vendor applications for Apple Days can also be found on the website. Volunteer sign ups can be found on the site as well.

Historic Bethlehem relies on volunteers as well as staff to run the festivals.

“We welcomed the help of over 100 volunteers and can always use more,” said an organizer. “Online sign-ups and an evening training the week before the event help volunteers feel confident in their roles.”

If you missed the Blueberry Festival, you can attend Apple Days in September and look forward to next year’s Blueberry Festival.