Nacogdoches blueberry festival attracts visitors from all over state

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KTRE) - The Texas Blueberry Festival is back for its 33rd year as thousands of people stopped by downtown Nacogdoches Saturday to enjoy activities and treats.

Every second Saturday in June, the festival transforms downtown into a place for people of all ages to enjoy, according to Chair of the Festival Grace Handler. “You walk on the street, and you see a blank street, a blank palette, and then the next day when everything starts happening, and then you see all our guests that come in.”

The brick streets downtown fill up with all kinds of treats and entertainment. The event draws in people from all over the state, and Nacogdoches residents like Susie Marin said they never want to miss it. “We come to the blueberry festival every year because we love all the vendors, we love all the food and we love supporting the community,” said Marin.

Daniel Castro of Nacogdoches said the thing he looks forward to every year is the blueberry pancakes. “Not going to lie: it’s just something about the blueberries and the pancakes mixed together. It’s really good!” said Castro.

Darrel McDonald is president of the Kiwanis Club and said people begin lining up at 7 in the morning for their pancakes. “We’re just at full throttle. We’re going to be feeding probably about 15, 17 hundred people,” said McDonald.

New attractions this year included free rides on a Bronco Raptor simulator sponsored by Nacogdoches Tipton Ford, a train ride in Festival Park, and a 1 Way Diesel performance, bringing several cars they worked on while filming the show “Loud and Lifted.”

Nacogdoches Police Sergeant Brett Ayres said his favorite part of the event is seeing the community gather in one place. “There’s a big, diverse group of people here. It’s just a wonderful, family-friendly atmosphere the people enjoy,” said Ayres.

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