Festival celebrates blackberry harvest

Blackberries and celebrations go hand-in-hand in McLoud as community tradition. The blackberry harvest may not be as prominent, but the celebrations continue to draw crowds for entertainment during McLoud’s Blackberry Festival.
McLoud’s Veterans Park will draw several visitors and locals today and Sunday for festival activities, including a parade, car show, tractor show, games and dancers, as well as blackberry cobbler eating contest and a pageant.
The Blackberry Festival began in the 1940s when local farmers ended the harvest season for blackberries, the local cash farm crop. The season ended before July 4, and residents held a community picnic.
The community picnic dates back to 1895. The festival celebrates the harvest season and the founding of McLoud.
Today’s activities will start at 8 a.m. and go until midnight. The parade, car show and tractor show will start at 10 a.m.
Children’s games will begin at noon, and the blackberry cobbler eating contest will start at 3 p.m.
The blackberry pageant will begin at 7 p.m. at McLoud High School Fine Arts Building. A concert by Colt .45 will begin at 8 p.m. at the main stage.
Sunday’s activities will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 10 p.m. with a fireworks display. Afternoon activities include live gunfights, cobbler eating contest, cobbler baking contest and a “Blackberry Idol” performance.  Sunday’s live music will be Bad Influence from 6 to 10 p.m.
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Amanda Gire may be reached at amanda.gire@news-star.com or at 214-3934.