National Blueberry Festival

The National Blueberry Festival will be held Aug. 8-11 in South Haven.

(MLive | Kalamazoo Gazette file)

SOUTH HAVEN, MI --

Blueberries are back.

South Haven will celebrate the indigo-colored fruit with its 50th annual National Blueberry Festival from Aug. 8-11. The event will feature a Blueberry Pie Social, a pie-eating contest, live music, sidewalk sales, a 5K/10K walk/run and many children's activities, among other attractions.

If you go

50th annual National Blueberry Festival

What:

An annual celebration of blueberries with food, music, arts and family events

When:

Aug. 9-11

Where:

Various locations around South Haven

Cost:

Free

Contact:

Download the entire festival brochure here

The lakeshore community expects as many as 60,000 people will attend the three-day event. Susan Diepen, of the South Haven Chamber of Commerce, which is helping to organize the event this year, said blueberries started arriving in mid-July.

“This year, we’re right on time. We started getting the first blueberries around a week ago," she said. “There are fresh blueberries available now and they’re delicious.”

Diepen said the free event is tailor-made for families, especially Friday, which is Kids Day.

“There’s always stuff that kids can take part in and that parents can enjoy as well ... There’s some much going on there’s something for everybody," Diepen said.

Here are 5 events not to miss at this year's Blueberry Festival:

Blueberry Pie Social, 5-7 p.m. Aug. 8 at Huron Street Pavilion

Kids Blueberry Pie Eating Contest, 2 p.m. Aug. 9 at Riverfront Park on Water Street

Steelheaders Fish Boil, 4 p.m. Aug. 10 at Huron Street Pavilion

41st annual Rotary Club Fly-In & Classic Car Show and Pancake Breakfast, 7 a.m. Aug. 11 at South Haven Regional Airport, 73020 Count Road 380

Sand Sculpture Contest, registration at 9 a.m., contest from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. with judging at 1 p.m. Aug. 11 on North Beach

For more information, go to

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John Liberty can be reached:

Phone:

269-370-7372

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