There is a reason why July is Blackberry Festival Month. The blackberries in this area are amazing! In fact, when you visit Lenoir & the NC Foothills this time of year, you can’t help but notice that many local restaurants have blackberry cobbler, blackberry muffins, and other blackberry treats on the menu. In addition to area restaurants, you can also usually find blackberry cobblers at the area’s farmer’s markets. If you want to try your hand at making your own blackberry treats, you’ll find plenty of roadside stands and area farms offering up blackberries. For example, Whistle Pig Acres in Lenoir is a good source for blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries.
If you plan to take part in some of the festivities at next month’s North Carolina Blackberry Festival, now is a good time to start planning. Planning for the parade, dubbed the “Blackberry Cobbler Brigade,” is a good place to start, especially if your organization is considering participating. You’ll need to get your wagon planned and figure out how to fill it with cobblers! Another activity you might need a bit of preparing to do is the Fun Run or 5K run. Speaking of being fast, you’ll need to be if you are considering entering one of the blackberry eating contests. Luckily, these are not like most eating contests in that you have to out-eat your competitors. Instead of quantity consumed, competitors try to see how fast they can eat a pint of blackberries, so it is fun for all ages. Finally, if you are considering competing in the blackberry pageant, you should be focused on your attire and practicing for the talent portion of the event.
If you are an avid blackberry fan, this month and next month are great times to visit Lenoir & the NC Foothills. Whether or not the festivals take place, nothing stops the blackberries from making their usual annual appearance!