BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Despite periods of heavy rain and lightning, festivalgoers continued to show up at the Historic Burnside Plantation on Saturday for the opening day of the 39th annual Blueberry Festival.
Hosted by Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, the annual festival offered everything from live music and handmade cider to blueberry treats, local vendors, hands-on history activities and more.
Storms briefly forced organizers to pause the event because of lightning, but the festival resumed once the weather cleared.
“It rains half the time, but that’s half the fun. It was like thundering and lightning before we all had to huddle into the historic buildings for a moment. We’re back out here,” said festivalgoer Amy Grub.
Beth Beatty, special events manager for Historic Bethlehem Museums & Sites, said organizers were prepared to welcome visitors back once conditions improved.
“We’ve got lots of hands-on history activities, tons of vendors returning favorites, plus a lot of new faces, tons of fun in the Blueberry Tavern. And we hope everybody comes out and enjoys all our blueberry sweet treats,” Beatty said.
To accommodate guests affected by the weather, organizers allowed Saturday ticket holders to use their admission on Sunday instead if they preferred.
Beyond the blueberry-inspired food and drinks, visitors also learned about traditional cider-making through historical demonstrations and had the opportunity to sample fresh cider.
Vendors said the rain did little to keep people away, with many visitors returning after the storms passed to continue enjoying the festival.
The Blueberry Festival continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Historic Burnside Plantation in Bethlehem. Tickets are still available.