The Hockinson Blueberry Festival returns Saturday, July 19, with blueberries, baked goods, live music and a strong dose of community tradition.
The annual event runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hockinson Community Center, located at the corner of 159th and 182nd Avenue in Brush Prairie. The Hockinson Main Street Team hosts it in partnership with the Hockinson School District.
This year’s festival features live music by The Vantucky Ramblers, Kirby Swatosh and The Thilo Kloth Trio. Guests can enjoy local vendors, a pie-baking and pie-eating contest, and fan-favorite blueberry treats, including lemonade, coffee cake, and milkshakes.
Justin VanNatta, a founding member of the Main Street Team and owner of Hockinson Market, said the idea emerged in 2020 as a creative response to the pandemic’s loss of community.
“We kind of wanted to create a group that promoted that idea that said, ‘Hey, we’re connected,’” VanNatta said. “Let’s drum up ways to all do something together. And one of the first ideas was like, well, what about all these blueberry farmers? They need some love.”
“And it’s not a town; it’s just a spot on the map; it’s just a place you drive through when you’re going to Battle Ground, pretty much,” he added. “But there is a sense of community here; there is a feeling like there is a township here.”
The festival, now in its sixth year, draws hundreds of attendees and continues to grow.
“The first year or … two, we made just a little over 100 blueberry milkshakes at the festival,” VanNatta said, referring to milkshakes prepared by Hockinson Market. “The last two years, we’ve made over 400, to the point where we don’t have any more ice cream to make milkshakes with.”
In addition to the popular milkshakes, visitors can expect blueberry lemonade, pudding rounds and fresh berries from Prairie Berry Farm and Majestic Farms.
Two contests return this year: a blueberry baking contest in the morning and a pie-eating contest to close the event. The baking contest is judged as entries arrive, and the winner is announced as the crowd gathers for the pie-eating competition.
“It never gets old — it’s so fun to watch,” VanNatta said of the pie-eating contest.
“Whether it’s a little kid trying their best or a full-grown man-eating so fast… people are hooting and hollering. Last year’s winner had some very good techniques for making that pie disappear.”
He hopes the event helps bring attention to Hockinson’s farms, including those not in attendance.
“It is difficult because it’s peak blueberry season, and they’re running their farm,” VanNatta said. “But at least we’re raising awareness that there are farms everywhere around here that people can enjoy.”
The Hockinson Main Street Team is a volunteer-led nonprofit with four core officers and rotating event help. Readers can learn more at hockmainstreet.com.
