Mainers will celebrate Maine’s 2024 Wild Blueberry Harvest Season August 3-4 with Wild Blueberry Weekend. Organized by the Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, this weekend celebrates Maine’s native and iconic fruit—the wild blueberry—and the dedicated people who care for and harvest this delicious crop.
This year, 17 Maine wild blueberry farms across ten counties, from the Midcoast to Downeast, will open their doors to the public. Visitors can enjoy farm tours, demonstrations, and the chance to rake and purchase fresh wild blueberries alongside other tasty products like jams, pies, and syrups. In addition, a wide range of restaurants, wineries and breweries, including several in southern Maine, are joining in on the wild blueberry festivities, serving up wild blueberry-infused food and beverages.
Maine State Fruit
Blueberries are native to Maine and are central to the state’s agricultural economy. As such, they are the state fruit and celebrated within the state’s festivals and fairs. Wild blueberries have been growing in the barrens of Maine for more than 10,000 years. For more than a hundred years, Maine’s multigenerational family-owned farms have passed their land down, giving each generation the opportunity to sustainably steward their portion of the crop. In total, Maine’s 485 wild blueberry farmers can produce more than 100 million pounds of wild blueberries each year. Maine is the only state in the U.S. with significant commercial production of this wild crop.
Harvesting season is late July until September, so that’s when you will see them pop up at farmer’s markets and roadside stands. Be sure to stock up because wild blueberries freeze well for use over the winter.
Free and Cheap Things To Do in Southern Maine
Here are FREE and cheap things to do in Southern Maine in the coming week.