Residents were living the good life at the Brownwood Blueberry Festival on Friday, where they could enjoy bushels of fresh produce, fresh baked goods and even cooler entertainment.
Some enthusiastic residents, like Suzanne and Joey Bird, arrived early to ensure they had the best selection of this season's blueberries.
Well, probably put them in fresh yogurt, Joey said.
The couple moved into their McClure Village home less than a year ago and between their trips back to Chattanooga, Tennessee, they haven't really had time to attend many local special events and festivals seasonal. Friday marked their first blueberry festival.
We're just trying to get our bearings and check things out, Joey said. So far we love it.
After packing the blueberries they had purchased from one of the produce vendors into their golf cart, the Birds ventured back into the crowd, where The Villages Entertainment had set up chairs so people could watch the different artists on stage.
Slickwood kicked off the afternoon entertainment with their rustic country sound, followed by resident bands like Hula Ohana, Sweet & Sassy, The Villages Cheerleaders and Pacific Paradise Dancers. The show didn't stop on the Dog Trot Porch stage either. There were also numerous buskers circling Paddock Square, such as the Blue Stilts, Clown Alley 179 and Brownwood Blueberry Festival exclusive, the Groove Chefs.
We were always away for the Cornflower Festival, said drummer Mike Barron, taking a break between performances.
The Groove Chefs are a three-person drumming group who use old pots and pans to create flavorful rhythms for guests to enjoy. They have been a regular street attraction at SeaWorld for about 16 years.
Festival-goers formed a semi-circle around the group as they drummed a variety of sticks, spatulas and other cooking utensils against modified grills and barrels of pickles.
“We always love coming here to play,” said drummer Shawn Crilly, gesturing to the festival's many attractions. It's always a good crowd.
During breaks between shows and blueberry picking, people browsed the many vendors set up around the square. Among the most popular were those selling blueberry treats like The Mexican Stands Blueberry Puffs, Oaken Bakerys Blueberry Cobbler, Uncle Ronnies Blue Ribbon Cheesecake, and Blueberry parfaits and cakes lemon and blueberry sauce from Make Me That.
Last year we sold out about an hour and a half before 9 p.m., said owner Theresa Duke. I doubled the amount this year.
Although it's unlikely, Duke said if she doesn't sell out everything at the festival, customers could expect it at the Brownwood Farmers Market today.
Villages Entertainment also offered its own blueberry-themed fare, a blueberry lemonade drink called Blueberry Burst. All around, festival-goers could be seen holding the refreshing drink, including Jerry and Judy Wise and their friends David and Maureen Deragon, new arrivals to the Villages. It was the first cornflower festival for Dabney Village residents, which Maureen described as wonderful.
We love this Villages lifestyle, said David. It's awesome.
Judy, from Charlotte Village, and Maureen recently went blueberry picking near Howie-in-the-Hills. Both prefer the festival as a blueberry-related activity.
I said this was the last time I would do this, Judy said. Coming here and buying fresh blueberries is much easier.
Senior writer Taylor Strickland can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 20.5334, or [email protected].
