Local festival brings people in from all over

MARQUETTE — What better way to spend a Friday night than with a Marquette, family tradition?

The fourteenth annual Blueberry Festival brought in locals and guests to the downtown area. It featured talent shows, local vendors and of course blueberry products – like Michigan grown blueberries, blueberry sausage and blueberry pizza. People visited from all over the country, even as far as California.

California resident, Eddie Hernandez says, “I’m from Rancho Mirage, California. We drove 2600 miles to get here, and we will buy some blueberries, we will have fun, we will eat. We just love being here, I can’t tell you how much it means to us. We just love it here, we just enjoy everyone. Everyone is so down–to–earth.”

There were attractions for all ages like inflatables, street–sledding and pony rides.

Lone Oaks Ponies Representative, Tammy Niemi says, “This is a very good celebration here for everything that’s going on. All the kids love to come down and do the pony rides and enjoy the blueberries.”

Then of course there were the stars of the show – the blueberries and local farmers. Blueberry Farmer Tim Zelenka says he was back for his third year, and his favorite part is seeing familiar faces.

Owner of Berry U.P. Blueberries, Tim Zelenka says, “I think the favorite thing is here after being here for three years is that people coming back. This morning people showed up with coolers, because they wanted some of these berries, you know, so the repeat people coming back.”

Friday night even had a rare Blue Moon to help celebrate our local tradition.