Posted by Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle
, July 12, 2009 21:48
What’s a raspberry festival without raspberries? Why, until this year, that would be the Hopkins Raspberry Festival in Minnesota! When the festival began, in 1934, the area was surrounded by raspberry farms. The farms are long gone and, while the festival continued to be held, the raspberries eventually disappeared from the raspberry festival, too. This year, for the 75th edition of the raspberry festival, they’ve decided to bring the raspberries back. Pints of berries will be sold all over the festival (just like in the old days), which began yesterday, July 11th, and will continue through Sunday the 19th.
Raspberry Festival Royalty plays a big part at this festival, with a Senior Royalty Coronation and dance on Tuesday night, a Junior Royalty coronation and dance on Wednesday night, and the Royalty Coronation & Royal Ball Thursday evening. Some of the other events taking place this week include a kids fishing contest, live musical performances, a golf tournament, bingo, street dances, and tournaments for kickball, softball, rugby, and waterball. There will also be fireworks Saturday night in Central Park. Sunday will see a pancake breakfast, the Grande Day Parade (one of Minnesota’s largest) at 1 pm, and a 1 pm pig roast at the VFW. For more information, see the festival website.
