Poplarville’s Blueberry Jubilee is right around the corner and will celebrate this year’s blueberry harvest in Pearl River County with traditional events dating back to the 1980s and add some new features.
The Blueberry Jubilee began in 1983 on the lawn of the Pearl River County Courthouse with the intent of making it an annual event the second Saturday of June, which is typically the time of year when blueberries are harvested in Pearl River County, Jubilee chairman Mark Bridgers said.
The Blueberry Jubilee attracts over 10,000 people each year, and continues to grow by adding vendor booths that bring more people to the streets of Poplarville.
The event’s original purpose was to showcase the jewel of the south, the blueberry, and support local agriculture in the county.
This year, the Jubilee will consist of traditional events, but there will be one subtle difference that has Bridgers quite excited.
Each year a unique T-shirt is made for the Blueberry Jubilee and this year’s is one of the best designs yet, Bridgers said. Without giving away too much detail, Bridgers said the design is a maze that is perfect for all ages and genders.
June 10, the streets of Poplarville will be lined with hundreds of arts and crafts vendors, hundreds of antique and unique cars and thousands of attendees from the local and Gulf Coast areas.
“This is something everyone in the family can be excited for because there is so much to do for people of all ages,” Bridgers said.
The Jubilee will continue to provide the events which attract over 10,000 people, featuring live entertainment, lots of food, a baby crawl, 5K and one-mile fun run, USDA hayride tours, storyteller’s guild, arts and crafts vendors and a car show.
And above all, food featuring blueberries will be available during the event, ranging from blueberry muffins to blueberry cobbler.