A damp weekend didn’t deter organizers of the 40th annual Blenheim Cherry Fest, which drew crowds right through its three-day run into July 15.
The event celebrates the area’s cherry-growing heritage and is known far and wide for a cherry-pit spitting contest.
Organizer JP Huggins said although the rain and wind did affect the live entertainment at times, he was pleased with how the event turned out.
“Even Thursday was busier than it’s usually been,” he said on the event’s weekend. “The merchants have been saying they’ve been doing really well, which is awesome. … It’s been hard to keep pies here.”
Huggins said most of the rides were able to operate in a light rain.
As for the cherries, he said more than 2,000 pies were sold, with demand often outstripping the supply. “We do our best every year to get as many pies as we can,” he said.
Organizing the event for close to a decade, after running the pit spit championships before then, Huggins is still in awe of the community support he’s seen over the years.
He said it’s also a bit nostalgic for him.
“I’ve been married for almost 24 years now, and I remember coming up here with my wife when we were dating,” he said.
“It’s amazing to see all these families downtown. And people we haven’t seen all year long. The whole community comes out.”
Joe Lessard, who was previously involved in organizing the festival, was happy with the response, as well as the fact it is still around after all these years.
“I’m pleased,” he said, crediting the work of Huggins to ensure its continued success. “It’s just unreal.”