Festival celebrating 40 years

August 9-11 will mark 40 years that the Huckleberry Festival has entertained crowds from all over with music, games, fun and food. This year will be no different with new acts being added to the set list and reoccuring favorites returning for another year. You can find a complete list of the schedule online at http://www.huckleberryfestival.com. Debb McNary will be heading up the organization of the festival for the sixth year in a row and is excited with how things are coming together this year.

The schedule of this year’s festival will be similar to last years. Friday will include, music from Dave and Deb Oliver along with Bob Sink. DanceXplosion performances and the Miss Huckleberry and Huck Finn Talent contest are always popular and a fun way to kick off the festival, getting all ages involved.

Saturday is packed with events, starting at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast and ending at 7:30 p.m. with a pie eating contest. Some of the popular events that are returning again this year are the dog agility demonstration from the Huckleberry Hounds, helicopter rides, huckleberry dessert contest and the pie eating contest, where contestants can partake in eating huckleberries that have helped the festival become so popular. Sunday also features musical performances, as well as the Huckleberry Homesteader Pentathlon, and plenty of kids games throughout the day.

Planning and preparation for the festival takes 10 months. McNary has attended every Huckleberry Festival since its origin. Each year, the festival is supported by volunteers who donate their time to continue to put on events for people who come from all over the country, some as far as Louisiana, to enjoy the weekend.

“It takes a village to make this happen. Volunteers are key. Currently we are understaffed for two key positions for this year, food booth chairperson and desserts and jams and jellies chairperson," McNary commented. "We are also lacking in volunteer support for the parade, auction, food booth. We need lots of people that will be willing to do all the small things that make the festival successful.”

The Huckleberry Festival can always use as many volunteers as they can get for set-up, take-down, and event running. Volunteering even an hour of your time is much appreciated. There are jobs that everyone is able to do from picking up pinecones and raking, to setting up picnic tables and wiping them down. It can be very rewarding when you have a hand in helping create something that the community loves to come to and ensuring that the Huckleberry Festival will continue to for years to come. If you are interested in volunteering or would like more information you can visit the Huckleberry Festival website, http://www.huckleberryfestival.com, or contact Debb McNary at (406) 827-3227.