If you base a festival's success on attendance, then last weekend's Blackberry Festival was a huge success.
More than 30,000 people visited the fourth annual event in Nutter Fort. And it seemed like just about everyone left with a smile.
The Blackberry Festival had a little bit of everything -- great food, great entertainment, amusement rides, a 5K run, two parades, pro wrestling and crafts.
It takes all of those things to make an event exciting and worth visiting. But the Blackberry Festival also has the one key ingredient that keeps people coming back -- smiling faces.
From the food vendors to the gentlemen helping to keep the festival grounds clean, the Blackberry Festival has earned the reputation of being a great place to meet great people.
A number of out-of-town guests shared similar sentiments as they visited the event for the first time. They were amazed a small town could host such a big event. They were even more amazed when they learned it was done with volunteers.
The Blackberry Festival should be proud of its success. And we look forward to its growth in the future.
