Paradise Blueberry Fest August 18-20

The community of Paradise has announced Friday, August 18, Saturday, August 19, and Sunday, August 20, as dates for its annual Wild Blueberry Festival.

An arts and crafts fair, entertainment, and local food specialties will be offered on the Community Center Grounds at Whitefish Bay, one mile south of Paradise on M-123.

Wild blueberries from the area were in great demand in the 1920s and 1930s, at a time when cultivated

blueberries were unknown. The wild blueberry bushes flourished in the sandy, acidic soil of the area after the cut-over land was swept by fires following the logging era of the 1880s to 1920s. The fields of bushes gave rise to a new industry, and steamers transported the blueberry harvest to Detroit, Chicago, and Buffalo.

Wild berries still thrive in the area, and the community celebrates its heritage with a festival during the third weekend in August.