Pie, music, pie, food, pie, games, pie, animals, art and yes, more pie.
It’s easy to tell summer is here when the historic Greenbank Farm rolls out the green carpet of fun for its annual Loganberry Festival. The 22nd incarnation of the big event is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24.
This year’s expanded festival takes the theme of “Back to the Farm” with more than 100 booths and exhibitors reflecting the farm’s role as a center for sustainable agriculture, recreation, environmental education and the support of local artists and artisans.
“We view the festival through children’s eyes — lots of fun things to do, new experiences and a few surprises all within an old-fashioned farm setting,” said festival volunteer director Faith Wilder.
“If the kids enjoy it, the kid in each of us will enjoy it too,” she added.
Children will find plenty to do at the kinetic waterworks installation, the stomp percussion set, a fun facts farm search for prizes and at the popular children’s play area. And don’t forget to sign up for the pie-eating contests (for kids and adults), a hay wagon ride or face painting.
Whidbey’s very own “stilt-man” Larry Dobson will also be roaming the grounds on high.
“Nurturing what is best about the land and lifestyle of Whidbey is what the farm is all about,” Wilder said.
“That philosophy is reflected in our reinvigorating the Loganberry Festival to reflect our amazing community — the organizations, arts, foods and entertainment that make the island and the farm so special,” she said.
New this year are 4-H exhibits with chickens, goats, cows and horses; booths with farm produce and plants; local artisan foods; and tours of the farm’s Agricultural Training Center gardens and its brand-new solar power station.
Additionally, the Island Model A Club will showcase a number of antique cars on Sunday, while the festival will feature all its old favorite activities such as hay rides and pie-eating contests, and its delicious array of festival foods.
High quality local talent will be exhibited through the festival’s arts and crafts vendors who offer hand-crafted items, and its artisan food makers who will have jams, jellies, sauces, nuts and candies for sale. Also featured are the new “Artists in Action” including a blacksmith, woodcarvers, weavers, quilters, printmakers and others who will demonstrate their artistic skills.
Throughout the festival weekend, the farm will reverberate with summer sounds of music by some of Whidbey’s favorite musicians such as the award-winning barbershop quartet Cheers!; tropical jazz band Bahia; Whidbey’s ambassadors of sea shanties and mirth the Shifty Sailors; and those madcap makers of melody, the Rural Characters. Folks can also enjoy the music of Island Strings, saxophonist Danny Ward & Reality, and the bluegrass and world beat of Spoonshine Duo, introduced by that favorite master of ceremonies, Jim Freeman.
In the tasting tents, more than 20 of Whidbey Island and Puget Sound wineries will offer tastings of their finest wines, and several Whidbey brewers will have their best beers on hand, as well.
Information booths will be set up for local nonprofit and community organizations such as WAIF, Good Cheer, 4-H and others. A new “Greenbank Farm Store” will offer everything Loganberry, including hats, T-shirts, bags and wine glasses, and a special shoe box raffle to benefit the farm training center’s scholarship fund.
Whidbey Pies Café, Greenbank Cheese Shop and the three art galleries at the farm will also be celebrating with special treats and new exhibits.
All day admission is free, and parking per car is $3, which goes towards the farm’s expenses.
To help, email volunteer@greenbankfarm.com or call 360-678-7171.
