JOYCE — The 23rd annual Joyce Daze Blackberry Festival kicks off on Saturday, Aug. 6, at 7 a.m. with a pancake breakfast and lasts until 3:30 p.m., when raffle winners take home prizes.
Highlights of the festival include a parade with more than 85 entries, children’s activities, a juried art show, craft show, salmon bake, vendor’s booths, demonstrations and live entertainment.
But the main ingredient for Joyce Daze is blackberry pie.
Lots of blackberry pies!
Made with the much-heralded local wild blackberries, volunteers are flouring their rolling pins and gearing up for the annual bake-a-thon at the Crescent School District’s kitchen where more than 150 homemade pies are being prepared today (Friday) for Saturday’s festival.
A slice of fresh homemade pie topped with a scoop of ice cream will be available for sale.
Blackberry pie contest
In addition, local bakers are combing the countryside searching for the perfect berries to use for creating their own renditions for the Homemade Blackberry Pie Contest on Saturday.
First place honors receive $100 in Port Angeles Downtown Dollars (works like cash at 80 downtown merchants and restaurants).
Second and third place will be awarded $50 and $25 in Downtown Dollars respectively.
The contest is sponsored by Peninsula Daily News.