The annual Wilton Blueberry Festival 2022 is coming this weekend with events from Friday August 5th to Sunday August 7th. The theme of this year’s parade is “Summer Fun.” Kay Neufeld/Franklin Journal
WILTON — Wilton’s annual 2022 Blueberry Festival, themed “Summer Fun,” is slated for a full return in all its glory Friday, Aug. 5 through Sunday, Aug. 7.
Events include many of the long-time classics, such as the Wilton United Methodist Church Bake Sale on Friday, then the Wilton Congregational Church’s annual chicken barbecue and the fun run and running competitions at 5/10K Friday night; Saturday, Lion’s annual blueberry pancake breakfast, morning parade, blueberry pie eating contest, activities and bounce houses at Kineowatha Park and evening fireworks at Lake Wilson; and Sunday morning, ecumenical service with churches in the area.
In addition, downtown Wilton will be filled with vendors, food trucks, Friday night street dancing, live music and outdoor seating at Ambition Brewing and Calzolaio Pasta Co., among other events.
For the first year in its history, the party is planned by a municipal committee and a newly hired event coordinator. In previous years, the events were planned by the Wilton Blueberry Festival Board of Directors with President Shannon Smith at the helm.
In 2021, the Board of Directors abruptly canceled the festival due to COVID-19 safety concerns, and Smith stepped down as president. Urged to see the festival continue after a 2020 cancellation, former Selectman Tom Saviello, Town Manager Rhonda Irish and others took it upon themselves to coordinate a tweaked version just two months earlier.
After seeing the success of the 2021 event despite its limitations, the Wilton Select Board of Directors and Town Manager Rhonda Irish decided to keep the festival going under the hands of the town.
In December, Renee Woodard of Wilton was hired as the city’s part-time events coordinator to oversee the Blueberry Festival and other events.
Although it’s the committee’s first year running the show, Woodard said Smith “laid all the groundwork” and made it “very easy” to take over.
Woodard said he has been told, however, that he has “big shoes to fill.”
Newer to the process, too, was significant funding from the city’s 2022-23 budget. Voters at the 2022 Annual Town Meeting approved a $13,000 budget for the Wilton Blueberry Festival.
In addition, Woodard said the committee has raised about $20,000 from local businesses and donors.
“We couldn’t do it without the support of all the businesses,” he said.
Woodard is excited to host an event in the city where she has lived for more than 17 years.
“It’s nice to be able to put on a good event like this that everyone can bring their families to and enjoy,” he said. “[The Blueberry Festival] it’s very important for our area, for our businesses, to bring people to the city.”
All festival information can be found online at i
Other important details to know
The public boat launch at the headwaters of Wilson Lake will be closed on Saturday, August 6, with no boats entering or leaving, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Parking at the boat exit is also suspended.
There will be road closures on Friday from 6pm to 10pm from Prospect St. to the High Street.
And road closures on Saturday in:
• Carrer Major from Carrer Alt to Correus, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m
• Main Street from Prospect St. to the Post Office, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m
• The Weld Rd. of Colby Miller Rd. on Carrer Major, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m
• Carrer Major from the welding road. on Lake Rd., 10 a.m. to noon
• Main St. of High St. on Lake Rd., 5 to 10 p.m
• Gilbert Street, from 5 to 10 p.m
• Carrer del Lac. from the bridge to Bass Park, 5 to 10 p.m
Shuttles will make continuous stops between: Academy Hill School, Cushing School, 128 Weld Road, Kineowatha Park Entrance, St. Luke’s Church, Franklin Savings Bank and the corner of High Street and Main Street.
Parking will be available at Academy Hill School, Cushing School, 128 Weld Road, Kineowatha Park and the High St. municipal parking lot.
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