The New Harvest Park Farmers’ Market will host its 9th annual Blueberry Festival on Thursday, June 27, with Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs ringing the opening bell.

The free, family-friendly event, which runs from 3 to 6 p.m., will feature a kid’s zone with blueberry-themed activities; Success with Blueberries in Your Gardenpresentation from the UT Extension Office; giveaways; and a wide variety of blueberry products, including beverages, baked goods, blueberry plants and more from the market’s vendors.

“This has always been one of the market’s biggest events and it’s a favorite with the public,” said Paul White, senior director of the Knox County Parks and Recreation Department. “This year will be no exception. We’ll have locally grown products, including meats, fruits and vegetables, but the highlight, of course, will be the blueberries.”

Nourish Knoxville, which manages the market, will provide its SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps) doubling program – Double Up Food Bucks, which provides SNAP customers with up to $20 per day in matching tokens to spend on fresh produce at participating farmers’ markets. Funding for Double Up Food Bucks provided by Truck2Table, Humana and Three Rivers Market.

New Harvest Park is located at 4775 New Harvest Lane just off Washington Pike. In addition to the festival and farmers’ market, the park boasts a large playground, splash pad and miles of walking and hiking trails.

For more information about the festival or the farmers’ market, please contact Nourish Knoxville at markets@nourishknoxville.org or (865) 805-8687, Ext. 1 or https://www.facebook.com/knoxcountyparks/