The Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival may not be the only blueberry festival in Florida, but it’s one that hasn’t lost sight of its roots.
Held at Keel and Curley Winery for eight years, this Blueberry Festival is all about recognizing the hard work blueberry farmers put in, year in and year out, to produce fresh products. Its centerpiece has always been the blueberry U-pick on the winery grounds, held all day during the three days of the festival.
This year, things are looking very good for the U-pick.
“Looks like we’re going to be peaking five to seven days before the festival,” Ryan Keel, vice president of the winery, said. “We’re just going to let them ripen all the way through, so that we should have a good crop to support the three-day festival.”
Every day of the festival, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., guests can go out in the blueberry fields and pick to their hearts’ content. Golf cart transportation will be available.
For those who aren’t interested in the U-pick, there’s plenty more to do. Over 100 vendors will feature their goods on the winery grounds, and there will be plenty of food. The winery’s tasting room will be open, and guests will be able to try some of the latest and greatest Two Henrys Brewing Company concoctions both indoors and outdoors.
For the young ones, the Kids Zone and bounce house will be a popular area to play in. There also will be plenty of live music on each day of the festival, featuring bands such as Faces South, Just Friends, Skip Frye, Mark Barrios and LuBeck.
As always, guests will be able to see the official Blueberry Queen and Court presentation on-site.
The Blueberry Festival staff wants to show everyone a good time, no matter their ages or interests.
“I think, more than anything, we just try to encourage everybody to still bring their kids out and let them run around the blueberry farm,” Keel says. “That’s what it’s all about.”
Contact Justin Kline at jkline@plantcityobserver.com.
IF YOU GO
2015 Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival
When: Friday, April 24 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m.), Saturday, April 25 (8 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Sunday, April 26 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). U-Pick will be held every day from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Keel and Curley Winery, 5202 W. Thonotosassa Rd.
Cost: Admission is free; parking is $5 per vehicle.
For more information, visit TampaBayBlueberry Festival.com.
QUICK PICKS
Craft beer enthusiasts and wine snobs alike will have plenty of offerings to taste at the Tampa Bay Blueberry Festival. The Plant City Times & Observer linked up with Keel and Curley and Two Henrys Brewing Company to find the beers and wines that readers should definitely have on their “to-drink” lists.
WINES
Sangria
A traditional red sangria made of a blend of cabernet and merlot grapes, as well as several other fruits. The aroma is strong, but the taste is light and sweet.
Strawberry
This white wine is Keel and Curley’s second-best seller. The blend is 80% Riesling grape with some Plant City strawberries added in. The grape aroma is strong, but the strawberry comes through in the taste.
Peach
A white wine, containing 80% chardonnay grapes and peaches grown on the Keel and Curley farms. The peaches are especially present in the aroma, and the wine itself is sweet.
Wild Berry
Keel and Curley’s top-selling wine is a Pinot noir with blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries all blended together. No one berry dominates the aroma, and this semi-sweet wine goes down smoothly.
Sweet Blueberry
The only wine made with 100% blueberries, all grown on the Keel and Curley farms. This smooth red wine is, somehow, even sweeter than the name suggests.
BEERS
Fletcher’s Drool (American wheat ale, 5.7%)
Named after the Keel family’s original Mastiff, this ale is much better than actual dog drool. Treated with mandarin oranges and tangerines, this ale has a pleasant aroma and is light enough to be a great summer beer.
Strawberry Ginger (Saison, 5.1%)
Saisons are growing in popularity in the craft beer community, and Two Henrys’ offering has enough strawberry in it to appease Plant City. The berry takes over the aroma, first taste and aftertaste, while the ginger shows up somewhere in the middle. Good for anyone that enjoys fruity beers.
Belleview Biltmore Blueberry Vanilla Wheat (American wheat ale, 5.3%)
One of Two Henrys’ flagship brews, this ale is a must-try for the Blueberry Festival. The vanilla and blueberries balance well in the mix and are present throughout the taste. A summer beer that tastes like a fall beer.
Roasted Jalapeno Blueberry Porter (Brown porter, 5.5%)
This porter debuted at Biertoberfest 2014 and is worth a try for anyone feeling adventurous. The jalapeño aroma and flavor are very much present throughout the brew, but there’s just enough blueberry in the mix to cancel out some of the heat. Great for those winter months when Florida gets cold.
Runaway Locomotive (Black IPA, 7.3%)
It’s an IPA without some of the bite of traditional brews, adding in darker malts for both color and taste. A hoppy, sweet-smelling beer that goes down smooth and could convert some drinkers that don’t normally enjoy IPAs.
