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All manner of blueberry-infused items could be found in Lake George on Saturday 鈥� from lotions to brats to milkshakes.

Shannon Geisen/Park Rapids Enterprise

The village celebrated the delicious gem throughout the weekend at its 38th annual Blueberry Fest.

Shannon Geisen/Park Rapids Enterprise

Are blueberry brats popular, you may ask?

鈥淥h, my gosh, yeah. I think we sold out,鈥� said Jim Clark, owner of the Woodland Store, estimating that 400 to 500 sausages were gobbled up.

And the Woodland Store was one of several vendors serving blueberry-laced brats that day.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got a butcher shop that produces those and a couple other brats for us. He鈥檚 got his own special, secret recipe that he does it with,鈥� Clark said.

Clark purchased the store eight years ago.

鈥淚t was a busy weekend. It鈥檚 the biggest I鈥檝e seen since I鈥檝e been here,鈥� he said of this year鈥檚 blueberry gala. 鈥淚 think everybody who participated this weekend, who was operating a tent or vendor, I think everybody did well.鈥�

Shannon Geisen/Park Rapids Enterprise

In fact, the number of merchants exploded for the 2022 event.

Clark said, 鈥淚t had been growing every year, kind of doubling every year until the COVID thing happened. We fell off the radar for a couple years, then this year it came roaring back, that鈥檚 for sure.鈥�

Nearly 200 children bustled into the Lake George Town Hall Saturday afternoon for a free carnival.

Community members and local businesses donated 42 kids鈥� bikes for this year鈥檚 give-away to lucky youngsters.

The Lake George Fire Department fed hundreds Saturday night at their ham and bean feed. They served jumbo blueberry pancakes Sunday morning in the fire hall.

The blueberry season has been 鈥渢he best ever in 15 years,鈥� according to Deb Yennie of First Fruits Blueberry Farms.

鈥淚f all goes well, and we don鈥檛 have overripening or fruit fly problems, I think we鈥檒l be harvesting 7,000 pounds or more,鈥� she said.

Last year, they only harvested about 2,800 pounds. A late frost devastated 30% of her blossoms.

The biggest bounty prior to that was 4,000 pounds.

This season, the weather has been ideal for berries everywhere, Yennie said, including strawberries.

Yennie dished up blueberry lemonade and blueberry brownies along with the plumb, blue orbs. Her organic blueberries are $8 per pint. She reminded shoppers to never wash them and to freeze right away, if going uneaten.

Shannon Geisen / Park Rapids Enterprise

Rosemary Mills of Park Rapids returned to the Blueberry Festival with her 鈥淕rey Lady鈥� jams and jellies. Mills offered hot pepper, dandelion 鈥� and, of course blueberry 鈥� jelly next to the Wigwam. Her sister, Jeannie Kruft, used to run the souvenir shop.