It’s springtime, flowers are blossoming, birds are chirping, and the fresh smell of boysenberry pie is baking in the oven. Well maybe not that last part at your house, but at Knotts Berry Farm, it’s time to celebrate the Boysenberry Festival! The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is the annual food and wine festival that celebrates the park’s historic roots by highlighting the little berry that started it all ..the BOYSENBERRY. The lineup of boysenberry dishes ranges from savory foods with boysenberry twists to these one-of-a-kind specialty desserts and drinks that you can only find at Knott’s Berry Farm during this limited once-in-a-year food-inspired event!

But how did it all start? In December of 1920, the Knott family drove from central California to Buena Park for a fresh start with Walter Knott’s cousin Jim Preston, an experienced berry farmer. Together, they leased land from William H. Coughran, and Walter began farming berries.

But what is a boysenberry? A boysenberry is a cross between the European raspberry. European blackberry, American dewberry, and loganberry. This berry sure is full of flavor, as boysenberries are likely to taste like a mix of both blackberry and raspberry flavors. Typically boysenberries are juicy fruits with the same tartness that makes your lips pucker when you eat a blackberry but met with the sweetness of a raspberry.

Knott’s Berry Farm has a rich history, it’s worth a look! But let’s go on to our main topic. The Boysenberry Festival! It originally started in 2015 and has been a staple of Knotts ever since. The boysenberry festival features delicious mouth-watering dishes ranging from savory foods with a boysenberry twist to one-of-a-kind specialty desserts and drinks that you can only find at Knott’s Berry farm during this celebration at Knotts! 

The boysenberry festival is featuring many delicious items to choose from. Some of these include Chicken wings with a boysenberry sweet chili glaze and an Elote with boysenberry butter, mayo, & cotija cheese. But save room for dessert as the festival also features many desserts as well. Some of these desserts include Boysenberry Macarons, Boysenberry Key Lime Tart, and Boysenberry Bread Pudding. 

The boysenberry festival is a great experience for everyone! Many of the items can be bought or can be found on the tasting card. The tasting carb features six tastings. There are given locations that can be found on the app and around the park to try some of the many dishes. The Knott’s Boysenberry Festival celebrates food, drinks, and history. If you’re able to, I recommend trying some of these dishes yourself.  The boysenberry festival is over the span from the weekends of April 21 to May 7, 2023. To find out more go look at https://www.knotts.com/events/boysenberry-festival. If you do try the tasting card a guide can be found here.