Boysenberry Festival 2018

Several years ago, and way overdue, Knott's Berry Farm started a festival celebrating the iconic boysenberry. Every single boysenberry in the world can be traced back to Walter and Cordelia Knotts’ Buena Park farm. While the original concept came from neighboring farmer Rudolph Boysen, it was Knott himself that successfully cultivated the sweet berry, which is a hybrid of the blackberry, loganberry, and raspberry. Each year the Boysenberry Festival continues to grow with a variety of culinary creations. Returning favorites such as Boysenberry BBQ Meatballs, Chicken Wings, and Deep-Fried Alligator Bites with Boysenberry Aioli can be found at pop-up kiosks and restaurants in Ghost Town. New this year… Boysenberry Quesadilla - made with a boysenberry-infused flour tortilla, served with boysenberry salsa, boysenberry sour cream with cotija and mozzarella cheese. Boysenberry Pierogis - served with sautéed onions, Applewood bacon and boysenberry whipped cream. Slow-cooked Boysenberry Short Ribs - juicy meat smothered in a boysenberry hoisin sauce served over butter basmati rice and completed with chopped green onions. Boysenberry Boba Tea - consists of boysenberry milk tea and chewy berry-soaked tapioca balls served over ice. Boysenberry Elote - lightly grilled corn is smothered in fresh boysenberry butter, mayo and topped off with cotija cheese. Boysenberry Hummus – served with warm, grilled pita bread. Grilled Boysenberry Sausage – served on a baked roll topped with boysenberry ketchup, mustard and relish. Boysenberry Coconut Macaroons - dipped in a purple chocolate ganache. Once again, a tasting card is available. The price increased slightly, but the $30 cost is still a bargain. While the card still includes eight items, you are free to choose which and how many of each you would like to sample. Try one of each, or have eight of your favorite item. theFUNnelCakeBlog’s top picks from the tasting card had to be the Boysenberry Sausage sandwich. It was sweet and delicious. So good in fact, no condiments were needed. The pierogis were amazing… some of the best we have ever tried. The coconut macaroon… YUM! Not on the tasting card, but still our favorite item are the meatballs, which can now be found on the appetizer menu at the Ghost Town Grill for $9.99. A variety of beer and wine is available inside the Wilderness Dance Hall. Buy a tasting card and try six glasses and enjoy a fruit and cheese plate with it. The boysenberry cider, boysenberry wine, and Belgian strawberry beer were our favorites!  

While enjoying all of this amazing food and drink, stroll the park and take in the sights. The grounds look absolutely beautiful. You'll be hard pressed to find any other Southern California theme park this decked out for the season with meticulously maintained, blooming flowers everywhere you look. In addition to the amazing hot and cold prepared foods, there are dozens upon dozens of packaged products to purchase, all of which were created specifically for Knott's Berry Farm and the festival. From Knott's private label jams, BBQ sauces, salad dressing, and other condiments, a line of chocolates from a California chocolatier can be found at various locations throughout Ghost Town. Beef jerky, rock candies, taffy, coffee, and more will have you leaving the park with bags full of products in your hands. Jelly Belly has even created the first Boysenberry jelly bean for the park. Festival merchandise includes shirts, hats, pins, mugs, and more. A set of historical postcards will have every Knott's fanatic wanting some. A full line of bath products is available, ranging from bath bombs, to soaps, to purple luxurious Knott's bathrobes. Throughout Ghost Town crafts vendors sell unique items. Miss Doolittle invented the original Boysenberry Pie crocheted hat years ago, and she cannot make them fast enough. Fans place orders and grab them as fast as she can make them. Where else but Knott’s would you see dozens of grown adults wearing knitted pie hats on their head... proudly? Need a break from the snacking? Take in one of the limited time shows that are presented during the festival. From Camp Snoopy activities, to fun and games in Calico Square, there is a something for everyone. A highlight is the returning melodrama in The Bird Cage Theatre. Shows in the historical venue are as iconic to Knott’s as the boysenberry itself. The cast does a great job entertaining the crowd, and the show is a must-see. Later in the evening, catch Snoopy and his pals for The Boysenberry Jam-boree. Other live performances and dance parties can be found in The Boardwalk and Fiesta Village. If all of this is not enough, guests can create their own pies in Cordelia’s Pie Kitchen, watch a short historical documentary in the Town Hall, and visit the animals in Old MacDonald’s Barn. Make sure to check out the art show, which features prints available for purchase. Plus, experience more than two dozen other rides, attractions, and shows! The Boysenberry Festival runs through April 8, 2018. More info and tickets at knotts.com.

Park Decor Photos

The Amazing Food and Drink

Take-Home Selections

Festival Merchandise

Entertainment and Activities