Transcript for Maine’s 6th Annual Wild Blueberry Weekend

Hello, this is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.

Recently, I was proud to proclaim August 1 and 2, 2026, as Maine's 6th annual Wild Blueberry Weekend. We do this to celebrate our wild blueberries, of course, and in honor of the hard-working people who grow and bring Maine blueberries to markets near and far.

The Wabanaki Nations in Maine were the first to harvest wild blueberries. In recent history, the Passamaquoddy Wild Blueberry Company, headquartered in Columbia Falls and owned and operated by the Passamaquoddy Tribe, has been managing and harvesting wild blueberries on 2,000 acres of blueberry barrens.

Last year alone, Maine farmers harvested 55 million pounds of wild blueberries. This special fruit has more antioxidants and is much tastier than any other kind of blueberry in the world.

To honor our wild blueberry growers and businesses and their significant contributions to the Maine economy, I declared our first-ever Wild Blueberry Weekend in 2021. Wild blueberry growers opened their doors and made fresh, wild blueberry jams and pies and other products for guests to purchase. The Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine reported that there were thousands of dollars in direct farm sales and thousands of visitors who enjoyed touring the places where wild blueberries grow, maybe even picking a few of their own.

Well, this year, the 6th annual Wild Blueberry Weekend will feature farm tours and other family-friendly activities at 11 different farms in Cumberland, Hancock, Kennebec, Knox, Lincoln, and Washington counties, as well as at the Wild Blueberry Heritage Center in Columbia Falls. And wild blueberry-themed menu items and products will be available throughout the weekend at restaurants, ice cream shops, breweries, wineries, and distilleries all across the state.

To see the full list of participants, visit https://www.wildblueberryweekend.com and https://www.realmaine.com for year-round ideas on ways you can support Maine's agriculture community. I encourage everyone to visit one of the participating wild blueberry farms or to sample Maine-grown wild blueberry products at the many places selling them during Wild Blueberry Weekend on August 1st and 2nd.

This is Governor Janet Mills, and thank you for listening.