WILTON — The 30th annual Wilton Blueberry Festival begins Friday and continues through Saturday, Aug. 3 and 4.

What began as a summer bazaar celebrating blueberries and held by the First Congregational Church has grown over the decades. When the Lions Club gave up the town parade in 1990, organizer Shannon Smith took it on and wanted to do more.

Something was added each year and now it’s a two-day, activity-packed, $40,000 festival. Everything is free except road-race admissions and what you eat or buy from crafters and vendors, Smith said.

This year a 13-foot, 6-inch bootmobile, part of  LL Bean’s 100th year anniversary celebration, will be at the festival. The Bass Weejuns penny loafer will be on display from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday only at Western Maine Expo, the site of the former Bass Shoe Shop. 

The Weejun was designed and made for many years by Bass and is now called the Leavitt Weejun after Norman Leavitt, a local longtime employee, Smith said.

Most crafters and entertainers are back at the Western Expo on Weld Street this year. On Friday night at 7:15 p.m. at the Expo, Re-Creation, a group from Pennsylvania similar to Up With People, will perform a variety of military and patriotic music. The concert is free but donations will be accepted to help with festival expenses, she said.

Boat tours offered by Friends of Wilson Lake will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday from the boat launch. 

Donations are accepted. This year the funds will restore a half-dozen decorative loons owned by the town and Blueberry Festival, Sandy Muller of FOWL said. Some have started to show some wear, and Mike Monihan of Signworks will repaint the large lawn loons.

The boat rides are a popular event, usually drawing more than a couple hundred people, Muller said. At least six pontoon boats provide the tours.

Life vests are furnished by FOWL. Children must be accompanied by a parent, and no pets are allowed.

A mobile appraisal laboratory by Thomaston Place Auction Galleries will set up on Main Street from noon to 4 p.m. Friday only. Donations for appraisals were given to the festival last year and raised more than $600 for expenses, Smith said.

The annual Saturday morning parade has 100 entrants, so far, not counting fire engines, Smith said. A thousand dollars in prizes are given out for winning categories. This year’s theme is “30 Years of Blueberries.” 

Following the parade Saturday the 195th Concert Band will perform at Wilton Square from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. 

Some old favorite entertainers are returning and some new ones are included this year, Smith said.

Prior to the parade, a doll carriage and bicycle parade starts from Franklin Savings Bank and continues down Main Street.

Stonyfield Yogurt will hand out samples on the lawn of Franklin Savings Bank from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Cabot Cheese will have a display at the Western Expo, she said.

The children’s foot race at 6 p.m. Friday will close Main Street during that race only, perhaps an hour, she said. Concerns were raised last year about safety for the young runners.

A boat parade is held prior to Saturday night’s fireworks. Smith expressed concern about people setting off their own fireworks from the boats. She asks people to be considerate of the festival event.

More information and a schedule of all the many events planned are on the Blueberry Festival’s website, www.wiltonbbf.com

[email protected]