ELY- Despite heat, humidity, some stiff wind, and the threat of thunderstorms, the 2024 Blueberry/Art Festival proved a success.
“Our vendors are telling us that sales are as good as last year, if not better,” said Kristen Switajewski, the event coordinator for the Ely Chamber of Commerce. The chamber estimated over 30,000 people visited the festival over the three days of the event.
Changes made this year may have contributed to the festival’s success. “We changed the layout on the south side of the park,” Switajewski explained. “The flow last year didn’t work, so we made a square on the south to promote circulation and spread things out. We also opened up the space between the food court and the booths on the north end. People are saying they liked it, that the festival felt less cramped compared to last year.”
Dog walking
Whiteside Park, where the festival is held, does not permit dogs. The “no dogs” signs are prominently displayed at every walkway into the park. Despite this, the Blueberry/Art Festival was overrun with dogs this year — the inflatable kind designed to be walked on leashes.
The Minnesota Nice Dog Company brought inflatable dog balloons which were the size of a corgi. Each balloon had four expanding folding paper paws which bounced on the ground like real dog paws when the balloon was walked like a dog on its leash.
The balloons were an eye-catcher on all three days of the festival. The Minnesota Nice Dog Company did a great job of popularizing the doggie balloons by giving a number away to small children at the event.
Awards
The Blueberry/Art Festival handed out awards in four categories to this year’s vendors.
 In the Market Place category, the first-place booth was AK’s Homemade Treats. Second place was Fair Haven and third place was Fresh Dried Snacks.
 In the Crafts category, the first-place winner was the Guild of the Guilded Hilt. Second place in Crafts went to the Forging Community and third place was Levandowski Pottery.
 First place in the Maker category was Morning Glory Creations. Second place went to Woven Tuna and third place was awarded to Northern Sights.
 In the Art category, first place went to Nyquist Photography. Second place was awarded to Steven Sutton and third place was taken by A Piece of Me Studios.