Knott’s Boysenberry Festival 2018 Review: Event Runs Daily Through April 8th, 2018
Hi everyone!
We sent our Los Angeles area correspondents to media day for the 2018 Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival, an annual event in Buena Park, CA that celebrates the berry that led to the birth of the theme park. Running daily for a full 24 days this year, the Festival ends April 8th, 2018. Jeff and I will just be missing the event, hopefully next year! Knott’s even has its own hotel, so it makes it very convenient to stay (we haven’t, so that isn’t a recommendation based on experience, just location!). Here is a look at what you can find at the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival for 2018!
Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival, Photo by Carole Mumford
Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival, Photo by Carole Mumford
The Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival offers about 75 different boysenberry food and drink items for sale this year, including the internet-famous Knott’s Fun Bun, which – and I’ve not had one to explain it better – is like a deep fried cinnamon roll funnel cake. But each year there are new food items to try, and our correspondents were able to taste some of those and check out the entertainment for 2018 – including Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree, which is new for 2018. Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies are also a mainstay of the festival, and one of my favorite reasons to visit Knott’s Berry Farm – among many, of course. Don’t forget Festival merchandise, which includes Snoopy! While our correspondents didn’t visit the meet and greet with Snoopy and Woodstock, they were there too – and Snoopy joins other Peanuts characters in two shows during the festival.
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival T-Shirt, All Photos are by Carole Mumford
Knott’s Fun Bun, Photo by Carole Mumford
Similar to other theme park festivals I have attended, there is a sampler card for a special price. What is different about Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is that there are only 8 items of the 75 as part of the card. That said, this year Knott’s allows for doubling up on items if guests don’t want another item on the card. For example, our correspondents say some of their favorite items on the card were the Boysenberry Pierogies (#1), Boysenberry Elote and Boysenberry Sausage on a Bun (the latter was a very generously sized portion). The one item our reporters do not recommend is the Boysenberry Hummus with Grilled Pita Bread, none in the group of four liked that one. It was pretty much a “yes” to everything else they tried on the list of 8 items. Here are the items available on the card:
1) Slow Cooked Boysenberry Short Rib (Location: Inside Spurs Chophouse)
Boysenberry hoisin sauce, buttery basmati rice, chopped green onions
2) Boysenberry Pierogies (Location: Inside Spurs Chophouse)
Boysenberries, sautéed onions, Applewood smoked bacon, boysenberry sour cream
3) Boysenberry Cheese Quesadilla (Location: Outside Ghost Town Candy)
Mozzarella cheese, cotija cheese, boysenberry salsa, boysenberry sour cream
4) Boysenberry Elote (Location: Across from Gold Trails Hotel)
Corn on the cob, boysenberry mayonnaise, boysenberry butter
5) Boysenberry Coconut Macaroon (Location: Ghost Town Bakery)
Dipped in chocolate ganache
6) Boysenberry Hummus with Grilled Pita Bread (North of Sutter’s Grill)
Vegetarian
7) Boysenberry Sausage on a Bun (Location: Outside Wilderness Dance Hall)
Freshly baked roll, boysenberry ketchup, relish, mustard
8) Boysenberry Chicken Wings (Location: Outside Spurs Chophouse)
There is a lot of entertainment at Knott’s, especially during the Boysenberry Festival. Here is a list of what you will find:
- Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree! – Guests are invited to join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts Gang in a show that will have families dancing and playing along at the Calico Mine Stage.
- Old Time Melodrama – Knott’s pays tribute to its past at the Legendary Bird Cage Theatre with a special presentation of the musical comedy melodrama with a surprising boysenberry twist!
- Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies – A group of krazy talented performers will have guests toe-tappin’, vine dancin’ and knee-slappin’ to a comedic country music show at the Wagon Camp stage.
- Ghost Town Miners – The joy of scrumptious food and country music encompass guests as the Ghost Town Miners take the stage in a fun musical performance.
- Easter Beagle – Spring has sprung all around the park including in Camp Snoopy where guests can meet everyone’s favorite beagle as he celebrates the season.
- Ghost Town’s Town Hall– In honor of the famous berry that started it all, guests are invited to learn the history of the boysenberry and how Walter and Cordelia Knott started the Farm.
- Old MacDonald Petting Zoo – Young ones and young at heart are invited to cozy up to the cutest critters on the farm including horses, sheep, goats and other furry friends.
Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree! has a very old fashioned feel to it – it is also almost a half hour show. Knott’s Berry Farm offers a lot of entertainment, attractions and more so definitely give yourself a full day for it whether or not you are attending the Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival. The annual passes are a terrific deal as well if you are local and looking to attend more than one day in a year – the most expensive pass includes all the Cedar Fair parks, free parking and the best discounts on food and merchandise.
The Knott’s Berry Farm Boysenberry Festival is an event our correspondents look forward to all year round. The park itself is well worth a visit on its own whether an event is taking place or not, but this is a highlight of the calendar year for Knott’s Berry Farm. I am hoping to make it over to California next year for this event! And for anyone reading this who may visit Southern California but hasn’t been to Knott’s Berry Farm, it is less than 10 miles from Anaheim – very convenient, and we recommend Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant there as well.