This Saturday, the streets of downtown Poplarville will be filled with vendors, local residents and visitors for two events, the Blueberry Jubilee and “Thunder in the Pearl,” a Professional Cowboy Association rodeo.
According to Jubilee history, listed on the event website, in 1983, Mary Hough and Mimi Montieth envisioned a festival to showcase Pearl River County and the jewel of the south, the blueberry.
According to the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council’s website, blueberries are low in fat, filled with vitamin C and dietary fiber and are an excellent source of manganese which plays a role in bone development and converting proteins, carbohydrates and fats into energy.
In 1974, the United States Department of Agriculture declared July as National Blueberry Month, the website states.
The first Jubilee was held in 1984 on the lawn of the Pearl River County Courthouse. Since that time, the event has grown to include more than 200 arts and crafts booths and attracts more than 10,000 visitors annually, the Blueberry Jubilee website states.
The day begins at 7:30 a.m. with a one-mile fun run and a 5K run at 8 a.m.
The Jubilee will also feature a car show, live entertainment, a baby crawl, food vendors, USDA wagon tours, blueberry products and storytelling.
For the past nine years, “Thunder in the Pearl,” PCA rodeo has been held in conjunction with the Jubilee.
This year, the rodeo will be held tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
Event coordinator Adrain Lumpkin said there will be about nine events, including bareback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team roping and bull riding.
Participants from five states will be competing in these categories, he said.
There will also be a calf scramble and clown acts for the children to participate in, Lumpkin said.
“The rodeo is exciting and provides great family entertainment,” he said.
Admission to the rodeo is $10 for adults and a ticket for children ages 6 to 10 costs $5. Admission is free for children five and under.
Learn more about the Blueberry Jubilee through Facebook at Blueberry Jubilee and www.blueberryjubilee.org.