Lynden Raspberry Festival is More than Just Fruit

It’s also sweat and shine. Sweat on little kids faces and shine on a row of vintage cars. The Raspberry Festival attracts thousands of visitors each year because it is a three-fer.

Several blocks of Front Street are closed off for a vintage car show, which leads into the vendors of the Raspberry Festival, which leads into the popular Curt Maberry 3 on 3 basketball tournament.

Other events may say they have something for everyone, this festival delivers. Cars? Check. Shopping local artisans? Check. Sports? Check. Food? Check. Live entertainment? Check. And raspberries? Of course.

The first thing to know is to come early if you hope to park close. Arriving at 10 am, just one hour after the festivities began and we parked four blocks away.

We spent a couple hours at the festival, beginning with the car show. The car show starts near the windmill at 7th and Front and continues west up Front street under a beautiful canopy of pin oaks that line either side of the street. Even on a warm day, the shade keeps things cool.

row of vintage cars at the Razz and Shine car show Lynden WA. Cars lining front street under canopy of pin oak trees

packard at Razz and Shine Car show Lynden WA with row of other cars with hoods propped open in the background. Pin oak trees in the distance.

Even cooler are the cars on display. Many are local but cars come from all over the region, including from neighboring B.C.

There is a good mix of antique (like a model T) to not so vintage like a pristine later model Corvette. We also saw Austin-Healey, Jaguar, Triumph’s, vintage Thunderbirds. One highlight was a 1970’s yellow station wagon previously owned by the Jackson 5 complete with a small TV in the passenger row.

manila yellow colored 1970's station wagon said to have been owned and used by the Jackson 5

I overheard someone say there were about 100 cars this year and we spent about 45 minutes strolling through. Expect to saunter as it can get busy. On top of that, this is a true small town where the person in front of you is apt to stop to chat with folks they know.

As we returned from our meander, we strolled through the vendor area where local artisans had tents set up street fair style. On offer were local honey’s, handmade jewelry, handcrafted soaps and body products, and other crafts.

lynden wa sign at start of downtown business area with multi colored flowers surrounding it. Vendor tents of the Raspberry festival are in the background.

view of front street business district during Raspberry festival. Closed to traffic, white tents are in the street. Sign for Car show and grey car in foreground. Windmill at the edge of photo.

A few local spirit producers, namely Samson Winery, Probably Shouldn’t Distillery, and Bellewood Acres were offering tastings of their potions. Fittingly there was a Raspberry wine, brandy, and vodka available as well as some blueberry flavored spirits.

Throughout the day, there is family friendly live entertainment on one of the side streets.

The last few blocks are occupied by the basketball tournament, so popular that it spills out into the sidestreets. Named after a local sports coach in the school district, the tournament has dozens of teams competing each year in all age groups.

If you’re hungry, food trucks were set up in the parking lot adjacent to the street vendors. The Lynden Dutch Bakery had a stand set up selling the popular Dutch treat Poffertjes (bite sized fluffy pancakes). And, every year you can get ice cream topped with raspberries, because, well that’s the name of this festival.

Don’t forget to pick up a box of berries while you’re there to take home. I have long been of the opinion that there is not much better in life than a fresh raspberry.

The Raspberry Festival is an annual event held in July. You can check this years dates at the Chamber of Commerce website. It is free to attend.