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Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is back! The annual theme park food event returns March 18 to April 24, 2022. This year’s limited-time event features more than two dozen new savory foods, specialty desserts, and thirsty drink selections featuring the boysenberry as the prime sweet and tart fruit ingredient. But don’t worry, some old favorites return as well such as the boysenberry meatballs! We had the opportunity to sample just a few of the many delicious options. Ready?
Knott’s did not skip out on the gooey cheese factor ratio. Mix in the spicy chili to encompass the mac with more breathtaking flavors to the crunch of the Fritos chips and you have an instant favorite. Who doesn’t love Fritos?
This open faced sandwich is, to say the least, quite a mouthful. This would be a prime candidate to split amongst friends and family as the item on its own can be too heavy for one person alone. Didn’t really notice the boysenberry filling. But the bacon jam stood out.
All yes. A returning favorite for many, including myself. A boysenberry festival would not feel complete without the mouth-watering goodness of the boysenberry meatballs. This demands to be on everyone’s must-try list.
The chicken-less patty has a texture comparable to an imitation patty. Which is exactly what it is. At least this helps bump up the vegetarian option. The boysenberry jam contributes to the flavor.
Essentially and california sushi roll with boysenberry aioli. Although just fine on its own, compared to other surrounding tastings, unfortunately would be significantly low on the must-try list.
Another disappoint for the taste palate was the chicken dumplings. The wonton was on the mushy side and the chicken itself was bland and tasteless with little to no flavor. An easy skip unless you really like rice.
Longtime, eagle-eyed Knott’s Berry Farm fans may be delighted to spot the types of berries included with this lemonade drink. The boysenberry is a hybrid of blackberries, logan berries, and raspberries. So not only a fun sweet drink, but appropriately educational. It was delicious.
Crunchy yet moist, how could you go wrong with a brownie? The only way to make this sweet treat even better is maybe with some ice cream. But this dessert stands on its own.
There’s a lot of mousse and little cake to be had. But no complaints here. For whatever reason, slicing this cake with a knife felt pretty satisfying. Can absolutely be shared with two or three persons.
The pie bar is perhaps the cream of the crop when it comes to texture, portion ratio, and sweet but not overwhelming flavor. The crunchiness of the crumbs with the smooth pie filling begs to swim in your mouth.
Checkout the food spread for more items waiting to be featured during the festival:
The carbonated refreshment retained its bubbly flavors. Surely to be a new favorite given the growing popularity of flavored sparkling water brands.
What’s a food festival without some merchandise to go along with it? There’s both edible and wearable souvenirs to be picked up.
A great way to indulge in the new boysenberry food items during the festival is by purchasing a tasting card priced at $50 (or $45 for season pass holders). The tasting card will offer six tastings from a selection of 25 boysenberry-inspired dishes and drinks. A variety of signature boysenberry items will also be available for purchase a la carte. Tasting cards are available at Knotts.com or at the theme park.
The Boysenberry Festival is included with admission to Knott’s Berry Farm or with a special Knott’s Hotel Boysenberry Package that includes overnight accommodations steps from the park, a tasting card, parking and more. Additional costs apply for food tasting experiences within the event.
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival Events
The festival also offers endless entertainment throughout the park. From musical performances to fun interactive games, here is a list of what’s coming:
Join Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts Gang in the musical stage show Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree! The show is sure to have families dancing and singing along at the Calico Mine Stage.
Knott’s pays tribute to its past at the legendary Bird Cage Theatre with a special presentation of the brand-new comedy melodrama, Riverboat Revenge. All aboard for this boysenberry bon voyage!
Get in on the fun with some of the craziest and messiest games in Calico. Try your berry best in our Boysenberry Fun and Games, including the wildly entertaining Boysenberry Pie Eating Contest.
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. Old MacDonald’s Barn pays tribute to one of the farm’s original attractions.
A classic returns! Travel back to the ’80s as you dance the night away to the decade’s best songs at Knott’s Totally Tubular 80’s Dance Party.
Pull up a chair as our blues trio, the Boysenberry Blues, conjures up some of the smoothest tunes performing at the Boardwalk BBQ patio.
You can also grab a seat (and a plate!) at Fireman’s BBQ, where various musical duos take the stage with a selection of bluegrass and country tunes, they will have your toes a-tappin’ and your hands a clappin’!
Enjoy the sounds from South of the Border in Fiesta Village as the Mariachi Angelitas present a lively show filled with rich history and tradition.
