Unique Handcrafted Treasures & Food Truck Delights at the Annual Blueberry Art Festival in Ely, Minnesota

Updated: Oct 3

Shop, eat, and explore your way through the Blueberry Art Festival in Ely, Minnesota.

When it's the summer and fall, festivals are happening everywhere! It can be hard to keep up on finding out which ones are a must stop and see. If you're looking for hand crafted art and delicious food, then you definitely need to put the Blueberry Art Festival in Ely, Minnesota on your list!

The Blueberry Art Festival is an event held by the Ely Chamber of Commerce in Ely. Minnesota. It's a large event with more than 260 talented artists and 30 food vendors. For the year 2025, the Blueberry Art Festival has claimed it's 45th year with dates already set for next year. This 3-day event attracts 30,000-40,000 shoppers from all over. With that many artists, food vendors and shoppers, you know it will be a fun event and you will definitely find something you'll like. What you'll find includes home decor, apparel, paintings and photography, kids toys, and so much more. The Blueberry Art Festival has gained so much attraction that it has been nominated in USA Today as Best Fall Festival for 3 years!

Food trucks galore! All that shopping can make anyone hungry. Eat a savory lunch, treat yourself with a dessert or get a snack with a drink to cool down. You'll find unique stops that you won't find anywhere else. A popular food truck that is a must for receiving a shout out is the Bob-a-Q Smokehouse & Grill. Especially, if you're looking for good tender smoked meat with sauce to match. You don't want to miss this food truck! If you missed out on trying them, don't worry. Besides traveling to other events, Bob-a-Q Smokehouse & Grill had officially opened their main location the summer of 2025 in Two Harbors, Minnesota. You can also buy their sauces at local stores that are listed on their website or order online.

The Blueberry Art Festival has such a wide variety of food to choose from that you'll want to try it all! You can also head over to the outdoor log wood canopy building to get shade, listen to live music, and eat blueberry pie! The Blueberry Art Festival is Free Admission for all 3 days of the event. If you were too full to try a food item, you can come back the next day to please your palate.

Ruhland's Strudel Haus food truck featuring the Apple Strudel

My Experience

I have been to many art festivals and the Blueberry Art Festival is definitely one of the best that I have been to. The pure talent and quality that these artists have is impressive. The food was fantastic! Everyone, including the shoppers, were so nice and friendly to talk too.

It was hard trying to watch my budget on spending. Going back through the videos and pictures that I took, I have been seeing stuff that I regret not buying. It was truly impressive finding the craftsmanship that many of these artists have.

The food was amazing! If I was able to, I would have came back for all 3 days of the event to try it all. To start, Bob-a-Q Smokehouse & Grill was some of the best smoked meat barbecue I have ever had. The sauce was on point with no flavors over powering the other. I savored every bite of the tender smoked beef brisket. Stopping at their new location in Two Harbors, Minnesota is definitely at the top of my list the next time I'm there to visit. For a sweet treat, I tried the Apple Strudel at Ruhland's Strudel Haus. You can never go wrong with apple but, boy was that good! The crust was flaky thick buttery and they didn't skimp on the apple filling. It made me want to try the other flavors like the Strawberry/Rhubarb and even the more savory flavors like the Reuben. If you missed them at the Blueberry Art Festival, you can go to their website and place an order at their Ruhland's Strudel Haus Kitchen located in St. Paul, Minnesota or visit one of the various market shops in Minnesota. For an ice cold treat, I made a stop at the Frozen Tundra food truck. It was so refreshing to have on a hot day like it was. The cold and the sweet really hit the spot. This is a small family business, so keep your eyes out to give them a try the next time you're at the Blueberry Art Festival or in town of Ely, Minnesota.

It was a true joy visiting the town of Ely, Minnesota and going to the Blueberry Art Festival. Everyone there was having a good time and were so friendly socializing. It was fun learning about how some artists got into doing what they do. Some travel to different events, some are local, and some have their own shops. The variety of artistic treasures were endless. It's impossible to find something that you wouldn't like. Be sure to visit the Ely Chamber of Commerce website for proper dates of next years Blueberry Art Festival.

Be sure to check back on my social media for more of the latest photos and videos!

Locations

Blueberry Art Festival

Westside Park

Ely, MN. 55731

www.ely.org

Ely Chamber of Commerce

1600 E Sheridan St.

Ely, MN. 33731

www.ely.org

Bob-a-Q Smokehouse & Grill

502 7th Ave.