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2026 Lexington Blueberry Festival cancelled due to flooding

Important announcement: the 2026 Lexington Blueberry Festival has been cancelled due to flooding and unsafe conditions at Lexington Community Park. Still going ahead: Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings on Thursday 20 August at 6:30 PM at Heartland Church; the Queen's Luncheon on Sunday 23 August at The Blueberry Patch; and the Sunday Funday Parade on Sunday 23 August at 2:00 PM.
Miss Berry Sweetheart Photo Contest
Still open, and it closes soon

Voting is still open in the Miss Berry Sweetheart Photo Contest

The contest was not affected by the flooding. Voting closes Wednesday, August 19 at 11:59 PM, and the six winners, one in each division, are announced on Thursday night at the ceremony.

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For Immediate Release

2026 Lexington Blueberry Festival Canceled Due to Flooding and Safety Concerns

Several Festival Traditions Will Continue at Alternate Locations

LEXINGTON, OHIO — August 17, 2026 — It is with heavy hearts that the Lexington Blueberry Festival announces that the 2026 Lexington Blueberry Festival, scheduled for August 20–23, has been canceled due to flooding and unsafe conditions at Lexington Community Park.

Following the recent flooding and after careful evaluation of conditions in the park, the City of Lexington and the Festival Committee have decided that the festival cannot proceed in the park due to safety concerns. While this is certainly not the announcement any of us hoped to make, the safety of our guests, volunteers, vendors, performers, participants, and community must always come first.

We know how much the Lexington Blueberry Festival means to our community. It is more than four days of activities, it is a tradition that brings families, friends, neighbors, local businesses, volunteers, and visitors together every summer. Our volunteers have spent countless hours preparing for this year's celebration, and we share the disappointment of everyone who was looking forward to joining us.

Although the festival itself has been canceled, several very special Lexington Blueberry Festival traditions WILL still take place.

Read the full announcement Show less

👑 Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings — Thursday Night

The 2026 Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings will still be held Thursday evening, August 20, at Heartland Church in Lexington, Ohio at 6:30 PM. We look forward to celebrating our contestants and officially welcoming our new 2026 Miss Blueberry title holders.

🫐 Queen's Luncheon — Sunday Morning

The 9th Annual Queen's Luncheon will still take place on Sunday morning, August 23, at The Blueberry Patch. We are excited to continue this special tradition and celebrate with our newly crowned 2026 Miss Blueberry title holders and invited guests. *Please note that this is a ticketed event.

🎉 Sunday Funday Parade — Sunday at 2:00 PM

And we're not giving up on one of our community's favorite traditions! The Sunday Funday Parade WILL take place at 2:00 PM on Sunday, August 23. We invite the community to come out, line the parade route, wave, cheer, and help us bring a little Blueberry Festival spirit to Lexington despite the circumstances.

We are incredibly grateful for the understanding, patience, and support of our community during this unexpected situation. We also want to thank our sponsors, vendors, entertainers, volunteers, participants, community partners, and everyone who has worked so hard preparing for the 2026 festival.

This may not be the Blueberry Festival weekend we planned, but the heart of the Lexington Blueberry Festival has always been our community and that spirit is still very much alive.

We hope you'll join us for the crownings Thursday night at 6:30 PM, the Queen's Luncheon Sunday morning, and especially along the streets of Lexington for the Sunday Funday Parade at 2:00 PM.

Thank you for supporting the Lexington Blueberry Festival and for helping us put safety first. We look forward to celebrating the traditions we can still share together this year and to welcoming everyone back for an even sweeter and our biggest festival ever next year as we celebrate our 25th Anniversary.

Lexington Blueberry Festival Lexington, Ohio lexblueberryfest.com
Events Still Going On This Year

Three traditions we're keeping

Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings 2026
Thursday Night

Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings

The 2026 Miss Blueberry Pageant Crownings go ahead as planned. Come and watch our contestants take their titles, and see the Miss Berry Sweetheart Photo Contest winners, one in each of the six divisions, announced on the night.

Open to the public. Everyone is welcome, no ticket needed.

  • Thursday, August 20, 2026 · 6:30 PM
  • Heartland Church, Lexington, Ohio
Pageant details
2026 Queen’s Luncheon
Sunday Morning

9th Annual Queen's Luncheon

The Queen's Luncheon still goes ahead, celebrating our newly crowned 2026 title holders with invited guests.

Invitation only, and now full. If you have been invited, your place is unaffected by the cancellation and the details you were given still stand.

  • Sunday, August 23, 2026
  • The Blueberry Patch
Sunday Funday Parade, Lexington Blueberry Festival
Sunday Afternoon

Sunday Funday Parade

The parade is going ahead exactly as planned. Same route, same time. Come and line the streets, wave, cheer, and help us bring a little Blueberry Festival spirit to Lexington.

Free and open to everyone. Just turn up.

  • Sunday, August 23, 2026 · 2:00 PM
  • Downtown Lexington
Parade details
Questions

The things people are asking

Is the whole festival cancelled?

Yes. All four days, Wednesday August 20 through Sunday August 23, are cancelled at Lexington Community Park. That includes the rides and games, the food and craft vendors, all live entertainment, the Car & Bike Show, the Home Run Derby and volleyball, the Blue Lights & Bubbles Parade, and the fireworks.

Three traditions are still going ahead away from the park: the pageant crownings, the Queen's Luncheon and the Sunday Funday Parade.

Why was it cancelled?

Flooding at Lexington Community Park, and the unsafe conditions it left behind. After evaluating the park, the City of Lexington and the Festival Committee decided the festival could not safely go ahead there.

Did you try to reschedule or move the festival?

Yes. We looked at a later date, a different site, and a smaller festival somewhere else. None of them worked. Rides, entertainment, vendors, insurance and permits are all committed months ahead to specific dates and one place.

What we could save, we did. The crownings, the Queen's Luncheon and the Sunday Funday Parade are all still going ahead.

Are the pageant crownings still happening?

Yes. Thursday, August 20 at 6:30 PM at Heartland Church in Lexington, not at the park.

The ceremony is open to the public and no ticket is needed. Everyone is welcome to come and celebrate the 2026 title holders. The six Miss Berry Sweetheart Photo Contest winners, one in each division, are also announced that night.

Is the Sunday Funday Parade still on?

Yes, and nothing about it has changed. Sunday, August 23 at 2:00 PM through downtown Lexington, same route as planned. Free to watch, just turn up and line the street.

Can I still get a place at the Queen's Luncheon?

No. The Queen's Luncheon is an invitation-only event and it is already full. If you were invited, your place still stands and the cancellation does not affect it.

Is photo contest voting still open?

Yes. Voting in the Miss Berry Sweetheart Photo Contest closes Wednesday, August 19 at 11:59 PM.

There are six winners, one in each division: Baby Miss, Wee Miss, Little Miss, Jr. Miss, Miss and Miss Teen. All six are announced on Thursday night at the crownings.

I paid to enter something. What happens now?

Admission to the festival was always free, so there is nothing for the general public to claim back.

If you are a vendor, entertainer, or attraction, a member of the Festival Committee is contacting you directly. If you entered the Car & Bike Show or the Blue Lights & Bubbles Parade, a committee member will also be in touch with you directly.

If you have not heard from anyone by the end of the week, please email us and we will make sure the right person picks it up.

Will there be a festival next year?

Yes, and it will be our 25th Anniversary. We are already planning our biggest festival yet for 2027.

Who do I contact?

Email info@lexblueberryfest.com and we will get your question to the right person.

Thank you for your understanding and support. We'll see you along the route on Sunday, and back at the park in 2027 for our 25th Anniversary.

info@lexblueberryfest.com