Volunteer With Us.

The Lexington Blueberry Festival is a community-run, all-volunteer-powered event. Without the people who show up to help, the festival simply does not happen.

When you volunteer, you become part of the team that:

• Welcomes thousands of festival visitors to Lexington Community Park
• Keeps the grounds running smoothly across five festival days
• Supports local vendors, performers, and pageant contestants
• Helps the festival hit its 501(c)(3) nonprofit mission of celebrating our community

You also get to see the festival from behind the scenes, meet other locals who care about Lexington, and earn the bragging rights of having helped make it happen.

We need volunteers for all kinds of jobs across the festival. Some are active and physical, some are calmer and friendly. When you sign up you can list your preferences and we will match you as best we can.

Roles include:

• Setup & teardown — helping put the festival up before opening and break it down after.
• Info booth — greeting visitors, answering questions, handing out maps.
• Parking attendants — directing cars in the parking lots, especially on Saturday.
• Vendor support — helping vendors find their booth spaces, hauling, and check-in.
• Parade staging — helping line up entries before the Thursday and Sunday parades.
• Kids zone — supervising games, train rides, and activities for children.
• Main stage support — helping with performers, scheduling, and audience flow.
• Pageant support — helping with the Miss Blueberry Pageant on Saturday August 8.
• Fireworks viewing crew — managing crowd flow during Saturday night fireworks.
• Cleanup crew — keeping the park looking great throughout the day.

If none of these jump out at you, sign up anyway. We always need flexible helpers and you can pitch in wherever you fit best.

Volunteering is a gift you give to the community, but the festival takes care of its volunteers in return:

• Free festival admission on the day you volunteer.
• Official festival T-shirt — yours to keep after the festival.
• Behind-the-scenes access to areas guests do not see. A real look at how the festival comes together.
• A volunteer check-in area at the Main Office where you can rest, grab water, or reset.
• Community hours documentation for students, scouts, and groups who need volunteer hour records.
• First pick of merchandise when available.
• The good feeling that comes from helping run something the whole town celebrates.

The festival runs across five days in August 2026. Volunteer needs vary by day:

• Saturday August 8 — Miss Blueberry Pageant. Volunteers help with pageant logistics at Heartland Church.
• Thursday August 20 — Opening Night. Crownings, the Blue Lights & Bubbles Parade, and the Brightspeed Stage opening.
• Friday August 21 — Car & Bike Show and Brightspeed Stage. Big crowds, lots of moving pieces.
• Saturday August 22 — The Big Day. SORELLE headliner, fireworks at 10 PM, and the largest crowds of the festival.
• Sunday August 23 — Sunday Funday. The Sunday Parade at 2 PM, visiting royalty, and the festival close.

Typical shifts are 3 to 4 hours long. You can sign up for one shift or multiple shifts across multiple days. When you fill out the form, list your availability and we will work around it.

There is also a need for setup volunteers in the days before the festival opens and teardown volunteers on Monday after.

Volunteers age 16 and older can volunteer solo (no parent required).

Younger helpers are absolutely welcome, but they need a parent or guardian volunteering alongside them. We love seeing families volunteer together. Kids often help with the kids zone, info booths, or by shadowing a parent at their shift.

Groups are encouraged. Churches, scouts, school clubs, sports teams, and workplace groups all volunteer at the festival each year. If you want to coordinate a group sign-up, indicate that on the form and we will help you cluster your shifts so your group works together.

You do not need to know anyone, you do not need experience, and you do not need to be in great shape (though some roles are more physical than others).

Here is what to expect on your first shift:

• Show up to the Main Office about 15 minutes before your shift starts.
• Check in with the volunteer coordinator and pick up your T-shirt if you have not received it yet.
• Get a quick briefing on your role for the shift.
• Be paired with a returning volunteer who can show you the ropes (when possible).
• Take breaks as needed. There is no martyrdom required.

If anything feels overwhelming or unclear, ask. Festival staff and seasoned volunteers are happy to help.

Most volunteer roles are simple enough that we explain them at the start of your shift. No advance training needed.

A few specialized roles get an optional pre-festival training session in early August. These include:

• Parade staging coordinators
• Kids zone leaders
• Main stage support leads

If you are interested in one of those roles, indicate it on the signup form and we will let you know the training time. Training is one or two hours and is optional, not required.

Many of our volunteers are students, scouts, or members of organizations that require volunteer hour records. We are happy to provide:

• Signed verification of your hours after your shift
• A letter on festival letterhead if your school or organization requires one
• Sign-in and sign-out tracking so your hours are accurate

When you sign up, mention you need community service hours documented and bring any required forms with you to the Main Office on the day you volunteer.