Gwinnett Daily Post

NORCROSS -- One local city's fruit-filled summer is expected to give residents the blues.

Norcross's annual BluesBerry Festival will be held Saturday, featuring live music, beer and plenty of sweet treats, and adding another highlight just weeks after the annual Strawberry Stroll.

Both ideas stemmed from the city's popular farmer's market, which is held each Tuesday evening through the summer.

Spokeswoman Tixie Fowler said a local farmer one year had a bumper crop of strawberries and asked the city if anyone had ideas about how to sell them. Thus began the Strawberry Stroll.

A year later, the blueberry harvest was strong, so the farmer came back and the idea of merging the fruit festival with the blues was born.

"We found out that blues music has wide appeal and we got great attendance," Fowler said of the first year in 2010. Attendance doubled last year, so Fowler expects an even bigger crowd to come out and hear internationally acclaimed artist Little G Weevil, along with Truett Lollis and T-Grease Johnson.

The festival has also grown to incorporate a mini-beerfest at the Iron Horse Taven. Beginning at 4 p.m., the popular tavern will serve samplings from local Georgia breweries Monday Night brewing, Sweetwater Brewing Company, Terrapin Beer Company and Red Hare Brewing.

Fowler said downtown businesses have gotten into the spirit, offering specials like blueberry pancakes, and Bleu House Market on College Street will even have a luau pig roast.

"It's just sort of like so many things in Norcross. The energy keeps expanding," Fowler said.

The blues music will begin at 5:30 p.m. at a stage in Betty Maulding Park, located at the corner of Jones and Lawrenceville Streets in historic Norcross. Officials invite people to bring blankets and chairs.

For a complete festival schedule and details, visit www.aplacetoimagine.com.