COBB— Hundreds attended the first annual Blackberry COBBler Festival which took place beneath majestic shade trees and amidst rustic structures at the Whispering Pines Resort in Cobb Mountain Saturday.
The Cobb School Science Camp offered cotton candy and lemonade while other vendors offered barbecue, cobbler and a variety of jams. Many event-goers sat around a large picnic table, talking and eating with their families and friends while listening to live music provided by the Cobb Stompers, a “down-home” string band. The expert blend of banjo, guitar and fiddle lent perfectly to the atmosphere of the event. Vendor booths displaying a variety of unique arts and crafts lined the path and children of all ages were seen swinging on swing sets, exploring buildings and enjoying the park settings.
Jessica Pyska, an organizer of the event and member of the Cobb Area Council (CAC), stated that the Blackberry Cobbler Festival was primarily sponsored by Calpine, but had many other sponsors as well. She demonstrated this by turning around and displaying the back of her t-shirt which listed over a dozen donors. She added that all proceeds will go back into the Economic Development fund to be used for future CAC economic development projects.
Cathy McCarthy, another organizer of the event, stated that CAC “wanted to move past fire recovery and back into the mode of celebrating what’s good about Cobb”. Both organizers agreed that reviving the tradition of festivals on Cobb Mountain was one way to draw people back to the area. Pyska, who just finished rebuilding after the Valley Fire, added that local businesses lost a lot and were still struggling. “These festivals are a way to begin economic recovery.” In addition, she stated, “We need to start having fun around here”.
The Whispering Pines Resort is a property owned and operated by the Strickler family for over five generations. Jake Strickler said that the family donated the use of the property for this event and added that he and his family were happy to see such a large turn-out.
“Cobb and the community needs this,” he said.
All participants interviewed remarked about the incredible turn-out for the event. Jen Basque, an event participant from Clearlake Oaks, stated that the place was adorable and that she was having a great time. She also mentioned that “It reminds me of a Hallmark Movie”. Kevin Luhr, from Cobb Mountain, agreed with Basque and added that the “energy is great”. Bobbi Moffatt, another participant from Hidden Valley stated that “there is something special about Cobb people” and also remarked that this time of year is absolutely amazing. It reminded her that she needed to visit Cobb more frequently. Pyska, with a huge smile, ended the interview by stating, “We’re back”.
