Active Page Article September, 2023
Annual Blackberry Tea
Galiano Island is home to several varieties of blackberries. The native Bramble type is often found on trails and the Himalayan variety (an invasive species) is often found bordering roads and gardens. The Himalayan variety has larger, later developing berries that are more protected by thorns.
For decades now, the Galiano Club has been holding a Blackberry Festival on the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend. The Blackberry Tea is the main fundraiser of the Galiano Club, and the money raised goes to support the community hall and parks. This year the festival happens on October 7th.
Volunteers spend the week up to the festival making and freezing a variety of pies. At the Festival you can purchase whole pies, which are fresh or frozen. Plus soup and bread are served along with slices of pie, and ice cream. Last year volunteers made 200 pies.
It looks like there will be an abundant crop of blackberries this year. (Thankfully the tent caterpillars didn’t get them.)
You can help support the Galiano Club by picking blackberries. Freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to a Ziploc bag. (Blackberries can be dropped off on Monday Soup Days, or by contacting Alison.) We also need pie-making volunteers in the week before the festival. No experience is necessary – and if you want to learn how to make a pie, I guarantee you will know how by the end of the day. Plus we need volunteers to serve and clean up on Saturday October 7th.
We will be accepting pre-orders for pies again this year. Email the galianoclub@gmail.com with your request. We usually have Blackberry, Blackberry & Apple, Blackberry & Peach, Apple Cinnamon or Maple Pumpkin Pies. Pies are $20 each.
It’s always a wonderful community event. Thank you to the Galiano community for supporting the Blackberry Festival.