The vibrant and flavorful Boysenberry Festival officially launched Friday at Knott’s Berry Farm, ushering in one of Southern California’s most anticipated culinary celebrations of the spring season.
The popular annual event, running March 13 through April 12, 2026, honors the boysenberry, a hybrid fruit created by crossing raspberries, blackberries, and loganberries that holds a special place in the park’s history. Visitors can explore dozens of dishes, beverages, and desserts inspired by the deep purple berry, with many offerings created exclusively for the festival.
Culinary highlights this year feature inventive sweet and savory creations incorporating the fruit, including boysenberry-glazed bulgogi, brisket served over mac and cheese, sausages paired with boysenberry mustard, and an array of pies and pastries. Specialty beverages range from boysenberry lemonades to craft beers and cocktails showcasing the tart berry.
Beyond the food, the festival offers live music, themed entertainment, competitions, locally crafted goods, and family-oriented activities celebrating the park’s agricultural heritage.
The celebration traces its significance to the 1930s, when Walter Knott became the first to commercially cultivate boysenberries, selling them at his farm stand starting in 1932. The berries drew repeat visitors eager to taste the unique fruit, helping establish what would eventually become the renowned theme park.
The boysenberry itself was originally developed by horticulturist Rudolph Boysen, who successfully crossed various berry species to create the hybrid that now lends its name to the festival.
Today, the event connects the modern theme park experience with its farming roots, transforming the modest berry into the centerpiece of an expansive culinary adventure.
Admission requires a standard park entry ticket. Festival food and drinks are available for purchase separately, though visitors may opt for tasting cards allowing them to sample multiple specialties throughout the event grounds.
The Boysenberry Festival has grown into one of Knott’s Berry Farm’s signature annual events, blending gastronomy, history and entertainment to celebrate the fruit that started it all.
