GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Looking for weekend plans? Don't be blue, Grand Rapids. Competitive eaters from across the country are coming to the city for one purpose on Saturday — to eat berry many berries.
Grand Rapids will soon host the first-ever Great American Blueberry Eating Championship. At noon on July 13, the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council is putting on the event during the Beer City Open pickleball tournament.
Spectators will watch as competitors eat as many blueberries as they can at Belknap Park, located at 30 Coldbrook Street NE.
It's fitting, as July is National Blueberry Month and blueberries are the official fruit of Major League Pickleball, organizers say.
Slated to compete are several top nationally-ranked professional eaters, including Geoffrey Esper from Oxford, MA (ranked #2); James Webb from Little Elm, TX (ranked #3); Nick Wehry from Tampa, FL (ranked #5); and Patrick Bertoletti from Chicago, IL (ranked #9).
Whoever eats the most blueberries in eight minutes will earn the championship title and the prize purse of $8,000.
They may even break the world record for most blueberries consumed in one sitting, officials say.
“Blueberry season is in full swing, and we are thrilled to add the quintessential summer fruit to Major League Eating’s 2024 slate of sanctioned competitions,” said MLE emcee Sam Barclay. “Some of our boldest and fastest competitors will be in attendance and sure to set an impressive World Record."
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