By Charly SHELTON

Knott’s Berry Farm knows how to throw a food festival and this year, it’s going bigger than ever to celebrate the 10th anniversary of its Boysenberry Festival. With more than 80 different boysenberry-infused dishes and drinks to offer, this festival proves yet again why Knott’s remains the theme park founded on food. Running daily through April 27, and select dates through May 18, this year’s event blends new creations with returning favorites, all centered on that famous little berry that started it all.

Tasting cards remain the best way to navigate the festival with six-taste samplers for $55. The portions are generous, often leaning well beyond what one might expect from a theme park tasting event. It’s not just a nibble-and-go setup here; some of these dishes could pass as full meals, making the card a strong value.

Sweet treats always impress at the Boysenberry Festival – particularly the boysenberry-stuffed French toast with cream cheese – which was one of the most intense and satisfying treats. It’s rich, thick and decadently sweet with just enough berry jam to balance out the creamy filling and fluffy bread. It’s the kind of dessert that could easily anchor your entire visit, both in flavor and fullness.

On the savory side, the boysenberry chili over mac ‘n’ cheese offers an unexpectedly balanced blend of sweet and savory. Real boysenberries stud the chili, bringing bursts of berry flavor that complement the rich mac ‘n’ cheese base and crunchy Fritos topping. It’s hearty, satisfying and one of the most unique bites on offer.

Not every dish is a home run, though. The Hawaiian bread with boysenberry cream cheese garlic spread was a bit of a mismatch, feeling more like a last-minute experiment than a cohesive dish. But with so many other strong contenders, it’s a minor blip in an otherwise delicious lineup.

Dessert lovers will find a lot of new treats to enjoy, from chocolate-dipped bunuelos with soft serve boysenberry ice cream to boysenberry cheesecake crisp pie to a boysenberry pie stuffed cookie, and more. And for returning savory foods, the boysenberry honey garlic wings make another appearance as does the ever-popular boysenberry elote, and the iconic boysenberry sausage on a purple bun – but this time, it’s two feet long!

The best of the fest, however, is undeniably The Stack. We were invited to the preview event a couple of weeks ago to sample some of the new foods before the festival opened, and that was our first encounter with The Stack – boysenberry cornbread, boysenberry barbecued pulled pork, boysenberry slaw and a boysenberry drizzle. After sampling some of the other new options across the park, we returned to try The Stack and verify its supremacy as the greatest Knott’s Berry Farm food (which places it high in the running for greatest food in the world). Sure enough, even when compared against all the amazing foods we tried throughout the festival, The Stack is still the greatest thing ever served at Knott’s Berry Farm – dare I say even better than Mrs. Knott’s chicken!

In addition to the eats, the festival brings back live entertainment, shows and artisan crafts in Ghost Town. But make no mistake – the food is the star of the show.

With big portions, inventive use of ingredients and that unmistakable boysenberry flair, Knott’s Boysenberry Festival continues to raise the bar. After 10 years, it’s clear that this has surpassed just a seasonal celebration – it’s a full-fledged festival worthy of the berry that started it all. 

Visit Knotts.com for tickets and more information.