Hundreds gathered at the Fiorelli Winery on June 29 for the fourth annual Red, White and Blueberry Festival. The event raises money for Suncoast Charities for Children.
Food trucks fed the crowd. The wine and the band, One Night Rodeo, kept them dancing.
When the lead singer, Duane Allison, said the band was from Bradentucky, Jennifer Yelton felt right at home. Yelton is brand new to town from Kentucky, and she’s already found her new hangout.
“I’ll be coming back here before next year’s festival,” she said. “I love the wine.”
To wrap up the evening, Alison led the crowd in singing the national anthem before the sky lit up with fireworks.
As Courtney Weiland and her 7-year-old daughter Willow watch the fireworks, 5-year-old Brooklyn Cassarino and Susan West take a second to capture the moment.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Neighbors Grace Levering, Codi Lembo and Carol Felts live down the street from Fiorelli Winery.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The Red, White and Blueberry Festival is family friendly.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Jacob Smith, 9, cools down on the playground with a creamsicle.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Karen Gooden gets a video to remember the evening.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Matt and Becki Johnson are with Courtney Dakin and Sam Harmon under the Rock Your Roots Boutique tent. Becki Johnson owns the western boutique.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Daniel White takes his first pause after four hours of working in the Fiorelli food truck. The only items left for sale are hot dogs, sodas and chips. Everything else is sold out.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Palmetto residents Kordell Stewart and Annunziata Hernandez get lucky and score some cozy seats to watch the band and fireworks.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Bradenton residents JP and Sherein Patton own the Southern Smoked by JP food truck. It's a family business. All four of the couple's daughters help out as needed.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Parrish resident Parker Thielking, 9, sings along to the National Anthem before the fireworks begin.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Fireworks cap off the Red, White and Blueberry Festival on June 29.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Hundreds gather on the lawn for the Red, White and Blueberry Festival at Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard on June 29.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
The band, One Night Rodeo, had the crowd dancing to rock and country favorites.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Parrish residents Luca Hudson, 6, Parker Thielking, 9, and Nico Hudson, 9, take a quick break from the playground.
Photo by Lesley Dwyer
Ellenton resident Jennifer Yelton and Bradenton resident April Pyle enjoy Yelton's first Red, White and Blueberry Festival. She just moved from Kentucky.
Lesley Dwyer is a staff writer for East County and a graduate of the University of South Florida. After earning a bachelor’s degree in professional and technical writing, she freelanced for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Lesley has lived in the Sarasota area for over 25 years.
