SAULT STE. MARIE -- Sault Ste. Marie merchants are ramping up on their blueberry products, in an attempt to change up strategies on shopping local.
The Sault's Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic site is hosting a Blueberry Binge this week, along with several other stores downtown.
"We need to buy local, support local, get people downtown and blueberries makes it a perfect opportunity to do just that," said Kathy Fischer, Curator at the Ermatinger-Clergue.
Fischer says the site has held its own personal blueberry binge for the last 12 years, but has opened it up to five other businesses in the nearby downtown core for this year.
"That's really to help support those businesses," she said.
"Anyway we can help grow downtown, we're ready to do it."
The event comes right in the middle of blueberry season, tying in perfectly to the Mill Market's ongoing blueberry fest.
"It's been crazy all morning, we pretty much sold out of blueberries right away," said Suzanne Manchur, owner of mountain maple products.
Manchur says she's been selling blueberries from Wawa-based farm, Algoma Highlands for several years at the Mill Market.
"People love their blueberries, it's always popular and events like this make things even more exciting for them," she said.
That's also the case for Sault-based Thompson Strawberry Farm.
"Blueberries and blueberry products have really just been flying off the shelves, not just this week, but for the past few now," said Julie Hrycyk of Thompson Strawberry Farms.
"They're like gold right now and they're the sweetest natural candy you can get and for me, they remind me of childhood."
City Meat Market, Elliot's Ice Cream, Big Lake Cabin, the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, and the Old Stone House are all participating in the Blueberry Binge.
The event runs until August 22.
