Except for the pandemic years, the small community of Bethel Island has hosted at least one festival or fair a year for decades. A few years back, they changed the name of their summertime ’50s Bash to the midfall Heart of the Delta Festival.

After not being able to host a show for the past couple of years, the Bethel Island Chamber of Commerce is again reinventing its annual event with a new theme. The Boats and Berries Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 24 at Bethel Island Community Park, next to Scout Hall. When asked why “boats and berries,” festival organizer Lori Castillo said the theme is all about what the island does best.

“We’re not an art-jazz-and-wine-festival community. That’s not who we are,” she said. “We are a small rural community with a boating problem. Lol!”

Many Bethel Islanders live on waterfront properties. Weekends are spent fishing, boating and wakeboarding. Castillo said that blackberries grow wild all over the island, so they decided to combine things that naturally occur on Bethel Island to make a new festival representative of the community.

“As our committee discussed events for the festival, we wanted to carry the blackberry theme throughout, which is why restaurants and our food and drinks at the festival will be blackberry-themed,” Castillo said.

The committee is even hosting a blackberry pie-eating contest during the event. Regarding the boat theme, Castillo said there will be specialty boats for viewing near the park. The committee will also bring back a community parade.

“Our parade is a street parade, and to me, nothing says ‘small town USA’ like a parade,” Castillo said. “We will have fire trucks, sheriff cars, CHP, Liberty High School Drumline, decorated golf carts, fancy cars and horses.”

The group decided to bring back festival favorites like the Rubber Duck Derby and the King and Queen contests. Castillo said that rubber ducks can be adopted for $5 until the committee sells out, and she believes some could be available at the festival.

“However, duckies need training time, and the sooner you adopt them the sooner we can start their rigorous training. This is the aquatic event of the year on Bethel Island,” she said. “PETA: Don’t come after their rubber duckies.”

Castillo is a longtime Bethel Island resident, and though she and her fellow islanders are excited about the new theme, everyone remembers the ’50s Bash.

“This does not replace the ’50s Bash. This is just new. It’s stressful at times,” she said. “My best memories were of festivals and parades from my small town. I’m always willing to help with events that keep that small town charm.”

She said she hopes everyone comes out to the Island to enjoy the show.

“I want everyone to descend on Bethel Island and see what an awesome community we have. I want people to say, ‘Wow, I wish those people were my neighbors,” she said. “We are awesome, and I want the world to see that.”

The festival will start with opening ceremonies from Roy Fredrich’s American Legion Post 202 from Brentwood as the color guard. Local cowgirl Zena Jean will sing the national anthem at 10 a.m. on the festival’s main state, and the parade will begin immediately afterward.

The pie-eating contest and berry toss will take place at 3 p.m. Other featured events include a performance by Mama Foxxy and the Gypsy Rebels, RC Boating and Racing at StarBoard Harbor, line dancing and lessons, karaoke, a dog show, a kids’ zone and food trucks.

Also Sept. 24: The Heart of Oakley Festival will return to Oakley Civic Center Plaza from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 24. This family-friendly event includes live music, artisan makers, food trucks, beer, wine and more. For more information, visit heartofoakleyfestival.com online.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.