It’s boysenberry time! Knott’s Berry Farm has held its annual Boysenberry Festival every spring since 2014 (minus 2020), but this was my first year experiencing it. Considering this berry is part of the official theming of the Berry Farm, this event feels very Knott’s. And I loved it.
Like previous Taste events at Knott’s, the ticket price ($45) includes admission, parking, and a QR code which can be redeemed for five “tasting size” dishes at various festival booths. Keep reading to see which items I got, and see the video at the bottom of this post where I go over the full (vegan) menu.
beyond meatballs with a boysenberry bbq sauce over cauliflower cilantro rice with pita bread
sutter’s grill / ghost town, grizzly creek lodge / ghost town
This was one of my favorite dishes I’ve had at Knott’s Berry Farm! I think it was also the first Boysenberry-themed dish I’ve ever had, and I already loved experiencing the boysenberry flavor incorporated in an unexpected way. I would have liked regular rice, and maybe no pita and an extra meatball. But overall this was a great item, and I considered getting a double order!
boysenberry balsamic brussels sprouts
boardwalk bbq / boardwalk
These boysenberry brussels sprouts are another favorite of mine. I’ve seen them at multiple Knott’s events, and will order them every time! The boysenberry balsamic glaze is delicious, and these were fresh, juicy brussels sprouts. Served with a lemon wedge.
popcorn with a boysenberry butter
coasters popcorn cart / boardwalk, mine stage popcorn cart / ghost town
The boysenberry popcorn was pretty tasty, but quite messy to eat! I might have preferred if they had infused their regular butter with boysenberry, or added a boysenberry seasoning. This was served with a squirt of a jelly-like substance, and I sat and ate it in one sitting so I could wash my hands afterward. I’m glad I tried it, but would go for regular popcorn next time.
boysenberry ice dippin’ dots
ghost town bakery / ghost town, grizzly creek lodge, ghost town
This was my first experience with Dippin’ Dots, after clearing up some confusion about which flavors are vegan or not! Typically, Dippin’ Dots ICE flavors are vegan, except for the ones that include popping candy. I enjoyed the boysenberry flavor, especially once it got a little melty, but I’ve since been back to try the rainbow ice and I think I prefer it slightly more. But I would get this again, especially because boysenberry is the iconic flavor of Knott’s!
boysenberry lemon & almond loaf
grizzly creek lodge / ghost town, ghost town bakery / ghost town, charleston circle coffee / boardwalk
I’m always excited to see what vegan baked goods Knott’s comes up with, especially since other theme parks seem to overlook vegan options when it comes to desserts! I’ve enjoyed other vegan bakery items from Knott’s, and the flavor of this loaf was good, but it was a bit dry – a complaint I heard from others as well. I took most of mine home and added a few drops of water before microwaving it the next day, which helped. After about a week, Knott’s changed the recipe of this item and it ended up not being vegan for most of the festival.
All in all it was a great festival, and these were some of my favorite foods from Knott’s so far! I also loved the cohesive theme, and look forward to trying more vegan boysenberry dishes next year. If you missed my video covering the festival, check it out on YouTube below:
vegan DYNAMITE 
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