Middleboro festival combines love for cranberries and autumn
Aubrey Roe, 7, feeds an alpaca. 
Festival attendees shop at a condiment vendor. 
Shoppers browse jewelry by one of the vendors at Crantoberfest in front of Middleboro Town Hall Oct. 11. Photos by Grace Roche
A group of children pet one of the rabbits at the festival. 
Leilani Dalpe (right) announces the winners of the baking contest. 
The panel of judges tase test cranberry-flavored baked goods.
Aubrey Roe, 7, feeds an alpaca.
Festival attendees shop at a condiment vendor.
Shoppers browse jewelry by one of the vendors at Crantoberfest in front of Middleboro Town Hall Oct. 11. Photos by Grace Roche
A group of children pet one of the rabbits at the festival.
Leilani Dalpe (right) announces the winners of the baking contest.
The panel of judges tase test cranberry-flavored baked goods.
MIDDLEBORO — Cranberry lovers of all ages gathered on the front lawn of Middleboro Town Hall for berry-themed activities, shopping and fun at Crantoberfest.
The event, held Oct. 11, was organized by the tourism committee and featured vendors, animals, food and drinks along with three competitions — a baking tournament, trivia and a costume contest.
Crantoberfest had been a yearly event, but was not held last year.
Leilani Dalpe rejoined the tourism committee as chair two months ago, and said she wanted to restart the event that had last been held in 2023.
She said the committee is working to get the town’s tourism appeal back to pre-pandemic levels, including reintroducing Crantoberfest.
Because Middleboro is the self-proclaimed “cranberry capitol of the world,” she said it made sense to combine it with Oktoberfest for a regional twist on the fall celebration.
“We had to start a lot of stuff over from the beginning, because when COVID hit, tourism took a major hit, so a lot of stuff just went away for those years,” Dalpe said. “This event kind of fell off, but we’re bringing it back.”
She said the most difficult part of drawing visitors was informing them the event would be held again this year, as many thought it no longer existed.
Despite the challenges, however, she said the town’s tourism is now back in “full swing.”
Dalpe said people arrived at the festival an hour before it started, and she was pleased with the turnout.
“People started coming at 11 a.m., and it’s been a steady stream, and everybody seems to be happy,” she said.
One vendor, Stephanie Thomas of Middleboro, said attendance this year seemed lower than in past years, but was happy her business could return to the event.
“That’s okay, because they didn’t have it last year, so people are still trying to catch up to it,” Thomas said.
The co-owner of Levy Thomas Style Photography said she has been attending the event for several years, and not only as a vendor.
Thomas is also a baker, something she said brings her peace and relaxation, and has entered her baked goods in several past Crantoberfests. This was her third time competing, but said it was her first time placing.
Other vendors in attendance offered hand-made art, clothes, food and more. Two tents also had animals — rabbits and alpacas — visitors could pet.
First time visitor Aubrey Roe, 7, came to the festival with her aunt and said the animals were her favorite part of the day, particularly “petting the bunnies.”
