WHISPERING PINES, Calif. – Nearly 1,000 people turned out last Saturday for the inaugural Blackberry COBBler Festival, held among the pines on Cobb Mountain.

Event organizers anticipated that a few hundred locals would come out to enjoy the celebration; however, because it was widely publicized, people drove up from Napa and Sonoma counties, as well as from various corners of the Bay Area.

The designated parking areas along Gifford Springs Road were quickly filled and extra vehicles were pressed into service to shuttle attendees to the Whispering Pines Resort, where the event was held.

The level grounds of the resort were shaded by towering pines and provided cool respite on an otherwise hot day.

Kelly Stuckey of Cobb was the winner of the homemade blackberry cobbler contest; the judges chose her entry out of the 19 cobblers submitted.

It happens that Stuckey also baked the cobbler sold at the festival by the Cobb Mountain Lions, so those who enjoyed some that day had the privilege of eating blue ribbon cobbler.

Many who were there relaxed at tables while live music played, perhaps enjoying a glass of wine or a barbecue meal provided by the Cobb Mountain Lions Club. Others ambled along paths where local artisans and food purveyors sold their wares.

“The day was amazing and far exceeded our expectations,” said Jessica Pyska, chair of the economic development committee “What’s Up on Cobb?”, which organized the event. “It warmed my heart seeing so many people enjoying the simple pleasures of summer in a place they’d never visited.”

Many attendees had a history of vacationing at the Whispering Pines Resort and came to rekindle memories.

Pyska shared a story about a woman whose family had been vacationing for generations at a cabin there. She wanted to purchase one of the purple t-shirts worn by volunteers.

When learning they weren’t for sale, she said, “Then put me to work!”

After two hours of helping with parking, she was able to sport proudly a t-shirt of her own.

As one of the musicians said while performing, “The whole point of this event is to bring people back to Cobb.”

The sheer number of people who trekked up Cobb Mountain on Saturday to enjoy blackberry cobbler and festivities among the pines indicates the great success of their goal.

According to Pyska, also vice chair of the Cobb Area Council and a candidate for Fifth District supervisor, the committee is already compiling notes for next year’s festival.

Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.