St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is ready to ring in the start of summer with the return of its annual Strawberry Festival, which will see an estimated 5,500 people come out to the church on June 21 to enjoy tasty strawberry goods — a tradition four decades in the making.
People who come to this one-day outdoor festival in the middle of June can expect not only fresh strawberries by the quart for sale, but also an array of strawberry delights, including such treats as crepes, yogurt and homemade meat pies and jams. This year will mark the 40th anniversary of the church’s annual festival.
There will also be a silent auction and a dog park area, as well as live entertainment. For the kids, there will also be entertainment ranging from bouncy castles and obstacle courses to Lego blocks.
The fun, all-ages spirit of the event has been there from the beginning. The Strawberry Social, as it was then called, was put on by the St. Andrew’s Women’s Association in 1985. Back then, the event had shortcake, drinks, a bake sale and a silent auction.
The event has expanded since then, but it was from there that it developed into the event as it’s known today.
Doug Dineley, a property committee member at the church who has been involved with the festival from its first year, said the significance of strawberries is that they’re one of the first edible fruits that farmers can grow during a growing season.
Farmers can grow a lot of strawberries during a period when things aren’t so busy, making an early summer festival possible.
This is a constant every year, and Dineley said the treats on offer have remained the event’s most consistent tradition.
“As far as foodwise, the strawberries have probably been essentially the same for 39 years,” he said.
Planning for the festival happens months in advance. The first planning meeting for the event is usually in February, said Julie Hunter, another property committee chair and Strawberry Festival co-chair.
The first permits are applied for in March. By May, the process for getting the festival ready is usually a well-oiled machine.
“Everybody knows more or less what we have to do,” said Kathy Hunter, church member and the festival’s chair organizer, as well as a distant relative by marriage of Julie’s. “All hands are on deck and we hope everybody shows up.”
By the end of the event, after the rush of getting it together, Dineley said, “I’m glad it’s over,” with a big laugh.
All kidding aside, the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is thrilled by how many people come out every year. Dineley said he hopes people have a good time and that they also come away with a new appreciation for this well-known, locally grown fruit.
“We don’t want just strawberries; we want really good strawberries,” he said. “We want people to go home and remember how good the strawberries were.”
The event also helps raise money for St. Andrew’s, the festival venue, which has been at its current location since 1855.
The Strawberry Festival is taking place on Saturday, June 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. St. Andrew’s is located at 323 Simcoe St., just north of Centre Street.
