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Cathy Meinhold:
Mattituck Lions Strawberry Festival Welcomes Summer
By
Cathy Meinhold
Published on
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Music | The East End | The North Fork
Nothing embodies the early days of summer like strawberries. A basket overflowing with the plump scarlet fruit, still warm from the sun, holds the promise of warm breezy days and sweet treats to come. And nothing kicks off the summer season on the North Fork like the Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival.
Now in its 56th year, the Strawberry Festival has become a tradition for hundreds of families from all over Long Island. The festival will be held June 18th, 19th and 20th, Fathers Day weekend, a perfect excuse to drag Dad away from the lawn mower and stuff him full of farm fresh berries, homemade strawberry shortcake, chocolate dipped berries, and maybe even a few virgin strawberry daiquiris. The festival, held at the Strawberry Fields at 1175 Route 48 in Mattituck, offers hungry visitors much more than these delectable dishes made from local produce. Vendors will be on hand in the International Food Court ready to pile plates high with traditional “fair food”, including gyros, pizza, funnel cakes and roasted corn.
The festivities at Strawberry Fields are certainly not limited to the food court, as tempting as it may be. The carnival midway will be open beginning Thursday night, with over 25 rides and games, featuring a giant Ferris wheel. On Friday, the music starts at 6:30 pm with country rock band “Southbound”. Live music continues throughout the weekend, with rock bands on Saturday and doo-wop on Sunday. At 3:00 on Saturday, the bands take a break as the Strawberry Queen is crowned in a tradition that dates back to 1956. The Queen will be a local young woman who impresses the judges with her academic record, her commitment to community service and her poise and confidence. The Queen receives a scholarship from the Mattituck Lions. Ongoing throughout the weekend is a craft fair featuring more than 120 booths offering handmade items of every type, including jewelry, candles, and the wares of local artisans. The excitement of a long happy day at the Strawberry Festival is capped by fireworks displays on Friday and Saturday at 9:00 pm.
The Strawberry Festival, which began in 1955 as a fun way for the young Mattituck Lions Club to raise money for the needy, has been carefully nurtured into an old-fashioned day-at-the-fair that transports visitors to a simpler time and celebrates the North Fork harvest, while raising thousands of dollars yearly for more than 20 local charities.
Admission prices vary during the event, with $2 admission on Friday, when the festival opens at 5:00, and $5 on Saturday and Sunday. Admission for young children is free on Friday, and $2 on Saturday and Sunday. The carnival will be open beginning Thursday evening, with no admission fee. Pay-one-price bracelets for the rides will be available all weekend as well. For those arriving by car, some parking is available at the site, and satellite parking is available at Martha Clara vineyard on Rt. 48 in Jamesport, with shuttle buses running to the festival. Hampton Jitney suggests the Strawberry Festival as a jaunt; the bus stops in Mattituck, a short cab ride to the fair. The LIRR also offers a Strawberry Festival excursion package. For more details and directions, visit www.mattituckstrawberryfestival.org. Let’s meet at the Ferris wheel.
