Strawberry Festivals Beckon

Lyman Orchards Strawberry Fest

On June 11, Lyman Orchards (lymanorchards.com) in Middletown, Connecticut, celebrates the first fruit of the season with a day that includes music by New Haven singer/songwriter Ian Biggs, along with a bounty of fresh strawberries and strawberry treats, pie-eating contests, food tastings and demonstrations, pony rides, and interactive activities for kids.

Other Connecticut Strawberry Festivals

The town green will be taken over as the 7^th Annual Strawberry Festival (fccmadison.org) in Madison serves up the season’s early splendor on June 4. One week later, on June 11, the Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair (newhorizonsvillage.com) brings antique cars, handcrafted wares, musical performances and all things strawberry to New Horizons Village in Unionville. On June 18-19, a half-century of tradition continues in Monroe, where the 45^th Annual Strawberry Festival(mcc-ucc.org/strawberry-festival.html) promises 75 juried exhibitors, local artists, strawberry shortcake, strawberry pies and other baked goods, children’s games, live entertainment and more, all on the town green.

Maine Strawberry Festivals

On July 14, the Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association host their annual Strawberry Festival (rangeleyoutdoors.com) in Oquossoc Park, with lots of crafts, a big yard sale and plenty of food options, including, of course, strawberry shortcake on homemade biscuits. The 41^st South Berwick Strawberry Festival (southberwickstrawberryfestival.com) returns on June 25, with handcrafted artisan wares, children’s games, trolley rides, food vendors, and countless plates of strawberry shortcake. 

Massachusetts Strawberry Festivals

In Topsfield on June 11, the town Historical Society will be serving fresh strawberries, whipped cream, and piles of shortcake on the town common as part of their 48th Strawberry Festival (topsfieldhistory.org/strawberry/index.shtml). Handmade wares from local craftsmen will be offered for sale as well. The following weekend (June 18) in Westford, Strawberries & Art (thestrawberryfestival.org) builds on three decades of tradition with crafts, entertainment, food and more on the town common. Down the road in Concord on June 25, the Verrill Farm Strawberry Festival (verrillfarm.com) will feature lots of strawberry shortcake, along with pick-your-own strawberries, hot dogs and hamburgers, entertainment, hay rides, pony rides, and a strawberry dessert competition.

New Hampshire Strawberry Festivals

Since it is hosted by the Friends of the Windham Library, it makes sense that books are also on the docket during the 33^rd Annual Strawberry Festival and Book Sale (flowwindham.org) in Windham on June 5. In addition to good reads and mounds of strawberry shortcake, there will be games and other entertainments, too. Near month’s end (June 26), Memorial Square in Hollis plays host to the Hollis Town Band Strawberry Festival (hollistownband.org) as local strawberries and fresh-baked shortcakes share center stage with a program of marches, and symphonic, popular, and patriotic musical pieces.

Rhode Island Strawberry Festivals

On June 18 in North Kingston, the Strawberry Festival at Smith’s Castle (smithscastle.org) will indulge your historical curiosity and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time. Explore one of the oldest buildings in the state while paying homage to the wild strawberry, a time-tested favorite of both the area’s early colonists and the native Narragansett. Historical fun and strawberry shortcake combine for a one-two punch that’s hard to beat.

Vermont Strawberry Festivals

Farm-fresh strawberries over baking-powder biscuits; strawberry milkshakes; strawberry fudge; strawberry jam; and chocolate-dipped strawberries are just a few of the joys to be found at the 21^st Annual Strawberry Festival (sammazzafarms.com/festivals.shtml) on June 18at Sam Mazza’s Farm in Colchester, along with pony rides, kids’ games, a petting zoo, face-painting, and samples of local specialty foods. At Cedar Circle Farm (cedarcirclefarm.org) in East Thetford, meanwhile, they are changing up their approach this year, and rather than having a single-day Strawberry Festival as they’ve done in recent years, they will host a series of “pop-up” events throughout the pick-your-own strawberry season. See their website for details.