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Strawberries galore at popular Strawberry Festival

Lots of strawberry goodies, plus great entertainment, a bake table, barbecue and children's activities at the Strawberry Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Lynn Lingard and Beth Alma in a 2019 file photo, busy making strawberry crepes.

When the Strawberry Festival returns for its 38th year, it will be offering all the favourites regulars look forward to: there will be flats of fresh, juicy local strawberries for sale, and all kinds of strawberry goodies on the grounds of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, June 17, and expect to find strawberry shortcake, crepes, strawberry jam, strawberry pies and even strawberry frozen yogurt.

Julie Hunter, chair of the festival, says she’s expecting the berries to be very sweet, “if the sunshine continues and we have little precipitation before June 17. St. Andrew’s is purchasing 200 flats of berries from Tigchelaar Berry Farms in Vineland, and Seaway Farms is also donating berries again this year. We set the festival date for the third week in June as this is usually when the berries are at their peak.”

There will be a bake table piled with goodies, and great barbecue to enjoy, including hot dogs, hamburgers and bacon on a bun. And fresh corn cooked and ready to enjoy, says Elaine Landray, one of many long-time church volunteers who helps make the day a success.

As always there will be activities for kids, and great entertainment outside throughout the day, as well as a silent auction.

One of the entertainers will be Dianne Ticknor. Locals might remember her as the singer who led a Christmas sing-along at the Wayside Chapel last December, but she laughs when she says she is actually better known in Nashville than in NOTL, which she calls home now. She will be heading off to Nashville for the next few weeks, where she will appear as a background singer at the Grand Ole Opry, with Brenda Lee and other artists, but will be back in time to sing “an eclectic mix of songs,” including hits from the ’50s and ’60s, appearing at 1:30 p.m. for about a 40-minute set, she says

Nancy King, organizing the entertainment, says it begins at 9:15 with the Niagara Olde Time Fiddlers.

Throughout the rest of the day will be Ziya; Whitney Fowler with children’s music; Ley; then Ticknor; finishing up with the Bethany Bells.

Ley and Ziya are from Waterloo, and both have R&B styles, says King.

Inside will be tours of the historic church, with history provided by Richard Merritt and Rob Montgomery.

The festival, Saturday, June 17, runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Simcoe Street church.

Admission is free.




About the Author: Penny Coles

Penny Coles is editor of Niagara-on-the-Lake Local
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