Coming up this week is the Hartford Strawberry Festival.
Hartford Chamber of Commerce Vice President Stephanie Daniels tells us the event will feature food vendors, crafts, a petting zoo, pony rides, rides by Vertical Edge, a mechanical bull, and the Hartford Fire Department Smash and Bash.
The Strawberry Festival has been a staple in the community for decades.
“The Strawberry Festival has been going on since the 80s,” Daniels said. “It’s been a long time and it’s taken many different phases, but we think we found the perfect family entertainment weekend.”
The Strawberry Festival kicks off Friday with the Kiddie Parade at 5:50 p.m. followed by the crowning of Strawberry Royalty and magician John Dudley at Ely Park.
The festival was started as a way to celebrate the many strawberry growers the area has, and Daniels says there will be strawberries in abundance.
“The Hartford Public Library will be selling strawberries, strawberry shortcake, strawberry, strawberry pies, and strawberries by the cup, pint or quart.”
Daniels says she checked with local strawberry growers, and the crop is just fine this year.
Saturday events begin with a Strawberry pancake breakfast at the Methodist church, a car and bike show, more food vendors, strawberry shortcake, arts and crafts, Hartford Cardio Drumming, and the Strawberry Parade at 1 p.m. That will be followed by parade awards, a strawberry eating contest, and entertainment from the All Niters from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Everyone’s invited to head to Hartford for the annual event and some good times. Daniels expects around 3,000 people to come to town.
