Grove City hosting 31st annual Strawberry Days festival
Strawberries and community spirit will highlight the upcoming 31st annual Grove City Strawberry Days from Friday through Sunday.
The free event in Grove City Memorial Park on West Main Street is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Local bands will perform all three days, 15 local nonprofit organizations will sell food, children’s activities will be held throughout the event and artists, crafters and businesses will set up booths.
“What makes it unique is the original founder of the festival set it up so the food vendors are all nonprofit,” said Mary Kay Mattocks, president of the nonprofit Strawberry Days Committee, which organizes the event.
Some of the nonprofits selling food are the Grove City High School Band Boosters, Grove City Christian Academy, Boy Scouts troops 76 and 19, Grove City Midget Football Club and the Shenango Valley Ski Club.
“It gives them an excellent fundraiser, and you pretty much know the people behind the booths. It’s people you see every day. That’s what makes the festival very unique with our food,” Mattocks said.
She said the Boy Scouts camp in the park during the festival, and they will help clean up each evening.
Strawberry fare includes fresh strawberries from local Amish farms, strawberry shakes, strawberry lemonade, strawberry shortcake, strawberry cupcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and Amish strawberry doughnuts.
“There's always a long line for the Amish strawberry doughnuts,’ Mattocks said.
In addition, there will be 132 business, artist and craft vendors. She said the artist and craft vendors range from 8 to more than 80 years old.
“For us, this is the largest event in Grove City. It brings a lot of people to town,” Mattocks said.
Parking is free at Grove City High School, which is adjacent to the park.
