If it’s strawberry season, that means local strawberry festivals can’t be far behind. Here’s the scoop on a couple of upcoming events:
• The Wells Rotary will be hosting a strawberry festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Spiller Farm, 85 Spiller Farm Lane, Wells, to raise money for Rotary projects. Admittance and hayride farm tours are free, but you’ll pay for food. Chow down on strawberry shortcake, hamburgers, hot dogs, and sausage and peppers. There will also be face painters and, in case the strawberries really inspire you, karaoke. “Strawberry Fields Forever,” anyone?
• The 35th annual New Gloucester Strawberry Festival will feature fresh Maine strawberries served with Hodgman’s Frozen Custard and homemade biscuits.
While you’re sampling those goodies and checking out the baked goods table, tap your toes to the sounds of the Berry, Berry Good Band.
The festival will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. June 24 at the New Gloucester Congregational Vestry, Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester (just off Route 231). The event is sponsored by the New Gloucester Historical Society, so there will also be a “history table” where souvenirs, books and town mementos will be for sale.
• The Cape Farm Alliance will hold its second annual strawberry festival June 26 in Maxwell’s strawberry field on Two Lights Road in Cape Elizabeth.
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., there will be lots of live, local music; artisans selling jewelry, paintings, pottery and other goods; and a food spread that includes Flatbread pizza, seafood from Catch a Piece of Maine, Kettle Cove Ice Cream and – what else? – strawberry shortcake.
Entry is free for the daytime activities. Then, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. there will be a Strawberry Feast community potluck and silent auction, accompanied by more live music. Bring a sweet or savory strawberry dish to share. Tickets for the feast cost $7.50 per person in advance and may be purchased at the W.H. Jordan Farm, 21 Wells Road, or Alewives Brook Farm, 83 Old Ocean House Road. If that’s not enough fun for you, check out the open farm activities that will be scheduled throughout the day.
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