#Middlebury #StrawberryFestival
Strawberry lovers can celebrate their favorite fruit twice in the same weekend. Strawberry festivals are being held at the Middlebury Congregational Church at 1242 Whittemore Road in Middlebury Friday, June 7, from 5 to 7:30 p.m., and at the United Church of Christ, Southbury at 283 Main St. N. in Southbury Sunday, June 9, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Middlebury event features luscious sweet strawberries on homemade biscuits with freshly whipped cream at $6 and $4. Dinner items available will include BBQ chicken, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, veggie burgers and hot dogs. A la carte items range from $3.50 to $5.50, and platters including coleslaw and baked beans range from $5 to $7.50.
The veggie burgers are new this year, as will be a sneak preview of the homemade caramel sauce used in the “Sundaes on Sunday” event that starts in late June, and strawberry plants will be for sale.
Children can enjoy games and face painting on the Green. Wayne Gunther on keyboard and Billy Michael on guitar and vocals will perform on the church steps.
Enjoy al fresco dining in front of the Parsonage. In the event of inclement weather, dine indoors in the Social Hall. This event is held rain or shine.
This festival has been thrilling the Middlebury community for over 60 years. Member Janine Sullivan-Wiley, with credits to Alberta Weller for her article in the May 2014 MCC Church Life, wrote the church’s first strawberry festival was 65 years ago, on June 16, 1954. It included strawberry shortcake, coffee, a food sale, games, and wagon, tractor and a donkey rides for children. Games and activities for children have varied over the decades but have always been included.
Freshness is paramount: the biscuits are made the day before, the strawberries hulled and sliced that day and then all is topped with cream whipped right that evening.
In addition to strawberry shortcake, the Southbury event will offer the toe-tapping sounds of Band O’ Brothers’ Irish-American Folk Music, the fourth annual strawberry pie bake-off, and a raffle supporting the outreach of the UCC senior high mission group. Shop ‘til you drop with a variety of vendors on the green.
Church members prepare the strawberries, whipped cream, and shortcakes. Two sizes of strawberry shortcake are available – full and half portions. Attendees also can purchase and take home slices of freshly baked strawberry pie. They can order up a hamburger or Boar’s Head hot dog with all the trimmings to go with their strawberry shortcakes and buy additional baked goods.
The strawberry pie bake-off contest is open to all bakers in the area. Pies must be entirely homemade and presented for judging in a 9” (or larger) disposable pie plate marked with the contestant’s name and phone number between 9 and 11 a.m. in the UCC social hall. Each contestant will receive a ticket for a free strawberry shortcake. Judging begins promptly at 11 a.m. The top three pies will win prizes. Judging will be based on appearance, crust, filling, and overall taste. Slices of pies donated will be sold after the judging.
Shoppers will be able to stop by many different vendor booths at the festival, and the church will have a booth devoted to landscape plants and indoor plants for shoppers at reasonable prices.
Children can enjoy the optional bouncy house, games and face painting, talk to a fireman and visit a fire truck.
Entry is free. All activities benefit the missions and outreach of the church. For more information, call 203-264-8807.
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