A few late options remain in Western Pennsylvania’s popular strawberry festival season, usually a staple for locals craving sweet treats — though the coronavirus pandemic continued to have an impact this year, even with restrictions being lifted.
Redeemer Lutheran Church in Oakmont will host its annual festival from 6-8 p.m. Friday.
It will be drive-thru only instead of in person.
“Because we had to start planning so early is the reason we’re having a drive-thru,” said Laura Adams, one of the event’s three coordinators. “Had we known that the world would be where it is right now, we may very well have done it in person.”
Redeemer wasn’t able to hold the strawberry festival at all last year, Adams said. This year, it was pushed back by a week.
Instead of its usual full food menu, Redeemer will only offer pre-packaged desserts this year for $5 each.
Included will be strawberries, shortcake, a cup of ice cream, a bottle of water and utensils.
Adams said the coordinators are planning to serve around 200 people, which is significantly less than the normal attendance of 300 to 400.
“If we get anywhere near that, that will be fabulous,” Adams said. “Once we’re out of food, we’ll stop serving.”
Adams said Redeemer’s strawberry festival is usually a hub for socializing with community members.
“It’s a … great way to outreach to our neighbors,” Adams said. “People sit and gab, they sit and catch up and chit-chat at the tables.”
Typically, Adams said the festival donates some proceeds to a local charity, which has yet to be selected this year due to the pandemic.
Pennsylvania as a whole has seen “nice” strawberry harvests this year, according to Leah Fronk, an extension educator with Penn State Extension.
“Strawberry production is in full swing,” Fronk said. “Very heavy crop loads are being seen this season so far.”
While this year posed a “challenging season for farmers early on” because of a few cold bouts, Fronk said it was more “favorable” than last year, which saw freezes later in the season.
Fronk said she believes locals are drawn to strawberry festivals because the crop is one of the first fruits ready statewide for the summer season.
“People really want that berry that’s red the whole way through,” Fronk said.
Throughout winter months, commonwealth residents grow used to eating berries from other states like California that might not be as ripe, Fronk said.
“Some of these festivals are popular with folks because it gets them out and about,” Fronk said.
Soergel Orchards, a family farm in Franklin Park, had planned to start its strawberry picking season on Saturday but had to open early on Tuesday due to how ripe the berries were getting, said Eric Voll, vice president.
“With the intense heat, all of the berries will (ripen) earlier,” Voll said. “When you combine the chances of the pop-up storms, they don’t have a very long shelf life (and) can mold.”
Voll said this year has already been “challenging” agriculturally due to frost.
“(It’s a) short, unpredictable season,” Voll said. “(We) always have to have things be pretty flexible to make sure the berries come off of the plants.”
Soergels has about five acres of strawberries, according to Voll. He said it’s unclear how many will be left to pick after Saturday.
In terms of coronavirus mitigation, Voll said the farm is encouraging social distancing and following the current state and national masking guidelines.
When parking lots are filled, Soergels will have reached its capacity, and Voll said the farm is trying to be “conservative” on its crowd size.
Outside containers will not be permitted for strawberry picking, and there will be no tractor rides to the fields.
However, Center Bethel Church of God’s strawberry festival on Saturday from 4-7 p.m. will be free of covid-19 restrictions.
The annual event at the church in Alverton wasn’t held last year but will offer strawberries, ice cream, sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and noodles, baked beans, cake and drinks this year.
“We decided this year it was time to get back to what we’re calling normal,” said Marvin Staggers, treasurer of the church and president of the church’s council. “We’re prepared to feed a whole bunch.”
Staggers, of Greensburg, said there will be 13 tables set up inside, as the church is expecting between 100 and 150 people. Though there is no set fee, donation cans will be placed on tables, which will go toward the church and its summer camp for kids.
And for one final, late season event, First Presbyterian Church of Edgewood will host its walk-up and drive-thru strawberry festival on June 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Pre-packaged desserts will be $5, and attendees are asked to wear masks.
Megan Swift is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Megan at 724-850-2810, mswift@triblive.com or via Twitter .
Categories: Allegheny | Edgewood | Local | North Journal | Oakmont | Valley News Dispatch
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