Coldwater’s Strawberry Fest will be in June. Courtesy | PickPik
The Coldwater Strawberry Fest is returning to downtown Coldwater on June 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will have crafts, food, animals, and an array of strawberry products for attendees to purchase.
Strawberry Fest will be located in the Tibbits Opera House parking lot and other side streets in downtown Coldwater.
Mariah Welke, recreation supervisor for Coldwater Recreation, said the event typically gathers a large crowd from the surrounding area with an estimated 5,000 people in attendance at past festivals.
The event will include many activities for attendees and countless strawberry related products, Welke said.
“We had more than 200 vendors the past few years,” said Margo Boyd, a Coldwater Recreation employee.
As of this week, Strawberry Fest has 110 vendors signed up but hopes to reach nearly 200 by June, according to Welke.
“We are going to have a petting zoo this year and we are expanding to have more food trucks than before,” Welke said. “We will still have our strawberry farmers selling their strawberries and a whole variety of good things to buy.”
The festival is not new to the Coldwater community but an important event nonetheless, according to Welke.
“This is my sixth year doing it, but it’s been going on longer than 30 years,” Welke said. “It’s a community event that brings people together.”
Welke said the Strawberry Fest provides a transition from harsh Michigan winters to spring. Many people who have summer homes return around the time of the festival, and Strawberry Fest is a perfect opportunity for friends to get together after the winter.
Welke said not only does Strawberry Fest provide fun activities but it is the perfect opportunity to find a last minute Father’s Day gift.
“It’s the day before Father’s Day, but people also like to get out in the spring,” Welke said. “There is usually nice weather so it’s really the first time people are outside wandering around seeing friends they haven’t seen in a while.”
Boyd said the festival hopes to have a positive impact on the area by bringing people to the community.
“We want people to have something to do, come out to look at things, and to draw people to downtown Coldwater,” Boyd said.