One of Southern Maine’s quintessential summer small-town festivals is just about to get underway, and the Admiral’s Inn makes an ideal launch pad for attending.
We’re talking about the South Berwick Strawberry Festival, a fruit-frenzied tradition that’s been going on now for a whopping 42 years. Always the last Saturday in June and always held on the grounds of South Berwick’s Central School on Main Street, the Strawberry Festival is a big blowout gala centered on one of the most luscious harvests of the summertime.
The Strawberry Festival actually originally launched to mark the nation’s bicentennial, but such was the appeal of the festival that it became an annual fixture. We highly recommend experiencing that appeal firsthand: South Berwick’s a mere half-hour west of Ogunquit, and making the trip out for the all-day festivities—which fall on June 24 this year—is definitely worth it.
Get Ready for Some Shortcake!
The festival may kick off with a community pancake breakfast, but everything truly gets underway at 9 AM. That’s when the strawberry shortcakes—the defining confection of the shindig—officially begin to be served. According to the festival’s official website, the event involves better than 250 cases of fresh strawberries, some 70 gallons of whipped cream, 60 cheesecakes, and thousands of biscuits. Those are some impressive stats, to say the least! The serving tent will be churning out delectable strawberry shortcake till the makings are exhausted.
Other Strawberry Festival Attractions
Your main focus might understandably be that iconic strawberry dessert, but there’s much else to chow down on here thanks to all the food vendors on hand: BBQ chicken, lobster rolls, hot dogs, hamburgers, and more. In other words, bring your appetite.
Besides the scrumptious goodies, the South Berwick Strawberry Festival also spotlights local artisans: The better part of 100 arts-and-crafts merchants will be displaying and selling wares during the event.
Eclectic live music on stage and old-fashioned trolley rides will round out the charming proceedings throughout the day.
Take in the South Berwick Strawberry Festival With Accommodations at the Admiral’s Inn
This is a pretty darn delightful—and delicious, we might add—fruit fiesta, and South Berwick’s a lovely town. So while you’re staying at the Admiral’s Inn and enjoying all the varied “fruits” of the Ogunquit summer, consider being a part of the 42nd annual South Berwick Strawberry Festival!
