CULLMAN – The blocked off streets of downtown Cullman provided the perfect spot for vendors of all kinds at Depot Park, farmers at the Festhalle, a stage for musicians, a kids’ zone filled with inflatables and throngs of 2016 Strawberry Festival goers on May 6-7.
The two-day festival kicked off on Friday with special events specifically for senior citizens, including Leiper’s Fork Bluegrass Band and free lunches to the first 300 seniors. Elders traveled from many surrounding cities, including Gardendale, Birmingham and Huntsville, to visit this year’s celebration. Their morning involved toe-tapping, visiting with friends and, of course, those famous Cullman strawberries.
In the mid-afternoon on Friday, the streets started hopping with activity and foot traffic. The kids’ zone opened up along with the Farmer’s Market where the guests of honor, Cullman County strawberries, were available for purchase from many of our local farmers. The car show, featuring fastback Mustangs, a late 60s Plymouth Road Runner, what looked to be a first generation Chevy Bel Air and many other beauties, was available for admiration and envy alike.
Live entertainment got the crowds moving on Friday evening with Clara Bell and the Creeps, Winston Ramble and Pine Hall Haints delighting the nighttime event attendees.
Friday’s Festhalle Farmer’s Market continued on Saturday morning along with the kids’ zone and car show. Saturday saw the crowd size swell with the craft and vendor booths splayed throughout Depot Park. With something for everyone, this year’s craft show and food vendors were a huge hit and no one walked away without a demonstration, new information, sampling of a tasty treat or a summer scent from a Scentsy vendor.
Saturday afternoon’s entertainment, provided by the Cullman Community Band, Cullman Middle School choir, Cullman High School choir and Jazz Band, and Shannon McNeal, packed the area with families enjoying the shows. The warmer springtime temperature made the waning shady areas the preferred spots for viewing the bands. As the afternoon turned to evening and the sun faded, the Overtones and Round 2 closed out 2016’s event which has become a favorite to many in the community.
Many local eateries took advantage of the abundance of Cullman County strawberries, including Flavors Bakery and Karma’s Coffeehouse. Katie Nelms, owner of the warehouse district’s favorite coffee shop, included the strawberries in her fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade and Flavors Bakery incorporated local berries in their strawberry pecan muffins, strawberry ice pops, strawberry ice cream and many other delicacies.
Additionally, businesses in the area reported a steep increase in foot traffic and noticeable revenue added to the books. With the line for a good cup of coffee a little longer than usual, Nelms cited the additional local and out of town visitors who dropped by for coffee, a snack or lemonade. “We have sold over 150 strawberry lemonades using Cullman strawberries so far and that was just yesterday. We expect to sell even more than that today,” reported Nelms on Saturday.
Curtis Smith, a Bethsadia resident in his 70s, remembers attending the Strawberry Festival in the 1940s when he was a child. “Back then we had floats and a queen and king of the festival. They grew strawberries by the loads and there were different places here in town where you could come sell them. You could just dump off a big load in no time.”
Cullman is steeped in tradition and some of those observances are worth bringing back so that we have the opportunity to give thanks for our agricultural heritage. With the large crowds at the 2016 Strawberry Festival, our cherished farmers might need to bring a few more truckloads of strawberries to meet the demands of the crowds! Thank you to our farmers, then and now, for making Cullman what it is today.
See the full photo gallery at http://qrne.ws/sbf.
