
The Sweetest Weekend of the Year
This year’s Strawberry Festival was pure magic — a joyful, high-energy celebration of community, teamwork, and tradition (with a side of whipped cream, of course!).
On Wednesday, a crew of dedicated volunteers washed and organized food prep supplies. Then on Thursday, we picked up an incredible 1,500 pounds of strawberries from Meijer, our generous grocery partner. By 9:00 AM, our team was deep into the quadruple-wash and destem process. Once we found our rhythm with the sinks, the pace picked up and the day flew by. Jane and Stevegraciously brought lunch, and we wrapped up around 3 PM feeling proud and ready.
Friday was setup day — we turned the senior center into full festival mode, organizing each station with care. That evening, Becky coordinated an ice drop-off with help from the Fish & Game Club, keeping our coolers stocked and ready for the crowds.
This year, we had an exciting new addition: custom-made aprons crafted by Catherine. The bright, cheerful aprons pulled our whole look together — making us feel official and drawing tons of compliments from festival-goers. It was such a special touch that tied right into the spirit of pride and professionalism that makes this event shine.
A heartfelt thank-you goes to our amazing members — and especially to Brookdale Troy, our Presenting Sponsor, who supported the festival not only financially but also by donating cakes. Their generosity, along with our community’s homemade contributions, made every bite of shortcake a little more meaningful.
Saturday came, and the energy was incredible. The festival opened at 10 AM, and every single volunteer showed up. Thanks to 75 incredible people, we filled more than 200 jobs over the weekend. The Miami Valley Young Marineshelped tremendously with trash and cleanup, working hard behind the scenes to keep things running smoothly.
Our new menu item, pulled pork sliders (sponsored by Troy Rehab), were a huge hit — sold out in just three hours! Meanwhile, our beloved shortcakes, sponsored by Piqua Manor, had a record-breaking year. The face painting station, sponsored by Buckeye Forest, was a joyful hub of color and creativity, made even more magical by a bubble machine that kept kids (and adults!) smiling.
And then came the dancing! Our line dancers lit up the festival with surprise flash mob-style performances throughout the day. Some guests cheered, some joined in, and a few were so inspired they became members just to line dance with us.
This year’s event was a beautiful reminder of what’s possible when a community comes together.
And finally, a huge thank-you to our Strawberry Festival Committee — the brilliant, dedicated team behind the scenes who planned every detail. Your vision, organization, and heart brought this event to life.
Now, let’s relive the magic together —
👉 Scroll down to view the photo gallery!
