20 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Simple. 

 

Get strawberries.  And ice cream.

 

Get volunteers to sell them to the crowd for $1 and add some other stuff.

 

https://www.saanich....tival-2021.html

 

[attachment=34226:screenshot-www.saanich.ca-2022.06.19-08_20_37.png]

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 June 2022 - 04:28 AM.

[lanforod]

This event is always a great success

[Victoria Watcher]

It's so simple and not really anything you can not easily make at home.

 

It's not like it's cotton candy fest or corn dog fest even.  Or churros which seem to be a thing these days.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 19 June 2022 - 10:42 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

An annual community tradition returns this Sunday (July 10) as the Saanich Strawberry Festival descends on Beaver Lake Park between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

 

The berries and ice cream are served from 1 to 3 p.m. and tickets ($1) are expected to sell out between 2 and 2:30 p.m., so get your tickets early – they go on sale at 11 a.m. While the strawberries and ice cream are what everyone comes for, there’s plenty more reasons to stop by the park and check out the free fun.

 

Enjoy a wide variety of family activities, including information displays, face-painting, program demonstrations, arts and craft stations and bouncy castles. Overcast skies with highs of 19 C are forecast, not perfect swimming weather, but pleasant enough to enjoy a day at the Beaver Lake beach.

 

Live music on stage will feature three genres, starting with Freeze Frame at 11 a.m. to noon, followed by early rock group The Sutcliffes from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m., then the Commodores Big Band from 1:45 to 3 p.m.

 

The onsite parking lots are expected to fill up quickly, but the grass field off Elk Lake will be available for overflow parking. Visitors are encouraged to consider taking transit to the Royal Oak Exchange and walking to Saanich Commonwealth Place, where a shuttle will be picking up passengers, then stopping at the grass field and making its way to the main festival site. The shuttle will make continuous loops throughout the festival.

 

As no cash machines will be on site, visitors are asked to bring cash for tickets sold on site and for food vendors, if necessary.

 

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....berry-festival/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 09 July 2022 - 11:57 PM.

[Mike K.]

Thanks, Rogers.

[Victoria Watcher]

The summer season is about to be in full swing, and with the first week of July, comes the 56th annual Saanich Strawberry Festival.

 

Mayor Dean Murdock said he and his staff’s favourite part of the event is serving the $1 strawberries and ice cream to everyone – the staple of the festival.

 

“It’s just so fun to see people coming up to to get their their ice cream and see them gathered with their multi-generations, like people with their kids or their grandkids, and their moms and dads and their grandparents,” Murdock said.

 

________________________________

 

The event normally takes place on a Sunday and hosts roughly 8,000 to 10,000 people. For the first time this year, the Strawberry Festival will be on a Saturday. Murdock said it was to make way for the Pride Parade.

 

“Staff made that change because in years past (the festival) has conflicted with the Pride Parade in downtown Victoria,” Murdock said.

 

 

 

 

https://www.vicnews....8ca11b97212fd9a

 

 

https://www.saanich....y-festival.html

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 July 2023 - 05:27 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Saanich Strawberry Festival is back serving up sweet strawberries and ice cream on July 8.

 

The annual festival at Beaver Lake Park is celebrating its 56th year, but this year the district is switching up the day.

 

“We normally do it on the Sunday, but this year they made the change because the Pride Festival is happening on Sunday the 9th, so we made the decision to switch the event to Saturday,” Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock said.

 

The event gets underway at 11 a.m. with inflatables, food vendors, face painting, art activities, local vendors and entertainment throughout the day.

 

Council will start serving up strawberries and ice cream from 1-3 p.m., or until supplies run out.

 

“We expect probably thousands of people is often what happens,” Murdock said. “I would say it’s probably our most popular event, likely because it’s been going on for so long. A lot of people have memories of doing this when they were a kid and even grandparents talk about how they used to come out to the park when they were kids.”

 

 

 

https://www.cheknews...eekend-1159125/

[Victoria Watcher]

Saanich festival celebrates strawberries

 

Enjoy a wide variety of family-friendly activities, including information displays, face-painting, program demonstrations, arts and craft stations and bouncy castles.

 

https://www.timescol...berries-7240249

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 July 2023 - 05:05 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

[attachment=39346:screenshot-twitter.com-2023.07.08-20_12_11.png]

[Matt R.]

This must be a sign of the recession, right? People cutting back on the little “extras”?

[Victoria Watcher]

https://www.saanich....y-festival.html

Saanich Strawberry Festival

Join Saanich in celebrating the 58th annual Strawberry Festival. This family-friendly, fun, free event features live music, kids' activities, bouncy castles, information booths, arts and craft stations and, of course, the traditional servings of strawberries and ice cream.

When: Sunday, July 6, 2025, 11 am - 4 pm
Where: Beaver Lake Regional Park

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 13 April 2025 - 01:44 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

New info up:

https://www.saanich....y-festival.html


New this year, we're using reusable stainless steel metal bowls, diverting approximately 4,000 paper cups from the compost. Please return your bowls along with the red trays to the strawberry tent, to be washed, sanitized, and reused next year.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 June 2025 - 08:17 AM.

[Mike K.]

Diverting from compost?

Or in reality, diverting from what is marked as compost from going straight to the dump?

[Victoria Watcher]

I found that phrasing funny too. There is no need to divert compost. On the other hand, clean hot water and detergent and chemical sanitizer will now be required. Plus extra transport. And probably rinse next year. Not to mention that extra mining for iron and other elements like chromium, nickel, and sometimes molybdenum, nitrogen, and sulfur. Most of the 4,000 attending will come by private automobile.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 June 2025 - 10:48 AM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Eventgoers in Saanich are in for a sweet celebration as the district’s annual Strawberry Festival makes a comeback to Beaver Lake Park.

The festival, now in its 58th year, returns on Sunday, July 6, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — with people of all ages invited to attend and enjoy free admission, the district says.

Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock is counting down the days.

 

“Strawberry Fest is my absolute favourite event of the year. I know it’s a favourite for a lot of folks in our community as well,” he said. “I encourage everyone to come enjoy the live music, festivities, and a sweet summer treat with family and friends.”

Local artisans, food vendors and community groups will be on site to help celebrate the area’s agriculture and strawberries, reads an event listing. Additionally, there will be information booths, arts, crafts and activities for children, such as bouncy castles.

Local performers and musicians will also take the stage.

A highlight this year is locally sourced Michell’s Farm strawberries and Island Farms ice cream, according to organizers. They’re encouraging people to indulge in the festival’s “traditional snack” at $2 per serving, served from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. until sold out.

https://cheknews.ca/...e-park-1264183/

[lanforod]

$2 per serving? As long as I’ve been, it’s been 50 cents. I missed a couple years, but it’s quadrupled??

[lanforod]

PS. $2 is a good deal anyway, just surprised.

[Victoria Watcher]

Indeed in 2019 is was $0.50

[Matt R.]

Someone has to pay for the new bowls and all that goes with them.

[Victoria Watcher]

Sustainability was also a priority at this year’s event, Faria noted, as all strawberries and ice cream were served in stainless steel bowls, helping divert about 4,000 single-use bowls from landfill.


https://www.vicnews....estival-8115099



Thought it was compost.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 06 July 2025 - 08:21 PM.