The heart of the strawberry season is upon much of America and the strawberry festivals are popping up all over! Tomorrow, Saturday, May 9th, 2015, Stillwell, Oklahoma (“The Strawberry Capital of the World”) will host their 68th annual strawberry festival. Over 30,000 folks are expected for the shindig.

Free strawberries and ice cream will be available at 3 p.m.

Free strawberries and ice cream will be available at 3 p.m.

First things first: the strawberries! At 3 p.m. they’ll be giving away free strawberries and ice cream – don’t miss it! The local berry season runs from April through June, so there’s an excellent chance there’ll be plenty of local berries for you to purchase. Local strawberry growers will convene in the alley between the court house and post office, and it’s here you’ll have the opportunity to buy all the ripe strawberries your family can handle. They sell out quickly so get there early.

Strawberries, Stilwell Strawberry Festival, Stilwell, OKThe fest begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 5K run, to be followed by live musical entertainment, a car and motorcycle show and, at 10 a.m., the Strawberry Festival Parade (we love parades!). There will also be a horse shoe contest, the crowning of the Strawberry Queen, and an auction. The carnival, which opened Wednesday, will continue through Saturday, and rodeos will be held tonight and tomorrow night. Of course, there will be plenty of food and craft vendors. For details, see the festival website.