Red, White & Strawberries
Story and photos by Chelsea Rose Moore
The annual Delaplane Strawberry Festival celebrated its 25th anniversary over Memorial Day Weekend. Held at Sky Meadows State Park, the event carried a timeless feel reminiscent of days gone by. With fun activities and plenty of live entertainment, the family-friendly festival was a wonderful way for attendees to celebrate the beginning of summer.
The festival is hosted by the Emmanuel Episcopal Church and supports their outreach ministries. This year’s event raised over $30,000, which will help support organizations including People Helping People of Fauquier County, Boys Home of Virginia, Hero’s Bridge, Marshall Volunteer Rescue Squad, and others.
Emmanuel Episcopal Church’s Rector, Amanda Knouse, said the event began twenty-five years ago as a way for the church to raise money to meet a budget deficit. Today the funds are used to support Emmanuel’s ministries including grants to a number of nonprofit organizations in the community.
“There is no better feeling than writing checks and building relationships with these places,” said Knouse, “It’s been a very holy and sacred ministry here at the church.”
Knouse is deeply intentional about maintaining the festival’s old-timey feel. She loves watching dads throwing water balloons with their kids, moms participating in three-legged races, and grandparents and families enjoying time together at the festival.
“This festival gives people a time out,” she said. “It’s a weekend where you can step away from your daily routine, be outside in this beautiful place, make memories, and have good, old-fashioned fun. There’s something about swing dancing to some old-timey music or having a strawberry sundae eating contest. It’s a way for you to take a pause. The whole feel of the festival is to unplug and be present with one another.”
In today’s culture of technology, it has almost become a lost art to unplug and be fully present in the moment. The festival promoted a culture of good, old-fashioned fun, where families could enjoy live music, shop for handmade items, take a hayride, grab some food, and try their hand at outdoor games. The event also featured a petting zoo and a blacksmith guild.
Some attendees flaunted their love of strawberries by wearing red and white polka dot dresses and strawberry earrings—and everyone enjoyed delicious strawberry treats, from strawberry lemonade to the popular strawberry sundaes.
The City of Winchester Pipes and Drums opened the festival on Saturday. They marched through the center of the festival and then enjoyed the event with their own families.
Pipe Major Bryant Condrey said the Delaplane Strawberry Festival is one of the group’s favorite events to play, as they enjoy being able to relax and spend time at the festival afterwards. He appreciates the way the event is arranged with activities close together, rather than spread far apart.
“It gives it a more small-town feel and a more personal feel, even though it’s a rather large event,” he said, “There are a lot of people who attend the event, but it feels more
hometown-ish.”
Kate Sprague, the Director of Sales for Digital and Special Projects at Inside NoVA, volunteered at this year’s festival. She loved meeting families from Arlington and Fairfax and watching their amazement at seeing all the area offers.
“I got a kick out of these families saying, ‘I had no idea that you could do this out here,’” she said, “They were excited to find out that it’s not just wineries. It’s not just about adult fun. [It’s] a safe place for families to gather and do something different. A lot of these young families had no idea.”
The festival, she said, feels like the kind of place you can bring your grandmother. When families left the festival, they were carrying strawberries and happily engaging with one another—the true mark of a festival well done.
Don’t miss next year’s Delaplane Strawberry Festival! Get in on the fun by visiting delaplanestrawberryfestival.org. ML