By Don Rush

On the front page of the July 4, 1952 Oxford Leader there was a little notice, merely a paragraph long announcing, “There will be a strawberry and’ ice cream festival, from 4 to 9 p. m, at the fire hall in Leonard. This is for the benefit of the Addison Township fire department. Also from 2 to 7 p. m. at Lakeville Corners. 35c a dish or 3 dishes for $1.”

This Saturday, 70 years later, firefighters from the Addison Township Fire Department are still selling strawberry sundaes as a fundraiser in Leonard. After a COVID break, this weekend the Strawberry Fest returns to downtown Leonard in all its glory.

“The firefighters are still selling ice cream,” festival committee president Kyle Stapp said. “It will be a little bigger this year and still fun.”

Stapp and the committee of about a dozen people have worked on the 70th annual festival since February and have added a number of events for the day, plus they have changed the parade start time from noon to 4 p.m. This year’s parade theme is “Historic Michigan.” On Saturday, the festival starts at 8:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at the Leonard United Methodist Church on E. Elmwood Street and ends with the Motor City Ox Band performing from 7:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.

One of the tasty favorites for the festival is the Bake-Off Contest. This year there are two age levels, youth (8 to 12 years old) and adult (13 and older). Bakers cannot use jams, jellies, beverages or alcohol in their recipes, but must it must include strawberries. Bakers are to drop off their creations at Rowland Hall between 9 and 10 a.m. Judging starts at 10:15 and winners will be announced on stage at 11:30.

According to the schedule of events, the festival “opens” officially at 10 a.m. with a car show, arts and crafts and the Kid-Zone. The Kid-Zone will be on Division Street and will have Water Blaster, squirt guns, a petting farm, games and inflatables to bounce on. A magic show is slated to start at 2 p.m. Kids are also invited to decorate their bikes and ride them in the parade.

At the old fire hall, firefighters will sell sundaes from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Food trucks will open at 11.

A favorite fun event, the Strawberry Derby, returns this year. This event pits two racers at a time in homemade cars. Each car has four wheels, steering and braking systems. All racers are between seven and 17-years-old. Racers must wear a helmet, “Other protective gear such as goggles, knee pads, elbow pads are encourage, but not required,” Stapp said.

The Derby is on W. Elmwood Street starting at noon and should wrap up around 2, which is in time for the Pie Eating Contest, which starts at 2:30.

This year there will be both a euchre and cornhole tournaments and a DJ will play music all day up until when the parade starts at 4 p.m. After the parade live music starts with the band Stix & Stones playing from 5:15 to 7, when the Motor City Ox Band will start setting up.