Strawberry Festival starts at with breakfast

By Don Rush

In these parts, when July rolls around the locals start thinking about the Strawberry Festival in Leonard.

What started out as a fundraiser for the Addison Township Fire Department in 1952 has grown into a full day of fun. The 71st annual Strawberry Festival returns to the streets of Leonard this Saturday.

On the front page of the July 4, 1952 Oxford Leader there was a one paragraph notice 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.”

From strawberries and ice cream the 71^st annual Strawberry Festival is more than just a fundraiser (though, volunteers from the fire department will be at the fire hall dishing out strawberry sundaes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) — it’s something families look forward to as well as an opportunity for residents who have moved away to return to visit with friends.

“These days we start planning the festival in the beginning of February,” said Chairman of the Leonard Summer Festival Committee, Kyle Stapp.

The committee was formed in 1984 to enhance the experience of the well established Strawberry Festival by adding a variety of activities and events to the firefighters strawberry sundae sales, he said.

Stapp and the committee of about a dozen people worked planning all of the events for Saturday. Last year they changed the parade start time from noon to 4 p.m., which is the same for this Saturday. A beach party is the theme for this year’s parade. Longtime Leonard resident, David Rathburg, 73, will be the parade’s grand marshal.

“We chose David for all he has done for the town,” Stapp said. “He really cares about Leonard.”

Rathburg and his wife Bonnie bought their first home on Baza Street in 1972 and raised their five daughters there all the while serving on various committees and village council. “The house didn’t have a septic then. We had an outhouse,” he said. “Since then we’ve added three additions.”

“I just want to help our town move forward in a positive manner,” he said, adding about being grand marshal, “It’s pretty cool.”

The festival starts with a pancake breakfast from 8:30 to 11 a.m., at the Leonard Methodist Church and runs through 10:15 p.m., with live music on the closed-off Elmwood Street the community festival packs an entire day of fun, games, music, parade and even a Beard & Mustache Challenge.

Starting at 10 a.m. a petting zoo and games for children will open at the entrance to the Polly Ann Trail on E. Elmwood. At this time the car show, food vendors, as well as the bake-off and DJ Wayne will start playing music.

From noon to 2 p.m. a Leonard favorite, the Strawberry Derby Races returns. Area youth (aged 7-17) ride their home-built, prefabricated or stock cars down W. Elmwood Street for prizes. After the derby winners are announced, at 2 p.m. the pie eating contests commences with both youth and adult competitions.

At 2:30, men will be able to show off their facial hair with the Beard and Mustache Challenge. Starting at 3 p.m., Juggle Boy Nick will be on stage to perform his show.

After the parade, car and craft shows end, starting at 5 p.m., awards will be given away for the car show.

Live music in town starts at 5:30 p.m. with the Stix & Stones band playing. From 7:15 until 10:15 the band Skarlett Heart Band (Dancin’ In The Streets) will perform.