Serving Up Family Fun at This Saturday’s Cape St. Claire Strawberry Festival

Memorial Day may start summer for most people, but Cape St. Claire residents know that the season doesn’t really get going until the Strawberry Festival takes place every June.

Set against the community’s picturesque main beach, the Strawberry Festival is an annual warm weather social event filled with local crafters, artisans, youth groups, charities, games, activities, live music and plenty of edible goodness featuring the fruit of honor.

The festival is held this year on Saturday, June 11 (the rain date is Sunday, June 12), immediately following a parade that starts at 10 a.m. Winding its way through the neighborhood from the on Cape St. Claire Road to the on River Bay Road, the parade route itself is about a mile long.

Leading the procession will be the Strawberry Princess—a local high schooler chosen from an essay contest—and her court of junior princesses and littlest princesses. Also marching in the parade are entrants of the Decorated Bike Contest and the Berriest Baby Contest, whose winner is chosen by the Strawberry Princess.

The festival itself runs until 7 p.m., and includes enough activities to fill the afternoon and early evening. Children will be kept occupied by a watermelon eating contest, sack races, a rock climbing wall from Big Vanilla, a moon bounce sponsored by realtor Mona LaCovey, waterslide provided by Cape True Value and balloon animals courtesy of Richard's Tree Care, while the Strawberry Kitchen will be serving up strawberry shortcake and sundaes and a beer garden will feature beer and strawberry daiquiris.

Though parking at the beach area of Cape St. Claire is usually restricted to residents with vehicle stickers, on the day of the Strawberry Festival, non-residents are permitted to park on public streets.

Event organizer Mary Lamb has been heading up the Cape St. Claire Strawberry Festival for 16 years, ever since her daughter, Shelby, was a toddler. One of the most visible faces in the community, Lamb also serves on the Cape St. Claire Improvement Association’s board of governors and has spearheaded countless projects throughout the years.

The festival began as a May celebration nearly 50 years ago, but evolved into one that showcases strawberries. During her tenure, Lamb has expanded the event every year. “Since I have been chairperson, I have added a craft fair and many free attractions for children,” she says.

This year, Lamb has also added the Berriest Dog Contest at the suggestion of Girl Scout Troop 936, whose members are organizing the canine dress-up event for inclusion in the parade. Lamb says, “The Berriest Baby has been in existence for as long as I can remember [and] I thought the Berriest Dog was a great idea.”

Lamb’s involvement in the community was inspired by the late Cape St. Claire resident Eileen Hopkins, who was a major player in the festival’s planning years before Lamb took over.

Affectionally called “Hoppy,” Lamb says that though she knew taking over the helm of the Strawberry Festival would be a big task, Hopkins was always her cheerleader. “Hoppy guided me and always told me I reminded her of herself when she was young,” says Lamb. “Although she was not physically able to help me, she offered me much guidance and a lot of wisdom.  I miss her dearly, especially this time of year.”

To show her appreciation, Lamb paid homage to Hopkins at the very start. “The first year I took over the festival,” says Lamb, “I honored Hoppy as Strawberry Festival Queen.”

Today, Lamb is encouraged by a great cast of volunteers who work for months to bring the festival to life. Most notably, her husband, Jimmy, and daughter Shelby are among her biggest supporters. Lamb is also appreciative of Kim Pollock, Chris Nokes, Cathy Kubik, Doreen Purnell, Libby Wilkinson, Patti MacDonald, JoMarie Wilkinson and Len Yuhas.

Perhaps most important to Lamb’s heart is the fact that the Strawberry Festival serves as a fundraiser for local nonprofit groups. “The festival itself provides seed money for the stage, bands, permits, electricity, security and more,” says Lamb. “The groups then sell food they make and provide games for the kids. Then all funds raised are distributed to local scouts, clubs and churches at the end of the night.”

Lamb says that an emphasis is placed on interactive games for the kids to get everyone involved. “A good example is the ‘Soak-A-Scout’ game where you can throw water balloons at Boy Scouts,” she says. “Each year I try to get more and more free activities for the children and I’ve been successful because the businesses are very generous.”

(GFPS) also will have a booth at the Strawberry Festival, where members will be selling raffle tickets to win an Ascend D10 Sit-In Kayak. The tickets are $5 each, or $25 for six tickets, and the winner will be drawn and announced on July 9 at the St. Margaret’s Joust event. All monies will be donated to raise funds for restoring Cape St. Claire’s centuries-old farmstead.  

The Strawberry Festival is sponsored by dozens of local businesses: Rita’s Italian Ice, Graul’s Market, Main Street Hair Care, Bella’s Liquors, Bank of Annapolis, Severn Savings Bank, Artist’s Flat & Family Store, Bergman Cleaners, Broadneck Grill, Subway, Ski Haus Sports Center and Cycle Works, Cape True Value Hardware, Fairwinds Marina, Advanced Home Improvements, Mona LaCovey Re/Max, Pizza Hut, Quality Care Automotive, Inc., Richard’s Tree Care, Vizzini’s Pizza, Cape Hair Scene/Cape Barber Shop, Annapolis Dance Factory, Whimsicality, JNJ Improvements, Inc., TNT Hair Salon and Barber Shop, Red Hot & Blue, Bay Breeze Cleaning Service, Pit Boys, Cantler’s Riverside Inn, Bay Hills Eye Care, O’Loughlin’s Restaurant, Maria’s Picture Place, Garry’s Grill, The Cape Exchange, PNC Bank (Cape St. Claire Branch), Big Vanilla Athletic Club, Curves, Pizza Boli, Fran O’Brien’s, Economy Pest Control, Rick Brady Photography, Middleton’s Tavern, Island Imports, Chris Nokes of Fanci-Stitch, Improvement Zone, Hoffman Animal Hospital, Jing Ying Institute, Riverbay Roadhouse and Applebees.