By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The 14th annual Cabot Strawberry Festival has moved downtown this year with more space to grow. The event presented by the Junior Auxiliary of Cabot will be held on Friday and Saturday. Admission is free.
The Strawberry Festival was moved from the Veterans Park Community Center to downtown due to the $5.2 million expansion of the community center and construction of the banquet hall.
Junior Auxiliary of Cabot president Maggie Cope said, “We are excited that it is going to be downtown. Strawberries are a big part of Cabot. We hope it becomes a large event showcasing the strawberries that we’re proud of.”
“I really want to see it grow. Cabotfest kicks off the fall and Strawberry Fest is at the start of spring. We are very appreciative of the Cabot Advertising and Promotion Commission for helping fund the festival,” Cope said.
Barnhill Orchards, the Cabot Patch and Holland Bottom Farms will be selling fresh strawberries on Saturday. The Junior Auxiliary will be selling $4 strawberry shortcakes.
Festivities begin on Friday night with the one-mile fun run at 6:30 p.m. and the Run for the Berries 5K Glow Run at 7:30 p.m.
The fun run entry fee is $15. The glow run early registration fee is $25 and $35 on Friday.
The Glow Run route runs from Fred’s store to Central Elementary and back.
Monroe County will perform on stage from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday. Cabot High School agriculture teacher Corey Ruff is the lead singer.
On Saturday the festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The City Hall parking lot is the location for the entertainment stage, strawberry farmers, food trucks and some vendors. The carnival and additional vendors will be found along North First Street behind City Hall.
Saturday’s entertainment includes the Greater Little Rock Area All-Star Jazz Band, Glamakus, Cabot Junior High South Forensics, singer Dixie Hardin, Junior High North Forensics, magician T.J. Davidson, Page and Company Dance Academy, Carla’s Dance Company, Limelight Academy, musician Jon Atchison and closing with Tragikly White.
In all, there will be 80 vendors. Seven food trucks will serve food including tornado-shaped sandwiches, duck bites, Mexican food, barbecue, turkey legs, fried fair food favorites, crawfish, catfish, fried pies and fudge.
The carnival will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.
The Strawberry Festival is one of the Junior Auxiliary of Cabot’s biggest fundraisers.
The Junior Auxiliary helps needy children in the Cabot School District with shoes, clothing and food.
The Junior Auxiliary sponsors 12 annual service projects in the schools. Last year the Junior Auxiliary helped 157 children during Christmas with clothes and toys, according to Cope.
