Thousands turn out for Strawberry Festival
Artsapalooza, KHCPL reading program also featured in city's summer kick-off
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Hot weather and sunshine made it easy for the 2023 Strawberry Festival to draw a crowd to downtown Kokomo on June 2. The annual event is the unofficial kick-off for summer in the city, and the thousands of people who flocked into the city’s center for strawberry shortcake, artwork, and fun were not disappointed.
Visitors were treated to dozens of vendor booths with crafts and merchandise as well as a large variety of food trucks selling everything from traditional fair food to heartier options.
North Main Street was transformed into an artistic marketplace as the Kokomo Art Association presented its Artsapalooza event in conjunction with the festival. Dozens of artists displayed and sold their work, and even gave demonstrations to teach people how to create their own works.
The association also hosted a plein air art competition in which artists chose downtown scenes to generate beautiful paintings. Awards and cash prizes were handed out to the winners.
First place in the plein air competition went to Kelci McKay. Second place was captured by Carrie Hayden, and third place was awarded to Lesley Wysong. “Jet” and Audia Anders received honorable mentions for their work.
The Kokomo Howard County Public Library used the festival as the launch pad for its annual Summer Reading Program. Hundreds of adults and kids signed up to read and take part in a variety of fun activities and crafts. The first 1,000 to sign up received a free book and a tote bag.
Once they signed up, participants took part in activities from LEGO building and completing puzzles, to making colorful bracelets and playing games.
The library staff got into the summer spirit as well. Twice during the Strawberry Festival, the book wranglers assembled in a “flash mob” outside of the library’s Bookmobile for a little line dancing. They were joined by celebrity dancer Mayor Tyler Moore.
The mayor made another light-hearted appearance during the festival in a celebrity dunk tank operated by the staff from Community First Bank.
A gaggle of musical acts took to the Kokomo Parks and Recreation Department stage during the event, providing background ambiance at some points and commanding performances at others. Some visitors pulled up folding chairs and huddled in the shadow of the Armstrong Landon Building to watch their favorite acts while others braved the relentless sunshine to sit front and center.
The only low point of the day for most attendees came when searching for a parking spot. As has become a tradition in the City of Firsts, downtown hosted Kokomo High School’s graduation ceremony at Memorial Gymnasium and a Kokomo Jackrabbits baseball game concurrent with the strawberry festival. As afternoon turned to evening, motorists flooded the streets around the festival, desperately searching for a spot that would put them close to the event they wanted to attend.
Despite that logistical snag, the Kokomo Downtown Association’s First Friday organization can chalk up another win with the event, which is sure to be remembered as one of the better days for the community.