POLK – After a year’s absence, the annual Polk Strawberry Festival sponsored by the Polk Lions Club returns Saturday at Polk Village Park.
The free event at the intersection of Ohio 89 and East Congress Street in Polk will be from noon to 4 p.m. and feature a bounce house, clown, games and petting zoo, along with the real draw: homemade ice cream and fresh, locally grown strawberries. The only activity that will have a fee is laser tag, which will cost $5.
Festival organizer Courtney Hartzler said the sewer project last summer and all the associated machinery that was parked at the park during the project persuaded organizers to not have the event in 2015, but they were excited to get back to having the festival this year.
“We really missed it last year, and I know a lot of people who look forward to it every year missed it, too,” Hartzler said.
Hartzler said many of the local Amish had lost some of their strawberries due to an early frost, but Mother Nature couldn’t keep the Strawberry Festival from moving forward.
“We were able to find enough Amish families who will be able to contribute to the Strawberry Festival, which is exciting. We were a little worried, but things have really worked out,” Hartzler said.
Besides ice cream and strawberries, the menu also includes chicken, ribs, hot dogs, French fries, cheese sticks, baked beans and noodles.
There also will be a basket raffle featuring items donated by various community businesses and organizations.
The money raised by the festival will go back into the community, Hartzler said. The Lions Club helps people with vision needs and also contributes locally with scholarships at Mapleton High School.
The Mapleton High School National Honor Society will be helping with the set-up and tearing down of the festival.
Before the Strawberry Festival, runners can take part in the 8th Annual Strawberry Run 5K organized by the Mapleton High School cross country team. Check-in begins at 8:30 at the Mapleton High School Football Stadium and the race will begin at 9:30 a.m. A half-mile fun run will start at 9:10 a.m. There will be door prizes, plaques, medals and ribbons for runners in the 5K. Online registration is available for the run. The registration cost is $30 per runner, with a family cap of $60.
