Longest running Strawberry Festival in Michigan
By Jeni Jewell
Friday, July 11, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.
Read more: Local
CHASSELL -- You're never too young or too old to enjoy a strawberry shortcake. There's plenty of the sweet dessert for everyone at the 60th annual Strawberry Festival. The two-day celebration kicked off Friday morning and runs through Saturday night. It's one of the longest running strawberry festivals in Michigan.
"At least we're claiming that," said Chassell Lions Club Treasurer, John Westburg. "We sure hope people come out here. This is the fund-raising event for the Lions Club. Each year we do quite well. The proceeds from our fund-raising all return to the community."
Besides shortcake, there are children's games and arts and crafts vendors in Centennial Park. A historic exhibit on the strawberry industry in the Chassell area will also be on display at the Heritage Center.
"They're celebrating the French connection up here," Westburg said. "They have a very special display connected with the French."
There is also a quilt show, sponsored by the Copper Country Humane Society, at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chassell. Tickets cost $4, and for a dollar more, people can register in a raffle to win an animal print quilt. Last year the Humane Society raised $1,500.
"It's nice because it gives quilters a nice venue to show off the beautiful quilts they've done," said Copper Country Humane Society Board Member Joan Petrelius. "The money goes to the Humane Society."
The Strawberry Festival parade will run through downtown Chassell Saturday at 11 a.m.
