Good Shepherd holds annual Strawberry Festival
There was plenty of great music, beautiful crafts being sold and lots for kids of all ages to do at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church on Saturday.
But the big star was the strawberries and biscuits and angel food cake, which was sold by the hundreds as nearly 1,000 people attended the sixth annual Strawberry Festival.
This year’s event was the biggest to date, with numerous musical acts and almost 50 vendors on hand to sell everything from lawn and garden ornaments to oil diffusers.
Tom Willetts, pastor at the church, said it was the church’s way of bringing the community together.
“We have local singers playing and having a good time and the kids playing. We have great food and strawberry shortcake. It’s a wonderful time,” Willetts said. “We have a packed house, great weather, it’s a wonderful time.”
Willetts said the idea of the event was to bring the communities together, since they tend to be isolated. Every year, it has gotten bigger.
“The whole point is to bring people together, to build up the community of North Fort Myers,” Willetts said.
Inside the church was where the crafts show was held. Pamela Shepherd, a friend of a parishioner, was selling her wares and waiting for her strawberry shortcake to arrive.
“The strawberries are on their way. I’m waiting for my strawberries. My lunch showed up,” Shepherd said, who has sold crafts at the church since the event began. “Business has been good. It’s been busy. They have wonderful talent onstage. It’s been fantastic.”
Even if strawberries weren’t your thing, there were plenty of burgers, bratwurst, fries, popcorn, even some sweets from the bake sale inside the church.
Steve Kittle, a church member, was having a blast eating strawberries and enjoying the weather at his third festival.
“The company is good. You couldn’t ask for better. The music and entertainment and people, the whole atmosphere is great,” Kittle said. “The teamwork that goes on is amazing.”
For the kids there was a bounce house, a small petting zoo with critters brought in from the Shell Factory and lots of games.
Marley Weightman, 10, came with her family which lives in the neighborhood and seemingly had no complaints about anything.
“I liked the animals and the strawberries. It was good. I also liked the sand art,” Weight man said. “I like this because it’s fun and brings family and other people together.”
Sizemore Farms in Plant City donated the strawberries, and The Entertainers, Cake Walk and the Lazy B Pickers provided the music, with the Sheep Gone Astray, members of the church who have unique talents, also on stage.
There were also more than 50 volunteers who helped set up, serve and break down the event once it ended.
With a 4 p.m. church service, the crew worked to clear out the church and set up the chairs.