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May 15, 2008

Strawberry Day to be held Saturday

By David Lazenby

davidl@cullmantimes



An annual event that bounced around various Cullman locations will get a new home Saturday when The Festhalle Market Platz produces this year’s Strawberry Day.

The freshest version of the festival will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the farmers market, located at the corner of First Avenue and Arnold Street NE in Cullman’s Warehouse District.

Jimmy Simms, manager of the Festhalle Market Platz, said the event dates back to the 1940s.

“It did kind of go to the wayside around the war time, and never really picked back up until seven or eight years ago,” Simms said.

After a stint at Smith Lake, the event that celebrates Cullman County’s agricultural heyday was picked up by the county’s Ag Center.

When Simms approached organizers to see if the Festhalle could play a part in the festivities, he was told there was a possibility the event was going back on hiatus.

However, Simms found a partner in the Cullman County Historical Society, as well as the Cullman County Museum.

Dot Gudger, the president of the Cullman County Historical Society, took Simms’ idea for a tractor parade and transformed it into a parade to celebrate Cullman County’s history.

Unfortunately, the parade was postponed out of respect for the family of Philip Clemmons and Pat Clemmons of Cullman, who died Monday when their plane crashed in a wooded area in southeast Ohio. The parade was planned to begin at the Busy Bee Cafe´, which is near St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church, where a funeral for the Clemmons will be held.

Simms said the plan is to have the parade at next year’s event.

Along with celebrating the strawberry, Simms said Saturday’s event will kick off this year’s farmers market season.

Featured at the gala will be live entertainment that will include tunes by area musicians like Berkeley Bob & the Coffee House Gang, Wayne Abbott and Bill Reid & Friends.

There will also be a classic car show from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Depot Park. Proceeds from the show will benefit the historic society and St. Andrews Methodist Church’s youth group.

Simms said he is already looking ahead to next year’s Strawberry Day for which he is interested in offering a historic bike tour.

“We have a bike trail here in Cullman. It would be a shame not to use it,” Simms said.

Also, Simms said area organizations have expressed interest in having a 5K fun run.

“We have several things going for next year already,” Simms said.

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