Kick Off Memorial Day Weekend at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival

DELAPLANE, Va. - May 8, 2015 - PRLog -- When Memorial Day weekend rolls around on Saturday May 23 and Sunday, May 24, the Delaplane Strawberry Festival will have more than 6,000 pints of strawberries on hand for its annual Delaplane Strawberry Festival. The festival, marking its 22^nd year, is held in the beautiful Virginia countryside at Sky Meadows State Park (11012 Edmonds Lane, Delaplane, Va., 20144).

In addition to luscious strawberries (for sale in flats, pints, sundaes and shortcake), the event includes live musical entertainment, children’s activities, raffles, food vendors, and crafters. Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 5 p.m. both days. The festival will be held rain or shine.

Festival participants can visit the 4H petting zoo, go for a hayride, or take a guided tour of the circa-1860 Mt. Bleak House. Children can participate in old-fashioned games (three-legged races, tug-of-war, water balloon tosses, a cake-walk, and other games), as well as have their faces painted. There will be a corn hole tournament at noon both days, but sign up early because teams will be limited. Visitors will also enjoy strolling entertainers including Jerry Brown and his monkey Django, and Phydeaux’s Flying Flea Circus and an old time Medicine Show.  The Virginia Raptor Conservancy will be on-site both days. Duskland Dogs will be offering tricks, training and agility games for your dog friends (yes, dogs are welcome to the festival!) on Saturday. Music entertainment on Saturday includes John Devine and Robbie Caruthers; The Imaginary Blues Band (performing on Sunday too); The Hoot ‘N Holler Band with bluegrass, country and square dancing. Sunday’s musical entertainment includes Cobbler Mountain Grass and Nothin’ Fancy.

On Sunday morning at 9 a.m. there will be a 5K Trail Run/Walk Sky Meadows State Park to kick off the Delaplane Strawberry Festival. The race/walk fee is $25 per participant in advance (until May 20) and $30 after that up until the time of the race, and includes admission for all occupants of the car to the festival for the day.

The per-day cost of the festival is $25 per car at the gate ($15 for motorcycles), or $20 in advance (purchase from the website www.delaplanestrawberryfestival.com or call 540-364-2772).  All of the activities (except pony rides) and events are included in the per car fee and includes access to Sky Meadow State Park and the Appalachian Trail. (The Lost Mountain and Turner Pond access to Sky Meadows State Park will be open for normal park use and fees.

Sky Meadows State Park is located approximately 55 miles west of Washington, D.C.  To get there, take Route 66 west to Exit 23 (Delaplane/Paris) and go approximately 6.8 miles to left on Edmonds Lane and to Sky Meadows State Park.

The festival, held annually on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, is sponsored by Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Delaplane and all proceeds go to support the ministries of Emmanuel Episcopal Church and their outreach programs including grants to numerous local, national and international non-profit organizations.