WILLIAMSBURG — The 44th annual Matthew Whaley Elementry School Strawberry Festival on May 5 will be held in person for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The event will include a variety of activities for families to enjoy including carnival games, inflatables, a teeny tiny farm, touch-a-truck, and the Trackless Train. Food trucks will also be available for food at the event.
“I made it a priority of mine to make it different from years past,” Alexis Massengill, the new chairperson for the Strawberry Festival said in an interview. “I made it a big deal to change it up a little bit and make it a big thing. Especially since it’s returning back since COVID.”
“My favorite part is bringing the community together and also having something for the kids to look forward to,” Messengill added. “This just gives them something to look forward to.”
Another highlight is the chance students get to dunk one of their teachers or another faculty member with water, be it with a dunk tank or a dunk bucket. During COVID students pied a teacher instead.
Admission is $5, with the money going back to the school. It helps cover the cost of school supplies, field trips, and teacher supplies.
There is an RSVP on the Strawberry Festival website where parents can sign up for free admission by May 3. All friends, neighbors, and extended family, however, must purchase tickets at the front of Matthew Whaley School the day of the event.
“We are trying as hard as possible to make it free for the Matthew Whaley students and their families,” Massengill expressed. “Anyone else who would like to attend, they will show up and it will be five dollars at the entrance at the front of the school.”
The Strawberry Festival will be on May 5 and will run from 5-7:30 p.m. Parking is available for free at the Prince George Street Parking Garage. Anyone interested in volunteering for the event can also do so on the website.
