By Darlene Brace
Are you ready to treat yourself and indulge is some delicious, homegrown fresh strawberries? Merritt Winery, located at 2264 King Road in Forestville, is hosting its annual Strawberry Festival, the perfect place to satisfy your craving for these bright red juicy berries. Owned and operated by Bill Merritt, this festival has been a beloved tradition for over four decades. This year’s festival will take place from Friday, June 5-Sunday, June 7, and it promises to delight strawberry lovers with tasty treats, as well as great food, live music, and fun activities for the entire family!
On Friday night, the Strawberry Festival and its live music will kick off at 7pm. Opening band The Beard and the Bird is performing a short set blending jazz, swing and folk music. Then the evening’s headliner, Uncle Ben’s Remedy, will be taking the stage, performing their energetic tunes that will echo through the hills until 10pm. This will surely get the party feeling started.
Please note that there will be no food or artisan vendors available on Friday night. However, you can enjoy delicious food at the concessions area, which will offer a variety of wraps, sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, French fries, and more throughout the entire festival. Be sure to save room for dessert, as you won’t want to miss out on the delectable strawberry shortcake or strawberries dipped in chocolate.
Additionally, wine tasting will be offered inside the wine store throughout the festival, featuring wines that range from sweet to dry, which can be purchased by the glass or bottle. There will also be a variety of beer on tap, and you won’t want to miss trying one of their famous wine slushes.
The festival really gets in full swing on Saturday and is open from 11am-10pm, featuring a variety of craft and artisan vendors and activities throughout the day. The vendors will be set up on the grounds, selling crafts and a wide variety of novelty items, including homemade soaps, jewelry, candles, home décor, gourmet popcorn, and other specialty treats until 6pm.
Feel free to bring your children along with you. There will be children’s activities available throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday to keep the little ones entertained. There will be a bounce house, a balloon artist, and plenty of space for them to dance or run around.
Live music continues Saturday afternoon, starting with Rockabilly Steve and BR3 performing from 12-3pm. Following that, Black Widow, a long-time favorite of the Strawberry Festival, will take the stage from 3:30-6:30pm, playing rock and pop hits from both past and present. Black Widow always gets the crowd up and moving to the beat.
On Saturday night, the evening will be capped off with a five-piece band from Buffalo called Letter to Elise. This band, formed in 2020, is recognized as a “Rust Belt Rock ‘n’ Roll” group known for blending 80s-inspired alt-pop with modern indie rock. They won the award for Best New Band in Western New York in 2023 and gained additional recognition for appearing on Season 28 of The Voice. Performing from 7-10pm, this will be a performance you won’t want to miss!
All the festival’s activities and vendors will continue Sunday from 12-6:30pm. Live music will also continue with a performance by Buffalo based Tsavo Highway from 1-5pm. Tsavo Highway is considered a jam band that blends indie rock and Americana music creating a fresh and unique sound. It will be a great performance to conclude the festival’s live music.
The festival will take place rain or shine, and admission is free. Parking is also free, but donations are encouraged. The funds collected from parking donations support a different charity each year. This year’s donations will go to the Everwild Land Trust, formerly known as the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, which is dedicated to protecting watersheds, forests, and various wildlife habitats.
The Merritt Strawberry Festival has stood the test of time. It’s an event that the community and nearby areas eagerly anticipate and signifies that summer is just around the corner. Visitors from across New York and beyond look forward to great live music, fabulous food and beverages, and delicious strawberry desserts. For more information, visit merrittestatewinery.com and Merritt Winery’s Facebook page.
Merritt Estate Winery is located at 2264 King Rd, Forestville, NY 14062 and can be reached by calling (888) 965-4800.