Annual Cranbury Strawberry Festival promises old-fashioned fun

By Mike Morsch, Regional Editor
By Mike Morsch, Regional Editor
George Smith remembers going to the Cranbury Strawberry Festival when he was a kid in the 1950s. Among those fond memories he recalls were the pony rides, homemade games and a soda fountain, a sure sign of that era.
Back then, the festival was held on Friday evenings and those attending sat at long tables in Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury to socialize with friends and neighbors.
The strawberries for the festival back then were grown in South Jersey and only strawberries, cake and ice cream were served at the event.
That was then. And the First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury’s annual Strawberry Festival is still going strong, still serving up strawberries and a big dose of old-fashioned community fun.
This year’s event will be held Saturday, June 3, from 3 to 6 p.m. rain or shine at the church, 22 S. Main St., Cranbury. The event will feature strawberries, cake, ice cream, music, games, face painting, a clown and more.
George Smith and his wife, Audrey, are both deacons at the church now. According to the Smiths, many members of the church are involved in getting ready for the festival by setting up, hauling strawberries and donating cakes. The Girl Scouts help with mashing the strawberries, and the Boy Scouts sell hamburgers and hot dogs.
In addition, the deacons have games and Cranbury Presbyterian Nursery School offers crafts. The church’s brass choir entertains in Fellowship Hall. And this year, the event will also feature a bake sale.
The event is sponsored by the Board of Deacons to benefit the Deacons Benevolence Fund. Money raised is used for families and individuals in crisis from Cranbury and the surrounding area.
Purchase tickets in advance at the church office, Cranbury Presbyterian Nursery School, or from any deacon. For more information, contact the church office at 609-395-0897.