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WILKES-BARRE — For a few hours Thursday the city became Wilkes-Berry with the second annual Strawberry Festival on Public Square.
The temporary switch was fitting given the short season for the berry. It’s only about a month long and nearing the end, said Patty Hughes, the city’s special events coordinator.
Hughes counted 24 vendors, most of them offering a strawberry-related item from the bona fide fruit to lemonade, nonalcoholic daiquiris and even salsa. The people at the Commission on Economic Opportunity stand scheduled a noon demonstration on making strawberry salsa.
“Considering the weather, I’m absolutely happy,” Hughes said as people walked about the Square under an overcast sky.
The rainy weather affected Ray Zimmerman’s berry crop. “They were a little smaller,” he said.
It was likely the last call for Zimmerman. Since May he has been selling strawberries grown on his farm in Pitman, Schuylkill County. Zimmerman doubted he would have any for sale when he sets up his stand next Thursday on the Square when the city’s Farmers Market returns for another year.
Lydia Hostetler and her cousin Cindy Mae Hostetler of Creekside Bakery in Turbotville, Northumberland County, offered an assortment of breads, cookies, pies and cakes. The bakery has been a vendor at the city’s market for a number of years. Keeping with the theme of the festival they had packaged strawberry pies and strawberry cheese danish stacked among the goodies for sale.
“Cakes and pies are a big seller all year,” Lydia said.
Sandy Kalmanowicz and her husband, Charles, picked up a few pints of berries from Lynn Hoagland’s stand.
Kalmanowicz of Swoyersville preferred the farm fresh fruit over the store-bought variety. “They’re way, way better,” she said.
Hoagland traveled from Elysburg in Northumberland County for the festival and brought strawberries and other vegetables. He said he had approximately 500 strawberry plants that he harvested from and sold at farmers’ markets this year. He looked forward to returning to the Square next week.
“People get some opportunities for some fresh things,” Hoagland said.
