Music and more at this year’s 42nd Annual Strawberry Festival; Dozens of bands set to entertain guests

— Dozens of bands set to entertain guests —

By Wendy Post

Months of planning and connecting the dots to bring the Strawberry Festival is nearing completion, with the event arriving in less than two weeks in downtown Owego. Streets will close off and the community and beyond will gather for the festival’s 42nd year, celebrating community, as well as highlighting the talent within the region.

The festival begins Thursday with an event that was added a couple of years ago in a new location.

The Strawberry Festival 5K Walk and Run, or Rock N Run, will take place on June 13 at Hickories Park in Owego and kick off with the music of Hi-Way Fruit Market under the bandshell at Hickories Park. Music will continue with the Dean Goble Band at 7:15 p.m.

The Run, presented by the Historic Owego Marketplace and Tioga State Bank, and with Medals from Tri-Town Insurance, will begin for youth (fun run) at 5:15 p.m., and for adults at 6 p.m., all at Hickories Park. Rotary is organizing the Timed Run, and TSB is providing volunteers. There is still time to sign up, too; visit https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/NY/Owego/OwegoStrawberryFestivalRockRun5K.

For the Friday Night Block Party, roads will close mid-afternoon as set up for the block party and the main event begins.

Running from 5-10 p.m., the Block Party will offer vendors and entertainment, as well as a fireworks display sponsored by The Pumpelly Estate in Owego.

Slated to perform downtown are nine bands on three stages, as well as a busker, jugglers, Paw Patrol characters that will roam the streets, and the Kidz zONe will be running from 5-8:15 p.m.

Making The Band will kick things off musically, and will be followed by performances by the Nate Gross Band and Stone Senate on the Courthouse Stage.

Stone Senate, with connections to Owego, will return this year for a powerhouse performance at 8:15 p.m. on the Courthouse Stage. The band returned from a European Tour and headed straight to the studio, working on new music that they plan to offer a taste of during this year’s festival. It’s a show you won’t want to miss.

The Nate Gross Band, another powerhouse, recently received a SAMMY for Best Blues and will open for Stone Senate with a performance slated for 6:30 p.m. on the Courthouse Stage.

Other performers, like CC-13, Foggy Maloon, and the Tijuana Danger Dogs will fill the Lake Street and Greenlight Networks Stage with music.

Things kick off on Saturday with the annual parade at 9:30 a.m., and then rolling into the festivities.

On stage, guests can plan to hear music by O.D.D., Nick G. and the Neons, The Sorters from bordering Pennsylvania; about a dozen bands in total.

At 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Junkyard Heights will take to the Courthouse Stage from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Junkyard Heights is currently in the studio working on new material, but is excited about performing in Owego and for the annual Strawberry Festival.

The band has opened for acts like Lou Gramm of Foreigner, Martina McBride, and others, and will be opening again for Lou Gramm, along with Asia, for a performance at the Tag’s Summer Stage in Big Flats, N.Y. in August.

Things run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and you can read more and find detailed information in the Strawberry Festival Guide that will be published in next week’s edition of the Owego Pennysaver Press.

The guide will offer detailed information about each band, children’s activities, the parade, the music, and so much more! Be sure to pick up a copy next week. You can also find the 42nd Annual Owego Strawberry Festival page on Facebook.