Since the debut of the Owego Strawberry Festival 37 years ago, hundreds of thousands of people have been drawn to downtown Owego, New York to experience the charm of this annual festival, planned for June 16 and 17 this year. The theme for this year\u2019s event is \u201cStrawberry Memories\u201d.<\/p>\n
An estimated 20,000 visitors come back each year to enjoy live entertainment, great food, hundreds of vendors, spectacular fireworks, a 90-minute parade, and- of course – delicious strawberry shortcake.<\/p>\n
Planning for Owego\u2019s annual festival is underway, with the event scheduled for Friday evening from 5 to 10 p.m., and for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s festival will begin with the Block Party on Friday that culminates with the fireworks over the river at Draper Park.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, the parade will kick things off at 10 a.m., and then guests will be treated to live music on three separate stages, a puppet show in the Courthouse Square, a visit by Animal Adventure Park, and magic shows performed by the \u201cDigital Circus\u201d out of New Jersey.<\/p>\n
And of course there will be vendors throughout the streets and a variety of eateries offering fair food throughout the day.<\/p>\n
This year, because of a scheduled water project on Lake Street, the vendors will be spread out through different areas in downtown Owego. Lake Street, however, will be open and there will be a stage located in the Tioga State Bank lot for guests to relax and take in some live music. The shops along Lake Street will also be open.<\/p>\n