TROY, Ohio (WDTN) — Every year, people from across the Miami Valley flock to Miami County to celebrate with a festival centered around strawberries. However, there is actually another event that happens prior to the annual festival.
Troy Strawberry Jam
On Friday, June 2, Troy welcomed back the Troy Strawberry Jam from 5 to 9 pm.
At the Strawberry Jam, community members were able to visit the square to view the official ribbon cutting for the event by Troy Mayor Robin Oda and members of the Troy Chamber. Event officials could be seen dying the fountain a strawberry red color to help kickstart the jam.
During the time the Strawberry Jam was held, two bands performed. Children were also able to get in on the fun. According to the festival, there was a “Big Wheel Race” and “Shuttle Run + Dash” for children to participate in and just have fun.
Leaders created the idea of the Strawberry Jam in 2021 because of COVID-19 pandemic, which ultimately cancelled the festival in 2021. The Strawberry Jam was initially held to have some sort of community engagement in place of the original festival, but is now held to get people ready for the annual event, which has returned in full-force. The jam is not the full festival, but includes many vendors on site.
Troy Strawberry Festival
The Troy Strawberry Festival held its 47th annual event on Saturday June 3 and Sunday, June 4, located at Public Square in downtown Troy. For the 2023 festival, the theme chosen was “Berries Rock.”
The photo below on the left shows what the scene of what the Strawberry Festival looked like before opening. On the right, the photo shows people walking the streets of downtown Troy Sunday around 1:40 p.m.
When vendors were set up and lined the square around the fountain, levee and surrounding streets, the long lines continued throughout the festival at many different stands. The stand for the famous strawberry donuts, which can only be found at the festival, had continuous lines, as seen during previous years.
Many other vendors were set up and found at the festival, like Shannon’s Southern Style Sweet Tea, Twenty One Barrels, Kona Ice, various independent and non-profit vendor organizations and other organizations.
At Troy Community Park, car enthusiasts were able to walk over and browse the various cars on display.
On Sunday, June 4 at 6 p.m., the festival wraps up for the 2023 season.
