Strawberry Festival

Nine years ago I moved into my little house on third street, I had no idea at the time that the Strawberry festival came right in front of my house. My family has a very long standing history with the festival as my Grandma Byers is the longest living Festival Queen and My sister Tricia was queen and I was princess, so the first June we were in the house my family asked if they could come and watch the parade, I thought that sounded like a good idea so I said sure why not, I think I made lasagna and everyone brought the rest, I had to work so it was a welcome to my home have a party and I will get there at sometime.
So nine years later this event has grown into a grand BBQ with as many as 120 people on any given year. Each year I try to do something to make it special and different we have had a Bobby crocker cook off and had all the guys bring their BBQ and wow did they get into it, we had some amazing meat. I made beef and Chicken skewers this year.
I love this event because it is the one day of the year that I get to host a great party at my house, I love to call it the event of the year the food is always great if I might say so myself and I try to make it a little more than just a BBQ in the front yard.
I have taken fabric that has Strawberries on it and made table squares and then we always try to have some kind of centerpiece for each table, this works a dual purpose as table cloths tend to blow away if they are not held down, and it is a fun accent for the party. I have used my chaffing dishes for the hot food and it gives the appearance of and upscale event, now remember that this is not what it started out as, it was a few friends and family small but fun.
When I was getting ready this year for the festival there was a lot going on and Edd encouraged me to keep it simple he said why don't we just grill hamburgers and hot dogs, my answer was because I do catering I can't just grill a burger. I know that my friend would not have cared and I have served burgers and dogs at the parade party in the past but after nine years I am competing with myself to make it better each year.
Now there are a few things that I have not changed since the first year we still serve fresh strawberry shortcake to everyone at the party, I believe that it takes about thirty pounds of strawberries to do this. I have a great sister and aunt who has always help with this part of the event along with others.
I never thought that I would be the host of this kind of annual event but it is one of the things I look forward to every year, people start asking me in April when is the party, it is always the third week of June but the buzz starts much earlier.
My goal in sharing this is not to show how I can have a great event each year but to encourage you to take ownership of something, maybe it will be the annual Memorial day bash, or the local volleyball day out, it may just be a planned trip to the park or beach, but pick something it doesn't have to be huge start small I did. You will feel a sense of accomplishment just by sharing your life with others.
My most comfortable place is in the kitchen I am not the one who loves to be in public and be given the praise, at any given event I am being drug out of the kitchen by my hair, but to see the joy on every ones face is so worth all the effort I might put into the event. Have fun, be creative. Paper plates are great and ball jars with a candle make a wonderful centerpiece.