While Victoria celebrated all colours of the rainbow during its annual Pride parade, its northern municipal neighbour was celebrating one little red fruit that drew more than 10,000 attendees.
On a sunny Saturday, July 6, thousands gathered at Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park for Saanich’s 58th annual Strawberry Festival to celebrate local farmers and the community that supports them.
With more than half a century of history, event organizer Sarah Faria said the annual celebration is deeply rooted in Saanich’s agricultural heritage.
“It started out with a really tiny parade, and it was a little bit more about the agricultural roots of the (municipality),” she said. “Since then, it has grown in scope and size over the years.”
From lively music to food trucks and a variety of informational booths, the festival offered something for everyone. But since day one, the heart of the event has been the region’s famed strawberries and local ice cream, served in portions that sold more than 4,000 servings this year, Faria said.
The berries were sourced exclusively from Michell’s Farm Market, while the vanilla ice cream came from Island Farms.
“The Peninsula has amazing farmers who grow fantastic strawberries,” she added. “Anything that we buy from other countries or overseas just doesn’t compare to the strawberries that come from here. They are big, they are juicy, they are amazing, and it’s supporting our local farmers.”
Sustainability was also a priority at this year’s event, Faria noted, as all strawberries and ice cream were served in stainless steel bowls, helping divert about 4,000 single-use bowls from landfill.
