Strawberry Festival begins June 8

Marysville biggest summer event, the Strawberry Festival, returns this year from June 8 to June 16 with a variety of events.

“Hopefully it is fun for everyone and helps create a lot of memories for the families here,” said Jodi Hiatt, president of Maryfest, the nonprofit organization that puts on the festival every year.

The festival begins with the Berry Run, a fun run held at the Tulalip Amphitheatre. The Berry Run will begin at 9 a.m. on June 8.

Later that morning will also be the Kid's Day at Asbery Field which brings children’s performers and free activities to the field for a day meant for families.

Kid's Day is held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On June 11 the Strawberry Festival Fashion Show will be held at the Marysville Opera House from noon to 2 p.m.

The fashion show serves as a fundraiser for the scholarship provided to the festival queen or king.

The Talent Show returns for another year on June 13, bringing singers, dancers and other performers to the Marysville-Pilchuck High School auditorium.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Depending on the weather the Funtastic Carnival also begins on June 13 and is held through June 16, bringing classic carnival rides and games to the Marysville Middle School field.

The Market in the Park brings many vendors to Asbery Field on June 14 to 16.

Also at the field for all three days will be the Kiwanis Beer Garden.

Asbery Field is the center of many events on June 15 as well.

“The car show is coming back this year and we have a wrestling event that will be held at Asbery Field on Saturday,” said Hiatt. The car show is held on June 15 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Combat Pro Wrestling will be holding two shows — the first from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. and the second from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The traditional Strawberry Shortcake Eating Contest will feature kids and others devouring many plates of strawberry shortcake beginning at 1:30 p.m.

The parades down State Avenue are held on June 15 as well, including the Kiddies Parade which is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. and the Grand Parade which is set to go down the street at 7:45 p.m.

“The kids like the rides, the cotton candy, coming down to watch the parade and seeing all the people walking past them and going down the street,” said Hiatt.

Maryfest staff have been working to bring in more new people to their events as well, she said.

“Our team has been working on it for a year now,” she said. “We’ve been researching and bringing in some new people to our events, some new vendors and parade participants."

For example, Clan Gordon will be marching in the parade, said Hiatt. “They’re a really neat band to hear,” she said.

Marysville residents should not put out chairs on State Avenue to reserve a space at the parade until Friday, June 14.

“We started a policy two years ago,” said Jim Ballew, director of Marysville’s Parks, Culture and Recreation Department. “We were starting to see chairs being set up at the beginning of the week in challenging places that were interfering with pedestrian walkways. It was really a liability issue.”

Chairs can be set up beginning on 5 p.m. the Friday before the parade and there will be signs posted to help inform residents, said Ballew.