Bring together a group of business owners and community leaders who are interested in celebrating agriculture and the producers who bring the Finger Lakes bounty from farms to tables, while also looking to secure their place in the overall Finger Lakes tourism landscape, and what do you get?
In this case, preliminary discussion and planning led to an idea that has organically grown into the Honeoye Strawberry Festival, named for the Honeoye strawberry created by Cornell University and the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.
“There is an actual strawberry that Cornell created that’s named for this tiny town in the Finger Lakes and so, why not highlight it?” said Kelly Schmidlin, one of the festival organizers and owner of Mill Creek Cafe, which opened in February in Honeoye.
The first Honeoye Lake Strawberry Festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 28 along Main Street in Honeoye for an event that organizers said brings together businesses, visiting vendors, live music and family-friendly activities in a walkable, community-centered celebration.
Throughout the day, Main Street will come alive with strawberry-inspired food and drink specials. Visitors will be able to enjoy local shops, and a curated mix of art, agriculture and visiting vendors woven into participating business locations.
The festival grew from a shared goal: to take the spirit of Honeoye, the story of the Honeoye strawberry and the relationships already woven through the community, and bring them together for a summer celebration on Main Street, according to Amy Linehan, one of the festival organizers and owner of the Reed Homestead Shop in Honeoye.
Here’s more about what’s happening.
Strawberry fun at Honeoye Strawberry Festival
Festival highlights include the Great Strawberry Pie Bake Off and the Best Honeoye Lake Strawberry Jam Contest.
“There’s already been some buzz about friendly competition, and we’re hoping that becomes a fun and defining element of the festival,” Linehan said.
Local bakers and makers will share their homemade creations, with winners announced later in the day.
For the festival, Mill Creek is planning grab-and-go strawberry shortcake and easy walkable lunch items, while also offering its regular sit-down menu for people who want to take a break and relax over lunch or a strawberry-inspired cocktail.
The Valley Inn is planning a strawberry pancake breakfast to start the morning, followed later by bourbon strawberry-infused ribs.
Birdhouse Brewing Co. will feature a strawberry-inspired beer, menu items, and grab-and-go options, while Pop’s Deli is planning strawberry milkshakes and desserts.
Strawberries aren’t the only tasty treats to tempt taste buds.
Taryn Schultz, a festival committee member and owner of Tranquility Coffee, will bring a mobile coffee experience to Main Street with iced coffees and drinks. Noble Shepherd Brewery will be pouring at Mill Creek and offering takeaway packs. Visitors can enjoy everything from fresh lemonade and coffee drinks to specialty foods, desserts and seasonal offerings from area restaurants.
More things to do at Honeoye Strawberry Festival
A curated classic and specialty car show will be featured at select locations along Main Street, with live music at the town gazebo and additional performances throughout the day planned.
Families and visitors can also take part in free, hands-on art experiences at Jen Rogers Art Studio, including a strawberry watercolor keepsake activity and a collaborative community strawberry painting project celebrating creativity and connection.
For families, there will be face painting and kid-friendly games hosted by Richmond Recreation and Honeoye Rotary at Town Hall, along with live music there during the day and continuing into the evening at Birdhouse Brewing.
The Honeoye Valley Association’s rubber duck race fundraiser will take place during the event, starting at 4 p.m. at Birdhouse Brewing.
Who is organizing the Honeoye Strawberry Festival?
The Honeoye Lake Strawberry Festival is being organized by local business owners and community members through G.R.A.C.E., the Greater Richmond Area Charity Events.
As the event grows, organizers hope it will also support local charitable efforts within the community.
“We wanted to create something that reflects what makes Honeoye special — its businesses, its agricultural roots, and the relationships that already exist here,” Linehan said. “This is a way to bring it all together and welcome people to experience the town in a new way.”
The hope someday is to have a yearly celebration of summer on par with the Naples Grape Festival that highlights Honeoye’s people and places and brings people to town. And that a group of women business owners and community leaders are helping to lead the way is “really cool,” Schmidlin said.
“It’s a bunch of passionate ladies working together trying to make it happen,” Schmidlin said.
For more on the Honeoye Strawberry Festival
For updates, a full schedule, and participating vendors, visit www.honeoyelakestrawberryfest.org.
Mike Murphy covers Canandaigua and other communities in Ontario County and writes the Eat, Drink and Be Murphy food and drink column. He can be reached at mmurphy@messengerpostmedia.com. Follow him on X at @MPN_MikeMurphy.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Honeoye Lake Strawberry Festival coming soon: What to know
Reporting by Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Mike Murphy, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
