Mattituck Strawberry Festival Begins: 5 Things You Need To Know

MATTITUCK, NY — The 66th Annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival kicks off Wednesday night, after missing a year due to the pandemic. And for the first time ever, the carnival and food court will open on Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. — with no admission charge.

Festival organizers said there have been many questions this year. Here's a run-down of five things you need to know before you go:

1) No COVID forms are needed. According to the New York State website, “unvaccinated individuals are responsible for continuing to wear a mask per federal CDC guidance”.

2. Admission tickets are purchased at the festival entrance. Ride bracelets can be purchased on-site or online. Online purchases can be made until 5 p.m. on June 16. When you buy online, there is a $2 convenience fee, but you get one free admission ticket with each bracelet purchased, for a total of $8 in savings. Online sales are only for Friday night, Saturday day, Saturday night, or Sunday day. The link for online purchases can be found here.

3. Wednesday night festivities feature the carnival and food court only. Thursday's fun includes sales of chocolate-covered strawberries, alcohol-free daiquiris, and strawberry pies. Vendors will start opening on Thursday. The schedule from Friday to Sunday includes live entertainment and fresh berry sales.

4) On Saturday, the crowning of the 2021 to 2022 Strawberry Queen will take place at 3 p.m.

5) Also on Saturday, the winner of the Big Bucks Raffle will be announced on Sunday at 4 p.m.

"We are very excited to be holding the Strawberry Festival after a year off," said Chris Ekster, festival chairman and 1st vice president of Mattituck Lions Club. "We expect this to be a great time for all attendees."

For additional information, visitors are asked to visit the event's website and social media platforms — such as the "Mattituck Strawberry Festival" on Facebook and @mattitucklionclub and #strawfest on Instagram — often for updates, as well as prices, directions, parking information, and more.