Mattituck Strawberry Festival A Go, But What About Hulling Night?

MATTITUCK, NY — The North Fork rejoiced at the news Tuesday when the Mattituck Lions Club announced that, despite having missed a year due to the pandemic, the annual Strawberry Festival will be back in June for its 66th year.

But it's uncertain whether or not Hulling Night, the community event that traditionally kicks off the festivities, will take place this year.

"The short planning time this year has presented us with some challenges, but we are working diligently towards providing a normal festival experience," a festival organizer told Patch.

Hulling night is a sweet tradition savored by generations of North Fork residents, during which scores of volunteers from the community — many of whom have been involved for generations — help hull about 100,000 berries used to make shortcake and alcohol-free daiquiris for the festival.

From the tiniest babies, to tables filled with generations of family members who consider hulling a time-honored tradition, and Strawberry Queens past and present, Hulling Night is about so much more than strawberries — it's about community, about the deep ties that bind families and friends to the North Fork, and it's about volunteering for an event that raises funds every year to help those in need. Even if it doesn't take place this year, the event will be back again in the future, organizers said.

This year's Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival will take place over Father's Day weekend, from June 16 to June 20, at the Strawberry Fields fairgrounds in Mattituck. All proceeds will be donated to charitable and community causes, organizers said.

For the first time this year, the carnival will open on Wednesday night instead of Thursday; in addition to the carnival, a midway and international food court will be presented by Reithoffer Shows. Beginning on Friday night, craft and business vendors will also be featured.

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

All state guidelines will be followed for health and safety reasons; as the guidelines are changing frequently, 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.