Garden Grove : It’s Time for a Merry Ol’ Berry Festival

The strawberry fields that once transformed Garden Grove into a green patchwork quilt every spring have given way to urban density, but that heritage will be celebrated this week at the 31st Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival.

The festival, which draws about 250,000 visitors each year, begins at 1 p.m. Friday at Village Green park near the Civic Center and continues through Monday evening. It offers free entertainment, 40 carnival rides and more than 100 food, game and commercial booths and exhibits.

California’s largest strawberry shortcake will be carved up and served to several thousand visitors Friday evening. On Saturday morning, the annual Strawberry Festival Parade will feature television celebrities and will be broadcast live on KHJ-TV Channel 9. A strawberry-pie eating contest will be held Sunday and a “Redhead roundup,” in which prizes will be awarded for the reddest hair and the most freckles, is set for Monday.

The event has raised $1.5 million for charities since 1966, festival president Dick Miller said. Last year, the festival gave $100,000 to the city for the restoration of the Mills House, a civic art gallery and community meeting place. The festival also donated $25,000 each to the Grove Theatre Company of Garden Grove and Ronald McDonald House in Orange.

Although strawberry cultivation in Garden Grove--once promoted as the strawberry capital of the world--has dwindled to only 44 acres, strawberries continue to be an important crop in Orange County.

Over the last 20 years, strawberry acreage has increased from 1,372 acres in 1967 to 2,498 acres in 1987, said John Ellis, deputy agricultural commissioner for Orange County. 1989 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL PARADE When: FRIDAY, MAY 26:1 p.m. to midnight SATURDAY, MAY 27: 10 a.m. to midnight SUNDAY, MAY 28: noon to midnight MONDAY, MAY 29: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Village Green Park, Stanford Avenue and Euclid Street, a half-mile north of Garden Grove Freeway. Admission: Free. Parking: On surrounding streets. 1989 STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL SCHEDULE FRIDAY, MAY 26 2 p.m.: Tiny tots contest with Billy Barty (must pre-register) 6 p.m.: Opening ceremonies 7:30 p.m.: Cutting and sharing world’s largest strawberry shortcake SATURDAY, MAY 27 10:30 a.m.: Parade starts at West and Chapman, goes west to Euclid and south to festival grounds Noon: Celebrity autograph session Battle of the bands 7:30 p.m.: Talent contest (pre-register) SUNDAY, MAY 28 12:30 p.m.: Pie-eating contest 2 p.m.: Live entertainment 7:30 p.m.: Las Vegas revue MONDAY, MAY 29 Noon: Redhead roundup 2:30 p.m.: Live entertainment All events will take place at the Strawberry Bowl on the grounds. Pre-registration: Tiny Tot King and Queen (ages 3, 4, 5 and 6) by today. To obtain forms: Call Strawberry Festival at (714) 638-0981. Go to Chamber of Commerce office or call (714) 638-7950. To contact the festival: Call (714) 638-0981.