Berried Treasure : Strawberries Are Almost a Thing of the Past in Garden Grove, but theFestival Honors Fruit--and Tradition

By GREG HERNANDEZ

May 24, 1991 12 AM PT

SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

GARDEN GROVE —

The city’s 33rd annual Strawberry Festival doesn’t officially open until today, but the fun began early for about 1,400 handicapped children who spent Thursday morning riding speeding Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a giant Ferris wheel and other carnival rides.

More than 250,000 people are expected to attend the four-day event, which was founded in 1958 to promote Garden Grove as one of the leading strawberry producing areas in the nation. Although few acres of arable land remain and Orange County’s strawberry crop is on the wane, the festival has continued to thrive and has changed remarkably little throughout the years.

While the public has four days to attend the event, on Thursday it belonged solely to the handicapped children, many of whom are rarely able to visit carnivals and amusement parks. In addition to the rides, the youngsters were treated to face painting, free toys and free hot dogs, popcorn and drinks.

“They’ve been waiting for weeks to come,” said Judy Merrill, a teacher at Lord Baden-Powell Elementary School in Anaheim. “They have people here who help us lift the kids up onto the rides, which is really a major thing. Because we are able to get them on and off, they are able to have this experience.”

Although the name and theme of the event continues to celebrate the strawberry, the actual acreage of strawberry crops in Orange County has dropped almost 40% since 1987.

“The strawberry theme is more of a nostalgic thing with us now,” said Mary Lou Hill, president of the Strawberry Festival Assn. “We like to hang onto our memories. Strawberries are what we started with and we’ve grown from there. If we changed our name after 33 years of Strawberry Festivals, we would lose the ambience of the whole thing.”

The festival’s opening events today include the cutting of what is being billed as “the world’s largest strawberry shortcake.”

The five-tier cake, which can serve up to 3,000 people, will be dished up beginning at 6 p.m. on Main Street next to the festival grounds at the Village Green Park, 12862 Euclid Ave.

The giant cake, baked by Herb’s Black Forest Bakery in Fountain Valley, required about 4,000 fresh strawberries and had to be transported from the bakery to festival grounds in three vans, said Elsbeth Mahler, bakery owner.

A wide assortment of strawberry foods will be available throughout the festival, organizers said.

Highlighting the festival is the annual parade, featuring Grand Marshal Pat Boone, which is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

In addition to Boone, other parade participants include Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove), entertainer Billy Barty, the Los Angeles Rams Cheerleaders and some cast members from the television shows “A Different World,” “General Hospital,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “Perfect Strangers,” “Santa Barbara,” “The Young and the Restless,” “Roseanne” and “Family Matters.”

Also riding in the parade will be the senior king and queen, Al Hodgson and Helen M. Tenken, who were crowned at the annual Strawberry Bowl on Thursday night at the Garden Grove Senior Center.

The festival’s parade committee has designated the 1.5-mile event as a salute to the U.S. troops who fought in the Persian Gulf War and have asked each parade unit to show support through the use of yellow ribbons, flags or patriotic music.

Activities running throughout the festival include carnival rides and games, an arts and crafts show, food and game booths and more than 100 exhibit booths of novelty items, crafts, home improvement items, civic displays and industrial products and services.

The festival not only gives local civic groups the opportunity to raise money, but is also expected to raise more than $100,000 in proceeds to be distributed to about 150 local and regional organizations and charities.

Strawberry Fields Aren’t Forever Strawberries are becoming less of an element in Orange County agriculture as they diminishon the local scene. The number of acres planted in strawberries has dropped 39% since 1987. Also during the past five years, Crop yields have dropped 41% and the value of the berry crop has decreased 46% Source: Orange County Agricultural Commissioner

Strawberry Festival Events

Performances and contests take place in Garden Grove Amphitheater on festival grounds unless otherwise noted.

Today

Festival hours: 1 to 11:30 p.m.

3 p.m.: Annual Tiny Tots King and Queen contest hosted by Billy Barty (pre-registration required for participants)

6 p.m.: Cutting of “World’s Largest Strawberry Shortcake” in front of festival grounds on Main Street.

7:30 p.m.: Welcoming ceremonies and Strawberry Bowl Review featuring Miss Garden Grove, The Red Hotz and the Improv-ables.

Saturday

Festival hours: 10 a.m. to midnight

10:30 a.m.: Strawberry Festival Parade

12:30 p.m.: Celebrity autograph session next to amphitheater

7:30 p.m.: Eighth annual talent show