A Fun Evening is Ripe for the Picking at the Annual Oceanport Lions Club Strawberry Festival

The annual Oceanport Lions Club Strawberry Festival will be held Friday, June 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Maple Place School in Oceanport.

Try your luck with $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win prizes such as an iPad 3, Kindle Fire HD or two tickets to a New York Yankees game. Attendees can also donate their old eyeglasses and there will be a prize for the family that brings in the most pairs.

Some of this year's attractions will include an American Idol-style contest, a dunk tank, music and entertainment by DJ Corey Fox, free pitching and putting lessons from golf instructor Rob Connelley, a rock climbing wall, a giant animal kingdom bounce land, clowns, face painting and balloon crafts.

Local dentist and Oceanport Lion Craig Sprung will also participate in the Shotdoc Basketball Challenge. Sprung will attempt (30) 3-point basketball shots at 7:45 p.m. in the gym. Guests can make donations for as little as 25 cents for every shot Sprung makes and all the proceeds will go to local Hurricane Sandy relief fund Oceanport Cares.

The festival's menu includes pizza, hot dogs, coffee, tea, soda, ice cream, and root beer floats. The main menu special, of course, will be strawberry short cake. The all natural ice cream was generously donated by Gracie And The Dudes (www.gracieandthedudes.com) with locations in Sea Bright and West Long Branch.

All the money raised from the festival will be donated to Oceanport Cares and the Oceanport school district. There are no administrative expenses for the event.

For more information on the festival, contact Event Chairman John Bonforte, Sr. at johnsr@monmouthrubber.com or 908-489-9090.