Fun For All As 63rd Annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival Weekend Kicks Off

MATTITUCK, NY — A beloved annual tradition is about to burst forth this weekend as the 63rd Annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival unfolds in Mattituck.

The event, which takes place June 15 through 18, is a favorite for families and crowds far and wide, kicks off Thursday with Hulling Night, what many locals consider a pinnacle of the festivities, as generations of families gather to hull the sweet strawberries, sharing laughter, music, memories and fun.

Presented by Bridgehamption National Bank, the event is always held on Father's Day weekend, and features midway rides, games, music, vendors, food and strawberries, lots and lots of strawberries.

Whether dipped in chocolate or served up in a sweet shortcake, the strawberries are the star of the show.

Another highlight of the event is the crowning of the Strawberry Queen on Saturday, along with fireworks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Cheer as the new Strawberry Queen is crowned. Experience the midway rides. Taste foods from around the world. The fun keeps going after the sun sets, so bring lawn chairs and enjoy the fireworks on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Check out the video of a past Hulling Night and then, see a schedule of the weekend's fun festivities.

Schedule

Thursday June 15: Hulling and preview

Hulling begins at 5 p.m. Volunteers welcome. Sponsored by North Fork Woodworks

Carnival: 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Free Admission. Carnival preview special pay-one-price ride bracelet, $25; single ride tickets available. “Lite” fireworks show at 9:15 p.m., weather permitting.

Friday, June 16

5 p.m. until 11 p.m.

Admission: Adults and children age 5 and over, $5

Kids under 5 years old are free.

Pay-one-price ride bracelet: $30.

Single ride tickets available

6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.: Subterraneans

“Great” Fireworks show at 10 p.m., weather permitting

Saturday June 17

11 a.m. until 11 p.m.

Admission: Adults and children age 5 and over, $5

Kids under 5 years old are free.

Pay-one-price bracelet: $30, good from opening to 5 p.m. and a second pay-one-price bracelet, $30, good from 5 p.m. to closing; All day bracelet available at $50.

Single ride tickets av.ailable

11:30 a.m. 2:30 p.m.: Barely Acoustic

3 p.m.: 2017 Strawberry Queen Announcement and Presentation

3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.: OM-en

7 p.m. to 10 p.m: The Spectrum

“Grand Finale” Fireworks Show at 10:15 p.m., weather permitting

Sunday June 18

11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Admission, Adults and children age 5 and up, $5

Kids under 5 years old are free.

Pay-one price ride bracelet, $30

Single ride tickets available.

No admission charge for fathers on Father's Day when accompanied by paid child.

Noon to 3 p.m.: Nature Nick

Jester Jim

4 p.m.: 2017 "Big Bucks" winners announced

* Discount offer: If you purchase a $30 pay-one-price rides bracelet online, a Megapass, it can be used for either Friday, Saturday or Sunday. You will receive one free admission to the festival and one rides bracelet; on Saturday either a morning bracket or an afternoon bracelet, for each Megapass purchased. The offer ends once festival starts.

Click here to buy ride bracelets online.

In addition to the Lions Club mission of helping the blind, the Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival helps benefit a sea of local organizations including:

• Peconic Bay Medical Center
• M-C School Scholarships
• Vacation Camp for the Blind
• DECA
• Cub Pack 39
• Mattituck Rescue Squad
• Timothy Hill Children’s Ranch
• North Fork Soccer
• North Fork Parish Outreach
• Lions Eye Bank
• Glaucoma Screenings
• Peconic Panthers Football
• Gridiron Parents
• Boy Scouts
• Maureen’s Haven
• Southold Town NJROTC
• East End Hospice
• Christmas Spirit
• North Fork “Klippers”
• Town of Southold Senior Center
• Kate's Angels
• North Fork Breast Coalition
• Riverhead Police Department
• Companion Dogs
• Brian Hocker Trust Fund
• U.S. Blind Golf Association
• St. Jude's Children's Hospital

• Eastern LI Hospital
• Clearly School for the Deaf
• CAST
• Joslyn Center for Juvenile Diabetes
• Parkinson's Disease Foundation
• CYO Sports
• Guide Dog Foundation
• San Simeon By the Sound
• M-C Little League
• Empire St. Speech & Hearing
• Eyeglass Recycling
• VFW
• Girl Scouts
• North Fork Lacrosse
• John’s Place
• Booster Club
• Mattituck Jazz Band
• Halloween Parade
• North Fork Community Supper Inc.
• Mattituck-Cutchogue S. D. Body Kinetics
• S C Dental Society, Give-A-Kid-A-Smile
• Long Island Lions' Eye Bank
• Mattituck High School Chorus
• New Beginnings
• North Fork Animal Welfare League
• Southold Police PBA

For a full schedule of events, click here.

Patch photos, video by Lisa Finn.