Hulling Night, Beloved Tradition, Kicks Off Mattituck Strawberry Festival: Photos

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NORTH FORK, NY — A crowd of North Fork residents turned out, just as they have for generations, to share hulling night, a beloved tradition that kicks off the Annual Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival, now in its 71st year.

Families who've come for years to hull the sweet berries gathered to help prepare for the event, which raises thousands of dollars each year to help those in need.

Young and old delight in hulling the berries as music plays in the giant white tent.

As they hull the berries, they share laughter, stories and the joy that comes from sharing such a deeply rooted tradition, that keeps them forever tied to the values with which they were all raised — to home.

The Strawberry Festival, a pinnacle of the North Fork season, takes place at Strawberry Field in Mattituck, located at 1105 North Road in Mattituck.

Here's a full schedule of events for the festival, which runs through Sunday, Father's Day.

Thursday, June 18

• 6:30 p.m. – Almost Eras: The Taylor Swift Experience

• 9:15 p.m. – Fireworks

Friday, June 19

• 3 p.m. – Southbound

• 7:30 p.m. – Fever Band

• 10:30 p.m. – Fireworks

Saturday, June 20

• 12:30 p.m. – Aqua Cherry

• 4 p.m. – Strawberry Queen Announcement / Check Presentations

• 5 p.m. – World Strawberry Shortcake Eating Championship presented with Major League Eating

• 7:30 p.m. – American Girl: A Tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

• 10:30 p.m. – Fireworks

Sunday, June 21

• 1:30 p.m. – Coverland

Family Entertainment Area

Saturday, June 20

• 12 p.m. – Magic of Amore

• 1:30 p.m. – Magic of Amore

• 3 p.m. – Magic of Amore

Sunday, June 21

• 12 p.m. – Jester Jim

• 1:30 p.m. – Jester Jim

• 3 p.m. – Jester Jim

“The Strawberry Festival is more than just a summer tradition — it’s a celebration of everything that makes the North Fork special,” said Rich Jernick, festival chairman and 1st vice president of the Mattituck Lions Club. "From the volunteers and local businesses to the families who return year after year, this event brings our community together in an incredible way while helping us support important charitable causes across the region."

Festival admission information, entertainment schedules, ride pricing, parking details, and additional updates can be found at:

Mattituck Strawberry Festival official website

Follow the festival on social media:

Facebook: Mattituck Strawberry Festival

Instagram: @mattituck_strawberry_festival

TikTok: @mattituckstrawberryfest

The Mattituck Lions Club is part of Lions Clubs International, the world’s largest service organization.

Through charitable fundraising and community service initiatives, the club supports local families, scholarships, health care causes, youth programs, and numerous nonprofit organizations across the North Fork community.

Lions Clubs International is an international non-political service organization established originally in 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, by Melvin Jones.

It is now headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois. It has over 47,000 local clubs with more than 1.4 million members in over countries around the world.