The spotlight will shine brightly on Poteet this weekend, for the 71st Annual Poteet Strawberry Festival. Thousands will converge at the festival grounds on Highway 16 for the best in strawberries, food booths, live music, arts and crafts and entertainment for all ages.
The celebration will kick-off on Thursday, April 12 with Carnival Armband Night from 6-10 p.m. when a carnival wristband will be $25.
Gates will open at 6 p.m. on Friday and at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
On Friday evening, there will be a $5 gate admission fee. Friday is also KENS 5 Night with $1 carnival rides all night.
Gate admission on Saturday and Sunday is $15. However, you can get discounted admission tickets for $12.50 online at www.strawberryfestival.com. There will be a carnival wristband for both Saturday and Sunday. They will be $35 per day and they are valid for the entire day.
Remember that children 12 and under are admitted free. Active, Reserve and Retired Military are also admitted free and parking on the festival grounds is free.
Saturday morning’s parade begins at 10 a.m. with this year’s grand marshals Bob and Kelli Phillips, the co-hosts of Texas Country Reporter.
Of course, Poteet strawberry farmers are at the heart of the festival. Poteet strawberry judging will take place Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. at Stage #11- Rotary Pavilion. The Grand Champion Grower and Reserved Champion Grower will be announced and the strawberry auction will get underway at 2:30 p.m.
On Sunday will be the Taste of Texas Food Show from 11 a.m. to noon followed by the Taste of Texas Auction at 1 p.m. These events are also held at Stage #11- Rotary Pavilion.
The headliner on Friday, April 13 will feature Foghat from 10:30 p.m. to midnight on Bud Light Stage #8- VFW Pavilion.
Also on Friday, April 13 will be performances by Raulito Y Grupo Remedio from 8:30-10 p.m. on Stage #13- Lions Pavilion, followed by Poteet’s own David Lee Garza y Los Musicales from 10:30 p.m. to midnight, also on Stage #13.
Headliner and country legend Tanya Tucker will perform at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 14 on Bud Light Stage #8- VFW Pavilion.
Ramon Ayala will headline Saturday, April 14 from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Bud Light Stage #8-VFW Pavilion.
Texas country singer-songwriter Kevin Fowler will headline on Saturday, April 14 from 11:30 to 1 p.m. on Bud Light Stage #13-Lions Pavilion.
Little Texas will grace the Bud Light Stage #8- VFW Pavilion on Sunday, April 15 at 4 p.m.
The Spazmatics will perform from 6-10 p.m. on Sunday, April 15 on Stage #13- Lions Pavilion.
Los Invasores De Nuevo Leon will perform at 8 p.m. Sunday night on Bud Light Stage #8- VFW Pavilion.
Other performers throughout the weekend include: Bree Jimenez, Eclipse, Cody Layne, David Treviño Y Los Tremendos, The Doo Wah Riders, Jaime Y Los Chamacos, Los Garcia Brothers, Natalie Rose, Brad Jenschke, Brandon Michael & True Country, Wednesday Ball and The Show Band.
Strolling acts you can find throughout the weekend include the popular official mascot Freckles, Dinosaur Walk, Willy’s Washboard Jamboree, Ostrich Rider and Doug Whitaker- Trick Roper.
Other children’s activities include Marsha’s Petting Zoo on H-E-B Stage #5 Friday, Saturday and Sunday; the Prehistoric Dinosaur Adventures Mobile Fossil Museum and more.
Also on H-E-B Stage #5 on Saturday and Sunday is the Strawberry Eating Contest from 1 to 2 p.m.
Local churches and non-profit organizations can be found on the grounds selling their delicious, mouth-watering festival foods. Groups include the Poteet Grange, Poteet VFD, Boy Scouts Troop 194, Christmas Village Ministry, St. Matthew’s Guadalupana Society and the Pleasanton Ag Boosters, to name a few.
They will be selling sausage wraps, chocolate-dipped strawberries, hot dogs, nachos, fajitas and many more items.
Other acts will include the familiar and crowd-favorite hypnotist Michael Mezmer, the Kenneth Stephens Open Fiddle Contest, Fire on the Mountain Cloggers, Leonard Rodriguez and much more.
The Busker Bash on Stage #12- Armed Forces Pavilion will do everything from juggle to comedy acts.
There will even be Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Saturday at 2 p.m. at the H-EB Stage #4- Veterans Pavilion.
On Saturday evening at 10:30 p.m. be sure to look to the skies for the fireworks display, sponsored by Ramos Tire and Auto Service.
Well, this will be my 1st time attending the Poteet Strawberry Festival and I am very excited to be going! But, try as I might, I have not been successful in gaining the much needed info on what type of rides will be available for my choosing and because I have to be very careful as to which rides I decide to partake of due to my disability as I do want to have fun and enjoy all that I can this being my 1st time attending but do not wish to cause any additional harm to my Spine disease and only wanted to look into the selection of offered rides and minimize any risk hazards but it seems as I will have to wait until Sunday when we arrive any potential dangers.