BRIDGETON — For more than 100 years, the Missouri Baptist Children's Home Strawberry Festival has been a favorite event for Baptists across the state, while raising funds for the Children's Home ministry.
This year's event is set for June 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at a new venue and with new options. Heat and humidity and limited parking at the Lowe-Frillman campus in Bridgeton, where the festival has been held, have dampened festival attendance the past few years.
This year, First Baptist Church of Arnold will host the Strawberry Festival. Acres of on-site parking mean participants will no longer have to be bused from parking areas located nearly a mile away as in the past.
MBCH administrators also point out that the church's air-conditioned facility will add a new level of comfort.
Festival organizers add that another big change is "the return to a more family friendly atmosphere."
A children's area will feature inflatable bounce houses, an 18-foot slide and a castle maze crawl-through. Children will enjoy face painting, balloon art, scheduled/supervised games for various age groups throughout the day and a craft area.
Approximately 30 vendors will sell a variety of handcrafted items. As always, the festival will feature sales of donated craft items and will auction beautiful handmade quilts and crafts.
JOY FM Christian radio (99.1 FM) will provide a two-hour live remote broadcast.