Strawberry season is officially upon us, and Michiganders headed to Blake's Orchard and Cider Mill in Armada, Michigan, to celebrate the return of the fruit with a Strawberry Festival this past weekend. The event, like many of the others held at the farm, was free and open to the public.
Blake’s Farm is known for its ciders and wines, hosting summer events, and allowing visits to their fields. This past weekend, they were also known for housing The Strawberry Festival. The event was centered around all the red fruit, with a strawberry-themed menu and activities, items for purchase, and berry picking.
Specific festivities for the two-day festival included live music, artisan markets, line dancing, a jam-making workshop and cocktail classes, fireworks, and the strawberry picking.
Vendors in the artisan market were local Michigan artisans and makers, selling everything from key chains and earrings to candles and pottery. The number of this year’s vendors was double the amount of any other year, according to Blake Farm’s website.
For the Strawberry U-Pick, a large wooden sign, visible upon exiting the wagon, recommended berry pickers head to the center of the field for better berries. Participants could take a cardboard tray, provided by the farm, to hold the berries, then take the wagon through Blake's Orchard to get to the berry field.
MaryBeth Mitchell, owner and founder of AugustaWynde Designs, had an entire display of ceramic dishes glazed in pink and red, with patterned strawberries on things like round jewelry dishes and ceramic decor shaped like the state of Michigan. She had an exclusive strawberry shelf displaying ceramic dishes, with textured and printed strawberries on red and pink dishes of all shapes and sizes, including one in the shape of a strawberry itself.
Mitchell said her favorite part of being at an outdoor festival or fair was getting feedback on what customers did and didn’t like, such as in the case of her cell phone stands.
“Everything is made locally, in my house,” Mitchell said. “I used to sell mainly in stores, but I like to go out and do festivals because I like to get the instant feedback that customers tell me what they like, what they don’t like, what they’d like to see, like the cell phone flowers.”
The cell phone flowers Mitchell creates are uniquely shaped to hold a cell phone, similar to the concept of a napkin holder, but with the device facing forward instead of sideways.
Other stands in the market sold jewelry, candles, accessories such as key chains and phone charms, clothing ranging from strawberry t-shirts to patterned pants, and even one with beef tallow skincare products.
In addition to the strawberry-themed paraphernalia, there were several places to eat at the festival: the Cafe, Cider Mill, Tasting Room, Graze Farm Kitchen, and “Blake’s Bites.” In addition to the regular food options, including the unconventional BLT hotdog, there were strawberry-flavored desserts and drinks highlighted for the weekend. One seasonal menu item, the Strawberry Deluxe Slushie, can be enjoyed all through strawberry season, not just for the duration of the festival. This drink mixes strawberry flavored slushie with vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a strawberry donut.
Attendees could also partake in some strawberry mocktails from the husband-and-wife team Richard Brown and Stefania Antonescu of Sugarcane Galore, a Plymouth-based business. They set up shop in a teal and white minibus at the artisan market.
“Sugarcane Galore got involved with the Strawberry Festival through our ongoing relationship with Blake’s,” Brown said. “We’ve been working with Blake’s for the past three years, and this will be our fourth year doing events with them. You can usually find us at some of their other events as well, including the Lavender Festival, Pickle Fest, and Sunflower Festival. This is our first year participating in the Strawberry Festival specifically, and we’re really looking forward to bringing our fresh sugarcane drinks and strawberry specials to the event.”
Samantha Rice, a metro Detroit resident, went to the festival with two friends. She had never gone berry picking before, and felt this was a good experience.
“Berry picking was really fun!” Rice said. “The best part was hanging with my friends. My friend anticipated rain and mud…we were relieved when the field was dry. I enjoyed finding good strawberries and taking cute photos.”
Blake’s Farm will be hosting two other festivals this summer, a lavender one in July and a sunflower one in August. While registration for the Lavender Festival has closed, tickets for the Sunflower Festival are open until July 1, 2026.
The Sunflower Festival will be similar to the Strawberry Festival, showcasing local vendors through a market and letting guests pick sunflowers. The upcoming event also offers workshops and classes, including yoga sessions and demonstrations in aromatherapy, farming, and benefits of local honey.
