Saturday, May 17, promises to be a jam-packed day in Stuart, with two major events — the 22nd annual Strawberry Festival and the third installment of the Songwriter Circle Series — set to bring live music, food, and crowds to town.
The Strawberry Festival will take place in Uptown Stuart from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Stuart Town Manager Bryce Simmons said nearly 100 vendors have registered for the event.
“I think we have come close to getting that many vendors before, but this is the first time we’ve ever been at this capacity prior to the festival. We’ve always had a little bit of flexibility to add vendors here and there, but we’ve had a lot of interest from a vendor standpoint this year in particular,” he said.
Because of this high level of interest, Simmons said the town does not expect to accept same-day vendor applications as it has in the past.
He believes the increased interest stems from improvements in accessibility on the town’s new website and Facebook page.
“I think that has helped with making, or at least, getting it accessible for people to sign up. Because I’ve had a lot of inquiries through our new email and website,” he said.
In addition to a variety of food and craft vendors, live music will be featured throughout the festival.
Jordan T. Morrison & The Foothill Boys will perform from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by Marcie Horne and Mike Pendleton from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Ashley Stout will take the stage from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
While attendance varies based on weather, Simmons estimates that several thousand visitors could pass through Main Street with favorable conditions.
“Last year’s weather was pretty overcast and rainy, which definitely hurt attendance, but the year before that I think that we had anywhere from 4,000 to 5,000 people because it was hot outside,” he said. Good weather “always makes a difference.”
The third Songwriter Circle Series will take place at the Star Theatre, with doors opening at 5 p.m. The show will be headlined by Jerry Salley.
Patrick County Music Association (PCMA) President Denny Alley said Salley is a three-time Grammy Award winner based in Nashville.
“He wrote songs for Chris Stapleton and won a Grammy” earlier this year for Stapleton’s song “It Takes a Woman,” he said.
Additional performers include Roger Handy, Miller Hopkins, Barry Hutchens, and Will Hutchens.
Because seating is limited, Alley encouraged attendees to purchase tickets in advance.
“They’re cheaper to buy here at the Coffee Break than anywhere else. They’re $10 here, and the day of the show — if we have any left — they’re $20,” he said.
