Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days

Pleasant Grove offers an open invitation to come to their 102^nd Strawberry Days Celebration. It is Utah’s longest-running city celebration, and it offers live music, delicious food, carnival rides, and plenty of fresh strawberries. But wait, there’s more – a mammoth parade with festive floats, classic cars, marching bands, and the Strawberry Days Rodeo. Strawberry Days begin Saturday, June 10, and run with nine fun-packed days until the closing concert on Sunday, June 18. The theme of this year’s event is “Strength Lies in Our Roots.”

 

This amazing week kicks off with the Fireman’s Firefighter Pancake Breakfast from 7 – 10 a.m. on opening day. For $5 a person, the Pleasant Grove Fire Department will fill you with mouthwatering pancakes at the fire station.

 

 

Following your feast, the Annual Strawberry Days Car Show will already be open, featuring over 100 cars including the classic and exotic. It is hosted by the Pleasant Grove Honorary Colonel as a fundraiser for the police department’s K-9 Unit. Django, the six-year-old German Shepherd K-9 will be there with his handler.

 

Donations will earn tickets for chances to win a TV, grill, gift card, Grizzlies Hockey tickets, and more. A silent auction will feature a helicopter sight-seeing tour over Mount Timpanogos and Utah County for four people – a prize valued at $2,000.

Food trucks will be on hand at 6:00 p.m. to start the street party with food and dancing. Things heat up with a popular band on stage and you can dance the night away.

 

Sunday night, the concert will be by the Pleasant Grove Orchestra. Comprised of musicians from Salt Lake, Utah, and Sanpete Counties, this orchestra has been performing for over 30 years.

 

Monday features a free swim day for the whole family, children’s relay races, and a Children’s Parade. Prizes will be given for the best-themed floats and best dress. Some folks will be attracted to the Pleasant Grove Garden Tour – a tour of some beautiful gardens around the town. Strawberries and Stories are set at the library with puppets, music, rocket science, and interactive storytelling.

 

Tuesday offers a Family Fair – an invitation to meet your first responders in person. A Concert in the Park will fill the evening with each person receiving one free bowl of strawberries and cream, and a Fitness Night will be at the Community Center parking lot at 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday opens with a Baby Contest. Everyone thinks their baby is the cutest and here is a chance to prove it. There is a Pickle Ball Tournament in the afternoon and the carnival opens in the evening.

 

 

This is also the first night of the Strawberry Days Rodeo – a PCRA-sanctioned event that started in 1921. This is the longest-running rodeo in Utah and runs Wednesday through Saturday. Events at the rodeo will include, Saddle Bronc Riding, Bareback Riding, Bull Riding, Steer Wrestling, Calf Roping, Team Roping, and Barrel Racing. There will also be Mutton Busting for the kids and a Cash Cow for those up to age 10. There will also be fireworks on Wednesday and Saturday nights.

 

Thursday will include a call to all princesses. The Miss Pleasant Grove Royalty invites all young ladies 3 – 11 to the Strawberry Days Princess Party. Each princess will enjoy lunch, activities, entertainment, and fun. The fee also includes a beautiful rhinestone tiara and fun surprises. What little girl wouldn’t want to be a princess?

 

 

The carnival opens in the afternoon and the rodeo starts at 8:00 p.m. The Daughters of the Utah Pioneers (DUP) Pioneer Museum will be open for extra days to help celebrate our pioneer heritage.

 

Friday morning starts with Huck Finn Day. This Strawberry Days tradition includes games, prizes, and face painting. However, it wouldn’t be Huck Finn Day without fishing in the pond with fishing nets.

 

The carnival opens in the afternoon and runs till 11:00 p.m. No Strawberry Days would be complete without a pie-eating contest so yes, there is one. A four-member team volleyball tournament is also in the offing.

Saturday morning starts with the 5K Guns and Hoses Run and a Kids 1/2 Mile Run. The registration includes an awesome T-shirt (I kid you not, they said awesome), and a 2023 Race Coin.

 

A Volleyball Spike Tournament runs in the morning and the Strawberry Days Parade starts at 10:00 a.m. The carnival opens in the afternoon and another round of the volleyball tournament will play.

 

To show how inclusive this event is to the public, an E-Sports Tournament is in the offing. Hosted by the PGHS Cyber Vikings, this promises to be a thrilling competition. The game of choice for this event is Super Smash Brothers Ultimate. Nintendo gift cards will go to the top three players.

 

Sunday closes Strawberry Days with a concert featuring Current Creek, a country band playing Top 40 Country Classics, Red Dirt, and classic rock. You could not pack much more into these nine days. This is the first of the harvest festivals this year and Pleasant Grove has hung out the welcome sign. Go to StrawberryDays.org for details.

 

You don’t have to like strawberries to see how much fun is on the agenda at this event. Clear your calendar and come spend some time at Strawberry Days in Pleasant Grove.