After the gray days of February and the last winter chills of March, it seems we’re all ready for a festival. What better way to ease our way into the season than with a festival on the water that features beautiful red strawberries. The Old Bridge Historical Society of Sunset Beach is hosting the 10th Annual Strawberry & Wine fest on Sunday, April 28, from noon to 5 pm. The event is at the beautiful Sunset Beach Park, at the foot of the Sunset Beach Bridge, 206 Sunset Boulevard North. The signature food item is strawberry shortcake, and word on the street is that they sell out quickly, so plan on getting yours early.
The Society suggests a donation of $5 per attendee, All proceeds go to benefit the nonprofit Old Bridge Historical Society. Donations help the Old Bridge Historical Society more effectively preserve and share the history of the Old Bridge and the Sunset Beach area with both residents and visitors, according to a release from the Society. Your $5 donation also includes a chance to participate in the vendor drawing.
“It’s one of our main fundraisers for the year,” said Ann Bokelman, who volunteers with the Society.
Take chairs or blankets, and set up amongst the beautiful live oak trees to enjoy classic rock and soul tunes from Mike’s Garage Band. Festival-goers can dance along or just watch the boat traffic in the Intracoastal Waterway.
There will be plenty of arts and crafts vendors set up for shopping, many of whom have been working to incorporate the strawberry theme into their offerings, Bokelman said. There will be jams and jellies, strawberry slushes, and more. There will be wines available from Silver Coast Winery and the Makai Brewing Company in Ocean Isle Beach and Wilmington’s Waterline Brewing Company will have specialty craft beers for sale. Food vendors will have hot dogs, pulled pork and more.
A new addition this year will be the sale of fresh strawberries from Heritage Fresh Market, so attendees can get some fresh berries to make their own treats at home.
Visit http://www.theoldbridge.org/ to find out more about the Festival, the Society and the Old Bridge Museum. Hours for the museum are 10 am to 2 pm Wednesdays through Saturdays. In the summer, the Society also offers a young explorers program for children ages 4-11 on Wednesdays. Each session will have a theme for the day, and the children will learn something, do an educational activity, and make a craft.
Fundraising is important for the group this year as plans move forward to move the Bridge. The land where the Bridge currently sits is essentially borrowed, and the landowner has been allowing the Bridge to rest there since 2011 but now has other plans for the property. The Society now owns the property to the west of its current location and will move the Bridge to it soon.
“We’re very excited to to do that. It’s been a dream of ours,” Bokelman said.
The move will allow the Society to add to its education programs as well.
“The bridge will span the 404 wetlands, and we’ll be able to use that as an educational tool,” Bokelman said. “We want people to understand why the wetlands are important and how to protect them.”
