Winthrop Improvement & Historical Association (WIHA) celebrated its 112th Strawberry Festival on June 11, with over 600 attendees visiting from as far as Scottland.
“It’s the biggest crowd I’ve ever seen,” said Kim Witthaus, Festival Chairperson. “We had great weather and a huge army of volunteers, which made things go smoothly. I don’t think it could have gone better.”
The Strawberry Festival is WIHA’s largest fundraising event of the year, supporting the preservation of the First Period Colonial Deane Winthrop House. The gathering featured strawberry shortcakes and other refreshments, musical entertainment by Sunset Studios Boston, lawn games, raffles, and tours of the historic home.
“We couldn’t have done it without the volunteers. We had a lot of non-member volunteers, and we still need more. Decisions are made by those who show up,” emphasized Bill Veiga, Strawberry Festival Volunteer Coordinator, who hopes the event inspires more to join WIHA.
Winthrop resident of one year, Casey Watson-Turner, pointing to her house’s location on an 1894 map of Winthrop with Taylor StetzarThe Lucia Family and Gloria MacPhail placing chances in raffle basketsChris and Megan with their daughters, Riley, 5-years-old, and Malia Clark, 5-months-oldColleen Murphy, Paula Ward, Roberta Daly, and Jane Leonard serving strawberry shortcakeCarole Brown, 2nd Vice President, with her sister, Gina Acone, and volunteer, Darlene Brown, selling strawberry-themed merchandiseWinthrop Improvement & Historical Association member of over 50 years and first female president of the organization, Claire Hubbard, with her family, Robert Hubbard, Genevieve Bradley, Jennifer Ford, Tori Onffroy, Jesse Ford, and Dan KaepplingerKatlynn Schmick and Melanie La holding strawberry daiquiris“Strawberry Queen,” Kim Witthaus, and Dottie DonofrioSunset Studios Boston musicians, Kristen Audette and Richie Hudson, performing “Wake Me Up”Marie Zinna, Kathy Vorse, and Rosalie PetraliaChris and Lauren posing in front of the Strawberry backdropMelda and Devin Gerow, 2 ½-years-oldMarlene Lautenschlager, Miriam, Brett, Amelia, 2 ½-years-old, and Charlie Deukmejian, 10-months-old, and Bill LautenschlagerKim Whitthaus, Strawberry Festival Chairperson, and Bill Veiga, Strawberry Festival Volunteer CoordinatorMichael Herbert, WIHA president, providing a tour of the Deane Winthrop HouseNatalie and Royce with their 1-year-old son, Arlo StubbsCarl Eckstein, Mark Sennott, Councilor Joe Romano, Diana Viens, Councilor Pat Costigan, Council Vice President Suzanne Swope, and Kim Costigan
