When was the last time you went to festival that offered stuff for free---free admission, free music, free parking---and the chance to park yourself and your cooler for a day in an open, fresh-air, rural setting?

The third annual Strawberry Fields Festival, scheduled for Saturday is, as organizer Chris Schup said, “A grass-roots event with homegrown music and berry picking. It’s a place for people to come to share music, and to pick fresh local produce.” Schup added, “This is all volunteer-based. Even the bands play for free.”

The event started seven years ago when Schup asked her neighbor, Bill Gallmeyer of Gallmeyer Farms, if he might be interested in having her band play while Gallmeyer’s strawberry-picking customers were out there in the berry field.

The band performed for the pickers atop a hay wagon. This informal beginning “sparked the idea to turn it into a music festival,” said Schup. She noted that the festival has attracted many local bands over the years, playing “a variety of music: jazz, funk, folk, blues, Americana, and rock.”

This year’s lineup includes Curtis and Allyson Mills, Johnny Long and Co., A Good Natured Riot, Sister Sweet, and The Orderlies.

Schup emphasized, “There are shade trees to sit under, a playground area and plenty of space for the kids to romp, port-a-potties, and food vendors. This year Chef Nate of Louisiana Flair will prepare some po’boys.” Hamburgers and hot dogs will also be available.

The Berry Patch, located at 3622 Darbytown Court in Richmond’s East End, is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit http://www.gallmeyerfarms.com for more information. Rain date is May 18.

As the event continues to grow, Schup encourages everyone to come and check it out. “Bring your chair. Bring your cooler. Pick strawberries. It’s a music-lover’s event and a well-rounded community event.”

What:  Strawberry Fields Festival
10 a.m. | Curtis and Allyson Mills.
11 a.m. | Johnny Long and Co.
12:30 p.m. | A Good Natured Riot
2:15 p.m. | Sister Sweet
4:15 p.m. | The Orderlies
When:  Saturday, May 17 Rain date: May 18
Where:  The Berry Patch | 3622 Darbytown Court
Tickets: FREE

WEB | http://www.gallmeyerfarms.com

the weather turned out great and the bands were very entertaining. almost as entertaining as the drunk guys screaming out “freebird”

i didn’t really hang out on the strawberry picking/family side but the kids sure looked like they were enjoying themselves.

Hey everybody, you can meet Team Brick in person at the festival on Saturday.  Come over to our table to hang out with us and you might just get your photo on our MySpace page, http://www.myspace.com/brickweekly!

I got to go two years ago and it was awesome! Great weather, good music and very scenic for berry picking. Bummed I have to miss out this year again…
:(

Me too!  Weather forecast for Saturday is sunny and 80 degrees!!!!

I went to this last year! Very cool. We’ll bring the kids again and our lawn chairs and our cooler and hang out for the afternoon. Great music, very laid back. Ya’ll check it out…

i’m really looking forward to this - i just hope the rain holds off!