Dayton Strawberry Festival marks 70th anniversary

Emily Ann Roberts headlines Saturday’s entertainment

A “berry” happy birthday to Dayton, Tenn.

The town’s signature event, the annual Tennessee Strawberry Festival, is marking its 70th anniversary this weekend. “Birthday Berries, Celebrating 70 Years” is the theme of a week of activities that has included a pageant, baking contest and carnival all leading up Saturday’s festival in downtown Dayton.

One of the most- attended festival events, its cruise- in, starts Friday night, May 12, at 5 p. m. when vehicles will begin to cruise into town and park along Market Street. There is no registration fee for the classic car show.

Music also starts at 5 o’clock Friday, when Dreams of Kings takes the Centennial Park stage. They’ll be followed by the Kinslee Melhorn Band at 6 p.m. before Manshoes, a ’60s-’70s cover band, performs at 8 p.m.

Festival fun kicks off Saturday, May 13, with the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast at 7 a.m., and the Strawberry Chase run at 7:45 a.m.

The Center St a ge Dance troupe and The Grove Youth will per- form on the Centennial Park stage before Mount LeConte Jug Band serves up some bluegrass and country favorites at noon.

A day of gospel music is scheduled on the Anna Kyle Memorial Gospel stage from 9:50 a.m. until 4: 50 p. m. Those acts, in order of appearance, are Vicki Gould, Dana Russell, Crystle Elam, Terry Collins Family, Agee Family, Sarah Tipton, Testimony Quartet, Dave Seratt, Renewed Trio and Michael Mays Family.

The Strawberry Festival parade steps off at 1 p.m. with Diane Emens serving as grand marshal.

Music resumes on the Centennial stage at 3 p.m. with Aaron Johnson, followed by Walden’s Ridge Opry, Boots-N-Roses and New Sounds of Carri Hassler.

Headliner Emily Ann Roberts’ concert will begin at 7:45 and conclude around 10:15 p.m.

Fans of “The Voice” will remember the Knoxville teen who finished r unner- up to Jo rdan Smith on Season 9 of the NBC singing competition.

Coached by Blake Shelton, Roberts had two No. 1 songs on country iTunes chart and twice broke into the Top 10 in iTunes’ all-genre chart as well during her run on the show. She is currently working on recording an album in Nashville.

STAFF FILE PHOTO Community-sponsored floats add to the fun of the Strawberry Festival parade, which will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. in Dayton, Tenn.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Manshoes headlines Friday night’s music at the Tennessee Strawberry Festival. The classic rock band based in Dayton is comprised of Terry Goins, Rick Farney, Ray Hill and Michael Dillard. This performance will be their seventh at the festival in the 22 years they have been together.