Strawberry fest goes to dogs, and bingo was even in cards

June 08, 2008|By KATE S. ALEXANDER

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - The blistering sun and soaring mercury was not enough to keep pet owners away from the 17th annual Strawberry Fest and Dog Show on Saturday.

Hosted by the Buchanan Lionesses, the annual dog show allows proud pet parents to show off their special Rover or Cocoa to benefit the Beacon Lodge Special Needs Camp in Mount Union, Pa.

Lioness President Shirley Keyser was a judge at the event and said the dogs just kept rolling in Saturday.

Forty dogs competed for titles including Best Behind and Prettiest in the show.

"I just love doing this," Keyser said. "This is the first time I get to be out here and not in the kitchen."

While the dogs pranced for prizes and the title of Best in Show, the Lionesses spent the morning cooking up strawberry shortcake.

Coverts Farm in Greencastle, Pa., supplied the 184 quarts of strawberries that were sold with sundaes and on top of shortcake at the festival.

Strawberries might have been the main event, but bingo, a quilt raffle, a small craft fair and live bluegrass music also were part of the celebration.

Keyser said bingo was new this year. The club added it as a way to extend the event.

While Keyser said hundreds of people came and went for their pieces of shortcake and chicken, a handful stayed to play bingo.

Violet Blattenberger of Mercersburg said the heat was not enough to keep her away from playing bingo. Despite not having the best luck on her cards, Blattenberger said it was worth the trip.

Keyser said the festival is held yearly on the first Saturday in June.

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