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The art of it

Festival craft show attracts Main Street visitors

The Belleville Central Business ucts and other craft items for men,
Community will again host the Main women and children.
Street Crafters Venue during the The Main Street Crafters Venue is
National Strawberry Festival. sponsored by the Tucker Insurance
The wide variety of craft booths on Agency, which has helped sponsor sev-
Main will begin just past Second eral other Central Business
Street, where vendors, many of whom Community events during the year.
have traveled a long distance, will offer The Central Business Community
their unique hand-made items. Many also hosts the Farmers Market in
of the craftsmen return every year to Belleville which will continue through
participate in the popular Strawberry September. A list of events the CBC
Festival. sponsors can be found on page 4 of the
This year craftsmen will offer program. Nelson Wright is one of the crafters
unique jewelry and handmade wood The next event is the annual Taste expected to return to the Belleville
products in addition to items for dogs of Belleville which takes place in National Strawberry Festival with his
and cats, clothing, bath and body prod- August. booth this year.

Festival president extends warm welcome

“The more things change the more they stay the same.”
For almost 50 years the National Strawberry Festival has experienced this saying. The
Festival began as a small gathering at St. Anthony's Catholic Church to help celebrate the
strawberry season in the fields surrounding the small community of Belleville. Main Street,
Belleville Presbyterian Church, Trinity Episcopal Church and Belleville High School now
provide sites for many different activities. A car show takes place in Victory Park on Sunday.
New crafters, foods and entertainment arrive yearly. Different parade entries and a new
Queen are seen on Saturday. A new high school seven years ago, a new library next year and numerous commercial
developments in the downtown area are occurring. St. Anthony's Catholic Church has decided not to participate in
this year's Festival so the amusement rides will be on Belleville High School grounds. The weather speaks for itself.
Two things remain the same after all of these years. We plan to see you on Father's Day Weekend. We plan to do
everything we can to make sure you and your family have a great time.
Thomas Fielder, President
Belleville National Strawberry Festival