NEW GLOUCESTER – Hundreds flocked to Lower Gloucester on Thursday to savor fresh strawberry shortcakes smothered in whipped cream and full-to-the-brim sundaes and supers, a combination of both, at the 31st annual New Gloucester Historical Society’s Strawberry Festival.
Historical society member Leonard Brooks, a past president of the organization, said, “We’re delighted with the turnout. We’re glad to see this old-fashioned get together with friends and neighbors. This really means something that the historical society is a proud sponsor of such an event.”
Tom and Bethel Shields of Auburn agreed. The Shields say an ad in the newspaper enticed them to come and feast on the luscious strawberry shortcakes and the local old-fashioned traditional gathering.
The Berry Berry Good Band played old-fashioned Americana music as the crowd seated in the First Congregational Church vestry on long pews along long tables sang along and applauded.
Musician Warren Knapp, 71, of Gray at an intermission said he was the youngest of the over-70-year-old players in the quartet. Band members hail from Brunswick and Wilton.
The audience sang along to “Yankee Doodle Dandy” and other old-time favorites.
Jean Libby of the society headed up the event. Wearing a bright blue arm cast because of a healing fracture, she lamented she was unable to mash. Libby said volunteers picked 141 quarts of strawberries in a single hour on Tuesday. Libby said another crew under her command mashed the berries, whipped cream and baked biscuits. Hodgman’s Frozen Custard of Upper Gloucester provided the vanilla custard for sundaes and supers.
Michael Graham, a curator at the Shaker Museum in West Gloucester, said, “I came to support my town.” He proceeded to order a second super, a combination of a sundae and shortcake, strawberries and peaks of whipped cream.
So did Carlton Wilcox, who rode his bike 3.2 miles each way from his Intervale home on Route 231. “I figure I’m calorie neutral,” said Wilcox, accompanied by his 9-year-old son, Eric.
Michael Fralich said he hasn’t missed a strawberry festival since he moved to New Gloucester in 1982.
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