Farm-fresh berries & endless fun

Angelina Dinsmore / Asst. A&C Editor / The USD Vista

Every Spring, students at the University of San Diego look forward to the annual Strawberry Festival, hosted by USD Dining services. Hundreds of students gathered outside of the Student Life Pavilion (SLP) to experience all things strawberries. The entire community of USD had the opportunity to play fun games, listen to live music, and try food samples on a Tuesday afternoon. First year Rose Bailey visited the Strawberry Festival for the first time and was impressed by the variety of samples. 

“It was interesting to try different samples of things that I wouldn’t normally think would go with strawberries…like bacon!” Bailey said. “Every stand was delicious! It definitely brought a crowd which shows that something as simple as strawberries can bring our whole school together.” 

Free food always draws a crowd, and the Strawberry Festival was no exception. On Tuesday, April 16, over 10 tables lined the outside of the SLP with vendors ready to share their samples. There were enough options to make a meal, as they had drinks, food, and dessert. For those looking for a refreshing drink, strawberry banana V8 juice was readily available, as well as strawberry Odwalla smoothies. There was also delicious desserts including strawberry shortcake, a strawberry swirl cake with almond whipped cream, and a fried wonton dish topped with cinnamon, sugar, and strawberries. Perhaps the most unexpected samples were the savory ones. Students enjoyed strawberry and chicken tacos, candied bacon, and BBQ-glazed ribs. 

As they tried the new and exciting foods, students could listen to the live DJ playing the latest hits or enjoy the hot sun on the SLP lawn. New this year was the cake decorating contest, where students had just 30 minutes to decorate a cake in any way they desired. Five teams of two put their creative skills to the test in order to create a cake that screams, “Spring has Sprung!” Rhonda Papp and her partner, Hallie brought home the win with their Easter-themed cake. They received trophies, aprons, and a basket of strawberry-based goodies.

It was sophomore Kevin Gilles’ second time coming to the Festival and he could not get enough of the candied bacon. 

“It was a cool opportunity to experience new food,” Gillies said. “But I think it was a better environment last year, because it was sunnier and at the IPJ, which was much more open. I liked how they had meat options and not just strawberries. They were very inclusive of all food groups, which I appreciated.”

USD’s annual Strawberry Festival is a great way to celebrate everyone’s shared love of the fruit-favorite’s peak season. It gave students and faculty the opportunity to let their taste buds run wild, experiencing foods one would never imagine could be tied to the sweet red berry. Along with the food came the upbeat tunes and packs of friends making their way around the numerous tents.  As those appreciating the farm-fresh strawberries came and went, they were sure to grab a nicely-sized cup of the locally-grown berries on their way out. The annual Strawberry Festival was certainly a hit, and while there was no shortage of strawberries, there was definitely no shortage of community.