Strawberry Festival 2025: Events Guide

Vashon’s biggest party returns this weekend.

Strawberry Festival begins Friday and lasts throughout the weekend, featuring parades, vendors booths, music, and this year, an expanded set of activities for kids. Organized by the Chamber of Commerce, the Strawberry Festival — often simply called “Festival” — is simply a celebration of what makes Vashon, Vashon.

It’s a time for neighbors to dress up and slather on the sunscreen, sample the best of local chefs, breweries and wineries, find trinkets by local and off-island vendors, and learn more about worthy local organizations and nonprofits.

Vendors and shops will entertain islanders and visitors starting at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday, closing at 6 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. An Artisan’s Place between Ruby Brink and Herban Bloom will feature art, jewelry and homemade crafts.

All three days of Festival are jam-packed with talented musicians — including the legendary Portage Fill Band — playing in the street and at stages across Vashon town. Find out who’s playing and when on page 12 of this edition, and find a full map of the festivities on page 13.

Don’t forget the annual traditions of the parade Grand Marshall and the election for Vashon’s Unofficial Mayor. Learn more about both on page 14.

A yearly tradition since 1909, Festival is the most anticipated event of the year and regularly draws tens of thousands to the island, packing Vashon Highway from Snapdragon to Ober Park.

It’s easy to get lost in all the fun. So remember: Plan ahead, lather up the sunscreen, wear comfortable clothes and bring a water bottle, and encourage friends and little ones to do the same. Don’t let the heat spoil your fun this weekend.

Gettin’ there

Washington State Ferries returned Vashon’s Triangle Route to three-boat service this month, just in time for Strawberry Festival.

Still, expect crowds and long waits at both the north and south ends, especially if you’re travelling at the busiest times, and particularly on Saturday, the single busiest day of the year for both Strawberry Festival and Vashon as a whole. Plan to leave early and keep an eye on service notices. Find the schedules at wsdot.com/ferries/schedule.

If you can, consider instead taking the King County Water Taxi from downtown Seattle. Scheduled for rare Saturday and Sunday runs on July 19 and 20, the Water Taxi will first depart Seattle at 9 a.m. and make its final return to the Emerald City at 6:30 p.m. on those days. (It will operate its regular weekday schedule on Friday, July 18.) Find the full schedule at tinyurl.com/vashonwatertaxi.

King County Metro’s 118/119 buses connect both Vashon ferry terminals to the center of town, and will be running an alternate route to accommodate street closures. Note that there are no plans at this time for shuttle busses from the ferry terminals to the Strawberry Festival.

Hit the streets

During all three days of the festival, both lanes of 171st to 178th on Vashon Highway will be closed to traffic. Bank Road will also be closed from 97th Ave to 100th Ave.

The closure is in effect from 3 p.m. to midnight on Friday, all day and all night on Saturday, and midnight to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

During Saturday’s Festival parade, Vashon Highway will additionally be closed northbound, at 192nd St, between 8:30 a.m. and 12 p.m., and the east side of SW 178th Street at 100th Ave SW will be closed from 9-11 a.m. during lineup and the parade.

The great parade(s)

More than 40 entrants will participate in the official Strawberry Festival Parade, sponsored by Thriftway, which kicks off at 10 a.m. with the kid’s parade, led by the colorful Strawberry Festival train. Then, at 10:15 a.m., the general parade will follow.

Every year, the parade brings a cacophony of giant puppets, islanders in leviathan sea creature costumes, local organizations, ukulele bands, dancers and acrobats, giant inflatables, vintage tractors and tutu-wearing, kazoo-tooting island elders. Also expect to see longtime island favorites such as the iconic Vashon Thriftway Shopping Card Drill Team, and animals from ponies to dogs and a cow.

So, too, will you see candidates in Vashon’s Unofficial Mayor Race, and the parade’s Grand Marshall — Doug Snyder of Vashon Ace Hardware.

Those participating in the parade will line up at 9 a.m. on the highway south of Vashon Electric. Be prepared for slow traffic if travelling in the area — in fact, try to avoid driving at all, if you can.

Vashon Presbyterian Church will once again offer limited parking and front lawn chairs for the parade by reservation only. There is no fee, but donations will be accepted for the Vashon Island Old Friends Club, an adult social respite care program. Email Bob Spangler at rwspang9@gmail.com and indicate how many parking spots and seats are requested.

That parade is just the beginning, of course. Come back to town at 10 a.m. Sunday for the Classic Car parade, during which the best of the island’s fossil-fueled finery will wend through town, heralded by broadcasters from Voice of Vashon.

Those classic cars, driven by automobile lovers from across the Seattle-Tacoma area, will then park from around 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the parking lot by the Vashon Chamber of Commerce, at 17141 Vashon Hwy SW, for an awards ceremony and further viewing. Staging for the parade starts at Vashon Center for the Arts (VCA) at 9 a.m. Learn more at carshowpro.com/event/1996.

Sponsors and partners of the parade include Island Insurance, Medlock & Sons, Vashon Center for the Arts, Voice of Vashon, and, of course, the Vashon Chamber of Commerce.

More fun for youth

This year, the Fun Zone — a space filled with activities for kids and teens, sponsored by Puget Sound Energy — is expanding big-time.

Zoologist, educator, and author Scott Petersen — better known as The Reptile Man — will bring a dozen of his slithering, slinking, scaled reptiles to Ober Park at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Be prepared for snakes, lizards, turtles and more.

On Saturday, following the parade, enjoy train rides at the Vashon Chamber of Commerce and U.S. Bank; bouncy houses at Ober Park; bungee jumping and inflatable water walking at Vashon Village; a dunk tank at Village Green; face painting, hair tinsel, scavenger hunting, friendship bracelet construction and T-ball at Ober Park; Kids’ crafts at Vashon Pharmacy; Lego Building at Vashon Library; mini golf at the Recess Lab / Island Queen; fast pitch at Colvos Brewing; a Dungeons & Dragons-themed miniature escape room, and much more.

Of course, don’t forget to visit Jawbone Puppet Theatre’s Magic Puppet Jambulance outside Vashon Theatre from noon to 8 p.m., where you’ll find all manner of strange puppets, clown nonsense and more. And businesses across Vashon Town will pop with fun activities and booths.

Older youth will on Friday enjoy the TeenJam stage at Pandora’s Box, a sober, substance-free Festival tradition.

Most of those activities continue on Sunday, too. To keep track of them all and the timing of these activities, visit thisisvashon.com/fun-zone.

Ice cream social

Festival is the best time to satisfy your sweet tooth.

The Vashon Heritage Museum hosts its annual Ice Cream Social in the backyard at the Museum from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, July 18. This casual Festival party is a great chance to reconnect with friends and enjoy music from The Lazy Dog String Band, lawn games, and a whole lot of ice cream, courtesy of IGA.

The event is free, though a small donation is encouraged. Visit vashonheritage.org.

The race is on

The 43rd annual Bill Burby 5k Fun Run and Race returns on Saturday a chance for islanders and visitors to compete, exercise and raise money for a good cause.

This year, the run/walk will again begin at 8:30 a.m., starting and finishing at the VES Fields at the Harbor School. Check-in opens at 7:30 a.m. and racers must be checked in by 8:15 a.m. The race course follows paved country roads with some challenging hills along what locals call “The Dilworth Loop.”

Honoring Mr. Bill Burby, a former VHS coach and teacher who influenced many young people toward healthy living — and his son Aaron Burby — the race is a fundraiser that provides support for island sports programs and scholarships for local youth to attend college.

For more information and to register for this beloved island event, visit billburbyrace.com.

Pancake breakfast

Load up on flour, eggs and syrup at the Vashon Eagles’ annual Pancake Breakfast, taking place Sunday from 8-11 a.m. at 18134 Vashon Highway SW.

The breakfast is open to the public — $12 for adults and $8 for kids age 12 or younger. A portion of proceeds support the Vashon Food Bank.

Beverage garden

Island winery/cidery Nashi Orchards sponsors the beverage garden this year, which will serve up a smorgasbord of local drinks to those 21 and older at Ober Park.

Visitors can enjoy drinks and dance under the large canopies set up in the park’s green space as musicians rock out on the Main Stage. Nonalcoholic options, including hop water and NA perry, will be available too, along with fresh popcorn.

The garden will be open 4-11 p.m. on Friday; 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday; and 12-5 p.m. Sunday.

Not enough beverage for you? The Vashon Island Growers Association hosts another beverage garden Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Village Green, serving up cocktails, sodas and shrubs made with local ingredients.

Get involved

Strawberry Festival is run by volunteers and powered by the island community. Take a moment to appreciate everyone working during under the hot sun during the festival, the busiest weekend of the year.

If you want to help it run smoothly, lend a hand: Sign up, or find out more about the festival, by visiting thisisvashon.org or vashonevents.org/strawberry-festival-2025.