Strawberry Fare organising committee chairwoman Joy McIvor, of Waimate, prefers her strawberries the traditional way — with "cream and some icing sugar".
However, she also does not mind them dipped in chocolate.
Mrs McIvor, who has been on the committee for 18 years, the past 15 as chairwoman, had little time to sample the fruit on Saturday, as she was hard at work making sure the event, staged at Boland Park and Seddon Square, ran smoothly.
An estimated 10,000 to 12,000 people descend on the South Canterbury township for the market-style atmosphere, which this year featured about 280 stalls of virtually every kind imaginable.
Live music, games and various other entertainment were on offer throughout the day.
Strawberry Fare’s long, successful history mean it is a must-do for many people, from first-timers to those who attend each year.
"We are in our 35th year now," she said.
"We have managed over that time to get a lot more stallholders here ... If they are here, the crowds will come.
"Strawberry Fare has a long history and I think how far we have come from where we started to now is really amazing," she said.
"Our committee of 15 works all year. We will have a debrief after this and we will start planning for next year."
