Albion Merchants planning food truck rodeo on June 12

Event will fill some of void with no Strawberry Festival

ALBION – There may not be an Albion Strawberry Festival the second weekend in June, but there will be some community activities.

The Albion Merchants Association announced it will have a food truck rodeo from noon to 7 p.m. on June 12. Interested vendors can send an email to albionmerchantsassociation@gmail.com.

The Albion Village Board last week gave its approval for East State Street to be blocked off to traffic between Main Street and Platt Street for the event. The board said it supports the food truck rodeo as long as the public health guidelines for Covid are being followed.

The state has currently limited outdoor gatherings to no more than 200 people. That crowd size limit, and the uncertainty for the future, prompted organizers to cancel the typical Strawberry Festival for the second year in a row. The festival draws several thousand people for a parade, food court, live music and other activities. Holley also cancelled its June Fest which would have been June 5.

The Merchants Association would like to have live music in the Courthouse Square during the food truck rodeo.

The organizers of the Strawberry Festival 5K/8K also are planning that race for 8 a.m. on June 12, and may release the runners in smaller groups to spread them out on the course.

There will also be a craft fair with food and other activities on June 12 at the Arnold Gregory Office Complex. That event will be a fundraiser for COVA.