Written By David Gomez
STRATHROY – From midway rides and food trucks to live music and karaoke performances, Alexandra Park was filled with activity as residents gathered for another Strathroy Hometown Festival weekend.
Families lined up for rides throughout the park, while visitors wandered between food vendors, games, merchandise booths and the festival stage. The midway, which organizers had promised would be larger this year, remained one of the main attractions, with children and adults filling the pathways between rides and carnival games.
Saturday’s program combined live entertainment with long-standing festival traditions. One of the highlights was the annual Karaoke Idol competition, which once again attracted young performers eager to take the stage before a crowd of family members and festivalgoers. Throughout the afternoon, spectators gathered near the stage to watch contestants perform.
The festival’s music lineup also brought a steady flow of visitors into the park. Friday featured a country-themed evening with Graham Bedard, Copper Sky and Maddy McKenzie, while Saturday shifted toward rock with performances by Ozzy Forever, Def Bombs, The Cherry Dogs, Full Throttle and 4-Way Street.
Beyond Alexandra Park, the festival weekend began Friday with the Strathroy-Caradoc Cruisers’ annual Show and Shine downtown. Dozens of classic vehicles lined portions of Front, Frank and Centre streets, drawing visitors into the downtown core and continuing a tradition that has become a familiar opening event for the festival.
Festival Chair Richard McCammon had said ahead of the event that organizers were making a deliberate effort to concentrate more activities around the park this year. One addition was a Sunday afternoon performance by The Strands.
Planning for the event begins months in advance. “We get started in October every year,” McCammon said before the festival. “There’s just numerous things that all have to fall together.”
The festival also continues to rely heavily on volunteers and community support. McCammon noted that while the organizing team remains relatively small, the goal is to ensure the long-running community tradition continues for years to come.
