STILWELL â After what many dubbed a disappointing absence in 2020, Stilwellâs popular Strawberry Festival returned on May 8 with its expected pageantry and bustling crowds.
âLast year was the only year we missed,â said Cherokee Nation citizen Kasey Manus, of Stilwell, while toting a plastic carton of the festivalâs signature strawberries.
The Stilwell Kiwanis Club has helped sponsor the festival since 1948, but was forced to cancel last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
âWe were disappointed,â said CN citizen Annette Mankiller, co-owner of Fry Bread Factory LLC, one of this yearâs 100-plus food and craft vendors. âWe really havenât done anything for about a year now with festivals and events.â