Celebrating our strawberry fields

What kind of people does the festival attract, and what is the feedback on it been like, both from locals and foreigners?

The festival attracts a wide spectrum of the population. Mainly families with children, but also small or large groups, whose range goes anywhere from late 20s to well over 60s. In the late 20s group, their main interest is either gastronomy or photography. I have personally chatted with quite a few who are extremely knowledgeable on the subject.

Many follow several blogs about food and cuisine, and take an active interest in the gourmet dishes prepared by the chefs at the festival, like the strawberry ravioli and strawberry soup.

Photographers of all ages also show a keen interest in the event, very often arriving early and leaving quite late. In the days that follow, an avalanche of photographs usually pops up on Flickr, Picasa and similar sites (in fact, during the third edition, a photography competition was held, complete with prize ceremony on the main stage). 

It’s easy to understand why the festival is so well attended by families, though – it offers a perfect opportunity to spend a day in a relaxed atmosphere in the epitome of the small Maltese village: Mgarr. The large raised parish square, huddled in the lush, green Bingemma valley, is evocative of the countryside fairs. The parvis and adjacent parameter is also ideal for additional activities and exhibits.

 
In the third edition, I personally believe there were clear signals that the festival would become a victim of its own success, since the parish square is obviously limited in capacity.

From that day, the committee decided to expand the festival to the whole church area, doubling most of the stalls and cash points, thus eliminating long queues.  

Why is Mgarr so central to ‘strawberry culture’ in Malta?

Today, Mgarr is one of the major agricultural hubs in Malta. While it is a small village vis-a-vis population count, it does have a large area, of which a considerable part is agricultural fields. With such characteristics, Mgarr is home to generations of farmers.

To date, teenagers and young adults still learn the trade from their extended family, and yearn to continue the trade of their forefathers. I have interviewed a teenager, barely 18, who owns and tends his own strawberry fields. He spoke to me about growing strawberries in minute detail, including early detection of diseases and parasites, growth trends of each variety, etc.

The abundance of clean, irrigation water lends itself to strawberry fields, as do the soil characteristics. Mgarr has been known for the quality and size of strawberries for ages, and the sight of farmers moonlighting as hawkers on Sundays, surrounded by a flock of eager buyers, has been a staple of Mgarr life for generations.

The idea to hold a strawberry festival came spontaneously to the Lejla Mgarrija committee, who had been organising the annual village evening for decades. 

Five years ago, before the festival was conceived, the concept of the day-long village festival, built a particular distinguishing product or characteristic, was nonexistent.

Although the first edition was a low-key affair, mainly selling just fresh strawberries in the parish square, and simple desserts in an open air kitchen, the general public came in droves, and had to be ended before noon, as all strawberries and related products had been exhausted, despite the farmers at hand calling for additional supplies several times over.

How would you say that the festival has developed over the years?

The festival has progressed in leaps and bounds, rather than gradually. After the unexpected success of the first edition, which simply consisted of farmers offering fresh strawberries in the parish square and helpers preparing basic desserts, the second edition was far more professional, with two open air kitchens manned by professional chefs, children’s games including horse rides, gigantic gateau and desserts from a major patisserie (Maypole).

The third edition increased the number of stalls selling strawberries and desserts, but despite minimal promotion, it was over attended.
In response, the fourth edition expanded the area for the event significantly and included a free Park and Ride from Ta’ Qali apart from, once again, increasing the number of stalls to avoid bottlenecks.

What can we expect with this edition of the festival?

For this year’s festival, guided tours to the Neolithic temples – which are barely a minute’s walk away – will be offered throughout the day. A cupcake competition (naturally, strawberry-themed) will be another new feature in this year’s edition.

From year to year, the number of entertainers performing at the Strawberry Festival (many of whom doing so gratis) has steadily increased, and this year’s festival will feature the widest variety ever.

From local children who have been rehearsing for months under the guidance of a professional choreographer, to choir singers, traditional musicians who build their own Maltese folk instruments, and a large troupe of folk dancers, there will be performances going on throughout the day, both on the professionally setup main stage and on the ground.

For more information log on to http://lejlamgarrija.com/ or search for ‘Festa Frawli 2011’ on Facebook.