Ben Grabacz/Daily Mining Gazette The Hanka Homestead Finnish Museum float depicted 1920s equipment used in everyday chores. The museum is celebrating 40 years.

CHASSELL — The Chassell Lion’s Club held the 77th annual Copper Country Strawberry Festival Friday and Saturday. Locals and visitors came from far and wide to enjoy two days dedicated to the town’s most famous product. Strawberries dominated the weekend with the crowning of a Strawberry Queen, strawberry auctions, a strawberry-themed Parade and more than 5,000 servings of strawberry shortcake.

Chassell’s Centennial Park was jammed with more than 70 vendor booths and food stands open for business. Food trucks added special strawberry items to their menus in addition to the Lions Club’s strawberry shortcake. Lions Club President George Stockero said in prior years the club would make 3,500 shortcakes but this year they had to make 5,400 shortcakes, and they still ran out. He explained the popularity of the local fruit. “The strawberries here seem to be a little more special than anywhere else,” Stockero said. “It’s just the way our soil is, the way the water is. Our berries may be a little bit smaller, but they are much juicier than those you would buy from California.”

Stockero said funds raised at the festival go back into the community in multiple ways. The club provides scholarships, donates to nonprofit organizations and undertakes community projects such as new sidewalks and bathrooms in Centennial Park. He said the festival is important as it keeps a neat tradition alive and provides visitors a reason to keep coming back year after year. “I’m a retired educator and I love seeing my former students come back every summer. And this is a place to come back to and enjoy a great summer event and meet up with old friends,” Stockero said.

On Saturday, the parade took place on Wilson Memorial Drive with multiple floats and vehicles passing out candy and other treats. Rain started at same time the parade got underway, but tapered off about ten minutes in. Stockero said this year’s parade featured more music than ever, with seven acts participating. Among them was the Chassell Township Schools Band, which was followed by School Superintendent, Marco Guidotti. However, onlookers may have not recognize Guidotti as he was dressed in a panther costume and was riding a bike.

Guidotti said it was important to have the school involved, “Whether it’s staff, parents or students, it’s just a huge community event, and the fact that we can continue contributing to the positive atmosphere, is something that we have a lot of fun with.”

One of this year’s floats highlighted more than strawberries. The Hanka Homestead Finnish Museum is celebrating its 40th year open to the public. The float included 1920s implements from the homestead which were utilized in everyday chores, with museum workers demonstrating various tasks.

Colette McLaughlin of Hanka Homestead said the strawberries that come from Chassell are the best anyone has ever had, and there is a little history there. “They’re the best strawberries in the area, and the homestead was a sustainable farm,” McLaughlin said. “They had to raise their own food for subsistence. And so they would raise berries or pick wild berries, and this reminds us of their heritage, of farming.”

On of the highlights was a pony named Thelma adorned in multiple strawberries. Thelma was escorted by her owner Kristina Kunick and family friend Adriana Kilpela. Kunick used to have a pony in the parade for many years as a child, and said she returned to it for the last couple of parades, including the Fourth of July celebration in Tapiola. “It’s all about community gathering and of course, eating good strawberry shortcake,” Kunick said.

Among this year’s winners were Mariah Juntunen the Youth Citizen of the Year and Braden Archambeau the Adult Citizen of the Year. The Best Flat of Strawberries was awarded to Crane Berry Farm. During Friday’s festivities the strawberry auctions raised $2,380 from a variety of strawberry dishes.