Troy plans smaller Strawberry Jam celebration after festival cancellation

A smaller scale Strawberry Jam downtown on July 4 and July 5, 2021, will feature music and food only after the Troy Strawberry Festival was canceled for the second time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured ae strawberry sweets from last festival, the 2019 Troy Strawberry Festival that took place June 1-2, 2019, in downtown Troy around the Public Square and along the Great Miami River levee. Festival-goers enjoyed strawberry treats, festival eats and shopped and hundreds of booths. DAVID MOODIE/CONTRIBUTED

A smaller scale Strawberry Jam downtown on July 4 and July 5, 2021, will feature music and food only after the Troy Strawberry Festival was canceled for the second time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Pictured ae strawberry sweets from last festival, the 2019 Troy Strawberry Festival that took place June 1-2, 2019, in downtown Troy around the Public Square and along the Great Miami River levee. Festival-goers enjoyed strawberry treats, festival eats and shopped and hundreds of booths. DAVID MOODIE/CONTRIBUTED

The Troy Strawberry Festival was canceled for the second time due to the coronavirus pandemic, but in its place this year will be the smaller-scale Strawberry Jam.

The local celebration downtown will showcase music and food, and will not include arts and crafts, organizers said.

The Troy Strawberry Festival Board of Directors on April 1 canceled the 2021 festival based on COVID-19 health restrictions. However, Gov. Mike DeWine on April 5 announced simplified health orders issued by the Ohio Department of Health that led the board to meet with the city of Troy and Miami County Public Health to enact a plan for the Strawberry Jam event.

“It was the intent of the board to have some type of event that weekend,” board Chairwoman Linda Roth stated in a release. “We understand the importance of the festival to the nonprofits, local business and the community. We are happy we were able to reconvene after the governor’s announcement and move forward with this new event.”

The Strawberry Jam will be Friday, June 4, and Saturday, June 5. Moe details about the event will be released as they are available.

The full Troy Strawberry Festival will return in 2022.