BY KADIE TAYLOR
THE OBSERVER
OPELIKA — Inviting the community to join in a sweet day of strawberries, O Grows is holding a Strawberry Block Party on Saturday, May 2, from 3 to 8 p.m. at 706 1st Ave. in downtown Opelika.
O Grows Farmers Market Manager Antonio Martinez said he found himself considering the events that are held in Opelika and wanting to create an event that helps locals get involved and informed about their community garden.
“[I began asking], ‘What if we had a food systems event to remind people that farmers are around them, good food is not that far out of reach and it is around,’” he said. “So the Strawberry Block Party [was created] with this idea at the core of it, we want people to know that fresh local food is affordable and accessible through programs like SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks at the market and in community spaces.”
Martinez said attendees can also expect vendors, activities, music and a Soap Box Derby for a full day of fun.
“We’ve got a partnership with BOXCAR, they’re hopefully going to be showing a science-related movie, then Rising Garden is going to be collaborating on that,” he said. “We’re hoping to have some music, maybe a few food trucks, but mostly vendors, and the Soap Box Derby is what we’re really excited about.”
With the intention of inviting locals to learn about O Grows, Martinez said the event’s main focus is fun for community members.
“We want it to be a block party, we want it to be lively,” he said. “We want people to come down and have a good time. It’s going to be graduation weekend, Garden in the Park is earlier that day and the Kentucky Derby later in the evening. So it’s going to be a very happening Saturday. We’re really excited to be a part of showing how lively Opelika can be, especially on a graduation weekend when there’s going to be a lot of potential travelers coming in.”
By ensuring the Strawberry Block Party is free for attendees, Martinez said there is an emphasis on access for locals, and the money made from some of the fees for activity participation goes to encouraging the next generation to get involved in gardening.
“There will be a baking competition that will have a minimal fee for participants,” he said. “There’s a pretty minimal fee for the Soap Box Derby. We want it to be accessible; we want all these things to be accessible. And [the cost to participate in the events] aren’t even really fees; they’re just requested donations. At the end of the day, we want to do this event for the community, but also this is hopefully to help us raise some funds. Over the last few years, O Grows has a history of employing youth from local high schools. Maybe they come out here for community service, or they find some other way to be at the garden, and they’re like, ‘Well, I would like to come out here more, but I really need to get paid.’ And I think that’s totally fair. It is great if we can incentivize young people to come out and be involved in the Earth and just learn a little bit, even if they’re here for a few months.”
For more information, visit O Grows/OGrows Farmers Market on Facebook or www.ogrows.org.
“[The Block Party will be ] the opening of the summer season,” Martinez said. “Technically very much in the middle of spring, but in our minds, school gets out of session, it starts to be summer, so it will be a time to celebrate the opening of the summer season. So dress fun, maybe wear red and have a good time.”
