Vashon’s 2022 Strawberry Festival has now come and gone, but the memories of last weekend will linger on for many community members, young and old, who attended.

Eager islanders showed up in droves on Saturday to line Vashon Highway, in the center of town, for the first real Grand Parade of the festival since 2019. But still, even after a two-year pandemic pause, everyone seemed to remember exactly what to do.

As always, the parade began with a march of island children, many of whom were decked out in adorable strawberry-themed costumery.

Then came the biggest strawberry of all — Mukai Marshall Strawberry, the parade’s Grand Marshal, honoring the contributions of Mukai Farm & Gardens to Vashon’s heritage and history. Paul Rowley, a Windermere staff member who also assists in communication efforts for Mukai, waved to the cheering crowd as he rode in the Grand Marshal’s open-top convertible, fully committing to playing the juicy role of the delectable heirloom fruit.

As the parade unspooled, entries included a fine-looking fleet of vintage Vashon tractors and kazoo-tooting, tutu-wearing friends of Vashon Senior Center. Then came a long line of environmental activists and creative islanders, outfitted as shimmering cephalopods and salmon, following the drumbeat of the “Magnificent Marine Band and Procession” — an effort organized by a pop-up group of creative makers.”

And what had 28 legs, four wheels, and was also coniferous? Vashon’s 2022 slate of unofficial mayor candidates, of course — a zany collection of non-humans also on the move in the parade.

Selling votes, at $1 per vote — with islanders allowed to vote as many times as they like — is the whole point of the annual race to benefit the nonprofit organizations that sponsor the candidates.

This year’s candidates included four puppies representing the DOVE Project, a goat running on behalf of BrambleByrne Farm Rescue Ruminants, a Douglas fir tree standing tall for Vashon Rotary, Tosho, the bright-red bookmobile of Vashon Reads, and two big friendly dogs named Buddy — one running for Vashon HouseHold and the other the candidate of Vashon Island Pet Protectors.

(Later in the day, one of the Buddys — Buddy Conway the bulldog, that is, representing Vashon Island Pet Protectors — was declared the winner.)

The floats and tricked-out cars kept coming, including a sweet finale featuring everybody’s favorite — the Vashon Thriftway Shopping Cart Drill Team, followed by a Vashon Island Fire & Rescue fire engine, beside which firefighters and Interim Fire Chief Matt Vinci darted, passing out candy to all the kids.

The festival’s main stage, at Vashon Village, boasted a three-day presentation of music, booked by Vashon Events, that gave islanders plenty of chances for fancy footwork in front of the bandstand.

Other venues in town also drew music crowds; these stages included ones at Snapdragon Bakery & Cafe, Sugar Shack, Sporty’s, and Vashon United Methodist Church. Buskers also signed up for slots on the old-timey porch of the pet supply business, Pandora’s Box — a natural stage that drew in listeners as they passed by.

Vendor booths were back this year, but only accommodated local organizations and Vashon-affiliated businesses, allowing more room for eateries to create expanded outdoor dining areas on Vashon Highway, which became a pedestrian mall from Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.

Many booths benefitted nonprofits or charities, including Vashon Rotary’s booth selling strawberry sundaes and strawberry shortcakes — frothy confections that proved so popular that Rotary sold out their supply, with all the proceeds going to charities.

Rotary member Mike England said it was one of the best festivals ever for Rotary.

​​”It was great to see everyone out and about and enjoying each other’s company,” he said.

There was plenty for kids to see and do, from sidewalk chalking the center of town, to clown shows taking place at Mica’s Kitchen, to jumping on inflatables set up in Vashon Theatre’s parking lot, and attending an old-fashioned ice-cream social at Vashon Heritage Museum.

Other festival traditions were back in full force this year, including the Bill Burby Fun Run, and the Tom Stewart Memorial Car Show, sponsored by Island Insurance.

The car show, held at VCA, started on Sunday with a parade through the town of muscle cars, vintage classics, hotrods and even a few rust-buckets.

Show winners included Elmer Reed, for his 1956 Ford Mainline Tudor; Orvar Litsvo, for his 1959 Alfa Romeo Gioletta Spider; Steve and Lesley Payne, for their 1929 Ford Roadster; Mark Schiltz, for his 1964 VW Bus Westfalia SO33; Duane Olson, for his 1934 Plymouth Coupe; and Bill Tantau, for his 1960 Chevy Apache.

Glenn Brazil’s 1956 Chevy Bel Air was chosen as Best in Show, and Troy Evan’s 2021 Corvette picked up the People’s Choice Award.

And by the time Sunday night rolled around, all the organizers and volunteers behind the scenes could breathe a sigh of satisfaction, knowing that their work had resulted in an event that truly did represent the theme, “By Vashon, For Vashon.”

“We were thrilled to see the community come out and enjoy [the] Strawberry Festival again this year,” said Cheryl Lubbert, board president of Vashon Chamber of Commerce. “The festival has always been a huge effort for the Chamber to present, but seeing so many smiling islanders throughout the weekend really made all the months of preparation worth it.”