LOXLEY, Ala. — Let there be rides, Let there be music, and of course, let there be strawberries. Flats and pints of them. And plenty of whipped cream for the shortcakes.

Yes, there will be a 2010 edition of the Baldwin County Strawberry Festival held at Loxley Municipal Park April 10 and 11 this year. There has been cold weather, and that has delayed the crop here in southern Alabama, but the Strawberry Festival will go on.

But, the festival’s namesake fruit did cause some concern.

“We will be getting berries fresh from Florida,” explained Mary McDaniel, who is handling publicity for the festival this year. She added that the BCSF has grown so much, that the county can’t provide all the strawberries sold each year. According to the Strawberry Festival Web page, last year’s festival, which occurred on Easter weekend, drew 80,000 visitors with more than 400,000 flats and bushels of strawberries sold.

That’s a lot of red berries. But, the money raised by the festival goes to two very worthy causes in the county — ARC of Baldwin County and Loxley Elementary School.

Both organizations depend on the “Strawberry Money” to keep afloat. In previous years, LES has used the money to in previous years, to purchase computers for their classrooms and library, to air condition their multipurpose building, and to upgrade their playground equipment. ARC of Baldwin County uses the funds, $20,000 to each group last year to provide the “match money” for grants, which enables the organization to provide services and assistance to more persons who are intellectually disabled.

In fact, it was ARC and LES coming together that got the Strawberry Festival going.

“Both organizations had small festivals,” recalled McDaniel. “Twenty-three years ago they decided to join forces.”

The first festival was in downtown Loxley.

“It was one little street, recalled McDaniels. There were about 25 vendors at the time.

Then, in 1999, the festival moved to the newly-constructed Municipal Park.

“We are so fortunate that Loxley built that park,” said McDaniel. “It’s lovely with that walking trail.”

The trail, a wide ribbon of concrete, allows festival goers to see all the vendors while not tripping over branches and roots.

The improved location has allowed the festival to grow. Now, there are more than 170 arts and crafts vendors, tractor exhibit, a car show, live music and rides.

“This is very family oriented,” said McDaniel. “There is something for all ages.”