The Lebanon Strawberry Festival Association announced plans for the 117th annual event, which will be held June 4-7, including a community-wide participation in the hand jive.
The 2026 theme, “Strawberry Nights,” sets the stage for a 1950s-inspired weekend, channeling the spirit of “Grease,” with family-friendly activities, live entertainment and time-honored traditions that draw thousands from across the Willamette Valley and beyond.
This multi-day celebration features live entertainment, local vendors, youth and family activities, and signature events that define early summer in Oregon. Organized and powered by hundreds of volunteers across 20 committees, from Grand Parade to Souvenirs, Coronation, Run/Walk, and Shortcake, the festival continues to evolve while honoring its historic roots.
“As one of Oregon’s longest-running heritage festivals, the Lebanon Strawberry Festival celebrates agricultural roots, community pride and the power of volunteerism,” stated Jill Ingalls, member of the management team, in a press release.
In addition to the festival’s signature experiences (grand parade, strawberry shortcake, junior and senior princess courts, coronation and fair) and other entertainment (Family Land, All Heroes celebration, vendors, live music and fireworks), this year’s festival will highlight some new opportunities for community-centered fun, including a city-wide call to participate in a coordinated hand jive performance.
Sandwiched between live musical performances on Saturday, June 6, the Strawberry Festival team will conduct an effort to lead a community-wide hand jive performance.
The hand jive is one of the most iconic scenes in the movie “Grease.” The largest hand jive known to date was achieved by Brookdale Senior Living in Colorado when 810 people participated in the dance in June 2015.
Ingalls told The New Era she’d like to see that record (unofficially) broken at the Strawberry Festival, “for fun.” Interested persons may learn the moves and practice by visiting YouTube.com/watch?v=HdIyOwqexNM.
The 2026 festival will also include:
- A new Kid Zone will be presented by the Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Santiam.
- Headliner Bryan Martin, Brady Goss and Roll On, an Alabama tribute band, are this year’s musical artists.
- Sunday will feature Lebanon’s own youth with performances by Hollywood Dance Studios, Lebanon High School jazz band, and additional youth and community performers.
- An historic float restoration project.
- Cheadle Lake Park construction updates.