Marysville’s annual celebration, the Strawberry Festival, which brings out the best in the city and its residents, kicks off this week and culminates June 22 after more than a week filled with a variety of family-oriented fun.

Planning for the 77th annual fete has been underway now for nearly a year and Maryfest Board President Judy Anderson, all the board members, and all the volunteers have put in countless hours of preparation and deserve the community’s thanks. All of the sponsors who make the event possible also deserve recognition and our appreciation. Members of the city staff will also be helping out during the festival. Marysville police officers will be providing security while staff from the Public Works Department will also be helping out.

The festival’s royalty — Queen Danielle Wilcoxson, Princess Che Renouard and Princess Lila Hart — will be attending numerous events during the Strawberry Festival as well as appearing in more than two dozen parades around the Northwest representing the city as well as the festival. The Junior Royalty — Madson Doty, Julie Hodge and Franqui Rojas — will also be making the rounds at many of the festival’s events.

The schedule of events is filled with perennial favorites. Starting this week with the Golf Tournament and the Berry Run, the festival next week features the fashion show, talent show, carnival, arts and crafts market, trike races, car show, Pig Out On The Farm, strawberry shortcake eating contest, kiddies parade, fireworks and the grand parade — led by Grand Marshall Verle Hatch and President’s Marshal Jacob Irish.

So whatever your favorite event, get out and enjoy Marysville’s Strawberry Festival. There’s something fun for everyone in the family.

To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board — Stuart Chernis or Scott Frank — e-mail forum@marysvilleglobe.com.