Light and flavorful, they make both children and adults salivate. Rich in vitamin C, they evoke summer. Strawberries were celebrated and sold like hotcakes at the event now called “Strawberry and Local Flavors Festival.” Jean-Pierre Clerissi, president of the Carros agricultural union, is delighted: “This festival is even more successful and has drawn an even bigger crowd this year as people have shown their support.” A sentiment shared by Bernadette, a member of the new festival committee. This strong-willed woman explains: “It’s a success because the event was organized in a very short amount of time given the circumstances. As a result, the clientele was generous.” More solidarity, a more varied audience, the ingredients were combined to keep the Carros strawberry’s reputation intact.
A village festival without a village
However, the mayor of Carros, Antoine Damiani, finds it regrettable to have been forced to relocate the event. “The situation is surreal. We came to praise the merits of our territory… but in a metropolis (referring to Nice).” Taken urgently, the decision to move the festival did leave a shadow over the event: what is normally a village festival did NOT take place in a village but at the MIN. As a result: The atmosphere was less “friendly” for some, like Aimรฉ, a lifelong strawberry producer in Carros. Another consequence: some activities, such as pistou soup, the cheerleader show, or the country dance demonstration had to be canceled. Nevertheless, visitors were not bored. They were able to discover about thirty stands of local products. From oil to honey to the jam offered by Cathy, a producer specially from the Tinรฉe Valley, the displays exposed to the sun were rich in colors and fragrances. The strawberry, the star of the festival, unveiled its aromas under the marquee, to the delight of passersby.
