Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg began 31 years ago with an idea; it's now one of the top 10 in the Midwest!

CEDARBURG -- The Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg started with a simple idea -- and now, it's in its 31st year. The popular festival brings up to 100,000 to Cedarburg during its two-day run.

Thirty-one years ago, a few people had an idea: Create a Wisconsin wine using Wisconsin strawberries -- and the Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg was born!

"This is what the festival is all about. It started 31 years ago when we made our first batch of strawberry wine," Connie Niebaum said.

A Wisconsin winery added Wisconsin strawberries and it was a hit. The Strawberry Festival quickly outgrew the walls of the winery, and today, stretches for several blocks.

"We are major destination," Niebaum said.

Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg

"We were recently voted one of the top 10 festivals in the Midwest and we were up there with Chicago and Detroit and Milwaukee, so that's pretty cool," BJ Homayouni, Strawberry Festival director said.

More than 200 vendors set up shop during the two-day festival which took place on Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th. The artwork featured is handmade, and the produce homegrown.

Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg

"It's grown a lot. We've added a couple of blocks to it the last few years," Homayouni said.

And of course, the strawberries are always fresh!

Three decades of celebration has put Cedarburg on the map.

"It was very, very small when we first started and now it's all of Cedarburg and all of our non-profits. It's huge," Niebaum said.

And what better way to toast that success than with a glass of chilled strawberry wine.

Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg

"It started it all," Niebaum said.

Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg

Coming up in Cedarburg -- the Wine and Harvest Fest September 17th and 18.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the Wine and Harvest Festival in Cedarburg.