Pomp & Circumstance: A short story about our 1949 Strawberry Festival Princess.
What do the phrases, “City of Churches,” “Sleepy Little German Town,” or “Biggest Poultry Producer of the South,” all have in common? Each of those are descriptions of our hometown - and you can add one more, “Strawberry Capital of the South.” At one time the delicate little berry produced in early spring was a big deal around here. I mean A Big Deal! Similar to the automotive parts manufacturing of today, strawberries were the cash crop of Cullman, Alabama and beyond. And so were the spin off industries that surrounded the mighty strawberry. And, well, who doesn’t like strawberries? The uses of which would rival those that Bubba quoted about shrimp in that beloved movie we all know and love - Forrest Gump - from jams and preserves to pies, cakes and rolls.
And how did we celebrate such a wonderful and prosperous commodity in those days? We had a multi-day festival that was the highest of pomp and circumstance - including cutting a rug at the local dance, a parade, and of course the crowning of the Strawberry Festival Royal Court - and we have continued many of these treasured traditions through the years. Our town and its people get to have bragging rights for the longest-running Strawberry Festival in Alabama and the chance to share another part of our history to anyone lucky enough to listen. The story that follows is of the early years of celebration and one young lady who was given the ultimate title of “Strawberry Princess.”
In the 1940s, the choosing of the Royal Court was slightly different than it is today. Cullman County and City schools would pick their princesses nominated by the principals and teachers, then would be voted on by the senior class. In the year 1949, Norine Buckelew was chosen by her West Point High School class to represent them as their Strawberry Princess. Norine was escorted by Frank Fink, Jr., who was attending college at the time. The King and Queen of the festival were chosen by local officials and businessmen. The West Point Princess, Norine, recalls participating in many local activities during the weeks around the festival and having a good excuse to miss class. One outing included hanging out with other Princesses and their families at the Governor’s Mansion during Big Jim Folsom’s time in office. These appearances were some of Norine’s favorite highlights of the festival as well as the dance and the parade.
In those days, it was a very big deal for the “R.F.D. America” radio game show to be broadcast nationwide from Cullman during the 1949 Strawberry Festival. As quoted from a local paper pulled from Norine’s scrapbook, “When the Farm Champion of Cullman County is selected on April 30, the spotlight of the nation will be on Cullman County. All of this publicity should help make the ninth annual strawberry festival the best and most interesting festival the county has ever had.” Norine was proud to have been a part of such a famous event - and rightfully so!
We should continue to be proud of Cullman’s agricultural heritage - the days of pomp and circumstance and Strawberry Festival Royalty. These are the moments that put Cullman, Alabama on the map as an agriculture legacy. Ask someone if they know about Cullman and its rich history of Strawberry Festivals and celebrations. If they don’t, enlighten them. They will be glad you did, especially during the month of May.
