FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2026
88th West Tennessee Strawberry Festival Draws Huge Crowds
HUMBOLDT, TN – As it does each year, the 2026 West Tennessee Strawberry Festival drew huge crowds to Humboldt, generating over 100,000 total visits* during its weeklong celebration. The event also brought major activity to downtown Humboldt and reinforced the festival’s role as one of West Tennessee’s signature family events.
Held May 3–9, this year’s Festival featured a full week of activities, including the carnival, two parades, free street concerts (including a gospel concert), food vendors, beauty pageants, children’s events, fireworks, and family gatherings along Main Street.
As expected, Friday – the day of the Grand Floats Parade – was the festival’s largest single day with over 45,000* people lining Main Street. The downtown and food court areas also saw strong weekday activity, with Monday alone seeing estimates of 12-13,000 total visits*.
Not to be overlooked, the event also generated substantial tourism impact. To be considered a tourist by the State of Tennessee, the visitor must have traveled 50+ miles to the destination. This year, approximately 7% of total festival attendance visits came from those exceeding that distance – representing an estimated 9000+* visits from tourists.
“Our hope is that those tourists see a place they’d like to come back and visit again,” said Amanda Love, President/CEO of the Humboldt Chamber. “We’re thrilled to put on an event that brings families home, welcomes visitors from all across the region, AND creates a big economic boost for Humboldt year after year.”
The event’s impact extends well beyond the parade route and event footprint, drawing visitors throughout Humboldt and Gibson County and creating additional commerce for local restaurants, retailers, fuel stations, vendors, and nearby businesses throughout the week. That estimated tax impact for City, County, State and Federal levels has been shown recently to be around $800,000.** This activity shows that the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival is not only a major community celebration, but also a meaningful economic driver for the entire region.
*Attendance estimates are based on anonymized mobile activity data, adjusted using a consistent methodology to account for children under 18, adults without trackable smartphones, flip-phone users, and families represented by a single device.
**Based on research provided in 2024 that includes: Direct Effects: Initial spending by tourists in areas such as fuel, shopping/retail, food & drink, and activities; Indirect Effects: Additional spending by local businesses supplying goods and services to the tourist industry and Induced Effects: Additional spending by local residents employed at businesses serving tourists, such as restaurants and shopping establishments.
About the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival
The West Tennessee Strawberry Festival is a weeklong family celebration held the first full week of May each year in Humboldt, Tennessee. This event, held since 1934, features a carnival, parades, concerts, food vendors, pageants, fireworks, children’s activities, and community events throughout the city.
For more information about the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival, please contact the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce at (731) 784-1842 or visit www.strawberryfestivaltn.com
