BUCKHANNON — Just in time for the 83rd West Virginia Strawberry Festival, the Fred Brooks Garden Club announces the beginning of “Yard of the Month Awards.” The whimsical theme for the 2025 festival is “Once Upon a Strawberry.”

Residents are encouraged to get creative, get family and friends involved, have some fun and show off your “Strawberry” pride and display their Strawberry Festival decor. The May award is “Strawberry Yard of the Month” and judging will be this week through Friday.

If you wish to be considered for the Yard of the Month contest please complete your decoration by Thursday, May 8.

Judges will be out and about picking winners from the five voting districts within the City of Buckhannon for the months of May, June, July and August. In July the club offers two awards, both “Red, White and Blue Yard of the Month” and “Yard of the Month”  Judging is usually completed within the first six days of each month.  

The judges will be looking for tasteful landscaping; a neat well-groomed yard; a mix of flowers and shrubbery: and evidence the owner takes pride of ownership in their yard.    

Please remember if you are a past winner in the year 2022, 2023 or 2024, you are not eligible to win again until three years have passed since your victory.

The Members of Fred Brooks Garden Club in Buckhannon thank all the citizens and businesses who participate in their “Yard of the Month” program to help make Buckhannon a more beautiful and welcoming place to live or visit each year.