The roots of the annual Strawberry Festival at St. Mary of Providence Center cannot be verified, but there are some strong theories.

The festival is now held every year in June, near the end of peak strawberry picking season. Editions of the Community Courier from the 1970s show that at one time a Strawberry Festival was held at the site annually, usually to benefit girls with developmental disabilities. At some point in the 1980s, the tradition ended.

Decades later, the festival returned in 2022 and has now resolidified itself as a hallmark of summer in the area. However, the origins are still unknown.

"I don't know why they did it back in the '70s or '80s; they might have had a lot of strawberries growing on the property," said Sister Brenda McHugh, site director. "I think what Sister Joanna used to say is that at the time they had a ton of strawberries that they were growing. Therefore, they started with this idea of (the) Strawberry Festival."

This year's Strawberry Festival will be held on Saturday, June 6, from noon to 5 p.m. at St. Mary of Providence Center, 227 Isabella Road, Elverson. The day will feature strawberry dishes, live music, children's activities, craft vendors and tours of the site's Potts mansion.

Activities will be available all day long, including games for children and live music. There will be a strawberry pinata for kids, filled with strawberry-flavored candy. Baskets will also be for the taking; last year there were over 100 available prizes.

"A couple of them were gift cards to go golfing, hotel stays; a lot of restaurants give us gift cards to use," said Jacqueline Guerra, retreat reservation coordinator at St. Mary. "They all have themes ... there were Phillies tickets; it's kind of all over the place. There's things for children, things more for men, (and) some things cater towards women."

A litany of strawberry-related food dishes can also be purchased. There will be fresh strawberries, along with strawberry shortcake, chocolate-dipped strawberries and ice cream.

The highlight of the day will be guided tours of the historic mansion, which are limited to 20 people each. Those interested should preregister at https://stmaryprov.org/strawberry/.

According to a history of the site, Langoma mansion was built in the late 19th century by Joseph D. Potts, a local ironmaster. The name "Langoma" is a Lenape Indian term meaning "homestead."

The mansion has 76 rooms and features numerous architectural details like "floating" staircases and ornate woodwork. The mansion includes 22 fireplaces; 22 servant rooms; marble floors; staircases made of marble, onyx and alabaster; and multiple stained-glass windows, including one made of Tiffany glass.

Today, St. Mary of Providence Center functions as a retreat facility year-round, where people of all denominations can spend time praying and focusing on their spiritual needs. In addition to the religious retreat center, the site includes several buildings that house senior citizens.

All proceeds from the Strawberry Festival and mansion tours are used to maintain the historic property and support the mission of St. Mary of Providence Center.

Admission to the festival is free; a donation will be received for the mansion tours. Those with questions may call 610-942-4166 or email providence@stmaryprov.org.

"With the fundraising, it keeps the retreat price a little lower than what other people would be paying," Sister Brenda said.