The Stratford Peach Festival, set for July 18 at Stratford City Park, will mark a milestone this year, celebrating 50 years of Stratford peaches.
The 2026 festival promises to deliver all the favorite Peach Festival activities regulars have come to expect – classic cars, turtle races, a 5K run, vendors, homemade ice cream and, of course, peaches.
This year’s festival will also include a special salute to past Peach Festival royalty.
“We are inviting all past Peach Queens. We would like to have them up on the stage for special recognition,” Cara Rivera, Peach Festival pageant coordinator, said.
The Peach Festival royalty have been an important part of the festival’s annual celebration and history. Rivera said the first Peach Festival Queen was crowned in 1977, the second year the festival was held.
Rivera said at present she’s expecting around 15 to 20 past Peach Queens to be in attendance.
This year, as in recent years, the festival will not only crown a Queen, but also a Peach Jr. Queen, Peach Princess, Peach Blossom and Peach Bud.
Also returning this year is the “Town’s Best Pick” competition, which allows the public to vote for candidates through donation jars already set up around town.
The jars will also be available during Saturday‘s festival. The candidate with the most money in their jar wins the title and gets to choose a local charity to donate a portion of the proceeds to. Last year the contest raised a total of $1,675, which was donated to the Pauls Valley Animal Welfare Society.
Other festival-day activities will begin bright and early July 18 with the Stratford Peach Festival 5K Run and Walk, beginning and ending in front of the Stratford Elementary School, 341 N. Oak Ave. Race-day registration is $40 and will begin at 5:30 a.m. The run starts at 6:30 a.m.
True Life Church will host a free pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. (or until supplies run out) at the Ag Barn in Stratford’s City Park.
The Peach Festival itself will get underway with opening ceremonies at 9 a.m. at the Stratford City Park’s pavilion and will run until 3 p.m.
More than 100 craft and retail vendors are expected for this year’s festival, as well as about 20 different food vendors.
“There are a wide variety of food trucks this year. We have pretty much every food option available,” Rivera said.
The festival will have several peach vendors, including local farms which have seen good production this year.
The festival’s carnival rides and bounce houses will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. All-day wristbands will be available for $35 each or 2 for $50. Individual tickets will also be sold at $1 each/ five tickets for one ride.
This year’s carnival will also feature a Foam Bubble Party, which will cost $5 per entry.
Registration for the Peach Festival Car Show will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Car show judging will begin at 11 a.m. Categories include Best Classic Car, Best Classic Truck, Best Muscle Car, Most Creative, Best Paint Job, Best Interior, Best Vehicle Pre-1970s, Best Vehicle Post-1970s, and Best Motorcycle.
Free Turtle Races start at 10 a.m. Participants are asked to arrive at the park’s pavilion no later than 9:45 a.m. with their turtle.
The pavilion will also feature a variety of performances by local talent throughout the day.
Festival parking at the Stratford Park is free and can be located by following the Peach Festival signs posted along State Highway 19 in Stratford.
For more information visit the Peach Festival’s Facebook page at “2026 Stratford Peach Festival, Stratford, Ok.” The Stratford Peach Festival is a fundraising event hosted by the Stratford Little League Foundation.
Adding to the festivities in Stratford next weekend, the Stratford Round-Up Club will also be hosting their Open Championship Rodeo July 16-18 at Ada Keel Arena.
The rodeo action will begin at 8 p.m. nightly. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children age 7-12. Children under 6 are admitted free. Friday night, July 17, will be senior night with half-price admission for those age 65 and older.
Rodeo events will include steer wrestling; team, calf and break away roping; senior barrel races; ranch broncs; and bareback bronc, saddle bronc and bull riding.
The Stratford Rodeo parade will be Thursday, July 17, at 5:30 p.m.
