ANTRIM COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Summer time in northern Michigan marks the return of fresh fruit season. Strawberries are ripening this week and one community is ready to celebrate.

The Alden Strawberry Festival will return on Sunday. It's held annually to celebrate the start of strawberry picking season.

But before you can have a strawberry festival, you need to find a lot of strawberries.

U-Pick Farms are opening for the season and farmers say there's only one way to eat the berries.

"Grab them by the stem, give them a little squeeze and it'll break right off and right into your mouth fresh off the plant,” said Jack King, of King Orchards. “There's something about a sun warmed strawberry that is so delicious you just don't get it any other way like that."

The strawberry festival kicks off at noon on June 19.

People can buy fresh strawberries and homemade strawberry shortcake.

All proceeds go back to the Alden community to support future events.