The LaSalle Strawberry Festival is a four-day event held in Gil Maure Park. The festival was traditionally held over the first weekend in June but has been moved to the following weekend to minimize competition with other regional festivals. An estimated 30,000 people visit the Strawberry Festival, with more than 2,200 pounds of strawberries being sold and served. Admission costs $2 per person, as of publication, although it is free for children younger than 6 and adults older than 65. Part of the $5 parking costs are donated to the Sandwich Secondary Robotics team and the LaSalle Kin Club. The festival was listed on 2013's list of the Top 100 Festivals and Events in Ontario, determined by Festivals and Events Ontario, an organization that supports the festival and event industry throughout Ontario.
From Thursday through Sunday, the festival's carnival is open for business, with reduced prices offered on opening night. Robertson Amusements, a traveling theme park, operates the carnival with its thrill rides as well as traditional rides, which include a Ferris wheel and carousel, in addition to carnival games and more. Live music rocks the festival every evening. Performers include local and regional bands playing everything from soul and blues to rock and roll. Other highlights include pony rides and dog-agility performances on Sunday afternoon and a Friday night firework show that lights up the night sky for roughly 25 minutes, with fireworks launched from nearby Fighting Island.
Several pageants are held on opening night, including the Little Miss Strawberry contest, which is open to girls ages 4 to 8; Miss Junior LaSalle which is open to girls between the ages of 11 and 14; and the Miss LaSalle pageant, open to girls between 16 and 23 years old. Festival organizers also hold a baby contest, which is open to up to 20 babies in two categories: babies between the ages of 6 and 12 months or babies aged 13 to 18 months. Another highlight is the Strawberry Festival cooking contest, which judges the best strawberry recipes submitted by amateur cooks.
Although no hotels are located in LaSalle, several lodging options are located less than 10 miles away in nearby Windsor. Visitors can choose from familiar names such as the Comfort Inn and Suites, located near the Ambassador Bridge, the bridge connecting Canada to the United States. Other options include the pet-friendly Holiday Inn Windsor, which is also located near the bridge, and the Stonecroft Inn, located near Devonshire Mall.
