Photo Credit: Jaclyn Moreno

Annual Strauss Festival of Elk Grove

The annual Strauss Festival of Elk Grove was held on July 26-29 at Elk Grove Park. This year’s event presented the show “Postcards From The Grand Tour.”

The Strauss Festival came to be because of Elk Grove resident Iris Zimbelman.  Zimbelman is an international traveler. The Strauss Festival was launched in 1987 after Zimbelman traveled to Austria. Each year the Strauss Festival is produced and performed through donations of sponsors and many volunteers who collaborate to create this event. It is always held in Elk Grove Regional Park and is free to the public.

Photo Credit: Dave Soto Productions

Honoring Johann Strauss

Johann Strauss is the creator of some of the world’s best waltzes. Most noteworthy, each year the Strauss Festival is held in Elk Grove in his honor. The participants are different every year. Some participants return year after year. Ray Bayles just marked his 30th year of participating as a Strauss Festival dancer. However, each year many newcomers also participate in the event.

For each year and festival, there is a different choreographed storyline which is set to music by the family of Johann Strauss. The stage comes alive while dozens of performers bring the story to life.

Photo Credit: Dave Soto Productions

Video by Dave Soto Productions

Postcards From the Grand Tour

In this year’s storyline “Postcards From The Grand Tour” Herr Strauss (played by Jacob Lee) visits America. He is accompanied by his wife Jetty (played by Amanda Clay), and their two luggage carrying servants (played by Sophia and Victoria Lucas), as they travel to France, Italy, Russia, France, the United States, Germany, and back to Austria.

Notable numbers included The Blue Danube and Jessica Griffin Brown singing a gospel song in a scene where Strauss is about to disembark from the United States.

Overall, the Strauss Festival 2018 was a well attended and well executed event.

Video by Dave Soto Productions

Donation From The City of Elk Grove

Important to note, this year the City of Elk Grove donated $18,600 to the Strauss Festival. Vice-Mayor Darren Suen and City Council Member Steve Detrick attended the Strauss Festival and presented the check to event organizers.

Vice-Mayor Darren Suen & City Council Member Steve Detrick handed a check from
the City of Elk Grove to Strauss Festival organizers
Photo Credit: Darren Suen

Vice-Mayor Darren Suen & City Council Member Steve Detrick
pose with Strauss Festival performers
Photo Credit: Darren Suen