Strawberry Festival

Advertising a Michigan Festival
Set of Posters

POSTER DESIGN
TYPOGRAPHY
ILLUSTRATION


Strawberry Festival is a set of posters dedicated to honoring and advertising Chassell, Michigan’s annual Copper Country Strawberry Festival.

The Copper Country Strawberry Festival is a yearly festival dedicated to celebrating strawberry crops and growers in Chassell, Michigan. Chassell, a town situated near Michigan’s formerly booming copper mining industry, has hosted the festival for 76 years of its 161 year history. As such, the town has a rich history from its various industrious influences.

The festival is so much more than just a celebration of strawberries. Fish caught in neighboring Pike Bay is fried and served up to hungry patrons. Bay boat tours depart the fairgrounds every 45 minutes. Crafts from local artisans are on display for interested townsfolk and tourists to buy. An idea of “beyond the berry” was crucial in designing a set of posters that encapsulate all events that comprise the festival. The three posters represent three core intrigues of the festival: what to do, what to see, and what to eat.

Research was conducted to further understand the history behind the festival and compiled together using a digital pin board. Photos inspired by the event were collaged to construct 25 quick mini-posters and sketches to inspire our digital posters. I narrowed it down to 3 directions, each honoring something different: the history, the berry itself, and the variety within the event. I decided that focusing solely on one of these themes would be a disservice, so I drew inspiration from each to create a final concept.

The final posters reflect all that the event is: hand-made, historic, and all-encompassing. Hand-drawn pen illustrations become symbolic of events that occur, and their images change between posters. Strawberry imagery serves as through-line between each cluster of objects. The monospaced font nods to the past while also looking towards the future of the festival. The color choices are emblematic strawberries while providing a fresh and youthful feeling. The result is a set that isn’t only cohesive, but that accurately expresses the festival’s purpose.