The Strauss Festival is the result of founder Iris Zimbelman's dream to recreate the wonderful Strauss music and dance of Vienna in a contemporary style at a local park, and to ensure that the event be FREE and accessible to everyone regardless of socioeconomic status. The first Strauss Festival was presented in July 1987 as a two day event; over the years the festival has more than doubled in attendance (peaking near 25,000 during it highest attended years) and is now performed over four days the last full weekend in July. The show currently takes place on "Strauss Island" located in the middle of the Elk Grove Park Lake. This outdoor performance facility was built with a generous grant from the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors. Seating is festival-style on blankets, lawn chairs, or folding chairs are provided for our ADA guests by making a reservation for an evening event.
The production tells a different story each year by creatively combining a lively professional 32-piece orchestra playing music by Johann Strauss ll, with graceful, elaborately costumed dancers ranging in age from 4 to 82. The performance each evening culminates with a fireworks display, presenting a unique performing arts event for many communities in our surrounding area. The dancers include troops of various ages and many of the children involved become long-time participants. Dancing workshops are offered free to the public to anyone interested in performing, regardless of age or prior experience. The Strauss festival is fortunate to have approximately 300 dedicated volunteers who expend about 45,000 hours every year to help make the festival a successful and memorable cultural event. It is truly amazing to see this labor of community love come to life annually, particularly in light of the fact that the Board, choreographers, set designers and builders, seamstresses, committee members, and performers freely offer their time and talents to make this happen.
The largest expenditures for the festival include hiring the professional 32-piece Camellia Symphony Orchestra and renting professional sound and lighting equipment and their personnel to operate it. In addition, money is needed for the fabric of the elaborate show costumes and accessories, set construction materials and pieces, sanitation services, security, fireworks, special seating arrangements (including chairs for ADA), printing, insurance, and other miscellaneous expenses.
For more than 37 years, the Strauss Festival of Elk Grove has been a staple in the local performing arts community and one of the only opportunities to experience this type of entertainment free of charge. We hope to continue to grow in our ability to entertain, educate, and reach as many people in the greater Sacramento community as possible.