Dates & Times: May 18 and 19, 2024
Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m., Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., Sunday
Location: Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura, CA 93001
Parking: Limited parking onsite, Driving Directions, an Amtrak station is across the street.
Free Shuttles: Locations in Oxnard and Ventura (Recommended)
Admission: $15 General Admission
$10 Active military and dependents with ID (purchased at the Festival Gate) and Seniors 62+
$8 Youth (ages 5-12)
Children 4 and under, Free
Entry tickets can be purchased on the festival website, www.CAStrawberryFestival.org or at the gate
More information: www.CAStrawberryFestival.org or email info@castrawberryfestival.org
Event Overview: Chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberry-topped funnel cakes, strawberry nachos, deep-fried strawberries, berry kabobs, strawberry tacos, smoothies, and strawberry beer are just some of the tasty treats offered at the 38th Annual California Strawberry Festival.
The festival also features 150 artists and crafters, a Ninja Nation obstacle course, live entertainment on multiple stages, Strawberryland for Kids, carnival rides and a $5 "build-your-own" Strawberry Shortcake Experience. There is even a “Berry Baby Fashion Parade.”
Trays of just-picked strawberries grown on the Oxnard Plain are available at the festival and used in all strawberry-themed food and beverages.
Strawberry Dishes/Drinks: Strawberries, strawberries, strawberries -- chocolate-dipped strawberries, deep-fried strawberries, strawberry tacos, strawberry kabobs and strawberry nachos, thirst-quenching delights like strawberry beer and smoothies. With over 50 food vendors participating, there is a tasty strawberry delight for everyone. An estimated 1.5 million strawberries will be consumed during the two-day festival.
Arts & Crafts Showcase highlights the talents of 150 artists who specialize in paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, specialty foods, furniture, children's toys, photography and more. Many items have a strawberry theme. Artists are on hand to visit with festival guests and often personalize gifts.
Strawberryland for Kids offers tons of childhood fun with puppet and magic shows on the Family Fun Stage, rides, bounce houses and climbing walls.
Live Concerts by 22 bands are on two outdoor stages and are included in the admission price. The medley of music includes reggae, Latin, rock, country and R&B music.
BACKGROUND: The festival pays tribute to California’s $3 billion strawberry industry. Ventura County’s Oxnard Plain, with its unique coastal environment of ocean exposure and year-round moderate temperatures, is ideal for the luscious fruit. Strawberries are Ventura County's largest crop generating over $662million in value in 2022. In the 1980s, then Oxnard Mayor, Dr. Tsujio Kato, gathered with City of Oxnard officials and a
handful of local strawberry growers to explore ways to celebrate the strawberry industry. The festival premiered in 1984.
POSITIVE IMPACT: The International Festival & Events Association and the Library of Congress have recognized the California Strawberry Festival for its extensive community programs benefiting education, arts and youths. The Association's research estimates the festival's economic impact on the community hovers at approximately $7.5 million for the two-day event.
Since its inception, the nonprofit festival has donated over $5 million to Southern California charities.