| California Strawberry Festival | |
| Status: | Active |
| Genre: | Festival |
| Frequency: | Annual |
| Venue: | Ventura County Fairgrounds |
| Location: | Ventura, California |
| Country: | United States |
| Years Active: | 1984–2019, 2023-present |
The California Strawberry Festival is a yearly strawberry festival that takes place Ventura, California. The event is held at the Ventura County Fairgrounds on the third weekend of May. The festival contains 40 different food vendors, rides, and activities for all ages.
In 1983, one of the City of Oxnard Councilman, Dr. Tsujio Kato, was asked by PR Consultant Terry Pimsleur if there would be any interest in creating a strawberry festival in Oxnard, California. Strawberries were very important to him because Dr. Kato’s uncle was the most significant grower of strawberries in the area at that time. The city council voted to approve it and gave funds to make the new festival a city-sponsored event. Dr. Kato, Terry Pimsleur, and city staff members Kathy Burris and Jim Faulconer worked together to organize the festival. They created the logo and called it the California Strawberry Festival to show how California has a rising reputation for growing the greatest strawberries in the whole country. He recruited board members throughout the whole city for their advice and expertise. [1]
In 1984, the new California Strawberry Festival made its first appearance at Channel Islands Harbor. The festival's feedback proved that it was a great success. Local businesses, growers, and industries all had contributed to the festival’s success. The income from the festival helped thirty nonprofit organizations that year. Oxnard’s own J.M. Smucker’s Company rose up as the first ever Sponsor for the festival.
In 1991 the festival location moved from Channel Islands Harbor to Strawberry Meadows at College Park to give the rising number of visitors more space to enjoy all the activities that the festival had to offer.
In 2001, the festival changed into a public benefit, nonprofit organization with a board of directors solely composed of volunteers.
Around 200 crafters and artists throughout the whole nation show their original works with a wide range of mediums including paintings, sculptures, ceramics, toys, accessories, photographs, textiles, furniture, jewelry, foods, and more.[2]
There is a large assortment of delicious strawberry related foods at the festival that include: strawberry nachos, strawberry pizza, strawberry popcorn, strawberry chimichangas, strawberry tamales, deep-fried strawberries, strawberry funnel cake, berry kabobs, strawberry shortcake, chocolate dipped strawberries, strawberry margaritas, strawberry smoothies, and even strawberry beer. To withdraw cash for purchases, ATMs are placed throughout the festival. Cash can not be used as payment at booths that serve alcohol.[3]
There is an array of music artists that come perform live at the festival. Artists including Drew Dolan, Smooth Sounds of Santana, Surf City Allstars, Past Action Heroes, Los So Lows, Petty or Not, Tabu, Upstream, and Twisted Gypsy have performed at the festival. Children can have fun watching puppet and magic shows at the Family Fun Stage. [4]
Additionally the Berry Baby Fashion Show is an event where infants up to four years of age participate in a fashion parade. This is one of the popular interactive events at the festival. Others include the Ninja Nation Obstacle Course and an annual artwork contest.[5]
Single carnival ride tickets are $1 each, and 24 tickets for $20. Rides require between 4 - 7 tickets. The carnival rides include the Train, Red Baron, Eagle 16 Ferris Wheel, Motor Cycles, Bear Affair, Kiddy Swing, and Winky the Whale.[6]