The 40th Annual California Strawberry Festival returns for two days, opening to the public May 16 and 17 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds with more than 50 food and beverage booths, carnival rides, live music, and a craft-filled arts market. Organizers say ge
By the time the doors open May 16 and 17, Ventura will be busy again with the 40th Annual California Strawberry Festival—an event that has grown from its Oxnard roots into a two-day fair built around strawberry treats, rides, and handmade art.
The festival will welcome the public at the fairgrounds at 10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura. Hours run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days, and organizers say the celebration will bring carnival rides, live music, and miles of handmade crafts and artwork.
“Festivalgoers can always find something unique and new with our artists. ” said Dana Hale-Mounier. director of Pacific Fine Arts Festivals and coordinator of the festival’s arts and craft booths. in a news release.. Hale-Mounier’s comment reflects the way the event has expanded over the years. moving from Oxnard to the Ventura County Fairgrounds with “more of everything on offer.”
That growth comes with a busy food lineup: organizers have lined up more than 50 food and beverage booths, many with a strawberry dish or drink made from the region’s strawberries. A popular choice for visitors is the $7 build-your-own Strawberry Shortcake Experience.
The price of admission has a range of options. General admission is $15. Tickets for active military with ID and family and seniors 62 and over are $10. Youth ages 5 to 12 are $8, and children 4 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.CAStrawberryFestival.org or at the gate.
Getting there is its own part of the planning. Festival organizers offer and encourage visitors to use their free shuttles that run every 15 minutes, with shuttle sites spread across Ventura and Oxnard:
Ventura County Government Center, Lot F, 800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura
Pacific View Mall, 3301 E. Main St., Ventura
Parking lot, 955 S. Seaward Ave., Ventura
Ventura Unified School District headquarters, 255 W. Stanley Ave., Ventura
Oxnard High School, 3400 W. Gonzales Road, Oxnard
On-site parking is also available for $30 but is described as limited.
For visitors who prefer two wheels, a free bike valet will be available at the fairgrounds on a first-come, first-served basis. Train service is another option, with discounted fare options available from Metrolink and Amtrak’s Surfliner.
Metrolink trains are set to arrive at the Ventura-Downtown/Beach Station each day at 12:19 p.m.. and 7:05 p.m.. and depart at 12:53 p.m.. and 4:14 p.m.. The station is a short walk to the fairgrounds entrance.. Metrolink also offers a $10 SoCal Day Pass promotion, which provides unlimited rides on the day of purchase.. On weekends, up to three children 17 and under also ride free with a paying adult.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner trains operate between Los Angeles and Ventura and serve the fairgrounds.. Metrolink ticketholders can use the agencies’ robust codeshare program, which provides more flexibility for customers.. Throughout the weekend. a special Pacific Surfliner promotion will also allow up to three children. ages 12 and younger. to ride free with each paying adult.
The event’s push for easy access is matched by the way it has expanded since leaving Oxnard—organizers point to the move to the Ventura County Fairgrounds “with more of everything on offer. ” then pair that with a shuttle system running every 15 minutes across Ventura and Oxnard. plus transit schedules that bring riders to Ventura-Downtown/Beach Station and service the fairgrounds for the weekend.
For more about the festival, visit www.castrawberryfestival.org.
40th Annual California Strawberry Festival Ventura May 16 May 17 Ventura County Fairgrounds strawberry shortcake festival tickets free shuttles bike valet Metrolink Amtrak Pacific Surfliner