California Strawberry Festival — Ventura County Fairgrounds

The California Strawberry Festival opened Saturday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura for a two-day run that organizers say marks the event’s 40th year. The festival is scheduled for May 16-17, with gates open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. both days, according to the event’s official website and the Ventura County Fairgrounds listing. Organizers describe the event as a family-oriented weekend built around strawberry food, live entertainment, arts and crafts, and carnival-style attractions. The fairgrounds site lists the venue at 10 W. Harbor Blvd., just off U.S. 101 and near downtown Ventura. ### When is it happening, and where do people go? May 16 and May 17 are the festival dates listed by both the official festival website and Ventura County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds event page says the festival runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day at 10 W. Harbor Blvd. in Ventura. The official site says the beachside location is within blocks of downtown Ventura and notes access by car, shuttle, Amtrak and Metrolink. (castrawberryfestival.org) Ventura County Fairgrounds says parking and free shuttles are available for attendees. The official festival site also says the venue is near the 101 freeway and public transit connections, framing the move as a convenient option for visitors arriving from outside Ventura. ### What will people actually find once they get inside? Organizers say the 2026 event includes more than 40 food vendors, live music and entertainment, and more than 100 arts-and-crafts booths. (castrawberryfestival.org) The official site highlights strawberry shortcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and strawberry beer among the featured food items. The Ventura County Fairgrounds listing also points to arts and crafts and live music as core parts of the weekend program. Visit Ventura, which is promoting the event on its calendar, says this year’s festival also includes rides and positions the weekend as a 40-year milestone for the event. A separate KCLU report cited festival chair Greg Berini saying growers will be on site with fruit that goes “from the field to the festival.” ### Why is Ventura County so tied to this event? KCLU reported on May 12 that Ventura County is one of California’s biggest strawberry-growing regions, producing 36 million trays annually. (castrawberryfestival.org) In the same report, Greg Berini, chair of the California Strawberry Festival, said the Oxnard Plain’s cool and moderate weather had made this year’s crop “really strong.” He said the festival began as a way to celebrate the strawberry industry and the growers behind it. (visitventuraca.com) The festival’s own website says the event supports the community through nonprofit participation. A video transcript on the site says nonprofit food booths keep 100% of their sales for their causes, and the ticketing page says proceeds benefit Southland charities. ### How much do tickets cost, and what do they include? Ventura County Fairgrounds lists gate admission at $15 for adults, $10 for seniors 62 and older, $8 for youth ages 5 to 12, and free for children 4 and under. (kclu.org) The fairgrounds page also lists parking at $30. TicketSpice, the festival’s ticketing platform, shows online prices of $17.48 for adults, $12.48 for seniors and $10.48 for youth after fees. (castrawberryfestival.org) The ticketing page says one-day tickets are valid for either Saturday or Sunday, while active military members and dependents can buy $10 tickets at the gate with identification. (venturacountyfair.org) ### Are there any rules visitors should know before they show up? The ticketing page says outside food and beverages, coolers, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, hoverboards, chairs and folding tables are prohibited. It also says alcohol is limited to visitors 21 and older with valid identification, and that ticket sales are final, rain or shine. (californiastrawberryfestivals.ticketspice.com) May 17 is the final day of the 2026 festival, with gates scheduled to close at 6:30 p.m., according to organizers. Tickets and visitor information are posted through the official festival site, the Ventura County Fairgrounds calendar and the event’s ticketing page. (castrawberryfestival.org) (californiastrawberryfestivals.ticketspice.com)