California Strawberry Festival — Family Food Fair

The California Strawberry Festival opened Saturday at the Ventura County Fairgrounds in Ventura for a two-day run marking its 40th year, according to the festival’s website. The event is scheduled for May 16 and May 17 from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at 10 W. Harbor Blvd., with strawberry-themed food, live music, arts and crafts vendors and carnival rides on the grounds. Organizers describe the festival as a nonprofit event tied to local fundraising and scholarship programs. Admission starts at $15 for adults, with reduced prices for seniors, children and active military families, according to the Ventura County Fairgrounds listing. ### When and where is the festival happening? May 16 and May 17 are the festival dates listed by both the California Strawberry Festival and Ventura County Fairgrounds. The fairgrounds site says the event runs from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. each day at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, a beachside venue near downtown Ventura. Organizers also say parking, free shuttle service and nearby Amtrak and Metrolink access are available for attendees traveling to the site. (castrawberryfestival.org) ### What can visitors expect to find inside? More than 40 food vendors are part of the lineup, according to the festival and fairgrounds websites. Organizers say menu items include build-your-own strawberry shortcakes, chocolate-covered strawberries and strawberry beer, alongside other strawberry-themed food and drinks. The official festival site also says live music and arts and crafts booths are part of the weekend program. (castrawberryfestival.org) About 150 arts and crafts booths, contests and carnival rides are also listed by Pacific Fine Arts Festivals, which hosts artist information for the event. That site says the festival typically draws more than 50,000 attendees from across Southern California. ### How much does it cost to go? Adults pay $15, seniors 62 and older pay $10, and children ages 5 to 12 pay $8, according to the Ventura County Fairgrounds event page. (castrawberryfestival.org) Children 4 and under are admitted free, and active military members and dependents with identification can buy $10 admission at the festival gate, the fairgrounds site says. On-site parking is listed at $30. (pacificfinearts.com) Pacific Fine Arts Festivals says alcohol sales and festival merchandise sales are cashless. That site says food vendors and artists accept cash and credit cards. ### Who runs the event, and where does the money go? The California Strawberry Festival is run as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit by an all-volunteer board, according to Pacific Fine Arts Festivals. (venturacountyfair.org) That site says the event supports four postsecondary scholarship programs and weekend fundraising opportunities for more than 30 local nonprofit groups. (pacificfinearts.com) The festival’s official website says nonprofit organizations operating food booths keep 100% of their sales to support their causes. Pacific Fine Arts Festivals says the festival has raised more than $5 million to fund those programs and groups. ### What should visitors know before they go? The festival lists several items that are not allowed on the grounds, including animals, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, chairs, folding tables, coolers and outside food or drinks. (pacificfinearts.com) Pacific Fine Arts Festivals says the event is handicap accessible, though wheelchair rentals are not available on site. (castrawberryfestival.org) The official festival site says the weekend continues Sunday, May 17, at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, and tickets and additional event information are posted on the festival website. Ventura County Fairgrounds lists the same closing time of 6:30 p.m. for the second day. (castrawberryfestival.org) (pacificfinearts.com)