The 2018 California Strawberry Festival Weekend Travel Guide

The festival draws a crowd of over 60,000 to the city of Oxnard and has raised more than $4.5 million to benefit local charities over its 35-year history. The California Strawberry Festival is a place where visitors can feast on truly unique strawberry cuisine (like strawberry pizza and strawberry nachos), listen to exciting live bands, and enjoy carnival rides and magic shows. The festival features a fantastic array of arts and crafts, plus activities like contests and cooking demonstrations.

If you're planning a trip to the California Strawberry Festival, use this handy guide to make sure your days are ripe with fun.

Admission information

• Date: May 19 & 20, 2018
• Time: 10am-6:30pm
• Location: Strawberry Meadows of College Park, 3250 South Rose Avenue in Oxnard
• Cost:
  • General admission: $12
  • Seniors: $8
  • Children 5-12: $5
  • Kids 4 and Under: Free
  • You can purchase tickets online.
• Navigation: Use the site map to get around the event.

Fast facts about the California Strawberry festival

• Food booths are set up by local non-profits, so you can devour tasty treats knowing that 100 percent of the proceeds support local charities.
• An average of 60,000 visitors come to the festival every year.
• During the two-day event an estimated 1.5 million strawberries will be consumed.
• The event is sprawled across 15 acres, so there are lots of things to see and do, and plenty of elbow room for your whole family..

Getting to the event

• Driving directions: Use these directions to drive straight to the event using the 101 Freeway.
• You can park at the event for $10.
• There is a free shuttle service to the festival. Here are the four pick-up and drop-off locations in Oxnard: Topa Financial Towers, Oxnard Transportation Center, Santa Clara High School and the Channel Islands Harbor.

Enjoy a variety of events

From food, to music, recipe contests, arts and crafts and kids activities, the California Strawberry Festival has something to delight everyone. Some of the most popular events at the festival include the Berry Blast Off Recipe Contest, Strawberry Pie Eating contest, the Berry Best Hat Contest and the Berry Best Dressed Baby Contest.

Strawberry Promenade

Watch chefs, bakers and strawberry lovers whip up some great recipes using everyone's favorite berry. Get a full list of demonstrations and presentations on the California Strawberry Festival website.

Concerts

Bring your dancin' shoes. Musical acts are lined up all weekend on two outdoor stages. Check out the schedule to see which acts you want to attend.

Arts and Crafts

Take home a piece of local treasure as you shop the 200+ arts and crafts booths.

Strawberry Land

From carnival rides like the Berry-Go-Round to face painting, it's a kids' fun zone in Strawberry Land.

Bouncy Slides

Kids can feel the wind in their hair as they zip down the bouncy slides located in Strawberry Land.

Jest in Time

Take the kids to see jugglers, clowns and magic shows at the action-packed Family Fun Stage.

• Family events
  • Strawberry Tart Toss: 11am-2:30pm
  • Berry Best Hat Contest: 12pm
  • Strawberry Pie Eating Contest: 1pm-4pm
  • Berry Best Dressed Baby Contest: 2:45pm
    

Where to stay

The lodging offerings in Oxnard range from hotels and motels to vacation rentals, RV parks and campsites. Our variety of lodging options are ideal for travelers of all lifestyles and budgets. Here are a few options but click here to view the complete list of accommodations.

Hampton Inn

After sampling savory strawberries, recharge your batteries at the Hampton Inn where rooms overlook the Channel Islands Harbor.

Mandalay Shores Resort

Just feet away from a white sandy beach, this resort only enhances your fun-filled strawberry bonanza.

Residence Inn By Marriott at River Ridge

After trying pizza, nachos and beer, you'll have all sorts of new recipes to test out in the full kitchens offered at this hotel.

Best Western Oxnard Inn

Just one mile from the festival, the Best Western offers great accommodations with a convenient downtown location.

Vagabond Inn

This downtown hotel is just the place to rest your head after filling your belly with berries.

Courtyard Marriott Oxnard

With 165 rooms equipped with everything from flat screen TVs to balconies, the Courtyard has all the amenities you need after a busy, berry-filled day.

Homewood Suites

Whip up breakfast in your Homewood Suite before heading to the festival, and then take a dip in the heated pool when you return.

Evergreen RV Park

Get some rest after a full day at the festival by renting a spot at this centrally located RV Park.

McGrath State Beach Campground

For an adventure as unique as the festival itself, pitch a tent on an ocean-view campsite at McGrath State Beach Campground.

Oxnard attractions

Don't let the fun end after the festival! Extend your stay in Oxnard and try one of the many actives the city has to offer.

Try a round of golf at the River Ridge Golf Club, take a kayak tour of Channel Islands National Park with Blue Ocean Kayaking, taste some local wine at Rancho Ventavo Cellars, or check out vintage vehicles at Murphy Auto Museum.

For a complete list of things to do, request a free copy of the Oxnard Visitors Guide.

Oxnard Restaurants

Strawberries aren't the only food Oxnard is known for. From Mexican to Mediterranean, there are forty different restaurants to choose from in downtown Oxnard alone.

Craving fresh seafood? Try family-owned Otani's Fish Market and Restaurant. For authentic Mexican food, try Luna's Mexican Traditional. For something more exotic, have dinner aboard a paddle boat with A&M Yacht Charters and Cruises and enjoy your meal as you cruise around the Channel Islands Harbor.

Learn more about the great dining options in the city by checking out the Discover Oxnard California website.

The California Strawberry Festival is just one of the many great attractions that Oxnard has to offer. With its uncrowded beaches, fabulous restaurants, exceptional accommodations and fun-filled events, a trip to this seaside city won't disappoint.