Posted May 02, 2022 | By Visit Oxnard
Ranked as one of the best outdoor festivals nationwide, the California Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, California is a fun-filled weekend that celebrates the state's prized fruit.
The California Strawberry Festival will return in 2023.
The California Strawberry 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. This Oxnard 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.
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.
During the two-day event, an estimated 1.5 million strawberries are typically consumed. The event is sprawled across 15 acres, so there are lots of things to see and do for your whole family.
The California Strawberry Festival is typically held at Meadows of College Park. The address is 3250 South Rose Avenue in Oxnard.
Tickets can usually be purchased at the gate.
From food to music, recipe contests, arts and crafts and kid's activities, the California Strawberry Festival has something for 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.
Chefs, bakers and strawberry lovers whip up great recipes using everyone's favorite berry.
For a full list of past winner's recipes, visit the California Strawberry Festival website.
Bring your dancing shoes. Musical acts are lined up all weekend on two outdoor stages. Schedule info.
Take home a piece of local treasure as you shop the 200+ arts and crafts booths.
From carnival rides like the Berry-Go-Round to face painting, it's a kids' fun zone in Strawberry Land.
Kids can feel the wind in their hair as they zip down the bouncy slides located in Strawberry Land.
Kids can see jugglers, clowns and magic shows at the action-packed Family Fun Stage.
Oxnard offers a variety of options for places to stay to suit any budget. Here's where to stay during your trip. Click here to view the complete list of accommodations.
After sampling savory strawberries, recharge your batteries at the Hampton Inn where rooms overlook the Channel Islands Harbor.
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.
Just one mile from the festival, the Best Western offers great accommodations with a convenient downtown location.
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.
Whip up breakfast in your Homewood Suite before heading to the festival, and then take a dip in the heated pool when you return.
Don't let the fun end after the festival! Extend your stay in Oxnard and try one of the many activities 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.
Strawberries aren't the only food Oxnard is known for. From Mexican to Mediterranean, there are forty unique 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 Grill. 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.
Don't miss: Best Healthy Restaurants in Oxnard.
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. We can't wait to see you at the next festival!
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