The California Strawberry Festival Is Back in May 2023

The annual Oxnard California Strawberry Festival is back in 2023, after a two-year hiatus. We’re berry glad to hear of its return, and we hope to see you there. Here’s a little information about when, where, and what if you’re planning on attending.

When and where is the 2023 California Strawberry Festival?

The festival runs for two days from May 20-21, 2023. This year the festival will take place in a brand new location, the Ventura County Fairgrounds. There will be onsite parking and a free shuttle service for festival attendants’ convenience. Since the new location is close to the Amtrak station, you can take the shuttle with no worries of finding a good parking place!

What is the 2023 California Strawberry Festival?

The Strawberry Festival is one of the most popular festivals in the country. Something unique and wonderful about the festival is how much it benefits the local community. According to the California Strawberry Festival website, it’s raised more than $4,500,000 benefitting local causes and charities. 

What fun activities can visitors enjoy at the California Strawberry Festival?

There is no short answer for this question, as there is something for everyone at the festival! Below are just some of what you can do at the California Strawberry Festival:

• Taste a huge assortment of delicious foods. There will be over forty food vendors at the festival, as well as opportunities to build your own shortcake and try out strawberry beer and strawberry nachos!
• Pie someone in the face. The Strawberry Tart Toss allows you to throw a pie at the unfortunate person you choose. That’s not something you get the opportunity to do often, just saying…
• Listen to live music. Enjoy live Pop, Cumbia/Tropical, Rock, Reggae, Soul, Latin, Caribbean, Funk, R&B, Salsa, and Country music, as well as Taiko drummers throughout the festival on two different stages. That means you can dance off all the calories from the desserts you eat, and leave guilt-free, right?
• Watch a puppet or magic show. The Jest in Time stage serves up family and kid-friendly entertainment throughout the day, so everyone has some fun.
• Enjoy carnival rides and inflatables. Young or old or somewhere in between, there’s a ride for you. The Kid Care Zone makes it easier for parents to enjoy the festival, too, with a nursing station and a baby changing station.
• Shop a wide assortment of arts and crafts. The California Strawberry Festival website tells us over 200 artists and crafters from all around the country offer one-of-a-kind art and crafts for sale throughout the festival.
• Train to be a ninja. Yes, that’s right, the Ninja Obstacle Course is available for both kids and adults to test their abilities and potential as ninjas…or, at least, ninja hobbyists.

For more information about this event, make sure you visit the official festival website. Oh, and while you’re waiting anxiously for this festival to begin (like we are), here’s how to make great, syrupy strawberries for strawberry shortcake, biscuits, or waffles:

Sweet Syrupy Sliced Strawberries:
Slice a carton of fresh, thoroughly washed strawberries and place in a bowl (make sure the bowl is leaves room to stir). Add white, granulated sugar and orange or lemon juice to taste. Stir well (gently). Store the strawberries overnight, or at least a few hours, in a mason jar or other sealed container in the refrigerator. And that’s it! Bon appetit!

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