“The Strawberry Festival in Oxnard, CA is a way for people to celebrate the agricultural heritage of the area.  Strawberries are one the main produce products grown in Oxnard, and every year the festival draws thousands of people to celebrate the success of the fruit.  The money raised by the festival is then donated to several Southern California charities.  At the festival, there are dozens of food booths with everything from strawberry pizza to strawberry beer.  Also, there are arts and crafts for kids to play with, carnival rides, and strawberry themed decorations for homes and gardens.  In fact, I think that the Strawberry Festival here has actually become one of the most recognized and popular festivals in the nation.”

Since my dad lives in Oxnard, the Strawberry Festival is an important celebration because it involves a lot of his community.  Many neighbors have booths, and all of the families in our community go to the festival to support those working.  The festival is held in May, when the strawberries are ripe and the weather is usually very sunny.  By holding the festival during this time period, it is able to attract thousands of visitors over the course of the weekend.  My dad said that during the Strawberry Festival, Oxnard is especially crowded but it is fun because there is a more lively mood in town.  The people of the community come together more than ever to make sure the festival is a success, and to enjoy the delicious strawberry treats available.

I think that part of the reason my dad enjoys the festival so much is because he feels proud that the city he lives in is able to put on such a great celebration.  The strawberries in Oxnard are some of the best around, and the variety of uses for strawberries at the festival is amazing.  As a result, the Strawberry Festival is widely-known, not only in California but nation-wide.  It makes sense that hosting a festival that is so renowned would instill a sense of pride and excitement in residents of Oxnard.  Although my dad does not host a booth, he goes to the Strawberry festival every year, and always encourages the rest of my family to come.  He likes going with the family because it is a fun activity to share with each other, and because so many people bring their families with them to the festival, too.  In our family, it has become a tradition that is a pre-cursor to the Fourth of July, since it is the first family gathering of the summer.

I think that the Strawberry Festival is especially interesting because it unites people of various ethnic and economic backgrounds together to celebrate the deliciousness of strawberries.  The local people that come to the festival range from farmers that work in the strawberry fields to families that live in oceanfront communities by the beach.  The mix of culture at the festival is a special occurrence, and I think it helps bridge the gap between the differing groups in the Oxnard/Ventura area by creating a common festival for everyone to celebrate.

Annotation: For more information about the Oxnard Strawberry Festival, you can contact:

Bonnie Weigel – Festival Manager.  California Strawberry Festival

1661 Pacific Avenue #15

Oxnard, CA 93033

(805) 385-4739

Fax (805) 385-4729

Toll Free Information: 1-888-288-9242

csf@strawberry-fest.org