California Strawberry Festival celebrates Top Crop

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) It didn't take long for the opening day of the California Strawberry Festival to be jam packed

People lined up at the entrance of the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

Once inside, they had a chance to sample fresh strawberries grown at Faria Farm in Oxnard.

Thanks to local growers and strawberry fields that appear to go on forever strawberries have been Ventura County's top cash crop for decades.

The festival got its start in the Channel Islands Harbor and then moved to Oxnard College.

It now fills the Ventura County Fairgrounds with a carnival atmosphere.

Festival goers have a chance to quench their thirst on strawberry beer and margaritas.

Chocolate lovers flock to buy chocolate dipped strawberries.

One of the most popular things to do at the festival is build your own shortcake.

Volunteers help in the process.

Magaly Hernandez said Faria Farms is selling trays of strawberries for sale for $20.

"I'm here with my son and we decided to create this beautiful Strawberry Shortcake," said Fred Pantoja of Oxnard. "This is amazing on this year at the Strawberry Festival ,"said Hernandez of Faria, We've got a lot of strawberries huge ad delicious you can make it with sour cream with sugar, you can do it cover with chocolate a lot of things to do with strawberries."

Her favorite is strawberries with ice cream.

The Dr. Kato stage, named after the festival founder, had people dancing to the Brandon Ragan Project on Saturday afternoon.

Strawberry souvenirs including hats, t-shirts and even purses.

Some of the money raised goes to scholarships for the children of farm workers.

The California Strawberry Festival continues on Sunday from 10 a.m to 6:30 p.m.

Free shuttles are available all around town.

For more information visit https://castrawberryfestival.org