Final preparations underway for this weekend’s Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival
SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- The Santa Maria Fairpark is buzzing with activity as the event center readies for one of its biggest events of the year, the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival.
All day Wednesday, preparations took place as the Fairpark slowly continued its transformation this week from empty event center to what eventually will be a complex ready to host a projected 60,000 visitors this weekend.
"It's kind of like little ants, they slowly start coming in and really comes alive right before your eyes," said Caitlin Miller, Santa Maria Fairpark CEO. "We have vendor check in today and tomorrow. We still have some staff orientations that have happened and are still happening. We have community members from all over that are coming in and setting up their booths."
The popular three-day festival that showcases the Santa Maria Valley's most popular crop runs opens on Friday and runs through Sunday.
"The Strawberry Festival is a celebration of Santa Barbara County's number one commodity and something that is really special about Santa Maria style strawberries is that you can find them all over the United States," said Miller "It's really special that we get to celebration things that are grown here and we get to nourish the nation."
The Strawberry Festival is set to open on Friday April 28 with Seniors’ Day. All visitors 62-years-old and over will receive free admission into the Fairpark.
On Saturday, April 29, children ages 6-to-11-years-old will have an admission price of $5. Children 5-years-old and under are admitted for free. In addition, Saturday will feature a monster truck show in the Michelob Ultra Minetti Arena from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. A separate ticket is required to attend the monster truck show.
Sunday, April 30 will be Fiesta Day, with a Hispanic rodeo and concert headlining the activities. An additional ticket will be required to attend the show.
Other activities planned include daily performances by local musicians and dancers. There will also be new chalk festival featuring strawberry-themed art, as well as a car show featuring the Mad Bomberz Car Club.
Another new addition is a "community showcase" inside the convention center.
"It is a way for local businesses to become part of a larger event," said Ellowyn Isaacson, community showcase coordinator and Foxen Canyon Soap Company owner. "Traditionally, when you go to the fair or Strawberry Festival, you see a lot of the circuit vendors that sell really fun bubble makers and toys and things like that, but this is an opportunity for smaller businesses to also be represented, especially when ones that are from Santa Maria, Santa Barbara County, Ventura County and San Luis Obispo County. Sometimes it's a little difficult to get into an event like this because there's a lot of coordination with the event staff. It's a really great way to connect with the community, find out what they want, and be able to reach and have those conversations that will help grow your business."
In addition, the Fairpark will hold a blood drive in partnership with Vitalant during the festival. Guests who donate blood will receive a free admission ticket to the upcoming Santa Barbara County Fair, which is scheduled to take place at the Fairpark from July 12-16.
This marks the 34th year the Strawberry Festival will be held in Santa Maria, where strawberries are by far the biggest economic engine for the local agriculture industry.
According to the Santa Barbara County's last annual agricultural report, strawberries were the number one crop, with a value of nearly $850 million in 2021.
For local growers like Little Pete's Farms, the Strawberry Festival allows them an opportunity to sell their harvest directly to customers.
"It's a very good way to let customers know that we're here. We are on Highway 1, so it's kind of hiding here, so through the Strawberry Festival, they try our berries and they ask where we are located," said Ybarra. "We get people from Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Fresno, Bakersfield. They come to try our berries and they always say Santa Maria berries are the best."
General Admission adult tickets (12-61-years-old) will cost $15. Youth (6-11-years-old) and senior (62+) are $13, and kids (5-years-old and under) are free everyday! Carnival ride wristbands are $40.
For additional information on the 34th Annual Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival call the Santa Maria Fairpark office at (805) 925-8824 or visit www.santamariafairpark.com.
