Strawberry Festival shines spotlight on Santa Maria’s most important crop
SANTA MARIA, Calif. -- It's time to once again honor the most important crop in the Santa Maria Valley.
Beginning Friday, the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival returns for a three-day run at the Santa Maria Fairpark.
This year's event marks the first full-fledged Strawberry Festival since 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 festival, while last year's was held in a modified drive-through format.
The long-running festival is an annual showcase for the area's strawberry industry, which plays a vital role in helping shape the Santa Maria Valley economy.
According to the most recently released Santa Barbara County agriculture report, the total value of the strawberry crop was $727,444.000.
The amount far outpaces the next valued crop, cauliflower at $109, 282,000.
The latest county agriculture report is from the year 2020, with the 2021 report set for release in the near future.
With such a high value, it shows just how important role the strawberry industry plays in the Santa Maria Valley and throughout the county.
Find out more about the economic impact of the strawberry crop today on News Channel at 4 p.m., 5 p.m., and 6 p.m.
The Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival runs through Sunday, May 1.
