Watsonville Strawberry Festival returns this weekend

WATSONVILLE, Calif. (KION) The Watsonville Strawberry Festival returns Sunday.

 It's a strawberry lover's dream brimming with different goodies like strawberry drinks, shortcakes, hats, and accessories with more obscure items like strawberry pizza and tacos. Festival-goers say they're in heaven.

"I come to the strawberry festival every year., it's like my favorite thing. I love buying all the goodies from all the vendors and eating so much that I get a stomach ache," said Sarah Ramirez, frequent festival-goer.

Typically, the festival is a three-day event and would see about 30 to 40,000 people but this year, COVID has forced the city to scale back the size. There was also uncertainty about if the festival would even be held.

"We normally start planning this event about a year ahead of time with things changing and really just being unsure about whether or not we'd be able to run the festival this year, we decided to scale things back so that we would have enough time logistically to make it all come together," said Nick Calubaquib, Parks & Community Services Director for the City of Watsonville.

According to the 2020 Ag report, strawberries are the new number one crop on the Central Coast and the Watsonville Campesino Appreciation Caravan wants to recognize the ag workers behind the famous fruit.

"They're always out there. They're always out there picking the strawberries and this festival is because of them," said Ruby Vasquez.

If you want to donate to the cause, click here.

Unvaccinated Individuals are encouraged to wear a mask during the event.

The vaccine clinic located at Old City Hall will be open during the event and is accepting walk-ins.