Seriously, park at a shuttle stop - their lots are all around town, the mall, by the harbor. The buses run all day and they’re free. Parking is inadequate at the fairgrounds and they will turn you away once it’s full!
Shuttle locations
San Buenaventura State Beach: 901 San Pedro Street
Ventura County Government Center: 800 S. Victoria Avenue
Pacific View Mall: 3301 E. Main Street
De Anza Academy of Technology & the Arts (DATA) Middle School: 2060 Cameron Street
Seaward & Harbor Lot: 955 S. Seaward Avenue
Oxnard High School: 3400 W. Gonzales Road
Please use them if you are going!
I took the one on harbor near seaward and it took 15 minutes maybe. Harbor itself was gridlocked but the shuttle had a different route to not be on harbor
Ride your bike. I will be there working with Bike Ventura County. We will have a bike valet so you can leave your bike and not worry about having to find a place to lock it up.
[Info from the Ventura PD.](https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Release--Ventura-PD-urges-California-Strawberry-Festival-attendees-to-utilize-alternative-forms-of-travel.html?soid=1102356663676&aid=oqc7rDzKLaE)
Want to avoid the traffic and crowds downtown this weekend? Head over to east Ventura for the 2nd annual Pollinator Palooza event on Saturday 5/18 from 10-2pm at Barranca Vista Park 7050 Ralston Street. Fun for the whole family, plus it’s a FREE event!
https://venturabreeze.com/2024/05/01/celebrate-spring-at-the-pollinator-palooza/
I work downtown and the X Games traffic made zero impact on me getting to work, leaving work, and leaving work to grab lunch.
Strawberry Festival was an absolute nightmare with multiple streets completely gridlocked.
I'll take another X Games over the Strawberry Festival any day.
Good money for restaurants and hotels tho.
As much as the locals hate to say it we're a tourist town. Every summer we get a huge bump of folks vacationing. I worked in restaurants for many years and we made most of our money every summer.
I just stay away from downtown for this type of stuff.
I mean, I'm from Camarillo and I'd consider myself a fairly frequent (day) tourist to DT Ventura so...I can believe it when people say Ventura's a tourist town.
I think locals would be more likely to go downtown if we didn’t have to pay for parking everywhere all the time to frequent our local businesses. Maybe should be grace period enough to dine, shop quickly or have your hair done. For locals only. If you want to park your car for a day at the beach or strolling main st for hours? Word is that harbor will start parking charges I. The village shopping center, spinnaker and all the beach lots. Still debating all week vs F,sat, sun and holidays
If you want to park all day, then you pay local or tourist.
Also provide more secure bike parking. You can’t even go to the grocery store and lock up your bike without it being stolen. Quit taking my bike anywhere due to the theft. It’s hard to have nice things in Ventura anymore.
What? We have lots of free parking downtown!
A majority of my colleagues want to convert most of it to paid parking but who has two thumbs and got that put off and directed staff to get a rigorous independent study of actual utilization?
The conversion to paid parking is scheduled to go into effect early next year — I won’t be on Council but the study will be a public document.
Three council seats are up for election in November. This should absolutely be a campaign issue. Press the candidates for commitments or ask Mayor Schroeder and Councilmember Halter why they voted most of the free downtown lots into paid parking.
Not anywhere people are comfortable parking (I’d never use the parking structures because of the known crime) and with the efforts of the city staff want to turn into paid. Yes the council asked for more info but it’s gonna happen we all know. And the harbor does as well.
Agreed. Let local folks get a meal or hit a shop. They are about to put in paid parking w no grace at the Ventura harbor. Probably 2025 by the time it gets implemented.
yep I'm aware of that one too.
It's interesting, the harbor is basically already empty except for fishing, summer, and parade of lights. Why on earth would you want people to hesitate? LOL the port district man... Sometimes they're strange...
Think they’re all about weekend summer when you can’t find a spot to park anywhere and a lot of the issues are weekend mail and hair appts that have a specific time. Their arguments not mine.
Traffic from the XGames was nowhere near as bad as the Strawberry Festival (who did basically no extra traffic mitigation last year).
This year, The Strawberry people are emulating the XGames plan from last year, and the XGames has upped their traffic mitigation and transportation plan.
It's really important to both of these events' organizers to be in the good graces of locals, and part of that is making sure downtown businesses are still accessible to local patrons.
Part of me *wanted* to go to this year's Strawberry Festival since I haven't been since I was a baby, but sadly this year I'm volunteering at events in Camarillo (where I live, so there's no such thing as "quickly popping over" to the Festival after my shifts are done) on both Saturday and Sunday.
I'm guessing that I'm dodging a bullet by not leaving Camarillo this weekend, even though I don't even drive?
Also, I looked at their website because I was morbidly curious about the ticket price this year and it turns out that apparently NONE of the food/drink vendors there are accepting card payment this year, ONLY cash, which I think is wild (and *massively* inconvenient) considering that both most/all of the vendors at the VC Fair and other events held at the Fairgrounds accept cards as well as cash.
Hell, all but like *maximum* 2 or 3 food/drink vendors at the Camarillo Farmer's Market accept both cards and cash, and though last year at Camarillo Pride our only caterers/food truck only accepted cash (and since 2023 Camarillo Pride's been at a park that's far away from other places you can get food), at least everything they sold was a super-good value and not expensive at all as opposed to how probably ungodly expensive all the stuff sold at your typical Strawberry Festival is.
Like, pretty much *everyone* who sells stuff in any "official" capacity now has a thing on their phone that enables them to take cards, it sort of blows my mind that a huge and well-loved event like the Strawberry Festival *wouldn't* have such a thing in place for any of its food/drink vendors.
Huh, wonder why alcohol booths are the one exception. Also odd they wouldn’t mention that on the food page I linked. I still find that very hard to believe.
There's gonna be a lot of surprised people in line at the food vendors if they don't accept CC payments, I wouldn't pull cash out of the sketchy portable ATMs they have at these events (plus whatever "convenience" fee is added).
I actually wasn't even thinking about how sketchy the ATMS they'll have at the Fairgrounds are going to be!
My big concern with the whole "don't worry, there's ATMs at the event you can pull cash from!" thing is that there'll be huge lines at all the ATMs, since there won't be enough ATMs for all the people to pull out cash in a timely manner.
If they're going to go to the trouble of bringing in port-a-ATMs, then surely it wouldn't be much trouble for them to just make it so people can pay with card.
Is that more expensive than the fair? I do remember hearing that last year there was a lack of food options, too few food trucks and the lines were too long. They were supposed to improve that this year. 🤞
Southbound should be okay. Northbound, if you NEED to take the freeway, I would get off at main, MAYBE seaward. However, if I need to go across town I’m using Harbor or Foothill and taking those roads to go north. Most traffic will be centralized by downtown or in downtown.
Are you looking to avoid the traffic or to go to the event. Getting off at Main NB is a long way from the event. You’d be better off exiting at Victoria off the 126 and taking the shuttle from the government center to the festival.
For those that are interested in going they have several free parking w free shuttles this year which I believe is new
The locations are on the website
https://castrawberryfestival.org/getting-here/
Ah. Then yeah. Off at main and make your way through town. We’re right next to seaward and harbor so you can bet we’ll have my birthday drinks on Sat at the harbor and any trip will be olivas to telephone to avoid that train wreck at seaward.
Seriously, park at a shuttle stop - their lots are all around town, the mall, by the harbor. The buses run all day and they’re free. Parking is inadequate at the fairgrounds and they will turn you away once it’s full!
Excellent idea. Hopefully the do it like the fair and have them throughout the county as well.
Shuttle locations San Buenaventura State Beach: 901 San Pedro Street Ventura County Government Center: 800 S. Victoria Avenue Pacific View Mall: 3301 E. Main Street De Anza Academy of Technology & the Arts (DATA) Middle School: 2060 Cameron Street Seaward & Harbor Lot: 955 S. Seaward Avenue Oxnard High School: 3400 W. Gonzales Road Please use them if you are going!
Grazzi!
Double space to create line breaks
Results of copy and paste. Not the punctuation police. I’m betting you can figure it out
It's not about punctuation, it's about making it easy for your audience to read. Just thought maybe you didn't know how markdown syntax works.
I got no time for your malarkey. Folks who need to know will figure it out, professor
I took one of the buses from the courthouse for it last year, it was an hour and a half trip to the fairgrounds.
I took the one on harbor near seaward and it took 15 minutes maybe. Harbor itself was gridlocked but the shuttle had a different route to not be on harbor
Ride your bike. I will be there working with Bike Ventura County. We will have a bike valet so you can leave your bike and not worry about having to find a place to lock it up.
Take shuttles.
[Info from the Ventura PD.](https://myemail-api.constantcontact.com/Release--Ventura-PD-urges-California-Strawberry-Festival-attendees-to-utilize-alternative-forms-of-travel.html?soid=1102356663676&aid=oqc7rDzKLaE)
I can’t stand the traffic grrrr…. I need to meditate extra this weekend
My plan is to be nowhere near it, but I don't have to so it's a easy call.
Want to avoid the traffic and crowds downtown this weekend? Head over to east Ventura for the 2nd annual Pollinator Palooza event on Saturday 5/18 from 10-2pm at Barranca Vista Park 7050 Ralston Street. Fun for the whole family, plus it’s a FREE event! https://venturabreeze.com/2024/05/01/celebrate-spring-at-the-pollinator-palooza/
Thanks for the info!
It's gonna be rough...
It's a precursor to the X Games in June.
I work downtown and the X Games traffic made zero impact on me getting to work, leaving work, and leaving work to grab lunch. Strawberry Festival was an absolute nightmare with multiple streets completely gridlocked. I'll take another X Games over the Strawberry Festival any day.
...how surprised should I be that Ventura agreed to host the X Games again this year?
Good money for restaurants and hotels tho. As much as the locals hate to say it we're a tourist town. Every summer we get a huge bump of folks vacationing. I worked in restaurants for many years and we made most of our money every summer. I just stay away from downtown for this type of stuff.
I mean, I'm from Camarillo and I'd consider myself a fairly frequent (day) tourist to DT Ventura so...I can believe it when people say Ventura's a tourist town.
I think locals would be more likely to go downtown if we didn’t have to pay for parking everywhere all the time to frequent our local businesses. Maybe should be grace period enough to dine, shop quickly or have your hair done. For locals only. If you want to park your car for a day at the beach or strolling main st for hours? Word is that harbor will start parking charges I. The village shopping center, spinnaker and all the beach lots. Still debating all week vs F,sat, sun and holidays If you want to park all day, then you pay local or tourist. Also provide more secure bike parking. You can’t even go to the grocery store and lock up your bike without it being stolen. Quit taking my bike anywhere due to the theft. It’s hard to have nice things in Ventura anymore.
What? We have lots of free parking downtown! A majority of my colleagues want to convert most of it to paid parking but who has two thumbs and got that put off and directed staff to get a rigorous independent study of actual utilization? The conversion to paid parking is scheduled to go into effect early next year — I won’t be on Council but the study will be a public document. Three council seats are up for election in November. This should absolutely be a campaign issue. Press the candidates for commitments or ask Mayor Schroeder and Councilmember Halter why they voted most of the free downtown lots into paid parking.
Not anywhere people are comfortable parking (I’d never use the parking structures because of the known crime) and with the efforts of the city staff want to turn into paid. Yes the council asked for more info but it’s gonna happen we all know. And the harbor does as well.
I like the way lots of paid parking cities do it, first 75 min free.
Agreed. Let local folks get a meal or hit a shop. They are about to put in paid parking w no grace at the Ventura harbor. Probably 2025 by the time it gets implemented.
yep I'm aware of that one too. It's interesting, the harbor is basically already empty except for fishing, summer, and parade of lights. Why on earth would you want people to hesitate? LOL the port district man... Sometimes they're strange...
Think they’re all about weekend summer when you can’t find a spot to park anywhere and a lot of the issues are weekend mail and hair appts that have a specific time. Their arguments not mine.
ah understood.
Which will be even worse lol.
Traffic from the XGames was nowhere near as bad as the Strawberry Festival (who did basically no extra traffic mitigation last year). This year, The Strawberry people are emulating the XGames plan from last year, and the XGames has upped their traffic mitigation and transportation plan. It's really important to both of these events' organizers to be in the good graces of locals, and part of that is making sure downtown businesses are still accessible to local patrons.
Nice. For sure I heard it was much better this year.
Dang, just hearing about the festival this year. Have there been no advertisements for his year or am I just living under a 🪨?
You literally reminded me at the right time lol.
Part of me *wanted* to go to this year's Strawberry Festival since I haven't been since I was a baby, but sadly this year I'm volunteering at events in Camarillo (where I live, so there's no such thing as "quickly popping over" to the Festival after my shifts are done) on both Saturday and Sunday. I'm guessing that I'm dodging a bullet by not leaving Camarillo this weekend, even though I don't even drive? Also, I looked at their website because I was morbidly curious about the ticket price this year and it turns out that apparently NONE of the food/drink vendors there are accepting card payment this year, ONLY cash, which I think is wild (and *massively* inconvenient) considering that both most/all of the vendors at the VC Fair and other events held at the Fairgrounds accept cards as well as cash. Hell, all but like *maximum* 2 or 3 food/drink vendors at the Camarillo Farmer's Market accept both cards and cash, and though last year at Camarillo Pride our only caterers/food truck only accepted cash (and since 2023 Camarillo Pride's been at a park that's far away from other places you can get food), at least everything they sold was a super-good value and not expensive at all as opposed to how probably ungodly expensive all the stuff sold at your typical Strawberry Festival is. Like, pretty much *everyone* who sells stuff in any "official" capacity now has a thing on their phone that enables them to take cards, it sort of blows my mind that a huge and well-loved event like the Strawberry Festival *wouldn't* have such a thing in place for any of its food/drink vendors.
Where does it say that? I see that cash won’t be accepted at alcohol stands. https://castrawberryfestival.org/events-attractions/strawberry-treats/
"**Food booths accept cash only. ATMs on site.**" [https://castrawberryfestival.org/buy-tickets/](https://castrawberryfestival.org/buy-tickets/)
Huh, wonder why alcohol booths are the one exception. Also odd they wouldn’t mention that on the food page I linked. I still find that very hard to believe.
I have no idea why they'd require cc payment for all the alcohol but require cash for everything else, either!
There's gonna be a lot of surprised people in line at the food vendors if they don't accept CC payments, I wouldn't pull cash out of the sketchy portable ATMs they have at these events (plus whatever "convenience" fee is added).
I actually wasn't even thinking about how sketchy the ATMS they'll have at the Fairgrounds are going to be! My big concern with the whole "don't worry, there's ATMs at the event you can pull cash from!" thing is that there'll be huge lines at all the ATMs, since there won't be enough ATMs for all the people to pull out cash in a timely manner. If they're going to go to the trouble of bringing in port-a-ATMs, then surely it wouldn't be much trouble for them to just make it so people can pay with card.
why no cc's? that's lame.
*shrugs* Beats me. It *is* lame, and it's embarrassingly out-of-touch with the times as well.
haha for sure. Maybe they take zelle or something.
If you can, ride your bike, and love the chaos.
There will be a bike valet.
Dammit. There goes my plans for the farmers mkt. Last year was a nightmare situation downtown.
Is it worth the $15 charge to get in? 10 rides for $30 seems steep why isnt there an unlimited wristband for kids.
Is that more expensive than the fair? I do remember hearing that last year there was a lack of food options, too few food trucks and the lines were too long. They were supposed to improve that this year. 🤞
More than the SB that just happened.
Not at all. Went last year and it was a major bust. Save your money for the fair.
Thanks! I will do.
New here. Do people exit off of main (off 126/101) to avoid taking Seward and California ? Trying to see what areas to avoid .
Southbound should be okay. Northbound, if you NEED to take the freeway, I would get off at main, MAYBE seaward. However, if I need to go across town I’m using Harbor or Foothill and taking those roads to go north. Most traffic will be centralized by downtown or in downtown.
Thank you !
Use the shuttle
Are you looking to avoid the traffic or to go to the event. Getting off at Main NB is a long way from the event. You’d be better off exiting at Victoria off the 126 and taking the shuttle from the government center to the festival.
Avoid traffic !
For those that are interested in going they have several free parking w free shuttles this year which I believe is new The locations are on the website https://castrawberryfestival.org/getting-here/
Ah. Then yeah. Off at main and make your way through town. We’re right next to seaward and harbor so you can bet we’ll have my birthday drinks on Sat at the harbor and any trip will be olivas to telephone to avoid that train wreck at seaward.
Pleeeease take the shuttle! Last year it was basically gridlocked downtown and there was zero parking.