Watsonville Strawberry Festival at Monterey Bay
The “Sweet 16″ Watsonville Strawberry Festival at Monterey Bay
July 31 and August 1, 2010.
In 2009, tens of thousands flocked to historic downtown Watsonville to enjoy delicious food, exciting carnival rides, wonderful entertainment and, of course, tasty strawberry treats. Thank you to all of the sponsors, non-profit organizations, entertainers and vendors who made the event possible. The 2010 event will be even better!
The line-up of bands and entertainment is being finalized and will be available here in the next few weeks.
Strawberry Production
Strawberries are an over $334 million industry in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties and rank as the number one and number four cash crop in these respective counties. In 2005, 12,250 acres of strawberries were planted in the area.
According to the USDA and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California strawberries are a $1.2 billion crop. California produces 88% of the nation’s fresh and frozen strawberries and harvested 1.6 billion pounds of strawberries in 2004.
The offshore breezes from California’s Western ocean exposure provide year-round mild temperatures and an ideal climate for growing strawberries. This coastal climate makes the Monterey/Santa Cruz county area among the best places in the world to grow strawberries.

