Press Release

The 34th Annual Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival will take place on the Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, May 27th and 28th.  The Strawberry Festival is San Luis Obispo County’s largest free Festival and is the primary yearly fundraiser for the Arroyo Grande Village Improvement Association.  This family-style event brings together thousands of visitors and local residents to enjoy activities and entertainment, three carnival areas, camel rides, the Strawberry Stampede, hundreds of art, craft and display booths, ethnic foods, and of course, scrumptious strawberry treats of all kinds as well as fresh strawberries by the box!  Heritage Square Museums, antique shops, wineries and restaurants in the historic Arroyo Grande Village will also be open.  The Arroyo Grande Strawberry Festival has been named “the place to be on Memorial Weekend” by Sunset Magazine!

The Festival’s entertainment line-up is once again packed with captivating performers at ten locations throughout the Village!  Many types of popular music will be featured including ethnic, folk, blues, jazz, international and rock ‘n roll!  Regional favorites such as Mama Tumba and Andean musicians Huayllipachia will grace Festival stages.  Several jazz groups will perform including New Orleans sounds of the Rag Bone Saints, funky Latin jazz from Charged Particles, classy jazz and blues vocalist Nicole Stromsoe and big band tunes from Cal Poly’s University Jazz Band.  The Conrad’s Porch Stage (hosted by Songwriters at Play) features funky Albert Sanudo Jr., rocking Luis Oliart, troubadourKaryn Ann, folky Noach Tangeras, rootsy Bryan Titus and jazz-pop vocalist Josh Rosenbaum.  The West End Stage will feature classic rock from the Different Strings Duo, the soulful Azure Tres and mellow vocalist Jim Conroy.  The new Lucia Mar Youth Choir will make its first Strawberry Festival appearance on Saturday morning.

Ballooney the Clown will delight the kids at the Rabobank Family Stage with his zany antics along with his Kid Jokes and Tug of War contests!  The Unicycling Unicorn Jamey Mossengren and renown jugglers Brent Fiasco and Alex Clark will be featured at both ends of Bridge Street each day!  Central Coast Kenpo Karate students and the Troupe Benat Serat belly dancers will perform on the East End Dance Lawn.  Over one hundred young dancers from five local dance studios will be featured on two stages as well as baton twirlers and color guards.  Rides on live camels will be available on Nelson Street and three carnival areas will be spread around the Festival grounds!  The Bank of the Sierra Teen Plaza (hosted by Music Motive) will feature numerous young musicians including the popular Bucket Busters, a participatory Kids Drum Circle and the big Euro Bungee ride.

As in past years, the Festival will offer remote parking at Arroyo Grande High School and lots near the AG Women’s Club and St. Pats School on West Branch.  Free shuttle buses will run all day both days to and from the remote lots and the Festival.  Locals are encouraged to bike to the Festival and utilize one of the many bicycle racks located along Branch Street and throughout the Village.

The featured stage and event sponsors for this year’s Festival are Rabobank, Rooster Creek Tavern, Bank of the Sierra, SLO County Supervisor Lynn Compton and Dignity Health.  Major media sponsors include KSBY and Tolosa Press.

Refer to agstrawberryfestival.com or call 805-473-2250 for more information on the Strawberry Festival and the many other yearly activities in the Village.  Also look for updates at: http://www.facebook.com/agstrawberryfestival