First held in 1982, Strawberry Festival prides itself on “kindness, cooperation and consideration,” or what attendees and organizers refer to as “The Strawberry Way.” If you’re already being mentally transported back to Girl Scout Camp, you’re not far off. Deep in the California conifers, Strawberry Music Festival has turned this philosophy into a whole mini-culture, à la Burning Man, over the past 42 years.
Between the main stage and five additional jam stages, you can catch guitar-plucking headliners Aoife O’Donovan & Hawktail, Robert Randolph, and AJ Lee & Blue Summit. In true Strawberry Way, you can also catch the gentle fingerpicking from your campsite on Hog Ranch Radio, a pirate radio station that broadcasts the live performances and other festival info.
Organizers encourage you to bring your own instruments along to participate in one of the jam sessions, hosted by both amateur and professional musicians at campsites across the Nevada County Fairgrounds. After the jam, take a stroll to the Strawberry Market for artisan vendors selling jewelry, pottery, glassware and fiber arts. The Food Court and Strawberry Cafe have tons of options for lemonades, coffees, juices, plus Mexican, Italian, Greek and vegetarian cuisines. Busted a string at an impromptu jam sesh? The instrument repair service will be ready to fiddle with your fiddle and get you back to the jam ASAP.
Though typically occurring biannually, organizers decided to roll back the event to once a year due to inconsistent post-COVID ticket sales. While they hope to ramp it back up to two in 2025, you’ve only got one shot to discover your inner Strawberry in 2024.
The Specs
- Attendance numbers yet to be released.
- Tickets are available for 5-day through 2-day camping packages and include campground and festival ground entry. Ticket packages start at $300, and the full range of options can be checked out here.
- Sticking around the area for a little while? Check out Fifty Grande’s California guide.
FAQs
What is the closest airport to Strawberry Music Festival?
Fly into Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and drive about 60 miles, or about 70 minutes northeast, to get to the Fairgrounds.
Where’s the venue?
Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley, California, 95949
I’m not camping, where can I park?
Day parking is available on site upon entering Gate 1 when you reach the Fairgrounds.
I AM camping, what’s the deal?
RV, car, and tent camping is first come, first served. Reserve your campsite in advance and make sure you’ve left the campground (better than you found it! #strawberryway) by 10:00 am on Monday morning.
Can I bring kids?
Totally. In addition to the camping, musical performances, and face painting, there’s special music, dance and arts & crafts programming just for kids and teens during the Festival.
What’s the Strawberry Stroll?
This cutesey queue is the official manner of seating the festival. At 2:00 pm Thursday and 7:00 am through the rest of the weekend, attendees can line up to place their chairs in the Music Meadow. Staff members guide the line to stroll through the meadow, placing their chairs for the day’s performances. Maximum 4 chairs per person, and all chairs must be occupied once placed in the Meadow – otherwise they’re up for grabs.
Which artists will I see at Strawberry Music Festival?
Aoife O’Donovan & Hawktail, Robert Randolph, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Big Richard, Tim O’Biren Band, Roy Rogers, Authentic Unlimited, Hawktail, Jason Lang, Chatham Rabbits, Yasmin Williams, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Pascal Bokar’s Afrobluegrazz Band, Kathy Kallick Band, Sugarcane Jane, Crying Uncle Bluegrass, David Wilcox, Caltucky, Marley’s Ghost, Jimbo Scott & Yesterday’s Biscuits, Banana Slug String Band and Goodnight, Texas.
Poster
