VISTA — The historical roots of the city are based in agriculture with the most famous crop being strawberries.
Although no strawberry farm exists today within Vista’s borders, the city is celebrating its long history with the fruit in 13th annual Strawberry Festival from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday in downtown. Admission is free.
The city will close off Main Street, South Citrus Avenue, South Santa Fe and Eucalyptus and will showcase 500 vendors and all things strawberry from food, a beer garden, crafts, live music, contests, a food drive and more.
The event draws thousands, reveals the Strawberry Queen and also hosts a film festival, according to the Vista Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Rachel Beld.
“The festival includes a 5K and kids’ runs. It kicks off that in the morning,” she said of the 7:30 a.m. start time. “We have a kid’s zone with kid’s activities, we have four stages of entertainment. If you can imagine anything strawberry-themed, it exists at this festival. It’s just the most fun day.”
The festivals’ origins began when the chamber and city partnered to build on the city’s agricultural history, Beld said. In the 1960s and 70s, Vista had become so connected with strawberry farming it was a sort of “unofficial” strawberry capital of the world, she said.
In North County, the planting season typically begins in October and depending on location, the season runs through spring or summer. But during the 1960s and 70s, Vista’s strawberries were shipped daily during peak season to Europe and Asia, Beld said.
