It’s been nearly two years since the last Santa Maria Strawberry Festival, a beloved and emblematic annual tradition in the valley. Last year’s event was canceled on March 21, less than a week after the county reported its first case of COVID-19.
While the festival in its usual form can’t return just yet, the Santa Maria Fairpark had the time and foresight to plan a pandemic-friendly alternative this year: Strawberry Cruzin’, a drive-through event featuring food vendors and “car hop” service, happening from April 28 to May 2.
Event-goers will be able to cruise through the food lineup in the safety of their own vehicles. Pick up some fresh strawberries from Pete’s Berries, or food and drinks from participating vendors including Colossal Corn Dogs, Noel’s Mexican Food, strawberry Dole Whip, Fanny’s Fabulous Funnel Cakes, Log Cabin Kettle Corn, and Old West Cinnamon Rolls.
“You’ll have a map of the route,” Fairpark interim CEO Autumn Acquistapace told the Sun. “There’s going to be two lines: one for the food booth of your choice, which you’ll pull in front of, place your order, and wait, car-hop style. Then there will be a passing lane, where if you don’t want that particular food booth and you want to go ahead to the next one, you have the ability to do that.”
Food’s not the only fun in store: The Fairpark is collaborating with the Critics Car Club to create a vintage car display for people to admire before grabbing their grub. The drive-through will be decked out in strawberry decorations along the way, and in the evening the path will be lit up to guide hungry cruise-goers to their fair-favorite vendors. Plus, kids will receive a free activity book courtesy of the California Strawberry Commission, the event’s sponsor.
Admission to Strawberry Cruzin’ is donation based, and all proceeds will benefit the Santa Maria Fairpark Foundation, scholarships, and the 2021 Junior Livestock Virtual Show and Auction.
“If they choose to donate towards the event, those donations are going towards our foundation,” Acquistapace said. “Not only do they [go toward] improvements on the grounds, but they’re also doing scholarships for the kids again this year, monetary scholarships for kids in agriculture.”
When the Sun spoke to foundation leadership in September 2020, with the absence of major sources of revenue like the fair and the 2020 Strawberry Festival, the Fairpark was struggling to keep the lights on. There was concern that the Fairpark might even have to go dormant come the new year.
But since then, things have started to look up financially: “I’m really positive that we’re going to make it through this,” Acquistapace said.
The Fairpark got creative with finding revenue sources, such as continuing to host the county-run COVID-19 testing site throughout the pandemic, renting out other spaces to tenants, and applying for grants and loans.
“With all those things put together, and once it kind of all leveled off a little bit, we’re seeing the long-term effects of that savings,” Acquistapace said. “We’re absolutely confident now that we’re going to make it. Everybody’s working so hard. … We’ve really been fortunate that everybody believes in what we do so much that they don’t want to see this go away.”
Acquistapace said she’s hopeful that some iteration of the Santa Barbara County Fair will happen this year, whether it’s a drive-through or walk-up event.
“It’s not going to be the traditional fair in any way, but we are working with our carnival company on doing some semblance of a carnival portion,” she said. “Everything’s going to be stretched out over a period of weeks, so we’re optimistic that we’re going to be able to do that.”
More than anything, Acquistapace said, the past year has taught the Fairpark how to be adaptive.
“You always have two plans: You have one plan for now, and one plan for maybe,” she said with a laugh.
Highlight
• The Buellton Chamber of Commerce is looking for volunteers to help pack boxes for the Buellton Brew Fest @ Home. “Since we’re going virtual this year for our Brew Fest, we need some help packing the boxes and getting them ready to deliver and ship,” the Chamber wrote in an April 13 email. The organization is looking for extra hands to pack boxes on Monday, April 26, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 75 Industrial Way, a couple of doors down from Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. The Buellton Brew Fest @ Home begins May 1, and tickets are on sale now at buelltonbrewfest.com.
Staff Writer Malea Martin wrote this week’s Spotlight. Send tips to spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 22-29, 2021.