Heavy Police Presence Planned At Watsonville Strawberry Festival

WATSONVILLE, CA — In light of Sunday's shooting at the nearby Gilroy Garlic Festival, the Watsonville Police Department has added additional security measures for the upcoming Watsonville Strawberry Festival, it was announced Tuesday.

"Community members can expect to see additional officers, bike patrol and a command center during this weekend’s community event. We have also teamed up with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office to provide additional resources for the community’s safety," the Watsonville Police Department reported.

The Strawberry Festival takes place Saturday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. in historic downtown Watsonville. According to the city, the festival traces its roots to the Watsonville Strawberry Dessert Festival that was founded in 1995 to help downtown Watsonville recover from the Loma Prieta earthquake.

Strawberries are a premier crop in the Pajaro Valley, and the event has always been a safe, family friendly experience — and 2019 is expected to be no different. Highlights of this year's event include a Kick-Off Dance Party scheduled Friday from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the Beer Garden Area (Romo Lot). Admission is free; see Event Link for more information.

There will also be a first-ever family friendly Strawberry Jam Fun Run hosted by The Friends of Watsonville Parks and Community Services. The run takes place Saturday, with check-in starting at 6:45 a.m. See Event Link to register or for more information on the run.

As in past years, there will be many musicians and other performers providing entertainment throughout the event. And of course there will be several pie eating contests! See the 2019 Entertainment and Pie Eating Contest schedule.

For more information on the event, visit the Watsonville Strawberry Festival home page.