If you have a passion for cooking, the California Strawberry Festival has a contest you’ll love, with a heart shaped fruit as the main ingredient.
Your favorite strawberry dish could be your gateway to a vacation resort when you enter the 2014 California Strawberry “Berry Blast Off” Recipe contest, presented by the Ventura County Star. All contestants who submit a recipe will be awarded a free ticket to the 31st annual celebration May 17 and 18 in Oxnard at Strawberry Meadows of College Park.
Festival organizers are searching for the tastiest non-baking strawberry dish for the popular timed challenge that culminates Saturday, May 17th in the Festival’s Strawberry Promenade when two finalists prepare and present their recipes for judges and festival attendees in the ultimate “strawberry smack down.”
Applicants must enter a non-baking strawberry recipe with their favorite sauce, dessert, entrée, dip, drink, jam, spread, appetizer, snack, etc. – the more creative the dish, the better. Submissions will be accepted until noon April 11, 2014. Five finalists will be selected to compete in a timed, iron chef-style challenge Tuesday, May 6 at 11:00am at the professional kitchen of the Courtyard by Marriott Oxnard, where they must prepare and present their strawberry dish within one hour. The judges select two finalists to continue on with VIP access in a competition for the ultimate reward at the Festival May 17th. The grand prize winner will choose from a three-day, two night getaway vacation to Palm Springs, San Diego, Cabo San Lucas or Branson, Missouri, courtesy of Welk Resorts (airfare not included), and a Cutco studio knife set valued at close to $500. The runner up will receive an overnight stay at the Courtyard by Marriott Oxnard along with a complimentary dinner for two at acclaimed Tierra Sur Restaurant at Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard.
Berry Blast Off rules & guidelines are available at: http://strawberry-fest.
Send recipes with name/address/phone/contact info to:
*By email: csf@strawberry-fest.org
*By fax: 805/ 385-4729
*By mail: California Strawberry Festival, Attn: Berry Blast Off, 1661 Pacific Avenue #15, Oxnard, CA 93033
An estimated 1.5 million strawberries are consumed over Festival weekend with berry decadence like strawberry kabobs, strawberry nachos, strawberry pizza and even strawberry beer. All proceeds from the non-profit food vendors benefit 20+ Southland charities. Over the past decades, more than $4 million dollars has gone to worthy causes while paying tribute to the region’s agricultural heritage. Oxnard is located just 60 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles south of Santa Barbara. The free Park & Ride “Strawberry Express” shuttles from six convenient locations off the 101 Fwy make getting to the Festival a breeze. Parking on site is $10.
General admission is $12, seniors 62+ are $8 and children ages 5-12 are $5. Kids 4 and under are free. Active military and dependents with ID are $8. Hours are 10:00a.m. to 6:30p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.strawberry-fest.org. Th
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