As always, we hope you have a wonderful week, surrounded by loved ones and filled with food, fun, music, and laughter (with maybe some tranquility peppered in).
We are especially thankful this year for our family, friends, and the Strawberry community.
Please note the Strawberry Office will be closed this week. We will reopen for normal business hours, M-TH, 10am-3pm, on Monday, December 1st.
Photo Credit: Kate Skogen, Robin Frenette, Evan Thompson, Tim Konrad, Shelby McAuliffe
The Strawberry office is sorry to share the sad news that we lost one of our founding fathers, mentor, and dear friend Charlie Cran earlier this week. Charlie died of heart failure at his home in Sonora, CA on November 18th. The impact of this loss is being felt deeply within the Strawberry community and beyond.
Charlie was born in Traverse City, MI on December 21, 1945. When he was 10, the family moved to Modesto, CA, where he made many of his lifelong connections playing baseball and basketball at Thomas Downey High School (go Knights!), as well as later while attending Chico State. He always felt a meaningful connection to Northern Michigan, greatly enjoyed visiting his many relatives in and around Mancelona, MI, and staying at the family cabin on Lake 27. He also loved to fish and take road trips, especially with his dear friend Dennis May.
Charlie started the Strawberry Bluegrass Festival (which later changed to Strawberry Music Festival) along with his three original partners Dan Dewayne, John Melrose, and Bill Perry, in 1982. He opened the door for many collaborators, participants, and partners to make their own mark along the way but remained a singular force for good throughout the festival’s history. He was well respected in this business for being a straight shooter and is known for helping to launch countless careers in the industry. His keen sensibility, strong sense of ethics, and innovative spirit will always be deeply ingrained into the fiber of Strawberry’s being.
Among his friends, Charlie was known to be hardheaded and soft-hearted. He was a particularly insightful judge of character and incredibly generous with his wisdom to those who earned his trust. He never backed down from a challenge, and those who dared to take him on found a willing adversary in debate. His quick tongue and finely-tuned ear for wit and banter were often a sign of mutual admiration. So many people have walked away from a well-played argument with Charlie having felt heard, knowing exactly where they stood, and with a greater sense of friendship.
Charlie is survived by his brother Bill Cran, brother-in-law Leonard Ignacio, nieces Margie Ignacio-Witcher (Michael) and Hazel Cran, nephew Stuart Cran, great-nephew Theo Witcher, as well as his many cousins in Michigan and beyond. Charlie is preceded in death by his life partner Minako Matsumoto, sister Becky Ignacio, and parents Marge and George Cran.
In further remembrance, the Strawberry office welcomes you to tell your own stories about the man, the myth, and the legend by commenting on our social media posts or sending your recollections to info@strawberrymusic.com. Additional information will be shared when it is available.
The first Spring 2026 lineup announcement is here!
Please welcome Las Cafeteras, Mr Sun, and Deep Thicket Dwellers to the Spring 2026 Strawberry Music Festival.
Visit our Spring Lineup page to listen and learn more about each performer.
Stay tuned here, through our email list, and on our social media (Instagram / Facebook) so you won’t miss any announcements. Camping tickets will go on sale Tuesday, January 13th. For more information, email us at info@strawberrymusic.com or call us at (209) 984-8630, M-Th, 10:00am–3:00pm.
We are excited to read your surveys as we work together to improve the festival experience each year!
Please find the online version of our Fall 2025 Survey here.
We are so grateful to everyone who planned, produced, and attended the re-inaugural Fall Strawberry Music Festival over the weekend of October 17th-19th. This passionate and considerate community of music lovers enthusiastically embraced our return, welcoming the slightly different but still Strawberry experience. As we look to the future, we are excited to see how Fall Strawberry will evolve from the foundation we have just built together.
We are yet again deeply appreciative of and thankful for our volunteers who contributed their time and skills to Strawberry. A very important and heartfelt thank you to our stalwart crew leaders and coordinators, whose many hours spent organizing their crews, scheduling volunteers, and managing various departments before, during, and after the event is a big part of what makes Strawberry a successful and enjoyable experience.
To the musicians and performers who took the stage, jammed in camp, or strummed quietly to themselves—thank you for sharing your musical gifts with us. Thank you to the vendors, artisans, businesses, and nonprofit organizations who provide delicious cuisines, unique shopping opportunities, essential services, and valuable community information at Strawberry. We would also like to thank the staff and volunteers at the Nevada County Fairgrounds for welcoming and supporting Strawberry over the last decade. And finally, thank you to our devoted patrons, the returning friends, the familiar faces, and the newly-christened Strawberrians, for funding and cultivating a truly special community and music experience.
We are lucky to have the majority of Stawberrians participate as more than one of the above, donning a mix of proverbial hats during the festival—we are especially grateful for your many contributions!
Photo Credit: Kate Skogen
Strawberry has resumed our regular business hours of M-Th, 10:00am–3:00pm. Please reach out to us at (209) 984-8630 or info@strawberrymusic.com. Thank you for your patience while we unpack our supplies and begin to address the following post-festival wrap-up items:
THANK YOU, AND SEE YOU IN MAY!
Thank you for joining us at our re-inaugural Fall Festival this past weekend!
This is a reminder that the Strawberry Office is closed. We will resume normal business hours starting at 10:00 am on Monday, October 27.
Thank you!
The Fall 2025 Strawberry Music Festival is just around the corner! In preparation for the impending festival, we’ve got some helpful guidelines to make this your best Strawberry yet.
We have eliminated the sale of products packaged in single-use plastic. You can help support this effort by planning ahead!
There are numerous potable water spigots throughout camp, and filtered water stations will be available in convenient locations across the Fairgrounds to keep you hydrated and healthy. See your festival map (included in the gate handout) to find a filtered water station near you.
Biodegradable cups and cutlery are used in the Food Court.
What does “arrive early” mean? In your Entrance Plan included with your ticket(s), there is an entry time for prebanding — either 10:30am (4-Day) or 1:30pm (4-Night). No need to time your arrival to 10:30am on the dot! We’ll give you a (imaginary) gold star (not real) if you arrive any time after 10:30am!
Please do not create a hazardous or discourteous situation by lining up or parking along McCourtney Road prior to the approved arrival time stated in the Entrance Plan sent with your ticket(s). This applies to all staff, vendors, volunteers, and patrons.
Please contact us if you have any questions about your arrival time at (209) 984-8630 or info@strawberrymusic.com. Thank you for your cooperation!
Only bona fide service animals, as defined by the ADA, are welcome at the Strawberry Music Festival. It is a crime to misrepresent a pet as a service animal (California Penal Code 365.7 PC).
Pets and emotional support animals are not granted admittance to any part of the festival and/or Fairgrounds, including but not limited to camping areas, as per Nevada County Fairgrounds policy. All service animals must be trained for a specific function, related to a disability, housebroken, leashed, and under the direct control of their handler at all times.
Persons found on-site with a non-service animal will be escorted off the festival grounds, but may return without the animal. Strawberry Music, Inc. reserves the right to refuse service to any individual whose conduct poses a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or service animals.
As we have in previous years, we will adhere to a strict service animal policy, but there are plenty of alternative options nearby, and all include doing your pet a favor! Try The Kennels Pet Boarding and Grooming, located in Grass Valley (530.272.4670/ thekennelsgv.com). If you’d prefer to stay with your pet, check out the pet-friendly Grass Valley RV Resort (530.404.5001/ gvrvresort.com) right across the road from us!
It is looking like it is going to be a chilly one, so bring lots of layers, jackets, and blankets to stay warm! OR (even better) bring lots of friends with you. Like those penguins that huddle together for warmth? Ok, it will not be THAT cold, but the more the merrier!
From offering festival-wide recycling services and working to eliminate the internal use of single-use plastic, we are continually striving to make Strawberry more environmentally sustainable.
Compost bins will be available to dispose of green waste at Fall 2025! There are 5 different stations, and station locations can be found on the festival map (included with your gate handout). Please refer to the signage at each station for information on what can and cannot be placed in compost bins. Unfortunately, items such as compostable bags and cutlery are NOT accepted as compost by Waste Management.
We are unable to sort compost at this time, so please help us keep bins from being contaminated with unacceptable materials and sent to the landfill. If you are unsure an item can be placed into the bins, please err on the side of caution. Let’s give worms something to talk about!
Thank you for reading, and see you next week!
We love furry little guys as much as the next festival, but be your dog’s best friend and DO NOT BRING THEM TO THE FESTIVAL! We can confirm your pet will not have as great a time as you. (Unless they can play banjo and love loud noises — in that case, please email our booking department because we may have the next sensation on our hands.)
Bona fide service animals, as defined by the ADA, are welcome at the Strawberry Music Festival. Pets and emotional support animals are not granted admittance to any part of the festival and/or Fairgrounds, including but not limited to camping areas, as per Nevada County Fairgrounds policy. All service animals must be trained for a specific function, related to a disability, housebroken, leashed, and under the direct control of their handler at all times. It is a crime to misrepresent a pet as a service animal (California Penal Code Section 365.7 PC).
Looking for boarding options nearby? Try The Kennels Pet Boarding and Grooming, located in Grass Valley (530.272.460). If you’d prefer to stay with your pet, check out the pet-friendly Grass Valley RV Resort (530.404.5001) right across the road from us! There are many options, and all include doing your pet a favor.
Thank you for cooperating! More information can be found here.
No craving will go unsatisfied at the Strawberry Food Court! Featuring delicious cuisines from across the globe, and several vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, your rumbling stomach is sure to thank you.
ALL ticket types are on sale now. Get yours here!
📸: Kate Skogen, Tim Van Raam, Evan Thompson
Many Strawberrians are grieving the loss of dear friend and fellow staff member, Bill Wollner. There are very few amongst us who have a longer work history than Bill, having started with the Garbage and Recycle crew at Strawberry’s second festival at Camp Mather in 1983.
Bill met Mitch Third (Strawberry’s beloved Festival Manager of nearly 40 years) while visiting Stockton in the late 70’s after having just moved to California from Kansas. They bonded instantly over Mitch’s time playing college basketball for Kansas State University. Not long after, Mitch told Bill that there was a job opportunity working with him in the groundskeeping department at San Joaquin Delta College. Bill retired from Delta College approximately 30 years later as the head groundskeeper.
Meanwhile, Bill had been invited to come and work at the first Strawberry at Leland Meadows in 1982, but could not make it because of a family reunion. To our knowledge, he never missed a festival from that point forward. He spent the vast majority of his time at Strawberry in a leadership role with the Garbage and Recycle crew.
Members of Garbage and Recycle have always been tight and share a rich and meaningful crew culture. They camp and hang together. This is true now of 2nd gen family members, along with new friends, just as much as it was back in the day, with legacy members we lost along the way. Many will remember seeing Bill pal around Camp Mather with his dearly departed friend and co-lead, Bob Smith (who always wore a red clown nose), along with Bob’s partner Joni Leonard. Our hearts are with the many other longtime crew members who are active to this day and are especially affected by this loss, including Bill’s dear friend and cohort of many years, Craig Brautigam.
Keeping Strawberry clean has always been an important part of our shared ethos. The location of each refuse station was chosen to best serve our collective needs and Garbage and Recycle crew members service them diligently throughout the festival. They enjoy being together so much that you may not even realize how hard they are working when you see them moving large bags of garbage and recycling around the grounds. As we approach the first festival without our dear friend and maestro of refuse removal, let’s all remember to say hello, thank you, and let the Garbage/Recycle crew know that they are loved.
We certainly hope that Bill knew how much he was loved at Strawberry and beyond. He will be missed by many, including fellow members of the Port Stockton Motorcycle Club where he was an active member of AMA District 36 for many years. Please join us in sending Strawberry love and this offering of our deepest condolences to Bill Wollner’s vast circle of family and friends.
Please stay tuned for more stories and photos from friends as well as information to be posted when a memorial service has been planned.
“I’d like to share the following photographs of Bill Wollner, who I loved dearly. In fall 2003, I pitched in to collect garbage and at the end of the festival was put in a photograph and given $50 gas money. In spring 2004 when Bill asked me (in front of about six bystanders) if I wanted to officially join the crew, I took three large steps across the circle and planted a big kiss on his right cheek, nary a word spoken. I’ve been back ever since!”
Thank you to Turd’L Ed Larue for sharing this story and the photos below.
