The Nevada County Fairgrounds is a beautiful outdoor setting, on nearly 100 acres of meadow and conifer forest. There is a lot of great space to camp, for groups large and small, as well as nice scenery to explore. Camping is made comfortably by the gentle terrain and amenities which include easy access to potable water, permanent restrooms, shower facilities, and garbage/recycle service. Spring weather can be unpredictable at 2500′ elevation, so it is best to prepared for any kind of weather. See our What to Pack List for a complete inventory of items to make your camp experience comfortable. Numerous trails and paved roadways make it easy to get around.
Strawberry is a closely knit, multi-generational community of music lovers, because we have been camping together for so many years. Settling in and living a family-friendly camp life for multiple days is what allows so much of the magic to happen. Many of our best traditions take place in the campground.
Camping Guidelines:
- Dry camping with any size/type vehicle is included in the price of a camping ticket
- Camping is first come, first serve. There is plenty of space for everyone to have a nice camp site.
- Saving space is not allowed. Items used to save space, such as roes, tarps, and chairs, etc will be removed by staff. You can however set up your camp to accommodate those who are yet to arrive. Please do not use more space than necessary for your group.
- Do not park vehicles you do not need on nice ground for camping. Please be considerate of others and park extra cars in one of the designated parking areas.
- As campers arrive throughout the festival, please make them feel welcome. Please make space for new-comers in your neighborhood.
- Staff is available to help you find a place to camp. Just ask for Camping Assistance when you arrive.
- Fires and charcoal cooking are not allowed. Off ground camp stoves (propane, white gas, or butane) are OK. Please keep your cooking space clear of flammable material.
- Put away alcoholic beverages when your camp is unattended
- Quiet generators are allowed to run from 10am – 2pm daily – We reserve the right to request you to turn off your generator if it is causing a disturbance.
- Please keep your site clean and move refuse to garbage/recycle regularly. It is the Strawberry Way to leave the festival grounds in better condition than we arrived.
- No motorized vehicles (Golf cart use is restricted to staff)
- No bicycles, skateboards, skates, or scooters on the Music Meadow or in the Food Court
- The speed limit in camp is 5MPH
- Keep all access roads clear to traffic and observe all festival boundaries. Strawberry Music Inc. reserves the right to tow vehicles at owners expense.
- All festival campers must exit the grounds by 10:00 am on Monday.
Medical staff is available to help with basic first aid needs from Thursday through Sunday during the festival. Hours of operation of the Medical Tent are 8:00 AM each morning until 11:00 PM each evening. When the Med Tent is closed, 24-hour emergency assistance is available at the Safety Command Post. In the event of an emergency, there is a hospital nearby. In severe cases, EMT’s are on site and an ambulance can be dispatched immediately. If you see someone who needs medical assistance at the festival, please go to the Med Tent, the Safety Command Post, or find a Staff person with a radio.
Our Safety crews are based at the Safety Command Post 24-hours daily to keep folks safe throughout the festival and can be found throughout the festival grounds wearing Security/Safety vests and hats. If you witness disruptive behavior, suspicious activities, violence or abuse of any kind, or situations that are unsafe, please alert Security staff at the Command Post immediately.
What’s the Strawberry Stroll you ask? It’s that special time in the morning when you can line up to place your chairs in Music Meadow. Here are some guidelines for the stroll …
- You may begin to line up up for the Strawberry Stroll at 7:00 am and the Music Meadow opens for seating at 8:00am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. Staff will be available to assist you during the Stroll.
- You must be personally present in line. Please do not leave your chairs unattended.
- You may bring a maximum of FOUR chairs. No blankets or high back chairs are allowed in the Stroll Seating area.
- Stroll Seating is first come, first served. Please do not disturb someone else’s chair.
- All chairs in the Stroll Seating Area must be no more than 32″ from the top of the chair to the ground and must be 10″ or less from the back of the seat to the ground. No chaise lounges or hook back chairs.
- Any chair that is not occupied is open for use by anyone until the owner arrives. If you do not want your chair used, please take it with you when you leave the seating area.
There is a wide range of merchandise and services available at the festival including:
The Food Court
The Food Court features a delectable sampling of ethnic and traditional foods. You will find a wide variety of festival cuisine in the Food Court Among including pizza , pasta & salad, vegetarian dishes, Mexican food, Greek food, BBQ, desserts, and more! Also available are an assortment of hot & cold beverages, including coffee & espresso drinks, smoothies, and juices.
Strawberry T-Shirt Booth
Each festival showcases a unique Strawberry T-Shirt design. Come visit the booth to see one of a kind festival artwork, on a variety of styles and colors of clothing. The T-Shirt Booth opens at 10am on Thursday, so stop by early to ensure the availability of colors and sizes.
Strawberry CD Booth
If you like what you see at Strawberry, take it home with you! The CD Booth sells releases from an assortment of performers, including most Main Stage acts. In addition, some Main Stage musicians will visit the booth following their show to sell merchandise and sign CDs.
Strawberry Preserves
You just never know what you will find at the Strawberry Preserves. Created to feature classic past festival t-shirts, the Preserves has evolved into a festival-needs marketplace. If you need it, it is likely the Preserves will have it, stocking everything from toys, jewelry, sundries, and much more.
Strawberry Way Cafe
Where do you go when you are thirsty? The Strawberry Way Cafe serves water, assorted juices, soda, lemonade, and ICE.
Strawberry Artisans
The Strawberry Artisans features some of the finest crafts and artwork throughout the west. Hand-crafted jewelry, fiber arts, glassware, photography, pottery, and many modes of wearable art are just some of what is represented at the Strawberry Artisans.
Strawberry Massage & Acupressure Therapists
What vacation is complete without massage/acupressure? Treat yourself to this relaxing therapy while listening to Main Stage music in the background.
Strawberry Face Painter
Fun for children and adults, the Face Painter at Strawberry has a design for everyone! Always a hit with the kids, it’s just not a festival without face painting!
Music Caravan
Forgot to bring extra strings or lost your only pick? The Music Caravan has got everything you need from sheet music to beautiful new instruments.
The musical experience is in no way limited to the stages. Musicians of varying levels get together to “jam” at camps all around the festival. These range from informal gatherings of friends and neighbors to performances by professional musicians. The public is generally welcome to come and listen to such jams as long as the audience remains respectful to the musicians and the camp hosting the jam.
- Your TICKETS
- Tent
- Shade canopy
- Ground cover
- Mattress/sleeping pad
- Bedding or sleeping bag & pillow
- Flashlight
- Camp Stove
- Camp lantern
- Camp table
- Camp chairs
- Face Covering (worn over the face and nose to prevent transmission of COVID-19)
- Shade canopy
- Water jugs/wagon (for carrying water back to camp)
- Spray bottle (great for keeping cool on warm days)
- Clothing for warm days and cool nights
- Sunhat
- Sunscreen
- Water bottle/mug, plate & utensils (for re-use in camp and at the Food Court)
- Portable FM Radio (for listening to Hog Ranch Radio in camp)
- Rain gear (Just in case)
- Soap and Towel
- Ear Plugs
- Cup or container for drinks (no glass is allowed on the Music Meadow)
- Wagon (very handy for hauling gear around and sleeping kids back from the Music Meadow)
- Musical instruments (for jamming with friends and neighbors)
Water Conservation & Refuse
Water Conservation:
The Nevada County Fairgrounds have an adequate water supply. Due to extreme drought conditions in California, it is very important to conserve water. Please read the posted signs and observe the ‘Strawberry 3 minute shower’.
Recycle:
Over the years Strawberry has developed a comprehensive recycling program intended to decrease the amount of trash entering landfills. We continue to evaluate additional options and evolve our recycling program. Please make use of all of the recycling options available and wherever possible keep you mug, plate, and utensils for reuse during the festival. Thank you for your work and for incorporating recycling into your daily routine.
Re-Use:
Bring your own plate, cutlery, cup, and/or water bottle for in-camp and in the Food Court. There are filling stations, drinking fountains, and potable water spigots throughout camp. Please help us eliminate single use plastics from the Strawberry Music Festival.
While we hope that you will choose to unplug at the festival, most cell phones do work at both the Spring and Fall Festivals. Please be considerate of others, as well as performers and turn off your phone while in performance seating areas. You may use your camera function, but please disable the flash and distracting lights.
