The strawberries are ripe and ready for the 24th annual California Strawberry Festival this weekend at College Park in Oxnard. More than 70,000 people are expected to attend, said festival manager, Bonnie Weigel. Last year's attendance was 59,000.

"The festival is the best summer kickoff," said Weigel, and is also the most anticipated event of the year in Ventura County.

The festival will offer numerous attractions and lots of live entertainment featuring local musicians and entertainers: jugglers, magicians and puppeteers throughout the day. The event highlights the agricultural heritage of the strawberry industry in the region; 85 percent of California's strawberries come from the area. Also, the money raised at the event makes its way to more than 40 local charities.

The Strawberry Promenade, an attraction that started last year, will offer workshops with quick-cooking recipes and decorating presentations. Local strawberry growers will demonstrate how to grow strawberries at home.

There will be an arts and crafts showcase with paintings, sculptures and woodcrafts from more than 300 artisans, Weigel said.

More than 50 food booths will offer pies, pizza, ice cream, beverages and delicacies all with authentic recipes cooked or garnished with strawberries. Weigel said the festival is an opportunity for the people to try new foods with strawberries.

A Strawberryland For Kids fun zone with various rides and attractions will be included in the price of admission. There will be a berry-go-round, safari train, a lady bug ride and carousel.

This year, the festival commission redesigned the setting of the festival for a better pedestrian traffic flow. Last year, people were supposed to come in through one entrance and leave through a different one, but people came and went from both.

"We're trying to perfect some of the things we did last year. I can't say it's new, but it will be new to quite a few people," said Oxnard Councilman Dean Maulhardt, the festival chairman.

"The problem hasn't been getting people there. It's about what we give them, a good time. Sometimes the waiting for food can make things a little uncomfortable. We're trying to improve the flow so people leave with a happy face."

Tea Silvestre of Ventura, the winner of the festival poster Strawberry in the Bay, will sign posters at the souvenir booth; presigned posters will be also on sale.

This year the festival commission increased shuttle services, Weigel said. She encourages people to take free shuttles from parking lots convenient to Highway 101.

For more information call 888-288-9242 or visit the Web site http://www.strawberry-fest.org.

Staff writer Charles Levin, contributed to this report.