Economic Development and Housing

Each Memorial Day weekend, Garden Grove, located in the heart of Orange County, California, hosts the celebrated Strawberry Festival, rooted in its agricultural heritage and driven by community spirit. It’s the second‑largest community‑sponsored festival in the western U.S., drawing 250,000–300,000 visitors annually.

• Founded in 1958 to unite the city’s east and west sides, inspired by the region’s prolific strawberry fields.
• The inaugural festival featured a PR stunt sending local strawberries to a monastery in Europe.
• In 1959, citizens formed the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association, a non‑profit that still runs the event today.
• The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival Association has raised over $7M which it has donated to local nonprofit organizations.
• Every year kicks off with the ceremonial cutting of the world’s largest strawberry shortcake, sometimes weighing around 500 pounds.
• The Saturday morning parade features marching bands, classic cars, equestrians, floats, and local celebrity grand marshals.
• Fun community contests – such as the Redhead Roundup, Berry Beautiful Baby, and Tiny Tot King & Queen – offer fun for all ages.

The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is much more than fairs and food: it's a joyful, long-standing tradition rooted in local history, philanthropy, and community celebration. What began in 1958 as a small effort to connect a farming town has become a beloved tradition that unites generations and gives back — all centered on the sweet symbol at its core: the strawberry.