If you are planning to spend Memorial Day weekend in North County, the 15th Annual Vista Strawberry Festival and Vista Strawberry Run make for a fun family-centered Sunday. The Festivities begin Saturday, May 23rd with the bulk of the fun happening on Sunday, May 24, 2026. In the heart of Vista, join us for the Strawberry Run and then stay for some Strawberry fun! Here is everything you need to know before you go.

The Vista Strawberry Run is designed to be fun, family-friendly, and accessible for a wide range of participants. The event features a scenic, mostly flat 5K, plus a Kids 1-Mile and Kids 1/4-Mile for younger runners. The 5K is 3.1 miles, and both kids’ races are just-for-fun options that keep the day festive and approachable.

Race morning starts early, so plan your morning around these official start times:

The 5K is the marquee race and runs through historic Downtown Vista, starting and finishing at Vista Magnet Middle School. The 1 Mile kids’ race also runs through the heart of the festival area, and the 1/4 mile stays on the Magnet Middle School track. Perfect for families and spectators.

 

If you haven’t registered yet, you can do that here!

One of the best parts of the Vista Strawberry Run is that your race entry comes with a lot more than just a bib.

All participants receive a custom event T-shirt and a commemorative medal. Finishers also get a carton of Hollandia Dairy strawberry milk and fresh strawberries from Frazier Farms. In addition, 5K participants who are 21 and older receive one free beer in the craft beer garden, and all runners get a one-day pass to the invite-only Carlsbad Columbia Sportswear Employee Store. The event also includes overall awards and age group awards.

If you want to get a jump on race morning, the festival schedule includes early packet pickup on Saturday, May 23 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM or race day from 6:30-7:30 AM at Vista Magnet Middle School. There is a shuttle service from the Vista Courthouse at 325 S. Melrose Drive that begins at 6:15 AM and runs every 15 minutes until 7:00 PM. This is a great way to avoid traffic in downtown Vista!

Once you finish your race, the fun is just getting started. The 2026 Vista Strawberry Festival is one of North County’s most beloved traditions, with delicious strawberry treats, unique vendors, live entertainment, and fun for all ages. The festival is designed to celebrate the season, support local businesses, and fill downtown Vista with food, activities, and shopping.

If you are the kind of person who wants every possible strawberry creation, this is your day. The festival is built around strawberry food and drink, and the event messaging promises exactly the kind of strawberry-themed treats people come hoping to find.

The festival is much more than a run and a few booths. There are several featured attractions worth planning around.

The Fix Auto Vista Beer Garden features craft brewers and wineries, plus entertainment, bands, and contests from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with last call at 5:30 PM.

The Strawberry Film Festival is a fun part of the day, too. Screenings run from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM at The Film Hub, 170 Eucalyptus Ave., and the Film Festival Awards are announced at 4:00 PM.

And yes, there is a costume contest. The Strawberry Festival Costume Contest takes place at 3:00 PM on the North County Ford Contest Stage, and the festival calls it “the cutest event of the festival.”

Other contests throughout the day include the Little Ms. Strawberry Shortcake Contest, Beer Stein Holding Contest, Frozen T-Shirt Contest, Strawberry Pie Eating Contest, Strawberry Sundae Contest, and even a Whole Strawberry Pie Eating Contest.

In other words, there is plenty to do and plenty to eat after your race!

The best way to experience the Vista Strawberry Run is to treat it like the kickoff to a full festival day. Race in the morning, grab your medal and strawberry milk, and then stay downtown to enjoy the food, music, contests, carnival rides, and film festival.

If you are running the 5K, it is easy to turn this into a group outing. If you have kids, the shorter race options, along with the carnival and contests, make it especially family-friendly. And if you are mostly there for strawberries, there may not be a better day on the calendar for you.

The Vista Strawberry Run gives you a great reason to get moving, and the festival gives you every reason to stay a while longer. See you BERRY soon!