End of the Gerbera Festival: Big thanks to the Kitayama Family

Friends of Santa Cruz State Parks wants to thank KB Farms for 13 years of colorful flowers, fun memories and financial support for parks programs through the Gerbera Festival. Over the years, KB Farms has donated $68,000 to Friends in support of our cherished local state parks and beaches. 

The final flower sale festival occurred in Spring 2023. After 75 years the Kitayama family has retired the flower division of their business.

The Gerbera Festival was a celebration of the flowers and the multiple generations of the Kitayamas who persevered in the ever-changing flower business. In its heyday, the festival featured flower-arranging demonstrations, tours of the greenhouses, a farmers’ market and more. In the COVID era, KB Farms continued to show their support with a drive-through flower sale, Gerbera-N-Go.

Through the years, the Gerbera Festival raised funds to support park programs including Save the Lifeguards and Kids2Parks, which provides transportation scholarships to help low-income students go on state parks field trips. This year alone, Kids2Parks funded trips for 3,000 Pajaro Valley Unified School District students.

Thank you, Kitayama Family!