Winter festival in the Palm Springs Desert: Coachella Valley
Annual event; February
760-863-8247
Monster Trucks, Live Music, Date Foods and Farm Animals
Riverside County Fairgrounds
82-503 Hwy 111
Indio, CA 92201
56+ years running, the Borrego Days Desert Festival is held in no other than, Borrego Springs California. Live music, food, arts & craft, car show & parade.
Annual event; October
760-767-5555
Held in the hills above Redding in the mountain town of Burney. The impressive volcanic Lassen forests, with small town events like Burney Basin Days draws tourists from near & far.
Parade, fireworks, craft fair, breakfast and lunch, car show, bed races, horseshoe throwing competition and a cornhole tournament. Plenty of great camping all around this location. The few local motels fill up fast during summer months.
Annual event; July
La Plaza Park in Cotati California is home to the music of the Accordion Festival in summer. 30 years running
Rohnert Park, Sonoma County
Annual event; August
707-664-0444
Pacific Islanders of the San Francisco Bay Area offer talents in music & dance during this 2-day festival of arts. Entertainment highlights include Pacific Islander music as well as Polynesian dance. The festival will also feature arts & crafts vendors, island cuisine, educational exhibits and workshops, and games for the kids! Located at the San Mateo County Event Center.
Annual event; August
San Mateo, CA
35 years running, held each year on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, in between Main Street and Venice Boulevard. Promotes the vibrant creativity that makes the funky community of Venice Beach so unique. The long running street festival is best known for an array of local artisan crafts, live music, DJs, good food and entertainment. Activities and areas are designed to complement the eclectic, cutting-edge mix of over 100 boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, bookstores, design firms, coffee shops, clubs, salons, and much more along the famed bohemian-chic shopping district of Abbot Kinney Blvd.
Annual event; September
One day event
310-570-7059
A 3-day, multi-event, food, and entertainment festival, which celebrates asparagus. Live music, cooking, wine, beer, crafts. Bring your family and friends and enjoy Asparagus Alley, Deep Fried Asparagus & Asparagus Ice Cream, Craft Beer and a Wine Pavilion, Kids Zone with carnival rides and games, monster truck rides, vendors, and much more.
San Joaquin County Fairgrounds
1658 S Airport Way
Stockton, CA 95206
Annual event; May
916-370-3647
If you find yourself traveling through the giant Mojave desert during the day, keep Calico Ghost Town in mind. Whether you are headed to Vegas or Utah, you can always take a “stretch break” from the freeway driving, to see the historic cemetery, grab a bite to eat or browse gift shops. Calico is an old, abandon, mining camp turned into a commercialized theme park – just a few exits after Barstow, on Interstate 15.
Numerous festivals are held annually at this historic silver mining camp in the desert.
FEBRUARY Calico’s California Days
educational displays about California’s history, games and contests for the entire family, live entertainment, a chuck wagon chili cook-off and more.
SEPTEMBER Calico Days
a weekend experience revisiting life in the Old West during the 1800s. We line up gun-fighting shows and musical entertainment along with other festivities, including a miner’s triathlon, burro race, costume contest, pie-eating contest and loads of activities for the kiddos.
OCTOBER Calico Ghost Haunt
trick-or-treating, costume contests, pumpkin carving, kids’ carnival tent, live entertainment stage shows, scare sets and haunted attractions; plus a Campsite Decorating Contest.
DECEMBER Holiday Fest
decorated for the holiday season, this iconic ghost town features dining, shopping and costumed characters, as well as live music
San Bernardino County, California
36600 Ghost Town Road
Yermo, CA 92398
760-254-1123
3-day Waterfront Festival is held in Benicia California
Live musical entertainment, micro brew beers, a wine garden, specialty foods, & open-air marketplace. Benicia celebrates its picturesque waterfront locale with two days of live music, arts & crafts marketplace, craft beers and premium wines, delectable gourmet foods, and kids’ activity area.
Annual event; July
707-745-9791
Historic Gold Country
Placerville hosts this iconic music fest which last 2 days. Overnight camping – tent or RV. No fires or open flames allowed in camping area. FREE showers available onsite.
El Dorado Fairgrounds
100 Placerville Dr
Placerville, CA 95667
Annual event: March
Numerous locations hold historic themed street fairs, parades and festivals in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
this list is only a partial list, and more will be added soon
Arnold Independence Day Parade
Grass Valley Cornish Christmas
Murphys Homecoming & Duck Races
Nevada City Constitution Day Parade
NOTE: The Gold Rush Days in Old Town Sacramento is now called “Waterfront Days Old Sacramento”
listed alphabetically
listed from north to south
Plumas National Forest
Tahoe National Forest
Eldorado National Forest
Stanislaus National Forest
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
Sierra National Forest
Take a scenic drive and see the back roads near Lake Casitas, where numerous avocado orchards grace the hillsides. This coastal Avocado Festival has evolved into one of the largest festivals within California; Three full days of fabulous food, terrific music, & family fun. Held in Carpinteria, just south of Santa Barbara, CA
Annual event; October
805-684-0038
The Largest Irish Festival in the West. Live music, vendors, food and games. St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
The Pike in Long Beach
95 South Pine Ave.
Long Beach, CA
Annual event; June
Corona del Mar, California has a Baroque Music Festival that has been running for over 40 years. A long running classical music event with five concerts in 8 days.
Annual event; June
Fallbrook Avocado Festival, a one day celebration; Fantastic street fair featuring three hundred vendors, three areas with music, farmers market, art village, children’s events, and lots of guacamole!
NO PETS allowed in the festival areas.
Annual event; April
One day event
760-728-5845
![Avocado Festival @ Fallbrook [Apr 2016]-0093](https://live.staticflickr.com/1591/26496966525_08e9457f67.jpg)
since 1959
also known as the
Castroville Artichoke Festival
Artichoke cooking demonstrations by local celebrity chefs, A bountiful farmer’s market with freshly harvested produce from Monterey County and beyond, An agricultural education exhibit, Live entertainment on two stages, Plenty of family-friendly fun activities
Artichokes prepared in some of your favorite ways, including the fan-favorite — fried baby artichokes! Plus, steamed, grilled, and in unique forms such as lumpia, burritos, sausage, cupcakes and even ice cream.
Artichoke eating and harvest contests, arts and crafts vendors, a family fun run on Sunday, and our ever popular wine tasting event, featuring the wines of small production, boutique wineries from around California.
Monterey County Fair & Event Center
2004 Fairground Rd.
Monterey, CA 93940
Annual event; June
888-808-7707
Since 1979, the well-known Gilroy Garlic Festival is one of the biggest events of this agricultural coastal area. Near Monterey Bay ; Not too far from the beaches of Santa Cruz.
Annual event; July
Gilroy Garlic Festival Association
408-842-1625
Parade & Celebration of the Apple
Ives Park
Veterans Memorial Building
282 High Street
Sebastopol, California
Annual event; April
707-823-3032
One day event. Downtown, Porterville.
Chili Cook-Off and Car Show. Arts and crafts, live music, vendors and food. 22 years and counting.
Annual event; April
Porterville Chamber of Commerce
559- 784-7502
Yucaipa’s hidden secret – rural area of OAK GLEN, is a apple orchard canyon near the Inland Empire.
After the harvest is finished and the apples have all been picked from the trees – celebrate the coming winter with a historic festival that traces its roots back to the 16th century.
Los Rios Ranch holds the annual Apple Butter Festival & Apple Butter Hoedown on Thanksgiving weekend.
Annual event: November
Annual music festival on the Redwoods NorCal Coast. This is event, near Layonville California – is hosted in memory of the musician Kate Wolf.
2022 is the 25th anniversary of this event
Festival Tickets SOLD OUT as of MARCH 1, 2022
Annual Event: June
Layonville CA
Northern Gold Country, Grass Valley is the home to this huge event. California WorldFest features several stages of music & dance from around the world; Camping with family & friends, workshops, international food, local crafts, yoga. Celebrate mid-summer under the pine forests of the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Nevada County Fairgrounds
Annual event; July
This community event is always a crowd-pleaser, with everything from parades to pie eating contests. The AG Harvest Festival serves as a tribute to agriculture, Arroyo Grande’s leading industry. This festival focuses on the local non-profit organizations that serve the community. Bring the whole family for all of the weekend festivities.
Annual event: September
Annual Snow Festival is usually scheduled for
February – March
Celebrating 40 Years!
One of the largest winter mountain festivals on the West Coast
Multi-day event. Parade, snow sculpture contest, dog pull, polar bear swim, youth hockey and snow golfing. Hawaiian luau, clam bake, hot wings, rib-fest and a pancake breakfast.
Since 1911, one of the oldest annual events in California. Celebrating the love of citrus on the West Coast.
Carnival rides, food, vendors,, photography contest, baking contest, home show & local music.
690 S. Arrowhead Avenue
San Bernardino, CA 92408
909-888-6788
Annual event; April
San Bernardino CA
60+ years of this local Flower Festival. Parade, carnival, arts & crafts.
Annual event; May
805-735-8511
Lompoc Valley Festival Association (LVFA)
414 W. Ocean Ave
Lompoc, CA 93436
Parade, Rodeo, Carnival Rides, Frog Jumping Contests, Food & Craft Booths, Epitaph, Costume & Whiskerino Contests, Line Dancing, Gold Panning, Wood Carving, Pet Parade, Blue Grass & Country Western, Art Show, Gunfighters….
Annual event; February
always held on Presidents Day weekend
Kernville Chamber of Commerce
760-376-2629
(866) KERNVILLE
for those seeking the wilder side of camping out
Week-long event; Black Rock Desert NV
Everyone (who is anyone) has heard of this massive annual desert party by now. The historic bon fire event that started in Santa Cruz in 1986 and then moved out to the deserts of Nevada. Way north of Reno!
The event is getting bigger by the decades, so expect a mind altering experience with tens of thousands of well-decorated lost souls. Advanced tickets are required.
Art cars, construction, costumes, pyrotechnics, live bands, music DJs, the playa dust & summer desert camping w/ 70,000 other freaks in the temporary set up of Black Rock City.
BRC = Black Rock City
NPR said about Burning Man, “Once considered an underground gathering for bohemians and free spirits of all stripes, Burning Man has since evolved into a destination for social media influencers, celebrities and the Silicon Valley elite.”
Annual event; August
The Oakland Black Cowboy Association is best known for the Black Cowboy Parade & Festival, the only celebration of its kind in the U.S.A. This parade is held in memory of the black cowboys that helped to settle the American West.
Annual event; October
One day event
Newport Beach California hosts a Wooden Boat Festival w/ Character Boat Parade in mid summer. More than 60 classic & contemporary wooden pleasure crafts. Model boat building contest, exhibits, lectures, food, entertainment.
POSTPONED to 2023
Annual event; July
714-673-5070
Nearly 30 years running the La Honda Fair and Music Festival is located in the Santa Cruz redwoods. Music, arts and crafts.
Annual event: September
8865 La Honda Road (Hwy 84)
La Honda, CA
facebook.com/La-Honda-Fair-Music-Festival
Annual food & art festival is one of the most popular events; includes performances by 2 professional bands, dancers, magicians & street performers, as well as an art exhibit and artist demonstrations. A family area features musical performances for kids, hands-on art projects and face painting. Food and beverages are served by 30+ area restaurants.
Brea Civic & Cultural Center
1 Civic Center Circle
Brea, California
Annual event; August
714-990-7771
Brea, CA
San Diego hosts a Latin American Festival to celebrate Hispanic culture. People can take in a variety of demonstrations, entertainment, & feast on Mexican cuisine at this free weekend event.
Bazaar del Mundo’s annual festival presents one of the nation’s most extensive collections of authentic Mexican folk art, traditional clothing and textiles, colorful collectibles and dazzling jewelry, plus entertainment and Mexican cuisine.
Annual event; August
619-296-3161
Bazaar del Mundo
Old Town San Diego
Mountain lilac bushes bloom annually in the mountains of Southern California. Over 30 years of local mountain fun and flora in PMC.
Festivities begin on Saturday morning with a Lilac Festival Parade down Mil Potrero Hwy. Helicopter rides, arts & crafts booths, food vendors, golf tournament, horseshoe tournament, live music and entertainment. Located in the Pine Mountain Club Village Center, inside Los Padres National Forest.
Annual event; May
44+ years running!
A platform for the regional wine industry and community of wine lovers. Locations, attractions, tours and shuttles vary each year. Mouth watering experience from both the wineries and purveyors of food. Along with these two ingredients live music, a winning combination. Wine, Food, Music!
annual event: June
360-693-6023
Calabasas Pumpkin Festival is a lively street fair along Lost Hills Road; Games & Rides at Juan Bautista De Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Rd, Calabasas, California
Annual event; October
818-222-5680
Located in the California Central Valley farming region in Lodi, California. Carnival games, rides, entertainment, livestock & animals, wine tasting, square dancing, arts & crafts.
Annual event; September
209-369-2771
Summertime warms up and being outdoors is THE plan. The Russian River Jazz & Blues Festival is held annually near the redwood forests of Guerneville, California. Located of event is Johnson’s Beach – right on the Russian River. This is a great opportunity to camp out in the inland, North Coast region. Plenty beach parks & campgrounds nearby.
Annual event; June
707-869-1595
30 years running, this Redondo Beach event is a hot hit, especially for beach-goers near Los Angeles, California
3 day event held at the Seaside Lagoon next to King Harbor, just north of the Redondo Beach Pier. Live music, entertainment, lobster recipes, celebrity chefs, craft beer, kids activities and vendor booths.
Annual event; October
310-376-6911
Bluegrass Festival. Hot air balloons, vendor booths, & lost of music & food. Two day lineup of traditional and progressive Bluegrass bands brings together music lovers from all walks of life. 40+ years running.
Southern California
2022 LOCATION UNKNOWN
Annual event; June
951-341-8080
Eastern Sierra tradition dating back to 1969
Bishop California host the infamous Mule Days Celebration. Always Memorial Day weekend . Mules compete in events. Part mule show, part test of skills, and part Wild West. Thursday night concert, featuring Country Music stars, the longest running non-motorized parade on Saturday morning, Steer roping and penning, and the Packer’s Scramble.
Annual event; May
Memorial Day weekend
BISHOP CA
2 weekends long, Dana Point host this festival celebrating Whale Watching. Street Fair features arts and crafts booths, including food vendors and live entertainment.
Annual event; March
949-496-5794
Big weekend event in Downtown Fairfield. Festival on Texas Street (Pennsylvania Avenue to Union Street)
Farmers Market, Tomato Alley, Tomato Eating Contest, Free Tomato Sampling, BBQ, car show, arts, crafts, live music, tons-O-food and plenty street vendors.
Annual event; August
707-422-0103
Long Beach Shoreline Aquatic Park
Annual event; November
5 years running on the Central Coast. Held in downtown Paso Robles City Park, in north San Luis Obispo County.
Producers from all over California, Olive Oil Tasting, Culinary Row, Wine & Beer Tasting and now with lavender!
Annual event: July
805-238-4103
Huntington Beach host the annual surfing contest. Top surfers from around the world, a mix of action sports superstars of skate, BMX and freestyle motocross, as well as top musical talent – all combined in a festival atmosphere for a week-long youth cultural experience that will thrill and excite hundreds of thousands of spectators in beautiful Huntington Beach.
Annual event; July
this festival is now known as the Surf ‘n’ Suds Beer Festival or shorter the Surf Beer Fest
Over 70 craft breweries, ciders, kombucha, seltzers, and wine. Surf ‘n’ Suds includes live music, street fair vendors and food trucks. Surfboards shapers, local non-profits, plenty of shade and free water stations.
San Buenaventura State Beach
901 San Pedro Street
Ventura, California
Annual event; October
One day event
805-323-5691
Saint Sophia Cathedral
@ Pico & Normandie
The largest, most celebrated, and iconic representation of Greek food and culture in Los Angeles. Voted as the must-attend event of September by Los Angeles Magazine, the LA Greek Fest is your passport to Greece right here in your own backyard. LA Greek Fest attracts thousands of guests for each day of festivities for an unforgettable celebration of food, wine, dance, games and performances and one-of-a-kind cultural experience. Authentic Greek Food and Pastries. Greek Wines and Beers. Live Greek Music and Folk Dancing. Arts and Crafts. Raffle.
Annual event: September
323-737-2424
MLFF: Mammoth Lakes Film Festival
#mlfilmfest
A multi-day festival that screens independent features and shorts in the spectacular setting of Mammoth Lakes and the ruggedly beautiful Eastern Sierra. Traditionally held on Memorial Day weekend. There used to be a “Mammoth Mountain Film Festival”, but I guess this event replaces it.
Annual event: May
on Memorial Day weekend
Mammoth Lakes, CA
Join old-fashioned fun in the sun all weekend in the Shasta area! McCloud’s Main Street Parade, vendor’s booths, nightly dance w/live music, baseball tournament, children’s events, horseshoe tournament, logging competitions, food, family games.
2022 marks the 75th anniversary for this event!
Annual event; July
530-964-2718
BIRDERS unite under the Pacific Flyway
20+ years running, the Snow Goose Festival’s mission is to increase public awareness, understanding, appreciation and conservation of the diverse wildlife and unique habitats of the northern Sacramento Valley.
Workshops and field trips; advanced reservations online
Annual event; January
530-592-9092
Southern California Desert. Indio in the Coachella Valley holds the International Tamale Festival every December: Food Network-TV ranked the Indio International Tamale Festival in the top 10 “All-American Food Festivals” in the nation!
Annual event; December
There are many celebrations for the Holidays: Christmas & New Years throughout California. This list is just a small sampling of the events.
Angels Camp CA
Christmas Parade
209-736-1333
angelscampbusiness.com
Atascadero CA
Winter Wonderland
visitatascadero.com
Auburn CA
Country Christmas Festival
800-427-6463
oldtownauburnca.com
Avalon CA
New Years Eve on Catalina Island
Bishop CA
Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony
760-873-8405
Boulder Creek CA
Drive-Thru Living Nativity
@ 12465 Highway 9
831-338-3700
El Cajon CA
Drive-Thru Nativity
@ 1630 E. Madison Ave
619-444-0763
Eureka CA
Truckers Christmas Parade
Felton CA
Holiday Lights Train
Holiday Tree Walk
roaringcamp.com
Ferndale CA
Holiday Tractor Parade
Fairfield CA
Holiday Night of Lights
fairfielddowntown.com
Grass Valley CA
Cornish Christmas
Huntington Beach CA
Cruise of Lights Boat Tour
cruiseoflights.org
Livermore CA
Trinity Live Nativity
925-449-4212
trinitylivermore.org
Newport Beach CA
Christmas Light Boat Parade
714-729-4400
Nevada City CA
Victorian Christmas
nevadacitychamber.com
Oakland CA
Holiday Yacht Parade
near Jack London Square
Oceanside CA
Live Nativity @
Martin Luther King Jr. Park
760-947-3200
Roseville CA
Christmas Keepers Faire
877-742-7066
Salinas CA
Streets of Bethlehem
831-422-9872
streetsofbethlehem.com
San Diego CA
Big Bay Balloon Parade
holidaybowl.com
San Jose CA
Christmas in the Park
408-995-6635
Santa Rosa CA
Drive-Thru Live Nativity
707-578-8883
Sausalito CA
Lighted Yacht Parade
South Lake Tahoe CA
Valhalla Holiday Gala
Yosemite Valley CA
Bracebridge Dinner
@ The Ahwahnee
This is a Greek Festival in the Balboa Park area of San Diego, on Park Blvd @ corner of Cypress. Greek Orthodox church, Saint Spyridon, holds this very popular food & dance festival during “June Gloom”. If it’s sunny, it’s a rare treat. But you’ll be heated up on the dance floor learning all those traditional Greek dances, right?
Saint Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church
3655 Park Boulevard
San Diego, California 92103
Annual event; June
619-297-4165
San Diego’s first mission celebrates the annual Festival of the Bells. Located in Mission Valley @ Mission San Diego de Alcala, 10818 San Diego Mission Road
Annual event; July
619-283-7319
A 2 month long celebration of artists on the Orange County coast. Laguna Beach host the ever popular Sawdust Festival of Arts for over 56 years. Live music on 3 stages, roving musicians & circus acts. Local artists, food & open art galleries.
Annual event; July-August
Napa Valley Chamber Music Festival. Music in the Vineyards is held in Yountville California. Napa wine country.
Annual event; August
707-258-5559
From 5-9pm the whole community is invited to share in the holiday fun. Crafters and artists will have their wares on sale for that special one-of-a-kind Christmas gift. Great food and entertainment, pictures with Santa. Shops and restaurants open. Holiday Open House in all the old town village shops!
Annual event; December – multiple days
(2 different Saturday nights)
Old Town Auburn
Auburn, CA
530-888-1585
30+ tears running. The Annual California Strawberry Festival gets underway mid-May, at Strawberry Meadows of College Park in Oxnard (3250 South Rose Avenue). Live music, over 300 Arts & Crafts vendors, 50 food booths; Strawberry Promenade, Star Berry Hunt, & Strawberryland.
Annual event; May
Held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California (in the Palm Springs Coachella Valley). Festival running over 25 years now featuring more than 250 Artists.
Annual event; January
One day event. Paso Robles Pioneer Day was established in 1931, providing a day of community friendship and a commemoration of the heritage of the north county San Luis Obispo area.
Annual Event: October
805-238-2038
Reyes Adobe Days is held in the City of Agoura Hills, California. Carshow, parade & 5k run. The parade starts at Forest Cove Lane and travels along Thousand Oaks Boulevard to the Reyes Adobe Historical Site.
Families can experience California culture, past and present, with free museum tours, a music stage, interactive historical demonstrations, children’s history scavenger hunt, horse competition, pony rides, inflatables and carnival games, Victorian games, beer garden and food vendors.
30400 Rainbow Crest Drive
(next to Reyes Adobe Park)
Agoura Hills, California
Annual event; October
818-597-7361
Showcases hundreds of films from around the world. Food and wine parties.
Annual event; October
4 days of live music on the North Coast of California, with 8 Stages and 40 bands. Featuring Dixieland, Blues, Zydeco and so much more. From the Arkley Center to the historic Eureka Theater we invite you to enjoy great music in our extraordinary venues. Free shuttles.
NOTE: event has recently moved from the month of March to September
Annual event; September
707 445-3378
Oceanside California, on the San Diego north coast, host a Harbor Days Festival every October. Fishing derby, boat building competition, street carnival.
Annual event; September
Near 40 years running, this small town festival in Napa’s wine country is quite a draw for locals and families. One day event!
Annual event; October
707-944-8851
Catalina Island & Avalon are known for this event world wide, held at the Avalon Casino Ballroom. 3 weekends long! This music event has been running 35 years & has some big sponsors from Los Angeles Jazz Radio.
Annual event; October
866-872-9849
AVALON CA
Catalina Island
every autumn at Old Mill Park
This Fall Arts Festival is long running and highly competitive art festival that attracts hundreds of artists, many local and some from as far as Hawaii and New York. Thousands of art lovers come from all over the Bay Area to this beloved festival to stroll through the redwood park and discover treasures under the trees: sculpture, painting, ceramics, photography, textiles, woodwork – over 15 media categories that are sure to appeal to all artistic tastes. The festival represents the finest collection of arts and crafts in the country to view and purchase.
Annual event: September
415-381-8090
Old Mill Park,
320 Throckmorton Avenue
Mill Valley, CA
Held along Palmetto Avenue in Pacifica, is a weekend arts and crafts fair with over 190 arts and craft booths, live entertainment, plenty of tasty food and drink to please any appetite. Since 1986!
Annual event; September
650-355-4122
Feather River Fish Hatchery, Feather River Nature Center and Riverbend Park
On the Feather River between Historic Downtown Oroville and the Fish Hatchery, the town bursts with fish-flavored activities during the annual Salmon Festival. Friday night starts @ Feather River Nature Center for dinner & dance. Saturday brings on the fun, food, music and vendors on Main Street. Lots of great local info – salmon recipes, water/drought, fishing and environmental issues. Big pancake breakfast, a farmer’s market, live music, a craft fair, clowns, rides for the kids. Hatchery tours. The Bounty of Butte County will be located atop Myers Street, next to the Municipal Auditorium leading into Salmon Court. FREE to attend and tastes sold as desired. There will be food demonstrations, local food vendors, restaurant tastings and so much more.
Annual event; September
530-538-2542
Designed to demonstrate where our food and drinks come from, the Farm-to-Fork Festival has proven to be one of the Sacramento region’s most popular events. The free event, hosted on the city’s iconic Capitol Mall boasts an exciting selection of farm-to-fork offerings that are produced and available in the Sacramento region. Attendees will find food, wine and beer from regional eateries and purveyors, as well as farmers markets, live music, cooking demonstrations, local grocers, farms and ranches, vendor booths and much more.
Annual event: September
916-808-7777
A good ole country style fair in the heart of SoCal. The 40th+ annual event, music and art festival in Silverado Canyon, Orange County. Explore the wonders of canyon history and culture, music, tasty food, handmade arts and crafts, games and silly contests, all nestled under the oak trees below the infamous Saddleback Mountain. Wild West theme! Folk, Country, Bluegrass, and Classic Rock bands will entertain through 2 days.
Annual event: October
714-649-2411
714-649-2820
MJF stands for Monterey Jazz Festival: One of the most popular, well known, Jazz Festivals in California. This special one on the Monterey Bay has been going on near 60 years. And we’re not kidding on the popularity of this event.
Annual event; September
San Diego holds a couple of Greek Festivals during the year & this one is located in the North County Coastal area of Cardiff. Greek food, live music, dancing and marketplace. Saints Constantine & Helen Orthodox Church, 3459 Manchester Ave. Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA 92007
Annual event; September
760-942-0920
Celebrating 50+ years of traditional Scottish games, music & dancing. Highland dancers, Irish step dancers, pipe band competitions, British food & crafts, Scottish athletic competitions. This Monterey event is held on the beautiful grounds of the Hyatt Regency Monterey.
Celtic Concerts; Monterey County Celtic Week; Monterey Bay School of Piping & Drumming.
Annual event; July
Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Scotts Valley Sky Park is the place to be in late summer for a wine festival – with artwork displays.
Annual event; August
Culver City on the westside of Los Angeles hosts a Summer Sunset Music Festival all summer long. This annual summer music series is presented in the City Hall Courtyard and normally runs on Thursday evenings starting in June and continues through the end of August.
Annual event; all summer
Culver City’s Boulevard Music Summer Festival
25+ years of Salsa @ the annual Oxnard Salsa Festival, on the Ventura coastline. Spicy food, hot music & cool ocean breezes welcome you to the regions biggest Latin celebration. Salsa tasting & competition. Live music, dancing & great Mexican foods.
Annual event; July
Annual Santa Barbara French Festival coincides with France’s Bastille Day Weekend. 40 acts on 3 stages. The Largest French Celebration in Western US. A great weekend for fabulous food, dancing, and a celebration of everything French.
Annual event; July
An abundance of tasty citrus, from fresh fruit samples offered by local growers to market products featuring the Sierra foothill’s mandarin oranges. Thousands of filled orange mesh bags await and jams, jellies, infused olive oils, balsamic vinegar, barbecue sauces and body care products are all available for purchase. Visitors are delighted to discover that the food vendors offer everything from mandarin pizza to mandarin glazed wings, mandarin doughnuts and mandarin pulled pork, just to name a few.
1273 High Street, Auburn CA
916-663-1918
Annual Event; November
AUBURN CA
The Rivertown Jamboree is a music festival on the California Delta Waterway. Boat races, jet ski races, car shows.
Annual event: April
Antioch, CA
925-757-0972
Santa Barbara California holds a celebration of kites day. Fly high on the coast of beauty. 35 years running. Held at the Santa Barbara City College One day event.
Annual event; April
The Tet Festival
Tet is the Vietnamese New Year that is started in the first day of the Lunar New Year. The celebration lasts for seven day. Like the Chinese, the Lunar New Year is one of the most celebrated holidays.
Orange County, California
Annual: February
714-576-6411
Redwood forests with sweet tunes out-of-doors, at the river.
THIRTY YEARS running – this is an epic NorCal summertime music event. The celebration of reggae music in Northern California, at French’s Camp – right on the Eel River. Glorious surroundings, excellent redwoods camping all over the region!
Annual event; August
707-923 3368
The California Delta was once a much larger area, where migratory birds flocked year after year. Lodi celebrates the Season of the Crane
Annual event; November
This Pumpkin Festival is the one in Half Moon Bay, up near San Francisco. Been running nearly 50 years. Traditional, wholesome, family fun outdoor weekend on the coast near the Bay Area. Plenty of Campgrounds and Lodging nearby for visitors.
Annual event; October
Main Street in Kelseyville comes alive,w/ this family-focused event to showcase the areas history, agritourism, local businesses, craftsmen and community services. This is a fun filled day that starts off with a home town parade. Festivities include three stages with musicians, dancers and cloggers; horse demonstrations; antique car, engine and tractor shows; quilt shows; art shows and an entire pavilion devoted to all things ‘pear.’ Food vendors offer an array of scrumptious selections. Wine and beer tasting along with pear margaritas round out the choices. Pear pies and desserts always sell out.
Annual event; September
(one day only)
707-279 9022
For over 100 years Pacific Grove has celebrated its history & culture with a summer festival called the Feast of Lanterns. This Festival has lantern parade to the beach and fireworks over the Monterey Bay; A community event filled with entertainment.
Annual event; July
Mendocino Music Festival is a summer festival featuring orchestral and chamber music, opera, jazz and big band.
Annual event; July
707-937-2044
Often misspelled as Cochella; Coachella, California is a small, agriculture desert town just east of Indio, way out past the green lawns of Palm Springs CA. Date palm groves, on the north edge of the Salton Sea. No one had ever heard of this area before the large, commercial, music festival took over. This concert event is a SoCal ritual for Spring, out in the desert east of Los Angeles; it attracts thousands every year with top performers always headlining.
Coachella Valley Music
Annual event; April
www.coachella.com/
Live jazz festival in South Bay. 1 weekend, 80+ performances, 10 stages located downtown San Jose CA Come experience all flavors of jazz: Blues, Latin, Salsa, big band, jazz and more. International & homegrown favorites, jazz legends , plus rising stars.
Annual event; August
Mexican celebration of the 5th of May. This seems like another pseudo-holiday that got taken over by the beer manufacturers & their marketing departments. In California you’ll see poster advertisements on every cantina window months in advance. This is not Mexico’s Independence Day, as many so erroneously think. More information on the holiday Cinco de Mayo, see below –
http://www.vivacincodemayo.org/history.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinco_de_Mayo
Various Cities & Towns in California
Some of the events to mention –
Los Angeles @ Olvera Street; 213-628-1274
http://www.cincodemayolosangeles.com
San Diego Old Town – Fiesta Cinco de Mayo
http://www.fiestacincodemayo.com
Santa Barbara Festival
http://www.cincodemayosb.com
The Strawberry Festival is always held Memorial Day weekend. A parade highlights Saturday’s festivities as it winds its way to the festival grounds; Garden Grove CA
Annual event; May
Hot Air Balloons, live music, wine tasting, food. Held at Lake Skinner, located at 37701 Warren Rd., Winchester, CA
Annual event; June
Temecula Balloon & Wine Festival
http://www.tvbwf.com
