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