Category Archives: Wine/Beer/Culinary

Apple Days in Springville

Springville Apple Festival Images

Springville Apple Festival

Western Sierra. The sleepy foothills town on Hwy 190, Springville California, holds their annual Apple Festival near the Tule River & the Sierra Nevada mountains. Enjoy apple burritos, apple pies, apple tamales and apple cobblers!

Craft and food vendors, costume contest. 5k & 10k runs (Apple Run) Celebrating 40 years on this local event.

Annual event; October
One day event
559-202-6904

SPRINGVILLE CA

springvilleapplefestival.com

 

CONSUMERISM #3 of 100 Stranger Critters

Adams Avenue Street Fair

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Adams Avenue Street Fair

One of the largest FREE music street fairs in California. Over 90 live music acts on 7 stages, 4 beer gardens, Giant Carnival rides and 300 craft & food vendors.

Two day Music Festival covers many blocks of Adams Avenue, only a few miles from downtown San Diego. Held in late summer near 35th Street to 32nd Street. Adams Ave Street Fair is Southern California local fun.

Annual event; September

San Diego, CA

adamsavenuebusiness.com/event-info/adams-avenue-street-fair

Adams Avenue Street Fair

Adams Ave San Diego

Jan Alexander took this image in 2007, when he visited San Diego & Jeannie.

Abbot Kinney Festival

ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL 2011 (09.24.11)

Abbot Kinney Festival
Venice Beach Street Fair

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

Venice, CA

abbotkinney.org

 

crowd shot

ABBOT KINNEY FESTIVAL 2011 (09.24.11)

Los Angeles - Venice: The Brig Venice - Abbot Kinney Festival

Banana Festival

Healthy Banana and Friends!

Sac Banana Fest
Sacramento Banana Festival

Held in Sacramento @ William Land Park

5k run/walk on Saturday and a Kids Banana Split Eating Contest. Enjoy a day filled with fun, food, live entertainment, and exhibits. The event benefits the National Academic Youth Corps, which provides art and educational programs for young people in Sacramento, as well as over a dozen other worthy local charities.

Annual event: August
916-800-3478

Sacramento, CA

facebook.com/BananaFestival

Community Drummers

Kids Banana Split Eating Contest

Asparagus Festival

Deep-fried Asparagus

Stockton Asparagus Festival
San Joaquin Asparagus Fest

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

visitstockton.org/events/san-joaquin-asparagus-festival

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Benicia Waterfront Festival

Benicia Boats Bridge Tower Water Blue Bay

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

BENICIA CA

beniciamainstreet.org/benicia-events/annual

Benicia, California

Murphys Irish Day

gocalaveras.com
photo credit Jim Last

Murphy’s Irish Day

3rd Saturday in March

#MID-  MURPHYS IRISH DAY

One of the premier annual events, where thousands of people gather in the historic gold rush town of Murphys Camp to honor its Celtic heritage – and to celebrate as only the Irish can.

Parade, live music, jugglers, antique cars, horses, bagpipes, with village shops and restaurants all open. The picturesque Main Street is filled with booths offering handcrafted items, original art, photographs, tasty food, wine, and beverages.

Sponsored by the
Murphys Business Association

Annual event: March
One day event

Murphys, CA

visitmurphys.com/murphys-irish-day

 

Irish Day parade
photo credit Jim Last

#gocalaveras
#visitgoldcountry

Avocado Festival in Carpinteria

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The Avo Fest, Carpinteria

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

CARPINTERIA CA

avofest.com

 

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Artichoke Festival

artichokebloom

Artichoke Festival

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

artichokefestival.org

 

58 counties

Gravenstein Apple Fair

Gravenstein Apple Fair

Sebastopol Apple Festival

Gravenstein Apple Fair

Every August Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol, California provides a beautiful location for an annual celebration of Sonoma County agriculture. The Gravenstein Apple Fair, sponsored by Sonoma County Farm Trails, showcases the best in arts, crafts, food, wines and brews, games, entertainment and farm life activities.

Annual event; August
707-837-8896

Sebastopol CA

farmtrails.org/event/gravenstein-apple-fair

 

Hay Bale Maze

California WorldFest

Watermelon Summer

California World Festival
Calif World Fest

WorldFest Grass Valley

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

GRASS VALLEY CA

worldfest.net

 
 

Worldfest beat drumming

Bracebridge Dinner, Yosemite

Ahwahnee Dining Room

Bracebridge Dinner
at The Ahwahnee Hotel

Yosemite Valley, California

Celebrated annually since 1927, the Bracebridge Dinner transforms The Ahwahnee Dining Room into a Old English-era hall boasting Christmas cheer, beautiful music and a gourmet seven-course meal. The inspiration for this yuletide ceremony was Washington Irving’s Sketch Book that described Squire Bracebridge and English Christmas traditions of that period.

The Bracebridge Dinner is an elegant and artistic four-hour pageant of classic carols, Renaissance rituals and entertainment of the Middle Ages. More than 100 players create the roles of the Squire and his family, their servants, the Lord of Misrule, minstrels and other performers. The Ahwahnee Dining Room serves as the Great Hall and stage for the festivities and is decked with magnificent wreaths, an elaborate squire’s table, large banners and traditional Yuletide decorations.

Annual event, multiple nights: December

Yosemite National Park, CA

travelyosemite.com/things-to-do/specialty-events/holiday-events

 

Winter Wonderland. _DSC1280

Original Lobster Festival

Long Beach Lobster Festival

Long Beach Lobster Festival is now held in a new location, and is renamed:

The Original Lobster Festival

This event has been running over 25 years now. This Original Lobster Festival has become a tradition to over thousands of festival goers annually.

The event combines local popular artists, Swing, Salsa, R&B/Motown, Decades 70s/80s Dance Bands. Plus tons of Fresh Live Maine Lobsters steamed in the World’s Largest Cooker prepared and served by a Master Chef for that mouth watering taste, giant food court, children’s area, dance floor, two stages and beach bars to create the largest Lobster Festival outside of Maine.

Fountain Valley Sports Park
16400 Brookhurst Street
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Annual event: September
562-495-5959

originallobsterfestival.com

 

Long Beach Lobster Festival

Monterey Wine Festival

Monterey Wine Festival (from outside)

The Monterey Wine Festival

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

MONTEREY, CA

montereywine.com

Fiesta Hermosa Beach

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Fiesta Hermosa
Hermosa Beach Street Fair

This long running beach block party is always held on the extended Memorial Day Weekend – kicking off the summer months. 3 days of live music, art, food & fun.

Annual event; May

HERMOSA BEACH CA

fiestahermosa.net

 

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Calabasas Pumpkin Festival

Long Lines for Food

Pumpkin Fest in Calabasas
calabasaspumpkinfestival

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

calabasaschamber.com/pumpkin-festival

Lobster Festival Redondo

Redondo Pier

Redondo Beach Lobster Festival

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

REDONDO BEACH California

redondolobsterfestival.com

 

Cracking lobster

Draft Horse Classic

Bath Time

Draft Horse Classic & Harvest Fair

The annual Draft Horse Classic, is combined with a Harvest Faire & Taste of the Gold Country in Grass Valley California.

Nevada County Fairgrounds
11228 McCourtney Rd
Grass Valley, California

Annual event; September
530-273-6217

GRASS VALLEY CA

nevadacountyfair.com/draft-horse-classic

Tomato Festival Fairfield

Tomato Alley

Fairfield’s Tomato Festival

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

visitfairfieldca.com/blog/top-5-reasons-to-attend-fairfields-tomato-vine-festival/

fairfieldmainstreet.com

Tomato Tasting