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
Cal Expo & State Fair
For over 165 years, the California State Fair has showcased the progress and advancements of agricultural industry. 17-day event with carnival rides & games, numerous exhibits, livestock, plus local wines, cheeses, craft beers, cannabis, olive oils, and fine arts.
1600 Exposition Blvd
Sacramento, CA 95815-5199
916-263-3000
Annual event; July
Sacramento CA
In 1854 the first California State Fair was held in San Francisco.
Travel was a hardship for many in those days so organizers arranged for the Fair to move locations each year. Sacramento, San Jose, Stockton, and Marysville hosted the Fair for the subsequent four years. Pioneer residents quickly recognized tremendous riches in the fertile soil and so California’s number one industry, agriculture, was born. The Fair was the yearly source of entertainment and education for early settlers, drawing huge crowds of as many as 15,000 on a single day.
When the Fair returned to Sacramento in 1859, a decision was made to find a permanent home. Sacramento was a bustling city with more than 2,500 buildings and a newly installed water system using two and a half miles of pipe. Six square blocks between E and H Streets from 20th to 22nd Streets were bought with monies raised through a special election and contributions from local citizens. This site was called Capitol Park. One aspect of those early Fairs that deserves special mention is the significance of the horse.
Tulare is located in the California Central Valley (the “bread basket”) – so summers can still be quite warm, or should we say HOT, even in September.
Big county fair for this farming region. Agriculture shows, auctions, destruction derby, exhibits, competitions, 4H livestock, parade, rodeo, tractor pull and much more. Don’t miss the delicious Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Cook-Off and the Tri-Tip Cook-Off. Carnival rides and carnival games too.
Annual event; September
Tulare County Fair Assoc.
620 South K St.
Tulare, CA 93274
559-686-4707
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
Weaverville Chamber of Commerce & E Clampus Vitus (ECV #62) present NorCal’s summertime CarShow in Weaverville, a highlight of the Trinity River region. This classic auto display is held at a beautiful small town location & it’s been running for years. Event festivities spread out between the SuperMarket parking lot and Lee Fong Park, near downtown Weaverville, California; Camping & fishing are superb in these forests at this time of year. Make a long weekend of it!
Enjoy raffle prizes, Clamper breakfast, raffles, vendors, VFW Tri-Tip Lunch, Music, Shuttle Service to Historic Downtown Weaverville beginning 10 am Saturday.
This auto show event may have been previously referred to as “Car Show in The Park”
Annual event; June
530-623-6101
weavervillecarshow.com
Departs from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through the streets of Santa Cruz as passengers lend their voices to holiday carols, sip hot spiced cider and listen to musical entertainment while Santa visits the little ones, or the young at heart! Continue the merriment with your choice of arcade games, mini-golf or laser tag at Santa’s Kingdom at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Bring the whole family for festive fun.
Annual event: December
multiple days
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
MBFair
Manhattan Beach Fair is every October & a great day to go out to the beaches of Los Angles County. Weekend festivities begins with a 10k race and a parade. Music, vendor booths, art exhibits, food & wine/beer.
This Los Angles county beach destination has been doing this event for 45+ years! Since this is LA and parking is horrible, shuttles are available from Aviation Avenue.
Annual event; October
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
Central Coast Bike Race / Bike Rally / Bike Ride
This bicycle event has been held 40+ years & is a major Memorial Day weekend event for the Central Coast wine country. Rides from 5 to 100 miles! Vendor Market Place, Bike Swap and BBQ
Annual event: May
866-909-4927
San Diego Parade of Lights
San Diego Bay
San Diego, CA
619-224-2240
www.sdparadeoflights.org
OceansideParade of Lights
Oceanside CA
Oceanside Yacht Club
www.oceansideyc.net
Dana Point Harbor Boat Parade of Lights
Dana Point, CA
949-923-2255
www.danapointharbor.com
Cruise of Lights Boat Parade
Huntington Beach, CA
www.cruiseoflights.org
Christmas Boat Parade & Fireworks
Newport Beach, CA
100 years running!
www.christmasboatparade.com
Naples Christmas Boat Parade
Belmont Shores @ Naples Canals
South Long Beach, CA
www.naplesca.com
Long Beach Parade of 1000 Lights
Downtown Shoreline Marina
Shoreline Yacht Club
Long Beach, CA
www.shorelineyachtclub.com/event
LA Harbor Holiday Afloat Parade
Long Beach Area
San Pedro, CA
310-549-8111
www.portoflosangeles.org/community/calendar
Redondo Beach Christmas Boat Parade
Redondo Beach King Harbor @ Los Angeles
Redondo Beach, CA
King Harbor Yacht Club
310-376-2459
www.khyc.org
Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade
West Los Angeles California
Marina del Rey, CA
www.mdrboatparade.org
Venice Canals Holiday Boat Parade
West Los Angeles
Venice Beach, CA
310-809-8100
www.venicechristmasboatparade.com
Oxnard Parade of Lights
Marine Emporium Landing
Oxnard, CA
805-985-5828
www.marineemporiumlanding.com
Ventura Parade of Lights Boat Parade & Fireworks
Ventura Harbor Village
Ventura, CA
805-477-0470
www.venturaharborvillage.com
Santa Barbara Parade of Lights
Santa Barbara, CA
805-963-0611
www.santabarbaraca.gov
Morro Bay Christmas Boat Parade
Morro Bay Embarcadero
Morro Bay, CA
805-772-4467
Bethel Island Lighted Boat Parade
San Joaquin Boat Parade @ the California Delta
Bethel Island, CA
San Joaquin Yacht Club
925-684-9985
www.sjyc.org
Fisherman’s Wharf Lights & Sights Boat Parade
Pier 39, Aquatic Park
San Francisco, CA
415-673-3530
www.visitfishermanswharf.com
Oakland Lighted Yacht Parade
Alemeda Estuary
Oakland, CA
925-413-3845
www.lightedyachtparade.com
Petaluma Holiday Lighted Boat Parade
Petaluma River Turning Basin
Petaluma, CA
707-769-0429
www.visitpetaluma.com
Santa Cruz Harbor Boat Parade
Santa Cruz Harbor
Santa Cruz, CA
Santa Cruz Yacht Club
831-425-0690
www.scyc.org
Sausalito Lighted Yacht Parade
Sausalito Yacht Club
Sausalito, CA
415.332-7400
www.sausalitoyachtclub.org
Delta Reflections Lighted Boat Parade
McCloud Lake @ Downtown Waterfront
Stockton, CA
Marine West Yacht Club
209-477-7653
www.mwyc.org