August Festival California

August is one of California's finest months for festival celebrations. After July's Independence Day Celebrations it is no stretch to keep the momentum going. Among the fun events are a handful of zoo celebrations, as well as those listed below.

GRAEAGLE: Graeagle Art Festival August 19-20, 2023, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.  Graeagle Park Location: 8989 Highway 89, P.O. Box 1043 P.O. Box 1043 Graeagle , Ca 96103  professionalartistsandcrafters.com

CULVER CITY: Fiesta La Ballona August 25-26, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Park. Includes a carnival, band and concerts, food vendors, games, entertainment, and more. Location: 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City, CA. fiestalaballona.org   
Music lineup:  Jazz Hands For Autism Featuring Dj Bigg Plush, Detour, Dj B Diamond, Masanga Marimba, Bootscoot Bosses, Brad Johnson & The Killin' Time, Low Coast, So Rad, Savor

CHULA VISTA: South Bay Pride Art & Music Festival August 26, 2025, Bayside Park. Fantastic Live Bands, DJs and Dancing, Artisans galore with Great Food, Beverages and Cocktails throughout the event, Beach Activities, and much more! Chula Vista, CA   southbaypride.org

BENICIA: Benicia Peddler's Fair August 12, 2023, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
beniciapeddlersfair.org
300 Vendors, Benicia Restaurants, Unique Stores on First St
Address: First Street from J to the waterfront, Benicia, CA

SAN DIEGO: Artwalk Liberty Station August 4-6, 2023
Ingram Plaza, NTC Liberty Station, 2751 Dewey Road, San Diego, CA
artwalksandiego.org
Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Sunday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Family-fun festival featuring Arts & Crafts with special section for juried, handcrafted fine arts & crafts, Gourmet Food Booths and beer & wine pavilion.

CARDIFF: Dog Days of Summer Canine Festival July 16, 2023 (moved from August of last year) 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Encinitas Community Park
425 Santa Fe Dr.
Beer & wine garden, food trucks, Dog Contests such as Cutest Puppy, Best Looking Big Dog, Best Looking Small Dog, Best Kisser, Best Dressed and Dog/Owner Look-A-Like. 
cardiff101.com

CAMARILLO: Wings Over Camarillo August 19-20, 2023 Location: 555 Airport Way Camarillo, California $, wingsovercamarillo.com 

TEHACHAPI: Tehachapi Mountain Festival August 18-20, 2023.  Location: Tehachapi, California tehachapimountainfestival.com 

VENTURA: Spencer Makenzie's  Throw Down Corn Hole Tournament August 25-27, 2023
Corn hole tournament and freeplay, accompanied by a DJ with food and drink available for purchase. Lawn chairs OK. Location: Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura CA, spencermakenzies.com 

GUALALA: Art in the Redwoods Festival August 17-20, 2023
Gualala Arts Center
Gualala, CA
$, gualalaarts.org
Art in the Redwoods Festival, the most popular and largest North Coast art show in California. Artists and artisans are invited to show and sell their works and to compete for generous awards, which include cash prizes and ribbons.

SCOTTS VALLEY: Wine & Art Festival August 19-20, 2023, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SkyPark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA.
$Free, svartfestival.com ...more

SAND CITY: West End Celebration August 26-27, 2023
Location: Ortiz & Hickory St. Sand City, CA westendcelebration.com

SANTA BARBARA: Old Spanish Days Fiesta  August 2-6, 2023 sbfiesta.org

SAN FRANCISCO: Autumn Moon Festival September 23-24, 2023, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. This event features multicultural entertainment, traditional lion and dragon dances, arts and crafts, lantern village, moon cakes and children's activities.   Grant Ave. between California and Pacific Streets. moonfestival.org

PORT HUENEME: Hueneme Beach Festival August 26-27, 2023 at Hueneme Beach Park. Free admission, huenemebeachfestival.org

LOS ANGELES: Natsumatsuri Family Festival August 13, 2022, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Japanese American National Museum
100 North Central Avenue, Los Angeles California 90012
Free admission but RSVP required, janm.org
Past events have included Taiko Demonstration | Obon Lecture and Community Dance | Book Reading | Face Painting | Summer Photo Booth | Origami Corner | Paper Hats | Okinawan Treats saataa andaagii | Scavenger Hunt

LOS ANGELES: Nisei Week Festival at Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) and Plaza August 13-21, 2022. niseiweek.org

SACRAMENTO: Banana Festival August 20-21, 2022
William Land Park, $fee

HERMOSA BEACH: International Surf Festival August 2-6, 2023. This is an on-the-sand and in-the-ocean five day beach festival featuring the greatest talents in a variety of beach sports and athletic competitions. surffestival.org

WALNUT CREEK: Contra Costa Crystal Fair August 12-13, 2023 Civic Park Community Center
1375 Civic Drive
Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
$14 | under 12 free, crystalfair
 30+ vendors sell gems, jewelry, crystals beads, and metaphysical healing tools

SEBASTOPOL: Gravenstein Apple Fair
 Plenty of apple tasting and buying, plus even some apple games at this event that also includes concerts and entertainment. $18, gravensteinapplefair.com

SAN FRANCISCO: Pistahan Festival August 13-14, 2022, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
Parade Civic Center, Market Street to 4th St.
Yerba Buena Gardens
Mission St. & Yerba Buena Lane,
San Francisco, CA
Free, pistahan.net
Features Giant Human Philippines Flag, made up of the next generation of FilAm leaders. Festival held at Yerba Buena Gardens. Billed as the largest celebration of Filipino Americans in the U.S., the the two-day event attracts more than 75,000 people each day. Admission is free and fun for the entire family!

CARLSBAD: Heiva San Diego-Solo Ori Tahiti Dance Competition August 5-6, 2022
The Flower Fields, 5704 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008
$15-30, heivasandiego.com
Reva Tahiti Productions hosts this event which is held in a new location in 2022. The dance competitions, workshops and other offerings are a must-see for those who love the Polynesian culture.
$fee, heivasandiego.com

GLENDALE: Dragonfest, August 6, 2022, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. The West Coast's largest martial arts exposition attracting more than 3,000 attendees. Featuring hundreds of vendors, celebrities, and special events. Location: Glendade Auditorium, Glendale, CA. $45-50,  dragonfest.com

YUCAIPA: Old West Days August 5-7, 2022. Old West Days & Chuck Wagon Super Show. Experience 19th century American West with historical demonstrations, frontier crafts, old time music jam sessions, and cowboy encampments. Daytime admission is FREE, losriosrancho.com

SAN MATEO: San Francisco Bay Area Aloha Festival August 14, 2022
San Mateo County Event Center
1346 Saratoga Drive
San Mateo, CA 94403
Free admission, $ parking, pica-org.org
Polynesian Festivals

FREMONT: Festival of India Mela & Parade August 20-21, 2022, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
39439 Paseo Padre Parkway
Fremont, CA
$5, fogsv.com
India Day Parade Sunday, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
More than 50 colorful floats and 100 cars with dignitaries celebrate the largest India Independence Day in U.S.
Music, dance and food, health fair, 250 booths and exhibits, Fashion 10 am to 6 pm. Over 150,000 people expected to attend.

BRIDGEVILLE: Bridgefest & Flying Saucer Contest  UFOs, Aliens Welcome

BURLINGAME: Burlingame on the Avenue 
Burlingame Ave. 1294 Burlingame Ave, approx, Downtown Burlingame, CA. burlingamechamber.org

SAN FRANCISCO: San Francisco Festa Coloniale Italiana San Francisco Italian Athletic Club
1630 Stockton St.
San Francisco, CA
facebook.com/festacolonialeitaliana/

PALO ALTO: Festival of the Arts August 27-28, 2022, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. University Avenue, between High and Webster. Over 300 fine art & contemporary craft displays, over 60 Italian Street Painters, Kids' Art Studio, specialty areas, stage & street entertainment, gourmet food, fine wines & micro-brews.nbsp; Free admission, paloaltochamber.com/ festival-of-the-arts/

VENICE: Festival of Chariots  Parade to Venice Beach: The Festival of the Chariots starts at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium and proceeds south on Main Street, with three fully decorated four-story tall chariots leading a colorful parade toward the Ocean Front Walk Plaza at Venice Beach. Free admission 

RIO DEL: Wildwood Days 
riodellscotiachamber.org
wildwooddays.org
Admission to most events is free

SAN JOSE: Silicon Valley Pride 
 $ festival admission, svpride.com

ANTIOCH: Nor-Cal Bus Fest Sunday August 28, 2022, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Contra Costa County Fairgrounds (enter main entrance)
1201 West 10th St, Antioch, CA
$, norcalbusfest.com
Display and swap event, open to ALL Volkswagen buses and trucks, regardless of year, model or condition. Held on the tree-shaded lawns of the fairgrounds, this event will feature the full range of Type II's, from Barndoors to Eurovans and everything in between. Kids area, music and photo ops.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY: BBQ Festival, August 16-18, 2024 (not happening in 2023)
Mile Square Park Sports Complex
$5-up, bbqmusicfest.com

HOMEWOOD: Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance August 11-12, 2023 Obexer's Boat Co., Homewood, CA  $40 1 day, $50 2 day plus upgrades available, laketahoeconcours.com

 

Past events

LASSEN: Lassen Volcanic NP Dark Sky Festival no festival in 2023
Join park rangers, astronomers, and planetary geologists in celebrating all that is out of this world during Lassen's Dark Sky Festival. Special programs, presentations, hikes, and Junior Ranger Night Explorer activities will be offered during the festival.

 

Events are not guaranteed. It is your responsibility to confirm before going.