Ventura Art & Street Painting Festival on September 14-15, 2024

The Ventura Art & Street Painting Festival will take place September 14 and 15, 2024 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Ventura Harbor Village, 1583 Spinnaker Dr., Ventura. This waterfront juried art festival features more than over 50 talented street chalk artists creating colorful murals along the village promenade overlooking the boats.

Among the featured artists is Greg Wray, known for his iconic work on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. Wray will be crafting a Sonic-themed beach scene, inviting spectators to observe his process and, when appropriate, engage with him during the creation.

Other activities to include Craftman’s Marketplace, children’s art area, face painting, live music, and more. More information at venturaartfestival.com.

Archaeology Day at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas on Saturday, October 19, 2024

On Saturday, October 19, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the National Park Service, California State Parks, and Western National Parks Association (WNPA) will host Archaeology Day at the Santa Monica Mountains Interagency Visitor Center in Calabasas.

The family-friendly event, including parking, is free and is organized to shed light on a discipline that is sometimes overlooked.

The morning will start with a blessing, land acknowledgment, and Native American presentations

All-day activities will include digging up artifacts in an “excavation” box, spear throwing, flint knapping demos, local artifacts on display, replica viewing and much more.

Visitors of all ages will also get a chance to earn a special patch and become junior archaeologists.

More details at www.samofund.org/outdoors-calendar#event=77687858.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) is the largest urban national park in the country, encompassing more than 150,000 acres of mountains and coastline in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. A unit of the National Park System, it comprises a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. As one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, SMMNRA preserves the rich biological diversity of more than 450 animal species and 26 distinct plant communities. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/samo.

32nd Annual Thousand Oaks Rotary Street Fair on Sunday, October 20, 2024

The 32nd Annual Thousand Oaks Rotary Street Fair will take place on Sunday, October 20, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Moorpark Road between Hillcrest and Wilbur Road in Thousand Oaks, in between Janss Marketplace and Best Buy. Plenty of parking in the adjacent shopping centers and streets.

The Thousand Oaks Rotary Street Fair continues this great event with over 19,000 expected attendees and over 300 vendor booths.

Featuring artisans specializing in hand-made products and a Kids Fun Zone with games, crafts, jumpers, soft drinks and pizza. Live music and entertainment too. Free admission!

For more information, visit tostreetfair.com.

Halloween Haunted Trail, Costume Contest and Trick-or-Treat Street in Thousand Oaks on Saturday, October 19, 2024

The Conejo Recreation & Park District will be offering a night full of Halloween fun specifically for young children on Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 6:00-9:00pm at the Thousand Oaks Community Center, located at 2525 N. Moorpark Road.

The annual Haunted Trail is a short Halloween hike appropriate for kids of all ages and packed full of fun. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.  At the end of the trail there will be a hayride that returns “hikers” to the “haunted trailhead.” Tickets are $5 per person (ages 2+) and MUST be purchased in advance at crpd.org.  The “Trail” will be open from 7:15-9:00pm and tickets are sold by 5 minute time slot.  (There will also be a standby line at the event; $5 per person; cash only) EVENT WILL SELL OUT SO BUY TICKETS EARLY!

Those dressed in costume may participate in the costume contest.  Age groups range from two and under through adults.  Great prizes will be awarded for each category!  Contest starts at 6:00pm. Registration is free and takes place onsite 20 minutes prior to contest.

The popular Trick-or-Treat Street features Halloween-themed houses created by local organizations who will be ready to hand out treats from 6-8:30pm. Admission to Trick-or-Treat Street is free.

A free live reptile show will take place after the costume contest at 7:00pm.

The event takes place on the soccer fields behind the community center. For more information, visit www.crpd.org/events/haunted-trail-costume-contest

2024 Calabasas Pumpkin Festival at De Anza Park on Sunday, October 20th

The 2024 Calabasas Pumpkin Festival is planned for Sunday, October 20th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Juan Bautista de Anza Park, 3701 Lost Hills Road. There will be a pumpkin patch, pumpkin pies, pumpkin painting, live music, food court, vendor marketplace, professional pumpkin carving, photo opps, reptile shows, inflatable rides and games and more.

Tickets go on sale September 3rd. $10 per person in advance online (processing fees apply). $15 at the gate (processing fees apply). Kids under 24 months are free. Tickets can be purchased online after 9/3 at www.cityofcalabasas.com/government/community-services-parks-recreation/pumpkin-festival/admission-and-tickets

Event entrance and parking at the corner of Lost Hills Road & Agoura Road (NOTE: No parking or entry along Las Virgenes - Malibu Canyon Road).

For more information at www.calabasaspumpkinfestival.com.

Annual Ojai Day Event Planned for Saturday, October 19, 2024

Ojai Day is an annual downtown street fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. planned for Saturday, October 19, 2024. Over 100 vendors, local original art and jewelry, dance performances, great food, kids' activities, crafts demonstrations, classic cars, health, wellness and spiritual demonstrations and much more.

The event was originally conceived in 1917, took a hiatus in the 1920’s and has been back with a vengeance since 1993. It’s grown tremendously and has become one of the most popular events in Ojai. The event itself celebrates life, culture and the arts.

Ojai Day was first celebrated in the 1920's after glass magnate Edward Libbey offered to finance the construction of the downtown Arcade, present day Libbey Park and the post office with its 65-foot bell tower. Ojai's most prominent citizens decided to host a city wide celebration to show their appreciation to Libbey. Thus, Ojai Day was born.

The name Ojai comes from the Chumash language and means “The Moon” or “Bird’s Nest.”

Admission and parking are free! Visit www.ojaiday.com for more information.

Wheels in Motion Event in Simi Valley on Sunday, August 25, 2024

Wheels In Motion is a free event hosted by Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District that will include a youth power wheels race, a classic car show and a touch-a-truck exhibit with vehicles from the Simi Valley Police Department, Ventura County Fire Department, RSRPD and Ventura County Air Ops.

The event will take place on Sunday, August 25, 2024 from 9:30am to 2pm at the Rancho Santa Susana Community Park, 5005-C E. Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley. Learn more at https://rsrpd.org/recreation/events/summer_(june_-_august)/wheelsinmotion.php.

3rd Annual Touch-a-Truck Event at Hueneme Beach on Saturday, October 5, 2024

The City of Port Hueneme presents the 3rd Annual Touch-a-Truck event at Hueneme Beach, 550 Surfside Drive on Saturday, October 5, 2024 from 11am to 3pm. Free event featuring trucks and vehicles, arts and crafts, food trucks, music and more. Free parking in lots A and B and along Surfside Drive. www.ci.port-hueneme.ca.us/1382/Touch-a-Truck

27th Annual Fall Harvest Festival at Underwood Family Farms September 28 to October 31, 2024

The 27th Annual Fall Harvest Festival returns at Underwood Family Farms, 3370 Sunset Valley Road in Moorpark, starting Saturday, September 28 to Thursday, October 31, 2024. The farm will transform into a giant Pumpkin Patch, Pick Your Own & Fall Harvest experience filled with games, rides, photo opps, live entertainment, themed weekends, bands and more. Festival hours are 9am to 6pm.

Admission: Weekday admission is $14.00 and sold at the gate only.

Weekend admission tickets are sold online only. (Walk-ins subject to availability.) Pricing for themed weekends as follows:

• $22 Pre-sale online from 8/28-9/25 for the weekend of 9/28-9/29 only ($28 after 9/25)

• $22 Pre-sale online from 8/28-9/25 for the weekend of 10/5-10/6 only ($28 after 9/25)

• $28 Online admission fee for other weekends

• $30 Day of admission (only if spots are available)

Children UNDER 2 and parking are FREE. Seniors (65+), Military, Veterans, & Emergency First Responders receive $2 discount daily (w/ valid ID) at the gate.

Included with Admission: Wagon rides, corn maze, chicken show, pumpkin patch, pumpkin house, corn stalk labyrinth (Oct 5th), giant tractor display, giant spiders, misting tunnel, hay pyramids, animal center, play equipment, cotton harvester and combine slides, wooden train and school bus and more, Plus on weekends, there will be animal shows, pig races, live music, demonstrations, roaming entertainment and more.

Themed weekends are as follows:

Sept 28-29 - Friends of the Farm Weekend (Public Safety Weekend)

October 5-6 - Farm Country Weekend

October 12-13 - Antique Tractor Weekend

October 19-20 - Wild West Weekend

October 26-27 - All About Pumpkins Weekend

Visit underwoodfamilyfarms.com/fall-harvest for all the details and to purchase tickets.

Ventura County Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 21, 2024

The 40th Annual California Coastal Cleanup Day is set for Saturday, September 21, 2024 from 9am-noon, at beaches and waterways throughout California. Get involved locally with @vccoastcleanupday to remove trash and plastic pollution that has been accumulating in our County since the last Coastal Cleanup Day.

Can’t make it on the 21st? Ventura County Coastal Cleanup is also encouraging community members to participate throughout the month of September by cleaning up their neighborhoods, parks, and other local areas and recording progress in the Clean Swell Data Collection App.

www.vccoastcleanup.org

2024 cleanup sites will be listed at www.vccoastcleanup.org/cleanup-sites.