Events in Ventura County and Nearby Areas That Have Been Around Over 40 Years

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Conejo Valley Guide is the most comprehensive resource ever known to human civilization for events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and adjacent areas stretching to Santa Barbara, Malibu and Calabasas, as all of you already know. We've noticed there are numerous events that have taken place in our local community for quite a long time! Let's take a look at the longest duration events in the area - those that have been around at least 40 years.

The 150th Ventura County Fair will take place in summer 2024, the longest duration community event in the county. According to this Fillmore Gazette article, the VC Fair originated in 1874 at Pierpont Bluffs and Hueneme before moving to Seaside Park in Ventura. www.venturacountyfair.org

The Ventura County Fair is the longest-running community event in the area.

The Ventura County Fair is the longest-running community event in the area.

The 100th Anniversary Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara will take place over five days, July 31 to August 4, 2024. It is an annual festival that honors and preserves Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions with music, art, food, parade, tours and more in various locations. Learn more at www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org.

The 76th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show took place in March 2024. It is one of the largest and oldest orchid shows in the United States. www.sborchidshow.com

The 74th Annual Oxnard Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will occur in December 2024 (generally the first Friday night of the month), making it one of the oldest traditions in Ventura County. And the tree is the County's tallest, at about 110 feet! downtownoxnard.org

The 74th Annual Santa Paula Christmas Parade takes place on the first Sunday after Thankgiving 2024, Quite a tradition for this town that was incorporated in April 1902!

The 70th Annual Semana Nautica 15K in Santa Barbara takes place on July 4, 2024 and on July 4th of each year. It is the oldest foot race on the Central Coast. www.sbrunning.org

The 68th Conejo Valley Days carnival will take place in June 2024. It is the oldest event of its kind in Thousand Oaks. The event officially became called Conejo Valley Days in 1956; previously referred to as a "Community Circus" when held at the old Jungleland (now The Lakes) compound conejovalleydays.us.

Scene from Conejo Valley Days Parade of 1970.

Scene from Conejo Valley Days Parade of 1970.

The 63rd (give or take) Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival took place at King Gillette Ranch in Agoura Hills on May 19, 2024. The event was established in Topanga Canyon and moved around a bit as it grew and moved to the current venue in 1990. It is one of the largest acoustic music events in Southern California. Learn more at www.topangabanjofiddle.org.

The second-longest running Christmas parade in Ventura County is the Camarillo Christmas Parade, which celebrates its 64th annual event in December 2024 www.pvrpd.org

The 62nd Annual Simi Valley Halloween Carnival took place on October 31, 2023 at Rancho Santa Susana Park. Hosted by the Rancho Simi Recreation & Park District, this is one of the longest running Halloween carnivals in Ventura County. www.rsrpd.org

Local area gem and mineral societies have been organizing fun annual shows for decades, including the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society's 61st Annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Show happened in March 2024. vgms.org/category/gem-show.

The 57th Annual Parade of Lights at Channel Islands Harbor dazzles spectators in December 2023. This may well be the longest-running boat parade in Ventura County. Great fun watching the boats lighted up at the Harbor. www.channelislandsharbor.org

Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park hosted its 55th Annual Easter Sunrise Service on March 31, 2024, quite possibly the longest running local Easter service in Ventura County www.piercebrothersvalleyoaks.com

The 53rd Westlake Village 4th of July Parade and Party in the Park will be taking place yet again on July 4, 2024, making it the longest running Conejo Valley area 4th of July parade. (Like most events, it was cancelled in 2020.) www.wlv.org

The 45th Ventura County Greek Festival will take place at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Camarillo in June 2024 www.vcgreekfestival.org.

The Conejo Gem & Mineral Club’s 47th Pageant of a Thousand Gems Show occurred in April 2024 in Newbury Park. www.cgamc.org

The 50th Anniversary Scandinavian Festival at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks was a lot of fun in May 2024.  www.scandinavianfest.org

The 47th Annual Ojai Art in the Park event took place on Memorial Day weekend 2024. This I believe is the longest-running outdoor art show within Ventura County. www.ojaiartcenter.org

This is just a tiny fraction of ALL the great events that take place in Ventura County and surrounding areas each year that are highlighted in the Events Calendar and Local Events section of Conejo Valley Guide.

Memorial Day is a holiday to remember those who died while serving in the armed forces. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971, but its beginnings go back to after the Civil War in 1868.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, cities in the North and South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1866. But in 1966, Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.

Traditionally, Memorial Day was May 30th each year. That was changed to the last Monday in May when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed into law in June 1968 and put into effect in 1971.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was enacted by Congress to ask Americans to pause in an act of national unity at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

Here is a compilation of activities and events this 2024 Memorial Day weekend around Ventura County and adjacent areas.

Easter Egg Hunts and Other Fun Easter Activities Around Ventura County

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Here at Conejo Valley Guide we have a special place in our heart for Easter fun! The bunnies of the Conejo Valley and surrounding Ventura County areas are planning ahead to make this Easter memorable.

We have the Germans to thank for the Easter Bunny concept, which came about in the 1500s. Hares and bunnies are signs of fertility and eggs signify rebirth. The Germans brought Easter traditions to America and it wasn't until after the Civil War that Easter became widely celebrated.

Easter Sunday 2024 is March 31st! Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern hemisphere's vernal equinox. As a result, Easter Sunday ranges from March 22nd to April 25th

Upcoming Easter season events and activities in and around Ventura County (list will be updated regularly; dates/time subject to change, so check with event organizers to be sure):

Fri March 29: Inclusive Egg Scramble in Simi Valley (4-5:30pm; must pre-register)

Sat, March 30: Easter Eggstravaganza Event in Camarillo (10am-1pm) EVENT IS BEING MOVED INDOORS DUE TO RAIN IN FORECAST

Sat, March 30: City of Moorpark Easter Egg Hunt (10am-1pm; Purchase wristbands in advance beginning March 1st) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Egg Scramble Event at Rancho Santa Susana Park in Simi Valley (9-10am) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Easter Scavenger Hunt at the Simi Valley Town Center (11am-5pm) EVENT IS ON, RAIN OR NOT

Sat, March 30: Egg Scramble Event Mae Boyar Park in Oak Park (9:30-11:30am) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Spring Conejo & Easter Hunt at Stagecoach Inn Museum (1-4pm) EVENT IS A GO, RAIN OR NO RAIN

Sat/Sun, March 30-31: Cottontail Bunny at Ventura Harbor Village www.venturaharborvillage.com/event/easter-weekend-2024 POSTPONED

Sun, March 31 Easter Egg Hunt and Free Breakfast at Christ the King Church NP 9:30-10:15am

Sun, March 31: Easter Egg Hunt at Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge (Noon-2pm; egg hunt at 1pm) EVENT TO TAKE PLACE - MAY BE MOVED INSIDE DUE TO RAIN

Sun, March 31: Easter Sunrise Service at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks (6am)

Mar 16 to Apr 7; Springtime Easter Festival at Underwood Family Farms

March 1-30: Photos with the Bunny at The Oaks Mall www.shoptheoaksmall.com/bunnyphotos

March 1-30: Photos with the Bunny at the Pacific View Mall in Ventura

March 15-30: Photos with the Bunny at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard thecollectionrp.com/portfolio/photos-with-the-bunny-2024

March 1-30: Spring Scavenger Hunt at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard

PAST EVENTS

Sat, March 16: Easter Bunny at the Simi Valley Town Center (11am to 5pm)

March 16-17, 22-24 Annual Spring Spectacular at America's Teaching Zoo in Moorpark

Fri, March 22: Flashlight Egg Hunt at 9 Locations in Thousand Oaks (6:30-8:30)

Sat, March 23: Meet Officer Bunny and Chase from Simi Patrol (9am-11am)

Sat, March 23: Springtime at the Adobe at Leonis Adobe Calabasas (1-4pm)

Sat, March 23: The Bunny Trail Junior Egg Hunt in Calabasas (SOLD OUT)

Sat, March 23: Breakfast with the Bunny and Egg Hunts at the Reyes Adobe in Agoura (SOLD OUT)

Sat, March 23: The Hunt Holiday Egg Hunt in Ventura (10am-5pm: RSVP required)

March 23-29: PVRPD Hosts “The Big Egg Hunt” at local parks in Camarillo

March 25-29: Easter Bunny at Strathearn Historical Park in Simi Valley (10am-noon)

Wed, March 27: Shine Homeschool Easter Egg Hunt in Thousand Oaks (Noon; RSVP)

Roller Skating, Roller Blading, Ice Skating and Skateboarding Around Ventura County

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Looking for some wheel fun around the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County? Look no further than this list of nearby skating, blading and boarding venues in and around the area.

ICE SKATING

LA Kings Iceoplex Ice Arena in Simi Valley

Hockey Alley Ice Skating Training Facility in Newbury Park

ROLLER SKATING, ROLLER HOCKEY

Skating Plus Indoor Roller Rink in Ventura

Tri-Valley Roller Hockey League in Calabasas

CLOSED

Channel Islands Ice Center in Oxnard (closed its doors in April 2016 but is looking to raise funds for a new home)

Skatelab Skate Park in Simi Valley closed its doors 1/6/19 after 21 years in operation, but its founder indicated a new location is coming.

The Holiday Ice Rink at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks operated annually from mid-November to January until the 2019-2020 holiday season.

The Conejo Valley Ice Skating Rink opened in 1977 at 510 North Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park (which today is the address of Hampton Inn & Suites). The facility closed its doors in 1994, after 17 years in business.

Fruit, Vegetable and Other Food, Beer and Wine Festivals In and Around Ventura County

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According to the California Department of Food & Agriculture, in 2021, California’s 69,000 farms and ranches generated $51.1 billion in revenue and was the largest producer of commodities in the country, producing 11.8% of the U.S. total. The top ten commodities in the state in 2021 were dairy products, grapes, almonds, cattle, pistachios, lettuce, tomatoes, walnuts, rice and chi

Ventura County ranks 26th out of 58 California counties in geographic size but in 2021 ranked 10th overall in terms of agricultural output, producing nearly $2 billion worth of strawberries, lemons, horiculture, raspberries and other commodities.

All that produce grown in Ventura County (as well as Santa Barbara County) and the hard work that goes into it must explain why we have so many nearby food related festivals and celebrations year-round! Specific dates each year are posted in the Local Events and Events Calendar sections of the site but here's a compilation for you to, ahem, digest. We also opted to include beer, wine and other long-standing festivals for your imbibing pleasure.

The Rotary Club of Thousand Oaks Chili Cook-Off is in the late April to early May time frame each year. It is a charitable fundraiser that has taken place since 1977.

The California Strawberry Festival takes place on the 3rd weekend of May each year. This popular event has taken place since 1984. Up until 2020 the event took place in Oxnard. For the first time in 2023, the festival moved to the Ventura County Fairgrounds.

The Soroptimist International of the Conejo hosts an annual "Margarita Mixoff" event in Thousand Oaks. For many years, the event took place in May. Since 2021, including the 21st annual event in 2023, the event has taken place in September.

The Ojai Wine Festival takes place in the June time frame at Lake Casitas has been around since 1987. They say over 5,000 people attend the event! The 35th annual event will take place in June 2023.

The Knights of Columbus of Simi Valley has been hosting an Annual Chili Cook-Off and Car Show since 1988. The 35th annual event is planned for June 2023.

The Casa Pacifica Angels Wine & Food Festival benefits Casa Pacifica Centers for Children and Families and has been running since 1994. Currently takes place in early June.

The Conejo Food & Wine Fest premiered in 2010 and takes place in Thousand Oaks in the June time frame.

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History has hosted the Santa Barbara Wine Festival in the June time frame each year since 1988.

The Oxnard Salsa Festival has taken place each summer (currently July) since 1994 (except for 2020-2022 due to the pandemic). It will be back in July 2023.

Since 1988, the Meadowlark Service League has been hosting A Taste of Camarillo Wine & Food Festival. The event currently takes place in late July - the 36th annual event is July 30, 2023.

The California Wine Festival in Santa Barbara in July marks 2004 as its first year.

The Port of Hueneme Banana Festival took place for the first time in 2012 and its 10th annual (2020-2021 were pandemic years) event is planned for the last Saturday of September 2022.

The Calabasas Pumpkin Festival takes place in October. There is a small admission charge.

The California Avocado Festival in Carpinteria goes back to 1987 and claims to be the largest free festival on the west coast. It currently takes place the first full weekend of October.

The Santa Barbara Harbor & Seafood Festival originated in 2001 and offers live lobster, crab, prawns, BBQ albacore, clam chowder, fish tacos, seafood gumbo and other prepared dishes in the October time frame.

The California Lemon Festival also takes place in October in Goleta. Free admission. This one has been around since 1992.

The Oxnard Tamale Festival takes place in the early December time frame each year. It began in 2008. The 2023 event is planned for December 2nd.

List obviously subject to change! Contact us for additions. The list is meant to include recurring, annual events, not one-time events, that focus primarily on food and/or drinks.

Ride to the Flags 2022 9/11 Tribute Filmed at Mugu Rock in Point Mugu

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Ride to the Flags began in 2008, accompanying the Wave of Flags 9/11 Memorial at Pepperdine University. Although not officially associated with the memorial - the ride does end at the memorial for a short service. Ride to the Flags is an all volunteer, charity ride with 100% of the riders' donations going to an injured warrior. The ride has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for select warriors in need of rehab equipment and life-enhancing services. Learn more at www.whiteheart.org/ridetotheflags.

This year's event raised funds for Navy EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) tech Jordan Stevenson, who sustained sever injuries on his first deployment to Afghanistan with the 3rd/75th rangers. Learn more about Jordan's story at youtu.be/T7DWSo3_1Es

This footage was taken from just southeast of Mugu Rock in Point Mugu State Park, just a couple miles away from the start of the event at Naval Base Ventura County.

City of Fillmore Neon-Lighted Sign From Pre-World War II

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You don't see many signs around town like the Fillmore sign at the northeast corner of Highway 126 (E. Telegraph Road) and Central Avenue.

Fillmore sign photo taken as I was waiting at the stoplight driving south on Central Avenue.

Fillmore sign photo taken as I was waiting at the stoplight driving south on Central Avenue.

The sign was originally constructed in 1940, making it 80 years old. It is designated a historical landmark by the City of Fillmore.

The Fillmore sign is a cool green neon lit up at night

The Fillmore sign is a cool green neon lit up at night

It's not exactly easy getting to Fillmore from the Conejo Valley as you either have to take the winding path of the 23/Grimes Canyon Road via Moorpark or drive out to Ventura via the 101 and take the 126 to Fillmore by way of Santa Paula. Kind of a haul but certainly fun to do every now and then.

At a total area of only 2.8 square miles, Fillmore is the smallest of Ventura County's 10 cities, and its population of roughly 16,000 places it 9th (roughly double the population of Ojai). Fillmore was not named after Millard Fillmore; it was named after Jerome Fillmore, General Superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad when they built the line connecting Santa Paula, Fillmore and Castaic.

Quite a quaint little place that is certainly fun to visit, with highlights such as numerous themed train rides at Fillmore & Western Railway, State Fish Hatchery and Railroad Visitor Center, along with an old town feel along Central Avenue.

Fillmore sign as of July 2022