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.

CULVER CITY: Fiesta La Ballona August 28-30, 2026 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   

BENICIA: Benicia Peddler's Fair August 8, 2026, 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 July 31-August 2, 2026
Ingram Plaza, NTC Liberty Station, 2751 Dewey Road, San Diego, CA
artwalksandiego.org
Friday 5-8 p.m. ticketed preview pARTy |  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 August 2, 2026, 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 15-16, 2026
Location: 555 Airport Way Camarillo, California $, wingsovercamarillo.com 
Theme: Celebrating 90 Years of the DC-3 - A Legend That Changed the World

TEHACHAPI: Tehachapi Mountain Festival August 15-16, 2026
Location: Tehachapi, California tehachapimountainfestival.com 
Theme: 63rd Mountain Festival - American Pies & Small Town Ties

VENTURA: Spencer Makenzie's  Throw Down Corn Hole Tournament August 21-23, 2026
Corn hole tournament and freeplay; truck & motorcycle show; boxing; concerts galore; available for purchase. Lawn chairs OK. Location: Ventura County Fairgrounds, Ventura CA, spencermakenzies.com  thethrowdowncornholetournament.com

GUALALA: Art in the Redwoods Festival August 16-17, 2026
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 15-16, 2026, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
SkyPark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley, CA.
Free admission, tasting tickets sold, svartfestival.com
Saturday: Cops N' Rodders Car Show "Hoods-Up” judged event Judged by Amateur Judges | Sunday Dog Day Vendors

SAND CITY: West End Celebration August 22-23, 2026
Location: Ortiz & Hickory St. Sand City, CA westendcelebration.com
Art, music, food and community

SANTA BARBARA: Old Spanish Days Fiesta  August 5-9, 2026 sbfiesta.org
Mercado, Dancing, Music, Food, Parade, Carnival

PORT HUENEME: Hueneme Beach Festival July 11-12, 2026
Hueneme Beach Park. Free admission, huenemebeachfestival.org

LOS ANGELES: Natsumatsuri Family Festival August 15, 2026, 11 a.m.-3 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  August 15-23, 2026
Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) and Plaza
niseiweek.org

SACRAMENTO: Banana Festival August 15-16, 2026
William Land Park
3855 E. Park Rd., Sacramento, CA
$10-15,

HERMOSA BEACH: International Surf Festival July 29-August 2, 2026. 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 8-9, 2026
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 August 8-9, 2026
 Plenty of apple tasting and buying, plus even some apple games at this event that also includes concerts and entertainment. $23-30, gravensteinapplefair.com

SAN FRANCISCO: Pistahan Festival August 8-9, 2026, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
August 8, 2026 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!

VALLEY CENTER: Heiva San Diego-Solo Ori Tahiti Dance Competition July 31-August 2, 2026
Harrah’s Resort Southern California, 777 S. Resort Drive, Valley Center, CA
$15-30, heivasandiego.com
Reva Tahiti Productions hosts this event. The dance competitions, workshops and other offerings are a must-see for those who love the Polynesian culture. | polynesian

GLENDALE: Dragonfest, August 1, 2026, 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 July 31-August 2, 2026. 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 8-9, 2026
San Mateo County Event Center
1346 Saratoga Drive
San Mateo, CA 94403
$5, $25 parking, pica-org.org
Polynesian Festivals

FREMONT: Festival of India Mela & Parade August 15-16, 2026, 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 August 15, 2026
bridgevillecommunitycenter.org
UFO Contest, blueberry pie eating, rootbeer float drinking

BURLINGAME: Burlingame on the Avenue August 15-16, 2026
Burlingame Ave. 1294 Burlingame Ave, approx, Downtown Burlingame, CA. burlingamechamber.org

PALO ALTO: Festival of the Arts August 22-23, 2026, 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. Free admission, paloaltochamber.com/ festival-of-the-arts/

VENICE: Festival of Chariots August 2, 2026
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 July 30-August 3, 2026
riodellscotiachamber.org
wildwooddays.org
Admission to most events is free

SAN JOSE: Silicon Valley Pride Parade August 30, 2026, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.
Location: Downtown San Jose – Julian Street & Market Street, to Plaza de César Chávez Park
 $ festival admission, svpride.com

ANTIOCH: Nor-Cal Bus Fest Sunday August 30, 2026, 8 a.m.-2 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.

HOMEWOOD: Lake Tahoe Concours d'Elegance August 7-8, 2026
Obexer's Boat Co., Homewood, CA  $40 1 day, $50 2 day plus upgrades available, laketahoeconcours.com

 

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