Saturday April 6, 2013  Peg Leg Smith Liars Contest

Every year on the first Saturday of April the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park attracts story tellers from all over the globe to compete in the annual Peg Leg Smith Liars Contest

Thomas L. Smith, better known as 'Peg Leg' Smith 1801-1866, was a mountain man, prospector, and spinner of tall tales. Legends regarding his lost gold mine have grown through the years, and countless people have searched the desert for its fabulous wealth. The mine could be within a few miles of this monument.

All comers are welcome to enter the contest. Sign up is on arrival at the contest site, which is held at the Pegleg Smith memorial, about seven miles east of Borrego Springs on Route S-22. Presentations are done in order of sign up. Stories should be of no more than five minutes in length (another little joke). They should be about lost gold and/or Pegleg Smith. Costumes and other original touches are always appreciated by the crowd and judges.

Location: Henderson Canyon Rd, 1,000 ft N of Pegleg Rd, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park   Desert.com

Held a Saturday in August Porterville Outhouse Races & Outhouse Queen Pageant  9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wanna get crazy?  Enjoy a "Krazy" day in downtown Porterville! This event is FREE and open to all! Outhouse Races, Outhouse Queen Pageant, Dog Patch Costume Contest, Music, Food, Dunk Tank, Bounce House and MORE! The Sesquicentennial Committee is searching for girls ages 14-18 years old to enter the Outhouse Queen Pageant! There is no charge to enter. Contestants will be judged on ticket sales, beauty, interview and Daise Mae costume. This pageant is sure to be a "Krazy" fun time!

Ever wanted to build your own Outhouse and race it down the street with three of your closest friends, while a pretty girl sits on the throne? Well here is your chance! We are looking for "Krazy" people to participate in the Outhouse Races. Cost per team is $35, and your team could win some "Krazy" prizes! Outhouses will be judged on Best Theme, People's Choice, and of course the Grand Champion.

Dunk your favorite, or least favorite, City Councilmen and familiar faces in the Krazy Daze Dunk Tank!

For more information on Krazy Daze, please contact Wendy Taylor at 559-361-7063.  ci.porterville.ca.us

Winters Earthquake Festival August  24, 2013

21st annual Earthquake Festival. Expect great food and wares, rocking music and dance and a general hullabaloo on Main Street. This is a family event commemorating the rise of the City of Winters from a devastating local earthquake in 1892. There is entertainment all evening beginning with children's performances and continuing with a live band and street dancing. There are many wonderful food booths and street vendors as well as bounce houses and other fun things for kids to do. Earthquake Street Festival  celebrates the great earthquake of 1892. This unique gathering celebrates the Harvest Festival and Farmer's Market in one event that is real kick. If you've never attended an Earthquake Festival, Winters, California is your best bet. Earthquake Street Festival is usually held the third Friday in August. Faults in the Winters area were responsible for the 1892 also were responsible for damage to buildings in nearby Vacaville.

It's our fault and we're proud of it!
Earthquake Street Festival:

 Time: 5-11 pm
Location: Downtown Winters – On Main Street between Railroad Avenue and First Street
Contact: Winters Visitors Center/Chamber of Commerce – 530-795-2329
Website: visitwinters.com


September COLUMBIA Annual POISON OAK SHOW

Saturday afternoon - at the St. Charles Saloon in Columbia State Historic Park. Aren't you just itchin' to participate? This event is like a traditional flower show, except all entries must include poison oak! Some of the categories are: best arrangement of poison oak, most original poison oak dish (with recipe), best photograph of poison oak, best photograph of poison oak rash (or in person). Sponsored by the St. Charles Saloon. For more information, call 209-533-4656. 29th in 2011.

Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade Sunday in October   golfcartparade.com
Theme "Carnival Style"

Maybe you missed the recent 2nd Annual Outhouse Races in Big Bear Lake, but never fear. Porterville, Calif. has been doing it a lot longer and has the Outhouse event down to a science. Each August   Porterville Outhouse Races and Outhouse Queen Pageant is held.

But wait! Winters, California is not to be outdone. The entire town comes out to celebrate the annual Winters Earthquake Festival which commemorates the Big One of 1892. Winters Earthquake Festival takes place in California and you are invited. The motto of this event is: It's Our Fault, and We're Proud of It!

One of SeeCalifornia.com's favorite events for originality is the annual Poison Oak Show that takes place in Columbia State Historic Park. It is held in September. Competitions include Best Poison Oak Plant Arrangement, Best Poison Oak Dish,  Best Poison Oak and Best Photo of Poison Oak Rash.  It takes courage and a bit of craziness to celebrate a plant that grows abundantly, can cause humans great irritation and pain, but never gets its just desserts. The event is held at St. Charles Saloon in Columbia.

Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade is incredibly creative. In a California region that rivals Florida's retirement communities, golf carts are King and you never know just what you'll see when you decorate a cart to look like Elvis, Bob Hope, or anything your imagination can concoct--maybe even a Porterville outhouse. Life in the desert would be dull without this annual event that stirs the creative side of those who care to enter the parade--golf cart a must! The Golf Cart Parade is held in October with a theme "Carnival Style".

Enjoy Peg Leg Smith Liar's Contest to see who can tell the biggest fib or story-- not to be believed. Costumes are encouraged in the event in April near Pegleg Road in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  Also in April begin looking for Pasadena's Doo Dah Parade (date not announced yet) and in May, our favorite Kinetic Sculpture Race between Ferndale and Arcata is held on Memorial Weekend.

There's much excitement on the horizon and never a dull moment! California's crazy festivals, mostly free to the public, invite you to come out and enjoy the insanity.