Goleta Lemon Festival

September 27-28, 2025, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Girsh Park
7050 Phelps Road
Goleta, CA
Free admission, lemonfestival.com

Goleta Lemon Festival celebrates 30 years on September 30 & October 1, 2023. Attracting over 35,000 attendees, it's the biggest celebration in the Goleta area. The festival hosts over 70 vendors featuring local non-profit organizations, food, beverages, and merchandise. Free admission & parking. On Saturday the Annual Goleta Fall Classic Car Show shines with  classic cars ranging from corvettes and camaros to trucks and pick-ups.  This event is put on by the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, a committee of 15 local business leaders and community champions, and benefits over 30 local non-profits. 

2023 Music

• AJ & A Guitar
• Sandy Haley Experience
• The 192s Band
• Tequila Mockingbird
• Area 51
• illunis
• Flight 805
• Brittney and the Bsides
• The Tearaways

2023 Contests

• Pie Eating 12 p.m. Noon Saturday & Sunday
• Lemon Run 10K September 17, 2023
• Classic Car Show Saturday 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Awards 2:30 p.m.

2023 Activity Wristband, $35

• Archery Tag
• Bubble Fun
• Zorb Ball
• Wipeout
• Connect 3
• Swings
• Euro Bungee
• Double Slide
• King of the Jungle Bounce House
• Sport Obstacle Course
• Inflatable Obstacle Course
• John Deere Tractor
• Toddler Jump
• Carousel Bounce House
• Rock Wall
• Train
• Slot Cars
• Miniature Golf
• Interactive Castle

Lemon Festival in Goleta is an annual event (founded in 1991) celebrating a local crop that grows abundantly, and makes great beverages, and adds refreshing flavor to foods and desserts. From lemon flavored ice cream to lemonade and lemon pie, the Lemon Festival pays homage to the yellow colored fruit that tastes sour until you sweeten it up.

Dancers, bands, kids groups and the Fall Classic Car and Street Rod Show held on Saturday provide plenty to see and do for all ages. For children there are face painters, bounce houses and a kiddie train ride. For adults, take in the great bands, vendor shopping opportunities, and cars galore.

Young and old can compete in the lemon cream pie competition in which you will be suited up in a shower cap and bib to keep from getting the sweet, sticky mess in your clothing and hair. It's a blast!

There's another Lemon Festival held annually in Chula Vista. It turns out that California has many places where lemons grow abundantly. And near Goleta in Carpinteria you can enjoy the annual Avocado Festival (another fruit that's delicious with lemons.)

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