Fall is fully underway, with a particularly strong mix of festivals, family events, live music and pumpkin-season options this weekend. Please let us know if you head to any of these; we always love hearing what everyone ends up doing! As always, please chime in if you have any special events coming up that the group should know about. Starting next week, we’re moving the roundup to Thursday so everyone has a little more time to plan the weekend. I’ve also kept the genuinely time-sensitive holiday reservations at the bottom under BOOK NOW so nobody discovers them after the good dates are gone.

As always, schedules, capacity and ticket availability can change. Please call ahead or book online before attending anything to confirm availability.

Friday

• 🎃 TONIGHT: Solvang Spooktacular Cinema in the Park: Fri. Oct. 2, pre-show from 5:30 PM and movie at dusk, Solvang Park. FREE. The Nightmare Before Christmas under the stars, with free face painting before the movie; bring blankets or low chairs. Popcorn, hot chocolate and sweets are available for purchase.

https://solvangusa.com/

• 🥑 California Avocado Festival: Fri. Oct. 2, 1–11 PM; Sat. Oct. 3, 11 AM–10 PM; Sun. Oct. 4, 11 AM–6 PM. Downtown Carpinteria on Linden Avenue between Carpinteria Avenue and 6th Street. FREE. This is the 40th anniversary, with 60+ bands across four stages, food, vendors, nonprofits and a kids area on Saturday and Sunday. Friday is the Locals Block Party, but it is open to everyone.

https://www.avofest.org/

• 🎭 Masq(p)arade!: Fri. Oct. 2, 5:30–8 PM, moving through downtown Santa Barbara from the Arlington Theatre to the Michael Towbes Library Plaza. FREE and family-friendly. A roving series of 15-minute performances at the artist-painted Pianos on State.

https://www.downtownsb.org/do/masqparade-2

• 🎬 TONIGHT: Lilo & Stitch Movie Night: Fri. Oct. 2, 6–7:30 PM, The Courtyard at Montecito Country Mart, 1016 Coast Village Road. The Mart does not list a separate ticket or RSVP requirement. Popcorn for kids, bubbly for grownups, and Rori’s is doing the movie-night scoop upgrade.

https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/events-listed/2026/10/2/ck1rtapoeiqdfi8ayxr2hivmb5wx6r

Saturday

• 🎻 54th Santa Barbara Old-Time Fiddlers’ Festival: Sat. Oct. 3, 10 AM–5 PM, Rancho La Patera & Stow House, 304 N. Los Carneros Road, Goleta. $20 early-bird online / $25 at the door; students $5; children under 12 FREE. Traditional performances, competition, jams, workshops and an instrument petting zoo. Bring low-rise folding chairs or a picnic blanket; no dogs or outside alcohol.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/54th-santa-barbara-old-time-fiddlers-festival-2026-tickets-1995155713447

• 🪶 Chumash Intertribal Powwow: Sat. Oct. 3, 10 AM–10 PM and Sun. Oct. 4, 10 AM–6 PM, corner of Meadowvale Road and Highway 246, Santa Ynez. $5 general admission; children 12 and under FREE; parking FREE. More than 300 Native dancers and singers gather for dancing, drumming, Native foods, arts and crafts. Opening ceremony is 11 AM, Gourd Singing at noon and Grand Entry at 1 PM each day. Bring lawn chairs or blankets.

https://chumash.gov/powwow

• 🐻 Storytime with Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant: You Belong in the Wild: Sat. Oct. 3, 11:30 AM–12:30 PM, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Backyard. Included with Museum admission; members FREE. Dr. Rae is the host of NBC’s Wild Kingdom, and the first 50 participating families receive a free copy of You Belong in the Wild, followed by a signing. Especially good for younger kids.

https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/9284/storytime-with-dr-rae-you-belong-in-the-wild

• 🚗 Vikings Classic Car Show: Wicked Wheels: Sat. Oct. 3, 10 AM–5 PM, downtown Solvang around Copenhagen Drive and Solvang Park. FREE for spectators. Vintage cars, hot rods and classics, with awards late afternoon.

https://solvangusa.com/solvang-events-calendar/

• 🎸 Jack Johnson: Surfilmusic Tour: Sat. Oct. 3 and Sun. Oct. 4, 6:30 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl; gates 5 PM. Special guest G. Love. Check AXS through the Bowl for current availability.

https://sbbowl.com/series-2026-jackjohnson

Fall / pumpkin season

• 🎃 Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch: open daily through Oct. 31 at 308 S. Walnut Lane. This weekend: Sat.–Sun. 10 AM–7 PM; corn maze closes 6:45 PM. Hayrides, farm animals, tractors, educational displays, corn maze and pumpkins. The official page does not list an admission price or advance-ticket requirement, so check onsite for individual activity pricing.

https://www.lanefarmssb.com/pumpkin-patch/

• 🎃 Montecito Country Mart Pumpkin Patch: Oct. 1–31, 1016 Coast Village Road. Annual honor-system patch with heirloom pumpkins. Easy to combine with Friday’s Lilo & Stitch movie.

https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/events-listed/2026/10/1/montecito-country-mart-pumpkin-patch

• 🎃 Solvang fall extras: the Solvang Scarecrow Fest and “Glimmer of Ghoulish Lights” run through October, and the Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch is open for the season with a large corn maze and kids maze.

https://solvangusa.com/whats-happening-in-solvang/

Sunday

• 🦈 Shark Sundays: Sun. Oct. 4, 11:30–11:45 AM, Sea Center on Stearns Wharf. A brief family-friendly shark program that is easy to pair with a waterfront morning.

https://www.sbnature.org/visit/calendar/

• 🏃 Fox Fall Classic: Sun. Oct. 4, Lake Los Carneros, Goleta. 5K at 8:30 AM, $27.50; 2-mile kids run at 9:15 AM, $16.90; 1-mile kids run at 9:15 AM, $11.60. Registration remains open through race morning.

https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/CA/Goleta/FoxFallClassicLakeLosCarneros

• ⛸️ FREE ice skating with a library card: Sun. Oct. 4, 1:30–3:30 PM and 7–9 PM, Ice in Paradise, 6985 Santa Felicia Drive, Goleta. Show a Goleta Valley Library or Santa Ynez Valley Libraries card for free skating admission. One card per skater; ages 3+; skate rental is not included.

https://www.cityofgoleta.org/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/30245/18

• 🥑 California Avocado Festival final day: Sun. Oct. 4, 11 AM–6 PM. The guacamole contest is at 11:30 AM in the Grotto Tent.

https://www.avofest.org/

• 🚫 MISSED / SOLD OUT: Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Centennial Free Community Day: Sun. Oct. 4, 10 AM–5 PM. The free Sunday sold out before publication, despite being reservation-required. The Garden has three more free Centennial Sundays on Oct. 11, 18 and 25, also reservation-required, so this is one to book ahead rather than wait for that weekend.

https://sbbotanicgarden.org/classes-events/free-community-day-october-4/

Worth the drive

• 🚒 Touch-A-Truck Ventura: Sat. Oct. 3, 9 AM–1 PM, Trinity Lutheran Church, 196 N. Ashwood Ave., Ventura. $7/person or $25/family of 4+. Kids can climb into dump trucks, fire engines, ambulances, buses and more. 9–10 AM is horn-free for kids sensitive to noise. Advance tickets are available; day-of sales are also planned.

https://totallyradfoundation.org/touchatruck-2026

• 🚜 Underwood Family Farms Farm Country Weekend: Sat.–Sun. Oct. 3–4, 9 AM–6 PM, 3370 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark. Weekend tickets are ONLINE ONLY: $30 in advance, $34 day-of if space remains; children under 2 FREE. Admission includes tractor wagon rides, corn maze, animal center, pig races, pumpkin patch, play areas and live country music.

https://underwoodfamilyfarms.com/farm-country-weekend/

Looking ahead / group plans

• 🎬 Montecito Country Mart Coco Movie Night: Fri. Oct. 30, 6–7:30 PM. A good Halloween-weekend lead-in.

https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/events-listed/2026/10/30/coco-movie-night

• 👻 Montecito Halloween: Sat. Oct. 31. Montecito Country Mart Halloween Spectacular runs 11 AM–2 PM with costume contest and trick-or-treating, followed by Ghost Village Road on Coast Village Road from 3–6 PM for family trick-or-treating and the Great Pumpkin Challenge. We usually do Coast Village Road as a family, so you’ll likely find us there. If you’re doing Ghost Village Road, book an early dinner reservation nearby now rather than trying to wing it that night. Last year we went to Local. If enough families are interested this year, we could potentially put together a group dinner.

https://www.montecitocountrymart.com/

https://www.coastvillageroad.com/events/ghost-village-road-the-great-pumpkin-challenge

• 👻 BOOKED: Boo at the Zoo. Our group tickets are already purchased for Saturday, Oct. 24, 5–8 PM. Don’t forget to book yours if you haven’t already. The family Nighttime Boo runs Oct. 23–25. It is a separate ticket from regular Zoo admission, members save $5, and the Zoo says space is limited. Daytime Boo runs Oct. 16–31, 10 AM–3 PM and is included with regular admission/membership.

https://www.sbzoo.org/boo-at-the-zoo

• 🏃 BOOK NOW: Santa Barbara Half Marathon / 5K / Kids Fun Run: Sun. Nov. 8. Kids Fun Run is FREE at 10 AM and designed especially for ages 0–7, with older kids welcome. Advance registration may cap at 300, but organizers have told us they will not turn away children who show up to participate on race day. Parents can run alongside without registering.

https://santabarbarahalf.com/

• 🎃 BOOK NOW: Boo-Cara at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara: Fri. Oct. 30, 5–7 PM. Open to local families, with property-wide trick-or-treating, Spooky Forest, crafts, family-friendly haunted house and movie screening. Paid ticket includes self-parking. We are still on the fence because it works out to roughly $300 for our family for a two-hour event and there is very little independent review history.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-ritz-carlton-bacara-santa-barbaras-annual-boo-cara-tickets-1997985920673

• 🎄 SAVE THE DATE: Bacara Festive Holiday Market: Sun. Dec. 6. Complimentary community holiday market with free parking, local/regional artisans, seasonal treats and activities for all ages. No booking action needed yet.

https://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/sbarz-the-ritz-carlton-bacara-santa-barbara/experiences/holidays/

BOOK NOW / RESERVATIONS OPEN

• 🌲 PLAN EARLY: Living Christmas tree. Seven Day Nursery has a variety of living Christmas trees in stock now, including several cedar varieties, with 10- and 25-gallon sizes among the current options. Current pricing runs roughly $299–$599, and they expect another shipment in late November. If you want to buy a living tree rather than rent one, this is the strongest local option we’ve confirmed so far. Plant Manning remains a rental alternative, but its online request form is currently broken.

https://7daynursery.com/

https://www.plantman.com/livingtree.html

These are here now because waiting until December is exactly how the best holiday experiences get missed.

• ❄️ BOOK NOW: Buellton Winter Fest Breakfast with Santa: Sun. Dec. 6. Two reservation-required seatings: 9–10 AM and 10:30–11:30 AM at the Buellton Rec Center. The official 2026 page says tickets are available but does not publish the price. Winter Fest itself is FREE later that day at River View Park, with 20 tons of snow, Holiday Village, vendors, music, 5:30 PM tree lighting and a new holiday drone show.

https://discoverbuellton.com/buellton-winter-fest/

https://buelltonwinterfest.ludus.com/200504497

• ✨ NOT ON SALE YET: Santa Ynez Valley Holiday Lights Festival: Dec. 4–6, 11–13 and 18–20, 5–8:30 PM at River View Park, Buellton. Falling snow, Mini Polar Express rides, Santa, marshmallow roasting, entertainment and lights. The official site still says “Tickets Coming Soon” and explicitly says the three-weekend event WILL sell out. We should book as soon as sales open.

https://syvholidaylights.com/

• 🎅 WATCH / NOT ON SALE YET: Solvang Julefest holiday tours and Christmas Light Trolley. Julefest runs Nov. 27–Jan. 3; Tree Lighting is Fri. Dec. 4 at 5:30 PM and the Parade is Sat. Dec. 5 at 11 AM. Santa’s Village is open weekends beginning Nov. 28. The ticketed holiday tours and Solvang Trolley Christmas Light Tour are marked Tickets Coming Soon, so I’ll surface them as soon as sales open.

https://solvangusa.com/things-to-do/solvang-julefest/

• 🍽️ BOOK NOW: Caruso’s Feast of the Seven Fishes at Rosewood Miramar: Christmas Eve, Thurs. Dec. 24. Reservations are live. $295/adult, $125/child; children 4 and under dine complimentary. Guests can choose the Feast of the Seven Fishes or Caruso’s seasonal tasting menu.

https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/miramar-beach-montecito/discover/holiday-at-rosewood

https://www.sevenrooms.com/experiences/carusosmiramarbeach/christmas-eve-at-carusos-feast-of-the-seven-fishes-6142210809085952

• 🍸 BOOK NOW: Paloma Tinsel Tavern: Nov. 19–Jan. 4. The full Christmas takeover is confirmed, and dinner reservations are now live through New Year’s Eve via Paloma’s official OpenTable channel. Over-the-top décor, holiday cocktails and seasonal dishes. No separate cover or age restriction is currently published.

https://lapalomasb.com/

https://www.opentable.com/r/paloma-reservations-santa-barbara?restref=1147723

• 🚋 BOOK NOW: Santa Barbara Trolley of Lights: Dec. 8–21. Public tickets are $42/person; lap children under 2 do not require a ticket. Private trolleys hold up to 30 and are $975 before fees/gratuity.

https://sbtrolley.com/santa-barbara-trolley-of-lights/

• 🎅 BOOK NOW: Ojai Valley Inn Breakfast with Santa: Dec. 18–20, 9–11:30 AM. $95/adult, $50/child 12 and under, plus tax/gratuity. Includes breakfast buffet, Santa, live reindeer and keepsake photo.

https://www.farmhouseojai.com/culinary-events

• 🎄 BOOK NOW: Ojai Valley Inn Christmas Grand Buffet: Dec. 25, seatings at noon and 4 PM. $195/adult, $65/child 12 and under; Santa is present.

https://www.farmhouseojai.com/culinary-events

• 🍽️ BOOK NOW: Mattei’s Tavern Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Thanksgiving buffet Nov. 26: $45–$125/person. Christmas Day buffet Dec. 25: $45–$135/person. Live reservations are available now for smaller parties.

https://www.opentable.com/r/matteis-tavern-los-olivos

• 🦃 BOOK NOW: Finch & Fork Thanksgiving Harvest Buffet: Nov. 26. Reservations are live through Finch & Fork’s current booking channel. $125++/adult and $60/child under 12.

https://www.opentable.com/r/finch-and-fork-reservations-santa-barbara

• 🦃 BOOK NOW: Thanksgiving at The Set, Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort: Nov. 26, 3–10 PM. Live reservations, complimentary self-parking, $160 family-style feast plus individual holiday entrées. Christmas at The Set is also reservable Dec. 24–25, 3–10 PM.

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/sbafphh-hilton-santa-barbara-beachfront-resort/things-to-do/holidays/

This weekend

We’re likely to be at Lilo tonight, so let us know if you want to meet up for ice cream! We had such a great time at Despicable Me at the Mission two weeks ago, so we’re excited for another outdoor movie night. You’ll probably also find us at the Avo Fest this weekend. Happy Friday!

This weekend has a surprisingly good mix close to home: the Goleta Lemon Festival, Astro Fest at the Natural History Museum, a free outdoor movie at the Santa Barbara Golf Club, and a free Santa Barbara Museum of Art day with a library card. If you want to range farther, Solvang has an all-ages Skate Fest, Ventura has its huge free ArtWalk, and Pismo has a two-day surf festival at the pier. We also did a much deeper pass on the holiday calendar this week, and several of the high-demand Christmas experiences are already bookable or have now published dates.

This weekend

Friday

• One805LIVE!: Fri. Sept. 25, gates 5 PM / music 6 PM, Kevin Costner’s Field of Dreams, Montecito. Friday lineup: The Temptations, The Four Tops, George Thorogood, Alan Parsons, Plastic Harpoons + Samantha Ronson DJ set. GA is $350 and the official ticket site shows active Friday inventory. No on-site parking at the venue; guests park at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club and take the complimentary shuttle. Kid-friendliness is still unconfirmed: Gavin emailed One805 specifically asking whether the event is appropriate for kids and has not received a reply. The event continues Saturday with Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Slightly Stoopid, Kevin Costner & Modern West and The High Kings. Official One805 tickets

• Scott Galloway: Notes on Being a Man — Fri. Sept. 25, 7:30 PM, Arlington Theatre. Presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures. Galloway appears in conversation with Sam Fragoso on masculinity, loneliness, purpose, work, family and meaning. Doors 6:30 PM; all ages/general public. UCSB event page

• Live Concert with Alejandro Meola: Fri. Sept. 25, 6–7 PM, Santa Barbara Central Library. Free, all ages, in the Faulkner Gallery. Official library calendar

• Alabama Shakes: Fri. Sept. 25, 7 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl. Gates 5:30 PM; official ticket range $76.50–$145.50. Santa Barbara Bowl

• Goleta Beach storytime morning — Fri. Sept. 25. Baby & Me Storytime 10–10:30 AM, followed by Wiggly Storytime 10:30–11 AM at Goleta Beach. Good low-key option for younger kids. Goleta Valley Library calendar

• Creek Week Art Contest Reception — Fri. Sept. 25, 5:30–7 PM, Goleta Community Center. Free and open to everyone. Kids’ and adults’ Creek Week artwork is on display, winners are announced, and The Swing Along Band provides live music. Light refreshments included. City of Goleta event

• Folded Hills Golden Hour — Fri. Sept. 25, 4–7 PM, Gaviota. Free, family-friendly Friday at the ranch with live music, food, yard games and farm-animal meet-and-greets. This week benefits Hospice of Santa Barbara. Seating is first come, first served; no reservations required. Folded Hills events

• Dolly Day at Lucky Penny — Fri. Sept. 25, 5:30–7:30 PM, Los Olivos. Family-friendly Dolly Parton-themed dinner night with a live DJ, Dolly decor and Hot Girl Pizza benefiting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Come dressed in Dolly-inspired boots, hats or outfits and, with dinner purchase, choose a complimentary pink glitter frosé or a McConnell’s strawberry ice cream with edible glitter. Event details

Saturday

• Goleta Lemon Festival: Sat.–Sun., Sept. 26–27, 10 AM–6 PM, Girsh Park. Free admission. The kids area has an all-inclusive activity wristband, and advance purchase saves $5. The pie-eating contest happens just before noon both days. Safety Street brings the county’s largest interactive display of fire, police and emergency vehicles. Saturday also includes the Goleta Fall Classic Car Show, 9 AM–3 PM. Official festival · City details

• Astro Fest: Sat. Sept. 26, 10 AM–12 PM, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. All ages. UCSB Physics Circus, astronomy experts, constellation crafts and safe solar viewing. Planetarium shows run at 10:30, 11, 11:30 and noon; seats are first-come, first-served. Included with Museum admission and free for members; reservations recommended. Official Astro Fest page

• Solvang Skate Fest: Sat. Sept. 26, 10 AM–5 PM, Hans Christian Andersen Park. All ages, with demos, contests, food, music, games and prizes; beginner through pro divisions. Visit Solvang

• Buellton Vintage Trailer Bash Open House — Sat. Sept. 26, 10 AM–2 PM, Flying Flags. Free to the public. Hundreds of vintage campers gather for the annual rally; this year celebrates Route 66 with retro roadside-Americana styling and a themed fashion show. The organizer describes the rally as a family camping experience. Event details

• Creek Week Grade & Grab cleanup: Sat. Sept. 26, 9–11:30 AM, 801 Garden Street. RSVP required. Volunteers walk in teams assessing trash and collecting litter; light breakfast and bagged lunch provided. City event page

• Minions & Monsters Movie Night: SATURDAY, Sept. 26, 6:30–8:30 PM, Santa Barbara Golf Club. Free. This is Saturday evening. Music, face painting, temporary tattoos, putting contest, Birdie Ball and free popcorn before the movie. Bring blankets or low-back chairs. City event page

• LAST CHANCE — Sunstone STOMP 2026: Sat. Sept. 26, 10 AM–3 PM, Sunstone Winery, Santa Ynez. Sunstone’s 29th annual harvest celebration, categorized by Sunstone as Members Only. Breakfast and lunch by Oak and Fire, vineyard experience, grape stomping, live music by Do No Harm Band, plus exclusive Library and not-yet-released Future wine tastings. General admission $175; VIP $200. The primary event page does not state an age policy. Gavin emailed Sunstone asking whether STOMP is kid-friendly and has not received a reply. Official event + tickets

Pumpkin patches & farm stuff

• Lane Farms Pumpkin Patch — opens Sat. Sept. 26 and runs through Oct. 31. 308 S. Walnut Lane, Santa Barbara. Sat.–Sun. 10 AM–7 PM; Mon.–Fri. noon–7 PM. Hayrides, farm animals, tractors and farm equipment, educational displays, a corn maze and tons of pumpkins. This is the hyper-local pick and it opens this weekend. Official Lane Farms pumpkin patch

• Summerset Farm Pumpkin Patch — Santa Ynez. Open for fall pumpkin season with a wide range of pumpkins, decorative gourds and corn, a farm-stand general store, acres to wander and a Sunflower Maze. The farm’s own site says it is fun for all ages and welcomes leashed dogs. Official Summerset Farm

• Underwood Family Farms Fall Harvest Festival — Moorpark, Sept. 26–Oct. 31, 9 AM–6 PM. The full festival also opens this Saturday. Huge pumpkin patch, pick-your-own fields, tractor wagon rides, animal center, pig races, live music, themed weekends, play areas and dozens of farm activities. Weekend tickets are online-only and same-day walk-ins are not guaranteed. This opening weekend is Friends of the Farm / Public Safety Weekend; current admission is $30 online, children under 2 free. Official Fall Harvest Festival

• Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch — opens Sat. Sept. 26 and runs through Nov. 2. 1035 Alamo Pintado Road, Solvang. More than 60 pumpkin varieties, fresh popcorn and kettle corn, a kids’ maze, and a 14-acre corn maze with scavenger hunt. Fall fun for all ages. Season listing

• Montecito Country Mart Pumpkin Patch — Oct. 1–31. Month-long pumpkin patch at Montecito Country Mart. Easy local fall stop and especially useful to pair with the Mart’s Halloween event on Oct. 31. Official Country Mart events

Sunday

• Santa Barbara Museum of Art free day with a library card: Sun. Sept. 27, 11 AM–4:30 PM. Show a Santa Barbara Public Library card for free admission as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. All ages. Official library listing

• Sea Center: Sun. Sept. 27. Storytime at 10:30 AM and Shark Sundays at 11:30 AM. Both are short, easy add-ons if you are already on Stearns Wharf. Museum calendar

• MOXI reopens Sunday at noon. The museum is closed for maintenance through Sunday morning and reopens Sept. 27 at 12 PM. Useful if anyone was planning MOXI this weekend, since Saturday is not an option. MOXI

• Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show — Sun. Sept. 27, 10 AM–6 PM, Cabrillo Boulevard. Free, easy waterfront browse with local artists and makers. City calendar

• Judy Collins — Sweet Judy Blue Eyes Farewell Tour — Sun. Sept. 27, 7 PM, Lobero Theatre. One of the final chances to see Judy Collins live on her farewell tour. Reserved seats are $75 / $100 / $150 premium, with the premium tier including a pre-show courtyard reception. Official Lobero event

Worth the drive

• ArtWalk Ventura: Sat. Sept. 26, 10 AM–5 PM; Sun. Sept. 27, 10 AM–4 PM. Free and family-friendly, with 300+ artists, galleries and pop-ups across Downtown and the Westside, two performance stages, street painting, a children’s area, live demonstrations and CineFest. Saturday music continues until 7 PM. Gold Coast Transit is offering free rides during ArtWalk. Official ArtWalk

• Still Frothy Surf Festival: Sat.–Sun., Sept. 26–27, 8 AM–5 PM, Pismo Beach Pier. Two-day surf festival presented with Billabong USA, with competition and a community/nonprofit focus. Official Pismo Beach tourism calendar

• Mid-Autumn Moon Festival — Sat. Sept. 26, 5–8:30 PM, Ventura. Free admission and explicitly family/community-focused, with lion dances, a magic show, children’s activities, mooncakes, lanterns, cultural performances and vegetarian food. Official Ventura Buddhist Center event

• PREP in the Park — Sat. Sept. 26, 11 AM–4 PM, College Park, Oxnard. Free family disaster-preparedness festival with firefighter gear, a digital fire-extinguisher simulator, hands-only CPR and first aid, a kids disaster-hero obstacle course, pet evacuation activities and a petting zoo. Official event

• Seaside Oddities Expo — Sat. Sept. 26, noon–8 PM + Sun. Sept. 27, Ventura County Fairgrounds. All ages, costumes encouraged, dark art/oddities vendors and live sideshow entertainment; Sunday includes a costume contest for kids and adults. Presale $10; $20 event weekend; kids 10 and under free with a paid adult. Official Fairgrounds listing

Run / Walk / Kids Races

• BOOK NOW — Fox Fall Classic — Sun. Oct. 4, Lake Los Carneros, Goleta. Very local and actually family-friendly: 5K at 8:30 AM ($27.50), 2-mile at 9:15 AM ($16.90), and 1-mile at 9:15 AM ($11.60). Professionally timed, with music, donuts, snacks, raffle prizes and awards. REGISTER

• BOOK NOW — Santa Barbara Half Marathon / 5K / Kids Fun Run — Sun. Nov. 8. The family pick is the free HOKA Kids Fun Run at 10 AM, designed especially for ages 0–7 (older kids welcome), with age-group distances from 200m to 800m. Advance registration is capped at 300 kids and typically fills early, but organizers have told us they will not turn away children who show up to participate on race day. Parents can run alongside their child without registering. The 5K starts at 8:30 AM and is currently $76.65; the Half starts at 7 AM and is $164.25. The overall event sold out a month early in 2025 and organizers expect an earlier sellout this year. REGISTER

Looking ahead — get a group going

• SAVE THE DATE — Montecito Country Mart Halloween Spectacular — Sat. Oct. 31, 11 AM–2 PM. Confirmed for 2026. Costume contest at 11 AM, followed by trick-or-treating around the Mart through 2 PM. Pairs naturally with the Country Mart pumpkin patch, which runs all month. Official Country Mart event

• WATCH — Ghost Village Road on Coast Village Road. The Coast Village Association has not yet published the 2026 date/time. Last year’s event was Oct. 31, 2025, 3–6 PM, so treat that only as historical context and wait for the 2026 announcement before planning around it. Coast Village Road events

• Sunstone Haunted Ball: La Saignée (The Vampire’s Masquerade) — Fri. Oct. 30, 7–11 PM, Sunstone Winery. Immersive vampire masquerade, dancing and entertainment. Sunstone wines, wine cocktails and mocktails available for purchase. $35 public / $25 Sunstone members. A roundtrip shuttle from Santa Barbara will be available for purchase; shuttle and preferred-hotel details are still coming. The primary page does not currently state an age restriction. Official event + tickets

• BOOK NOW — Boo-Cara at The Ritz-Carlton Bacara — Fri. Oct. 30, 5–7 PM. Tickets are live now. This one is explicitly open to families from the local community and beyond: property-wide trick-or-treating, a Spooky Forest, Vampire Academy activities, crafts, a family-friendly haunted house and Halloween movie screening. Paid tickets include self-parking. We haven’t booked this one yet. We’re on the fence because it works out to roughly $300 for our family for a two-hour event, and there’s very little independent review history from previous years. If anyone has been before, let us know what you thought. Official tickets

• SAVE THE DATE — FREE / NO TICKET YET — Festive Holiday Market at Bacara — Sun. Dec. 6. Complimentary community holiday market with free parking, local and regional artisans, seasonal treats and all-ages activities. No booking action needed right now. Hours still TBC.

BOOK NOW / RESERVATIONS LIVE

Anything marked BOOK NOW below is ticketable or reservable right now. If you want it, book it now rather than waiting for event week. Items marked NOT ON SALE YET are on the watchlist and should be booked as soon as sales open.

• BOOK NOW — Alisal Ranch Winterlight — Sun. Dec. 13, 6 PM. Rare public-access Alisal event with a candlelit multi-course dinner and Stolpman Vineyards pairings. $175/person before tax/service; 21+ only. Alisal explicitly says every Winterlight dinner sold out last year, so this is an actual book-early item. Official Winterlight page

• NEW / BOOK NOW — Alisal Ranch Hanukkah Weekend — Dec. 4–6, 2026. Official two-night family package with nightly menorah lightings, guest-chef dinner by Burt Bakman, latke bar, gelt s’mores, sufganiyot breakfast and menorah candle making. Kids 6 and under stay complimentary. Accommodations plus breakfast and dinner daily are included; no package price is published on the primary page. Official Hanukkah Weekend page

• NEW / BOOK NOW — Christmas Week at Alisal Ranch — Dec. 21–28, 2026. Alisal has published its 2026 Ranch Christmas stay with horse decorating and a holiday parade, a Santa’s runaway reindeer search, line dancing, magic show, family bingo and s’mores. Christmas Eve includes caroling and a special visit from Santa. This is a hotel-stay package; pricing is not published on the primary page. Official December at the Ranch page

• BOOK NOW — Mattei’s Tavern Thanksgiving + Christmas Day. Live reservation inventory is up now. Thanksgiving Day Buffet — Nov. 26: $45–$125/person. Christmas Day Buffet — Dec. 25: $45–$135/person. Online bookings currently support parties of 1–6. BOOK MATTEI’S

• BOOK NOW — Finch & Fork Thanksgiving Harvest Buffet — Nov. 26. Reservations are live now at $150/adult and $60/child under 12. The live booking channel currently supports parties up to 10. BOOK FINCH & FORK

• BOOK NOW — Rosewood Miramar 2026 holiday dining: Reservations are live now for Thanksgiving (Nov. 26), Christmas Eve (Dec. 24), Christmas Day (Dec. 25), and New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31). Highest-priority family booking: Caruso’s Feast of the Seven Fishes — Dec. 24: $295 adult / $125 child; children age 4 and under complimentary, with a choice of the Feast of the Seven Fishes or Caruso’s seasonal tasting menu. Caruso’s Christmas Day — Dec. 25: $265 adult / $125 child; age 4 and under complimentary. Thanksgiving at The Revere Room — Nov. 26: $145 adult / $65 child; children under 4 complimentary. Caruso’s New Year’s Eve is explicitly adult only. Le Bal Cristal Founder’s Package — $25,000. The primary holiday page does not post an explicit sellout or capacity warning. Official Rosewood holiday page · Book Caruso’s Feast of the Seven Fishes

• DETAILS RELEASED / HOLD FOR MORE INFO — Thanksgiving at Bacara — Thanksgiving weekend: Bacara’s official holiday page now lists Harvest Cookie Decorating, Fall Arts & Crafts, Family Movie Night, seasonal photo opportunities, the Grateful Tree, Thanksgiving Brunch in the Ballroom, Lulio seasonal specials and Mission Market fall offerings. The page links Give Thanks Together to Bacara’s holiday reservation portal. Exact brunch times, price, local/non-staying guest access, capacity and sellout language are not yet posted on the primary page. Official holiday page · Holiday reservation portal

• BOOK NOW — Paloma Tinsel Tavern — Nov. 19, 2026–Jan. 4, 2027. Reservations are live now and the window has expanded again. Paloma’s official site routes reservations to its OpenTable channel, where confirmed dinner inventory is now live through Sat. Dec. 26; for a party of 2 on Dec. 26, multiple seatings are currently available from 5–9:30 PM. No separate Tinsel Tavern cover charge, age restriction, capacity limit or sellout warning is currently posted. Official Paloma / Tinsel Tavern page · Official reservation link

• BOOK NOW — Buellton Winter Fest Breakfast with Santa — Sun. Dec. 6, 2026. Winter Fest itself is free. The Holiday Village includes snow, vendors, music and evening holiday programming. Only Breakfast with Santa is reservation-based. The official Discover Buellton page is now updated for 2026 and says Breakfast with Santa tickets are available; there are two required-reservation seatings, 9–10 AM and 10:30–11:30 AM. We’re planning to go to Winter Fest; Breakfast with Santa can now be booked separately from the official event page. Official Discover Buellton page

• NOT ON SALE YET — Santa Ynez Valley Holiday Lights Festival: Dec. 4–6, Dec. 11–13 and Dec. 18–20, 5–8:30 PM each night. Dates and prices are confirmed, but tickets are not live yet. Advance admission is $30 for ages 13+ / $15 for ages 12 and under; children 2 and under free. The official 2026 ticketing page now also lists at-the-door pricing of $35 adult / $20 child. Tickets are still not live, and the current Buy Tickets button routes to the 2025 event. The Botanic Garden explicitly says it expects to sell out and will not add tickets after sellout. Do not wait once sales open. WATCH OFFICIAL TICKET PAGE

• BOOK NOW — Santa Barbara Trolley of Lights — Dec. 8–21. MORE TOURS ADDED. The operator now lists two nightly tours Thursday–Monday, with 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM check-in, and one tour Tuesday–Wednesday with 6 PM check-in. Tours depart 15 minutes after check-in. Public reservations are live now at $42/person; lap children under 2 do not require a ticket. Private trolleys hold up to 30 guests and are $975 before convenience fees and gratuity. We booked a private trolley this year and ours is already full, so next year we’re going to need two! BOOK TROLLEY OF LIGHTS

• BOOK NOW — Bacara Signature Chef Series — Nov. 6–7. Reservations are live and Bacara says seating is limited. Rachel Haggstrom of The Restaurant at JUSTIN, reception + multi-course dinner with JUSTIN pairings.

• BOOK NOW — Ojai Valley Inn Breakfast with Santa — Dec. 18–20, 9–11:30 AM. Reservations are live now. $95 adults / $50 children 12 and under; breakfast buffet, Santa, live reindeer and a keepsake photo included; tax and gratuity extra. BOOK BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

• BOOK NOW — Ojai Valley Inn Christmas Grand Buffet — Dec. 25. Reservations are live now for 12 PM and 4 PM seatings. $195 adults / $65 children 12 and under; Santa is present; tax and gratuity extra. BOOK CHRISTMAS GRAND BUFFET

• RESERVATIONS LIVE, ACCESS STILL TO CONFIRM — Bacara Holiday Cookie Decorating — Dec. 22–25, 2:30–4 PM. $40/person; 24-hour advance booking required. Bacara’s portal shows RESERVE NOW, but we are still confirming whether non-staying local families can book before recommending it broadly.

• BOOK NOW — Lulio Christmas Eve / Christmas Day dining — Dec. 24–25. Reservations are open now through Bacara’s holiday portal.

BOOK NOW / RESERVATIONS OPEN

• aSanta Barbara Trolley of Lights — Dec. 8–21, 2026. Reservations are open now. Thursday–Monday: 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM check-ins; Tuesday–Wednesday: 6 PM. General admission is $42/person; lap children under 2 do not require a ticket. Private trolleys hold up to 30 guests and are $97gratuity. Tours are raOfficial booking pagefees and gratuity. Tours are rain or shine; tickets are nonrefundable and nontransferable. Official booking page

• Ritz-Carlton Bacara holiday programming — 2026 holiday programming is now published with a live reservation portal. Festive Holiday Market: Dec. 6, complimentary with free parking. 12 Days of Wonder: Dec. 15–26, family workshops daily 12–2 PM plus Santa experiences, Lantern Walks and Elf Deliveries. Lulio Christmas dining: Dec. 24–25, including children’s offerings. Holiday cocktails at O Bar and New Year’s Eve programming are also live. Public holiday-page pricing is not yet listed. Official holiday page · Reservations

Weekend roundup

Family daytime

• MISSED / SOLD OUT — Creek Week: Land Shark Tour — Sun., Sept. 20, 9:30–11:30 AM. City of Santa Barbara Creeks Division tour following the Waterfront & Estuaries Trail toward Arroyo Burro. $10 RSVP required; space limited; sold out by event morning. This should have been surfaced before the weekend because Creek Week’s umbrella schedule contained a limited-capacity reservation subevent. Keep as a documented miss rather than deleting it because it sold out. City Creek Week calendar

• Goleta Lemon Run — Sun., Sept. 20, 8 AM–12 PM, Goleta Beach. 11th annual community run supporting Goleta schools. 1K Family Fun Run is stroller-friendly and fully paved; 5K and 10K also offered, with food, prizes and family activities. Youth scholarships are available for children 12 and under. Official organizer · City listing

• Solvang Danish Days — Fri.–Sun., downtown Solvang. Free admission. Saturday: Æbleskiver Breakfast 8:30 AM–12 PM, Kids Korner 10 AM–5 PM, Hans Christian Andersen storytime 10:30 AM, main parade 2:30 PM. Sunday includes family programming and the 2026 schedule lists the Children’s Parade at 2:30 PM. Schedule

• Santa Barbara County Farm Day — Sat., 10 AM–3 PM, participating farms throughout Santa Barbara County. Free. Info

• Coastal Cleanup Day — Sat., 9 AM–12 PM. The Sea Center cleanup meets behind Skater’s Point at East Beach. Free and all ages. This is a family favorite. Info

• Santa Barbara Oktoberfest — Sat., 11 AM–5 PM, Chase Palm Park. Ticketed; current tickets available through Eventbrite. Tickets

• Santa Maria BBQ & Music Festival — Fri.–Sun., Pioneer Park, Santa Maria. Free admission and parking; Saturday BBQ tasting is ticketed.

• Polo — Sun., Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, Carpinteria. ProAm match is listed by club ticketing for 2:30–4:30 PM. Ticket price omitted from the parent roundup because it was not independently verified.

Evening picks

• Earth, Wind & Fire — Fri., 7:30 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl.

• Freya Skye — Sat., 7:30 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl.

• Brandi Carlile — Sun., 6 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl.

• Group date: Saturday, October 24, 2026.

• Remaining action: buy tickets.

• Continue surfacing the ticket reminder in future relevant roundups until tickets

Aug. 28–30, 2026

Friday, Aug. 28

• Hairspray — 8:30 PM, Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden.

• Conjunto Primavera + Los Cadetes — 8 PM, Arlington Theatre.

Saturday, Aug. 29

• INDY40 Fest — 11 AM–4 PM, El Presidio. Free and all ages; live music, Kids Zone, interactive booths, food and tastings.

• Going Batty — 7:25 PM, Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake. Donation admission plus $10 vehicle fee.

Sunday, Aug. 30

• Fly Me to the Moon — 3 PM, First Presbyterian Church.

• Thee Sacred Souls + LA LOM + The Womack Sisters — Santa Barbara Bowl; gates 5 PM, show 6 PM.

Aug. 21–23, 2026

Friday, Aug. 21

• Going Batty — 7:30–8:30 PM, Neal Taylor Nature Center at Cachuma Lake. Docent talk followed by viewing hundreds of California Myotis bats. Donation admission plus $10 vehicle fee.

• Club Diversity + La Cumbre Art Walk — 5–8 PM. Free.

• Friday Night Swing — noted as cancelled in the original roundup.

Saturday, Aug. 22

• Pacific Pride Festival — 11 AM–7 PM, Chase Palm Park Field. Free and all ages; entertainment, food trucks, 70+ vendors, pet parade, aerialists, games and kids' crafts.

• Santa Barbara Kennel Club Show — Earl Warren Showgrounds, Saturday and Sunday. Free dog-show tour Saturday at 10 AM; all-breed / specialty competition and National Owner Handler programming.

• Mini Family Renaissance Faire — 3–5 PM.

• Train with Barenaked Ladies and Matt Nathanson — 6 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl.

Sunday, Aug. 23

• Grace Fisher Sunday Funday — 10:30–11:30 AM. Free toddler/preschool movement, sensory-play and art program; limited space.

• Family Drum Circle — 11:30 AM–12:30 PM.

• Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show — 10 AM–6 PM, Cabrillo Boulevard waterfront. No tickets required.

Aug. 14–16, 2026

Weekend anchor

• Santa Barbara Greek Festival — Aug. 14–16, Chase Palm Park Field, 230 E. Cabrillo Blvd.

◦ Friday: 3:30–8 PM

◦ Saturday: noon–8 PM

◦ Sunday: noon–6:30 PM

◦ Recovered admission: $5; children 12 and under free.

◦ Greek music and dance, food, lessons and kids area.

Friday, Aug. 14

• UCSB Free Summer Cinema: Love & Basketball — 8:30 PM, Santa Barbara County Courthouse Sunken Garden. Free.

• Interpol with julie — Santa Barbara Bowl; gates 5:30 PM, music 7 PM. Recovered ticket range: $45.50–$105.50.

Saturday, Aug. 15

• Gem Faire — Earl Warren Showgrounds, 10 AM–6 PM. Recovered admission: $7 weekend pass / free online pass.

• Dressage show — 8 AM–5 PM Saturday and Sunday. Free.

• Arts, Food & Music Festival — noon–6 PM, Elks Lodge, 150 N. Kellogg Ave. Free.

• Candlelight: Fleetwood Mac — 6 PM, New Vic. Recovered tickets from $50.76.

• Candlelight: Adele — 8:15 PM, New Vic. Recovered tickets from $46.98.

• Journey USA — 8 PM, Lobero Theatre.

Sunday, Aug. 16

• Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show — 10 AM–6 PM, Cabrillo Boulevard. Free.

• Beachside Babes Market — noon–5 PM, CrossHatch Winery, 111 E. Haley St. Free.

• 311 & Dirty Heads with Atmosphere and Rome — Santa Barbara Bowl; gates 3:30 PM, show 4:30 PM. All ages. Recovered ticket range: $55.50–$145.50.

Fiesta Weekend — Aug. 7–9, 2026

Friday, Aug. 7

• Fiesta Historical Parade — noon–2 PM, Cabrillo Boulevard.

• Flor y Canto — 7 PM.

• Las Noches de Ronda — 8–10 PM, Santa Barbara County Courthouse.

• Siudy Garrido Flamenco Company: Flamenco Suite — 7:30 PM, Lobero Theatre. Recovered ticket range: $52–$152.

Saturday, Aug. 8

• 94th annual El Desfile de los Niños / Children's Fiesta Parade — 10 AM–noon, beginning around 721 E. Cabrillo / Calle Puerto Vallarta and traveling west along Cabrillo Boulevard to Chase Palm Park. Free. Roads were expected to reopen around 1 PM.

• Mujeres Makers Market — 10 AM–4 PM, El Presidio. Free; makers, vintage, ceramics and food.

• Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show — 10 AM–6 PM.

• Mercado de la Guerra — 11 AM–10 PM.

• Children's Carnival — noon–8 PM.

• Tarde de Ronda — 1–4 PM, Courthouse Sunken Gardens.

• Mariachi Festival — 5 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl.

• Music Academy Festival finale: Mozart & Rachmaninoff — 7:30 PM, Granada Theatre. Recovered ticket range: $10–$125.

• Star Party — 8:30–10 PM, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.

• Las Noches de Ronda — 8–11 PM.

• Oak Park + Ortega Park pools — noon–5 PM.

• Butterflies Alive! — Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History; exhibition running through Sept. 7.

Sunday, Aug. 9

• Mujeres Makers Market — 10 AM–4 PM, El Presidio. Free.

• Santa Barbara Arts & Crafts Show — 10 AM–6 PM along the waterfront.

• Children's Carnival — noon–5 PM.

• Shawn Colvin — 7 PM, Lobero Theatre. Recovered ticket pricing: $40 / $55 / $100 premium.

Editorial note from the original roundup

The Sunday family plan was intentionally lighter. The standout of the weekend was Fiesta itself, especially the two parades and children's programming.

Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026

Family / daytime

• Downtown Santa Barbara Farmers Market — 8 AM–1 PM, Carrillo & State.

• Mission Archive-Library Open House — 9:30 AM–12:30 PM.

• Alice Keck Park volunteer gardening — 9 AM–noon.

• Coal Oil Point guided walk — 10 AM–noon; advance RSVP required.

• Carpinteria Arts & Crafts Faire — 10 AM–4 PM.

• Free backpack / school-supply event — 11 AM–2 PM, Ortega Park.

• Project Fiesta! — noon–5 PM, Santa Barbara Historical Museum.

• Public swimming — Oak Park and Ortega Park pools, noon–5 PM.

• The Only Way Is Through — 2 PM, Santa Barbara Central Library plaza.

Afternoon / evening

• Backyard Boogie — 4–10 PM, Community Arts Workshop. All ages; lowriders, all-vinyl DJ, food, art and night market. Recovered ticket range: $25–$30.

• La Recepción del Presidente — 5–10 PM, Santa Barbara Club.

• Trevor Noah — 7 PM, Santa Barbara Bowl; gates 5:30 PM. Recovered official ticket range: $45.50–$155.50.

• Academy Festival Orchestra: Samuel Adams & Sibelius — 7:30 PM, Granada Theatre. Family-friendly; recovered ticket range: $10–$125.

• Improv Show — 8–9:30 PM. Tickets from $10; ages 12 and under free.

• Heads All Happy Birthday Jerry! — 8:30 PM, SOhO.

Sold out

• Santa Barbara Rodeo — sold out in the original roundup.