ML Interest Tag: dance-groups

It’s Family Fall Festival Time in the Bay Area

by Andie Huber

Family-friendly fall festivals and fairs in the Bay Area that are a perfect family outing

Fall is officially here and with our perfect mid-70s weather, that also means it’s also family fall festival season! So grab the kids, put on your seasonal scarf, and head to one of these events in the Bay Area. Not to be confused with Halloween festivals in the Bay Area, pumpkin patches that deliver more than just pumpkins, or Bay Area corn mazes that are also a ton of fun, these Bay Area festivals and fall fairs are community fests and cultural events—picture autumn lights and on-the-vineyard harvest festivals that will delight, awe, inspire, and fill you with treats in a different kind of way. Find your next family-friendly fall festival and fair near San Francisco below and get ready to celebrate all the wonderful things that the fall season has to offer.

26th Annual Sunset Community Festival
Oct. 1: Enjoy live music, delicious local bites, and bring your kids to the Fun Zone for life-sized games, face painting, balloon animals, and more! This free family-friendly event for all ages draws Sunset residents and celebrates the diversity of the region, building bridges among neighbors and providing performances from dance groups, musical artists, and more. The festival features Sunset Mercantile’s pop-up marketplace, showcasing local eats, merchants, makers, and artisans. Event details.

Great Glass Pumpkin Patch
Oct. 1-2: More than 25 artists take months to hand-blow and hand-craft the more than 10,000 beautiful glass pumpkins, which range from teeny-tiny to gargantuan. The pumpkins come in all colors and various shapes. Event details.

Japanese Cultural Festival
Oct. 2: Live performances, demonstrations, hands-on activities for adults and children, food booths, wine, beer and sake booths all celebrate the Japanese culture. Event details.

San Francisco Fleet Week
Oct. 3-10: See air shows, take ship tours and watch the parade of ships at this epic celebration of patriotism. Event details.

California Seaweed Festival 2022
Oct. 7-8: The California Seaweed Festival is a free in-person family friendly event celebrating the seaweed diversity of California. The festival will showcase seaweed uses and applications in art, cooking, farming, science, sustainable technology, and conservation. At the all-day event, we will have booths, exhibits, workshops, galleries, and hands-on activities to immerse you and your family in seaweed fun and knowledge. We also encourage the use of masks when in a crowded and enclosed areas, following the California set guidelines. Event details.

Italian Heritage Festival Parade
Oct. 8: The Parade begins at 12:30 pm at the foot of Jefferson and Powell Streets in Fisherman’s Wharf, proceeds south through North Beach on Columbus Avenue and ends in Washington Square in front of Saints Peter and Paul Church. Parade viewing is available throughout the entire route. Event details.

San Francisco Water Lantern Festival
Oct. 8: The Water Lantern Festival is a floating lantern event that is all about connections. Watch your unique lantern drift out into the water as it joins other lanterns carrying hope, love, happiness, healing, peace, and connection. Event details.

Life is Living Festival
Oct. 8: This multi-generational, multi-disciplinary festival celebrates and highlights everything that is beautiful about Oakland – the joy, diversity, adversity, and revolutionary spirit that vibrates through the streets of the city. Event details.

Day on the Bay 2022
Oct. 8: Come out and celebrate the Bay! This resource fair showcase the beautiful Alviso Marina, along with several family-friendly and recreation activities. This special event is a wonderful opportunity to share information, services, and resources with the local community. Event details.

Celebrate the Harvest at Bricoleur Vineyards
Oct. 9: Celebrate the 3rd Annual Harvest Party! Enjoy wine, music, bocce ball, and all-around fun at Bricoleur Vineyards. Event details.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day at Filoli
Oct. 10: Join Filoli this Indigenous Peoples' Day for an hour of history, dance, and storytelling by Sewam American Indian Dance and the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone. Eddie Madril will perform and share how native dancing and music represents a beautiful expression of Native American heritage. Jonathan Cordero and Gregg Castro will give an overview of Ramaytush village sites and touch on the Association's goals around cultural revitalization, land rematriation, and ecological restoration. Children and families are welcome! The hour-long free program will be repeated at 11:00 and 1:00 and will be held in Filoli’s Ballroom. Space is limited so registration is recommended. Event details.

Safeway World Champ Pumpkin Weigh-Off
Oct. 10: Pumpkin growers far and near will vie for heaviest pumpkin at the annual Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off. In a pay-by-the-pound system, the winner will take home a hefty $9 per pound for the champion mega-pumpkin. In addition, a $1000 award will go to the most beautiful pumpkin. A special $30,000 bonus mega-prize will be awarded to any grower who breaks the world record at Half Moon Bay (the current world record is 2,703-pounds set at a 2021 weigh-off in Italy). The grand champion gourd (along with the top five overall) will be on display at the Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival on Oct. 15-16. Event details.

Autumn Lights Festival
Oct. 11-15: Art and nature enthusiasts from all over the region will flock to Oakland's Lake Merritt to immerse themselves in the 11th Annual Autumn Lights Festival, a one-of-a-kind interactive art experience that is always the talk of the town. Event details.

Diwali Festival
Oct. 15: Diwali is a festival of lights and one of the major festivals celebrated in India and other South Asian countries. Diwali symbolizes the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance". During Diwali, people wear their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diyas  (lamps) and rangoli, perform worship ceremonies of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (Indian sweets) and gifts are shared. Diya lighting, music, performances, arts and crafts, henna, kids zone, food trucks, costume parade and more! Event details.

Potrero Hill Festival
Oct. 15: Celebrate the Potrero community outdoors on 20th Street as we stretch out over 4 blocks with magic, music, food, family, and fun! The Potrero Hill Festival is a benefit for the Potrero Hill Neighborhood House, our local community center providing essential services to Potrero’s most in need. Join us for this one-of-a-kind community event for all ages! Event details.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 15 & 16: Celebrate the "Great & Almighty Gourd" as Half Moon Bay presents its 50th annual bountiful pumpkin season with a special weekend filled with four stages of blockbuster entertainment, the Great Pumpkin Parade, harvest-inspired crafts, and home-style foods. Farmer Mike swill sculpt a monster pumpkin, plus there will be an opportunity to take photos with the grand champion mega-gourd, enter into pie-eating and costume contests, and so much more. Event details.

German Day in Golden Gate Park 2022
Oct. 16: Various German organizations and performers will showcase their talents and entertain the audience from the stage and each organization will also sponsor an informational table. There will be activities for children and adults, food available for purchase and beer and wine available in an enclosed "Biergarten." Event details.

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Celebrate Labor Day in DC at One of These 8 Can’t-Miss Events

by Angelica Kajiwara

This Labor Day weekend, take your family to one of these fun, no-hassle (and mostly free!) activities in and around Washington, DC

Summer is winding down, and school is starting, but the cozy autumn air isn’t here quite yet. Nevertheless, Labor Day weekend activities in Washington, DC are right around the corner, and we’ve rounded up all the Labor Day family fun to be had in the DMV. With one more long holiday weekend to fill before we fully enter fall, we found everything from local concerts to parades to family-friendly art shows. So make the most of the unofficial end of summer with these events and activities in our area. The best part: these hip happenings require hardly any planning and are (mostly) free!

National Symphony Orchestra Labor Day Capitol Concert 
Older kids (or your all-nighter toddler) will love listening to the NSO’s annual free concert, happening Sun., Sep. 4 at 8 p.m., on the West Lawn of the Capitol Building, featuring Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke leading the orchestra in music by Aaron Copland, John Williams, new Kennedy Center Composer-in-Residence Carlos Simon, and others. Special guest Jimmie Herrod (Pink Martini, America’s Got Talent) joins the celebration to perform favorites by Gladys Knight, Joni Mitchell, and more. 

West Lawn of the United States Capitol Building
Capitol Circle
Washington, DC
Online: kennedy-center.org

Library of Congress National Book Festival
Hear authors speak, learn about the Library of Congress, and find fun family activities like a Waldo hunt and story times at the place where books come alive: the National Book Festival. If you can’t make it to Washington, DC for the free, all-day event on Sat., Sept. 3, several programs—including talks—will be live-streamed, and videos of all talks can be viewed online after the Festival concludes. Don’t forget to pick out a new book before you leave.

Washington Convention Center
801 Mt Vernon Pl NW
Washington, DC
Online: loc.gov/bookfest

National Museum of American History 
Explore the history of labor at the “American Enterprise” exhibit, which is open daily, at the National Museum of American History. Kids will get a kick out of the Japanese McDonald’s sign, old ad posters, and one of Michael Dell’s early computers (“Mom, where’s the touch screen?”). Engage them with questions about how they hope to give back one day (and bring home a paycheck).

Constitution Ave., NW (between 12th and 14th St.)
Washington, DC
Online: americanhistory.si.edu

Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade
After a two-year hiatus, the ever-popular Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade, one of the City’s oldest traditions, returns to the streets of Olde Towne on Mon., Sep. 5 from 1-3 p.m. Now in its 84th year, this rain-or-shine event includes high school marching bands, dance groups, costumed characters, antique cars and fire engines, equestrian units, clowns, and more, all winding their way down East Diamond and Russell Avenues.

506 South Frederick Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD
Online: gaithersburgmd.gov

Glen Echo Park Labor Day Art Show 
This free annual art show exhibits more than 200 artists from the mid-Atlantic region and includes media such as painting, drawing, glass, jewelry, photography, ceramics, furniture, sculpture, and fiber arts. Follow your visit with a trip to your local Michael’s and have your kids create their own gallery-worthy pieces.

Glen Echo Park Spanish Ballroom
7300 MacArthur Blvd.
Glen Echo, MD
Online: glenechopark.org

Virginia Scottish Games 
Although adult tickets are $20 over the weekend, kids 12 and under are free on Sunday—so come enjoy a day of piping and drumming, highland dancing, and fiddling competitions along with sheep-herding demonstrations (your kids will coo over the Border Collies), an antique British car and bike show, vendors and crafts, clan and society exhibits, children’s activities (games, archery, and face painting), live music, and plenty of Scottish food and drink. Kilts are welcome but not required!

Great Meadow
5089 Old Tavern Rd.
The Plains, VA
Online: vascottishgames.org

https://www.instagram.com/p/B15FLI_l9sy/?hidecaption=true

Greenbelt Labor Day Festival
2022 will mark the 68th year of the festival that brings the Rising Star Showcase and Hybrid Art Show to town. Locals know the festival, which runs Friday through Monday, is the year’s main event with great rides for young and old alike, fantastic entertainment, and some of the best carnival food around.  

Historic Roosevelt Center
101 Centerway
Greenbelt, MD
Online: greenbeltlaborday.com

Baseball: America’s Home Run
There’s no better place to get in the all-American spirit than an exhibition about the history of baseball at the Postal Museum. In celebration of the recent 150th Anniversary of Professional Baseball, the National Postal Museum’s Baseball exhibit features historic objects loaned from renowned private collections that have never before been on public display. You’ll see Babe Ruth’s actual game-used bat and Yogi Berra’s uniform. All that nostalgia will surely inspire a family tailgate in front of the TV as our Nationals take on the Cardinals on Labor Day.

2 Massachusetts Ave., NE
Washington, DC
Online: postalmuseumsi.edu

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¡VIVA! 10 Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Atlanta

by Allison Sutcliffe

If there’s one thing Atlanta families value, it’s the mix of rich cultures and communities you find around the city. That’s why we’ve rounded up ten ways to get in on Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in Atlanta. Fantastic fiestas and festivals are popping up all over, and they’re pulling out the stops from the mid-September into October. Expect authentic foods, exciting dances, live music, and special programs that are just for families, from Dunwoody to Forest Park. These family-friendly events highlight the city’s Latinx heritage, traditions, and pride.

Amazing Hispanic Heritage Month Festivals & Celebrations

two women twirl traditional latinx dresses during a hispanic heritage month celebration
sydney Rae via unsplash

Hispanic Heritage Celebration in Norcross
If you enjoyed the Viva Mexico celebration or last year’s Dia de los Muertos Festival in Norcross, then you won’t want to miss this convergence of cultures that's fun for the whole fam. Join other community members for festivities galore. Become immersed in the music, dances, foods, traditions, and more from a variety of Hispanic countries.

Date: Sep. 17, 2022
Event details

Latino & Hispanic Heritage Festival in Dunwoody
Celebrate Latino and Hispanic Heritage Month with live music, dance, food demonstrations and more. Held at the North DeKalb Cultural Arts Center, home of the Stage Door Theater and Spruill Art Center, this free celebration is open to all.

Date: Sep. 18, 2022
Event details

Live Music, Food & Dancing in Acworth
Bring the kids to Concert on the Green: Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Logan Farm Park in Acworth. This festival highlights Hispanic Cultures within the community through a variety of Hispanic food vendors, music, and dance groups in a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. Bring the family out and enjoy the evening celebrating together.

Date: Sep. 24, 2022
Event details

Conyers 6th Annual Latin Festival
It's the annual Conyers Latin Festival that celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in Olde Town Conyers. This year’s event kicks off with stellar live entertainment highlighting the Hispanic culture including a parade featuring traditional costumes and entertainment. As you walk through the festival, enjoy authentic flavors and cuisine, cultural art exhibits, live music, and vendors. Plus, the kids will find plenty of activities in the Kids Zone.

Date: Oct. 2, 2022
Event details

CULTURA: Fiesta Latina
Join the City of Lawrenceville for CULTURA, a Latin heritage festival celebrating Lawrenceville’s diverse culture. Eat, dance, and learn together at this free, family-friendly event that closes out Hispanic Heritage Month. Families can also visit the Lawrenceville Arts Center for a special art exhibition celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month featuring important works by local artists.

Date: Oct. 14, 2022
Event details

Related: 15 Fantastic Festivals & Fairs to Put on Your Fall Calendar

These Kid-Friendly Local Programs Celebrate Latinx Culture

Explore Latin Culture at Atlanta Children's Museum
Throughout September, families can enjoy special activities at the Atlanta Children's Museum. You'll find special programs at the CMA Stage, in the Art Studio, and in Jane’s Innovation Station all month long. Learn about Venezuelan zoologist Zuleyma Tang-Martinez and Colombian artist Ignacio Gómez Jaramillo and more while you play.

Dates: Sep. 5-30, 2022
Event details

La Cucarachita Martina
Families will love this Latin rock-n-roll musical based on a popular Cuban and Puerto Rican children’s tale about a little roach who learns many lessons on her journey to find true love.

Dates: Sep. 22-30, 2022
Event details

Hispanic Heritage Month Craft & Storytime
Join Ms. Adrienne for a special storytime and craft in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month at this two part library series. On September 28, there will be a storytime and kids will begin drawing and painting sombreros and ponchos. Then, on October 5, kids will finish up crafts and share them with the group.

Dates: Sep. 28 & Oct. 5, 2022
Event details

Dance with Alma Mexicana
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with the extraordinary Mexican dance group Alma Mexicana Danza Folklórica. Families can enjoy music and traditional Mexican folk dances at this free program.

Date: Oct. 1, 2022
Event details

Make Papel Picado
Stop by the Hapeville Branch Library for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration that will feature a traditional Cuban folktale, The Bossy Gallito: El Gallo De Bodas. Afterwards, kids can learn how to make Papel Picado, a traditional Mexican craft with colorful paper sheets and intricate cut-out details.

Date: Oct. 15, 2022
Event details

Related: 7 Secret Spots in Atlanta Worth Finding

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Beyond the Bird: Things to Do in Atlanta after Thanksgiving

by Tinybeans Team

After the main event has settled and your family and friends are full, you can turn your attention to activities all around town that are worth buckling up for. Keep reading for our favorite things to do in Atlanta after Thanksgiving’s over.

CHOA's Season on the Square

iStock

This year, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is reimagining a new holiday tradition to kick off the season. The annual Children’s Holiday Parade will be replaced by a full day of fun for the entire family at Colony’s Square’s Season on the Square. The Lighting at Colony Square celebration held Saturday, December 4, 2021. Highlights of the parade, like bands and dance groups, will still play a role in the celebration with a 20-minute Street Extravaganza performance on Peachtree Street and the Main Stage at Colony Square. Here's what you need to know.

Tour Residential Light Displays

seattle christmas lights ravenna candy cane lane
photo: Mojdeh S. via yelp

If you’re looking for high-voltage holiday cheer, these megawatt neighborhood Christmas light displays are sure to flip the switch on some family fun. These Atlanta-area residential winter wonderlands are brought to you by families with some serious spirit. Read on because we’re shedding light on our favorite festive homes around town. Find out more here.

Avalon on Ice

ice skating
iStock

Tis’ the season to lace up your skates and glide into the holiday spirit at Avalon on Ice! A monumental Rockefeller-inspired ice skating rink is back like last year, guests will need to book ice skating reservations in advance to ensure a skating time slot and that the ice doesn't get too crowded. Walk-ups are also welcome, there's no guarantee you will be able to skate at that time. Here's the info you'll want to know before you go.

Explore the Christkindl Market

iStock

Enjoy a German-style holiday extravaganza for the most wunderbar time of the year. Expect more than 50 vendors dishing hot chocolate, cider, and German Glühwein (aka, mulled wine), alongside traditional German eats such as pretzels, brats, and schnitzel. Shopping booths will feature wooden toys, jewelry, hardwood pipes, and other German handcrafts, including ornaments from well-known maker Käthe Wohlfahrt. Live music and entertainment are scheduled for the weekends, and “complimentary fire pits” will be dotted around the Village’s new open-air Veranda all season. Check this info out before you go.

Enjoy IllumiNights at Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta

Check out one of Atlanta's newest and most noteworthy holiday events at Zoo Atlanta. IllumiNights is a nighttime lantern wonderland celebrating the beauty of the natural world. Stroll the Zoo after dark to be inspired by more than 80 animal lanterns – some up to 20 feet tall – depicting some of Earth’s most charismatic creatures. Each lantern is made and hand-painted by Chinese artisans. Wildlife lights the night at the all-NEW IllumiNights at the Zoo: A Chinese Lantern Festival, opening in November 2021 and running through mid-January. Here's the scoop.

Chase Snowflakes at Atlantic Station

iStock

Set to the soundtrack provided by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, we’ve integrated the holiday tree lights, cafe lights surrounding Atlantic Green, all-new custom Jumbotron animated video, and snow shows into one spectacular celebration that occurs every hour from 5-9 p.m. Monday – Sunday this holiday season. Did we mention it’s free? Make Celebration at the Station part of your family’s holiday tradition this year.

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

iStock

For a fresh take on the holidays, head to a Christmas tree farm. Choose from pre-cut trees, wreaths, and garland—or, of course—cut your own. For bonus points, pick up a hayride or a visit with Santa while you’re there. Just be sure to call before you go to verify hours and tree availability. Keep reading here for our favorite places to pick your perfect Christmas tree.

Drive-Through World of Illumination

World of Illumination

Choose from two new Worlds of Illumination drive-through light experiences for the ultimate holiday activity for all ages—from tots to grandparents, and everyone, in between. At the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton you'll have an Arctic Adventure, while at Six Flags White Water in Marietta you'll have a Rockin' Christmas. Both shows feature millions of colorful lights and animated displays synchronized to holiday music. Here's the intel.

—Shelley Massey

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5 San Diego Holiday Parades Worth Watching

by Lenya McGrath

Part of the fun of the holidays is making sure the whole family gets into the Christmas spirit in the lead up to the big day. And nothing says holiday cheer like a festival parade. San Diego’s local communities from Encinitas to El Cajon love to get into the celebrations with parades full of marching bands, pageant queens and of course a visit from St. Nick himself. So fill up the thermos with hot cocoa, grab a spot on the sidewalk and start that festive season.

Photo: San Diego Tourism Authority

Mother Goose Parade
Start the holiday period off with San Diego’s largest and well-known parade. Traditionally held the Sunday before Thanksgiving, the Mother Goose Parade is a sizable celebration that honors both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Located in East County’s El Cajon, thousands of people flock to see more than 100 parade entries from all around the country. Marching bands, drill units, horse brigades, clowns, performing artists, giant balloons, celebrities and of course Santa Claus all join together to walk down Main Street. The parade can get busy so make sure you are packed up with snacks, hats, sunscreen, water and bring your own seats if you want to avoid the grandstand seating.

Parking Info: There is parking is on street and in limited parking structures. With the large number of spectators, allow time to find a spot or have someone drop you off.

Date: Sat., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.

Mother Goose Parade
Main St.
El Cajon, Ca 92020
Online: mgpelcajon.com

Photo: Charlie Vergara via Flickr Creative Commons

North Park Toyland Parade
San Diego’s oldest Christmas parade, the North Park Toyland Parade, started in 1936 and has been delighting kids and adults ever since. On Dec. 5, the 52nd annual Christmas celebration will weave its way down University Ave. between Utah and Iowa Streets. Watch a winter wonderland come alive with marching bands, dance groups, vintage cars that herald back to the parades history, as well as a very special visit from Santa riding atop his merry red sleigh. Following the parade, North Park will hold a day-long festival to keep the Christmas cheer going strong. The parade kicks off at 11 a.m. and the Christmas festival will follow until 3p.m.

Parking Info: All-day parking is available for the very festive price of $1 at the North Park parking garage.

Date: Sat., Dec. 5, 11 a.m.

North Park Toyland Parade
University Ave.
San Diego, Ca 92104
Online: toylandparade.com

Photo: Blue Comanche via Flickr Creative Commons 

Encinitas Holiday Parade
As the sun sets and a brisk night starts, head north to Encinitas for a night of Christmas fun. Cheer as the city’s Christmas tree is lit at the Lumberyard and then head to the Coast Highway 101 to watch the North County parade unfold. You’ll see thousands of locals on floats, in bands and marching the streets with a huge crowd of 10,000 watching the holiday festivities.

Parking Info: Parking can be tricky close to the parade, so take advantage of the free parade parking shuttles that run from Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas or from the YMCA / Ecke Sports Park parking lot. Shuttles run every 20 minutes between 4 and 8.30 p.m.

Date: Sat., Dec. 5, 5 p.m.

Encinitas Holiday Parade
Coast Highway 101 (D Street to J Street)
Encinitas, Ca 92024
Online: encinitasca.gov

Photo: Cjbphotos1 via Flickr Creative Commons

La Jolla Holiday Parade
The annual La Jolla holiday parade kicks off the festive season with a huge celebration of the 100th anniversary of La Jolla Recreation Center. Christmas cheer will spread with a wide range of parade entrants, including horses, vintage cars, drill units, marching bands, pageant queens and locals will all make their way through La Jolla Village. The fun kicks off at 1.30 p.m. and a festival will follow with entertainment, food, photos with Santa and arts and crafts. The day concludes with a Christmas tree lighting at 5 p.m.

Parking Info: Parking is available on the street and will get busy. So allow extra time to park, find the perfect spot and get settled in.

Date: Sun., Dec. 6, 1.30 p.m.

La Jolla Holiday Parade
Girard Ave.
La Jolla, Ca, 92037
Online: ljparade.com

Image Credit: Port of San Diego via Flickr Creative Commons

San Diego Bay Parade of Lights
This wouldn’t be San Diego without the beautiful beaches and waterfronts, so it makes sense that we’d have to our own Christmas Parade on water. The San Diego Bay Parade of Lights brings together more than 80 boats decorated to the hilt in Christmas lights and cheer for a procession from Shelter Island past Harbor Island, the Embarcadero, Seaport  Village, and Ferry Landing in Coronado. Viewing spots are best either on the water or on the park behind Seaport Village, Harbor Island and Shelter Island.  Other excellent land-based viewing spots include the north and south ends of the Embarcadero, as well as the pathway along Coronado (these areas tend to be less crowded). The boating procession will take an hour and a half to spread its Christmas cheer along the nautical route. Check the website to see when the floats will be scheduled to be in your location. It’s truly a sight to see!

Dates: Sundays, Dec. 13 and 20, 5.30 p.m.

Shelter Island Dr.
San Diego, Ca 92106
Online: sdparadeoflights.org

What’s your favorite Christmas Parade? Let us know in the comments below!

— Lenya McGrath

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Top 9 Tips for Navigating the Oregon State Fair

by Suzie Ridgway

The Oregon State Fair came in at number eight on the Huffington Post’s top ten list of best state fairs this year thanks to our rich agricultural climate and western charm. Here’s our list of insider tips to navigate this incredible fair with your kiddos that’s just an hour south of Portland.

Photo credit: Oregon State Fair

1. Buy your tickets in advance
If you purchase your tickets in advance (usually you have until the day before the fair opens), you’ll get in for nearly half the cost. We love that it’s free for children age five and under. This way you can spend the extra money on elephant ears.

2. Go when the gates open
The best time of day to take the kiddos to the fair is when the gates open at 10 a.m. First of all, you’ll beat the heat, which is an important factor in Salem this time of year. The crowd will also be a bit thinner first thing in the morning since the concertgoers won’t arrive until later in the day. Lastly, the animals also are on their best behavior and most rested in the morning.

3. Don’t park in the free lot
Free parking is great, but that means it’s also really crowded and you can drive around for ages looking for an open spot. Bypass the official fair lots and splurge on parking across the street, which has historically been about $3.

Photo credit: Oregon State Fair

4. Explore Familyville
Familyville is a special area of the fair with activities and entertainment just for kids. There’s juggling, dance groups, racing pigs, magicians, a kid-powered tractor pull and a free-range petting zoo, to name a few.  Kids’ Day at the fair is August 23rd and, in addition to kids 11 and under getting into the fair free, and the regular Familyville activities, the Radio Disney crew and Portland Trailblazers Dancers will be making appearances too.

5. Take a test ride or two before buying a wristband
If this is your first carnival visit with your kids, try one or two kiddie rides before shelling out the bucks for the “unlimited rides” wristband. We’ve all seen that screaming kid on the rides and the frustrated parent insisting they enjoy it because they just spent money on a wristband.

6. Come hungry
You can get everything from a three-foot-long corn dog to delicious organic ice cream to fresh squeezed lemonade, all in the same area. Definitely get the deep-fried chocolate-dipped bacon. Sounds weird, but you won’t regret it.  Also, we suggest packing your own drinks for the little ones since soda seems to be the drink of choice here. If you want to bring your own lunch or dinner, go for it because there are plenty of spots to spread out a picnic blanket, eat and do some people watching, including the Picnic Grove near Familyville.

 Photo credit: Ben Stephenson via Flickr Creative Commons

7. See free concerts
As if the kiddie rides, petting zoo and fair food weren’t enough, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Ziggy Marley, The Beach Boys and several other huge acts will perform on the main stage in the evenings for free with fair admission. Check the fair’s website for a full schedule.

8. Find the restroom
Whether you need to change a diaper or your kids are drinking their weight in lemonade,  at some point, you’re going to need to find a restroom – quickly.  There are at least two inside each building. There’s one near Familyville, right next to the Grove Stage. The closest ones to the Carnival and Kiddieland are a bit of a hike, in the Jackman Long Building near the Box Office on the south side of the fairgrounds, or near Dogtown, just north of the Food Court. Better yet, download and print out one of the online maps here and take it with you.

9. Become a Facebook Fan
The Oregon State Fair folks use Facebook as the primary mode of communication. It’s the absolute best place to get up-to-date info on schedules, along with fair insider tips. Plus, if you have any questions, they are quick to answer – just post a comment.

August 22-September 1
Oregon State Fairgrounds
2330 17th St. NE
Salem, Or
Online: oregonstatefair.org

Do you have a favorite attraction or must-see exhibit at the fair that your kids love? Let us know in the Comments below!

— Suzie Ridgway

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