Festivals

MAY

27-June 16: Renaissance Pleasure Faire. The original Renaissance Faire celebrates its 40th year with a re-creation of a 16th century English country fair and marketplace with eight stages of continuous entertainment, food, crafts, games, more. Glen Helen Regional Park.

31-June 2: Summer Fest 2002. Food, rides, games and live entertainment including concerts by Freddy Fender, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Creedence Clearwater Revisited and others. Fund-raiser for Saint Angela Merici School. Call for closing times. St. Angela Merici School.

JUNE

1: Big Dog Parade & Canine Festival. Parade will be followed immediately by a Canine Festival at Old Chase Palm. Benefits the Big Dog Foundation. De La Guerra Plaza.

2: Annual Whale Fiesta. Sponsored by the American Cetacean Society, the event celebrates the end of a successful whale-watching season with slide shows, lectures, contests, plus face-painting, arts and crafts projects, more. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.

2: Family Arts Festival. More than 50 performers of various styles and cultures including storytellers, dancers, puppets, musicians, more. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts.

2: Ooodles of Noodles. A celebration of the community’s diverse cultural heritage including traditional music and dance performances, hands-on folk art activities and tastes of different noodle dishes of various ethnic cuisines. Torrance Cultural Arts Center.

2: Streetful of Tamales Festival. The first annual celebration will feature a variety of tamales from all over Latin America plus chalk art street murals, more. MacArthur Park.

6-9: San Fernando Valley Fair. Live entertainment, carnival rides, agricultural & science exhibits, pig racing, livestock auctions, food, more. Hansen Dam Sports Center.

8-9: Cairo Carnivale Dance Festival. A celebration of music, dance and cuisine from the Near and Middle East as well as Spain, Eastern Europe and Africa. Performers will include Tom Bozigian, Alexandra King, the Adam Basma Dance Ensemble and the Keshet Chaim Israeli Dancers. Glendale Civic Auditorium.

8-9: Indian Fair. The museum’s 19th annual event will feature the Mankillers, an all-female Native American drum troupe, and 100s of other performers from dozens of tribes. San Diego Museum of Man.

8: L.A. Kids Read Festival. Family fun with storytellers, crafts, refreshments, live music, dance and theater performances. Richard J. Riordan Central Library.

8-9: Long Beach Chili Cook-Off 2002. Food, drinks, live entertainment, competitions, interactive activities, arts, crafts, jewelry, more. Long Beach Marina Green.

8: Long Beach Woman Spirit Summer Solstice Faire. More than 100 vendors offering clothing, jewelry, books, toys, crafts, ethnic food, plus continuous entertainment, more. Unitarian Universalist Church.

9: Arts of Life Festival. A celebration of art, wine, food and jazz, featuring art by internationally known artists with disabilities. New Horizons Auditorium.

9: Glendale Memorial Hospital Life Walk/Run & Festival. 5K walk followed by a street festival featuring a concert by 1960s surf music icons Jan & Dean. Glendale Memorial Hospital.

9: Ojai Wine Festival. More than 40 wineries and micro breweries will offer their wares for sampling, plus food, live music and artisans marketplace. Lake Casitas.

15-16: Irish Fair & Music Festival. Event will feature concerts by the Saw Doctors, Gaelic Storm and the Prodigals plus bagpipe bands, dancing, sheep herding, caber tossing, an antique car show, children’s activities, more. Woodley Park.

22-23: International Gourd Festival. Gourds galore plus art exhibits, competitions, live entertainment, classes, demonstrations, children’s activities, food, more. Welburn Gourd Farm.

22-23: Long Beach Bayou Festival. Family fun with non-stop music, dance food and activities for the entire family. Queen Mary Events Park.

22-24: Summer Solstice Folk Music, Dance & Storytelling Festival. A folk music performance and teaching festival featuring both concerts by featured players and workshops and lessons on such instruments as fiddle, harp, banjo, bagpipes, saws, dulcimers and others. Soka University of America.

23: Swedish Midsummer Festival. Midsummer Pole will be raised at noon plus traditional ring dancing and singing, children’s races, swimming and other activities. Vasa Park.

28-Sept. 1: Sawdust Summer Art Festival. More than 170 artists plus continuous entertainment includes live music, magicians, jugglers, belly dancers and more. Sawdust Festival.

JULY

4-Sept 1: Festival of Arts/Pageant of the Masters. Arts festival plus the incredibly faithful art re-creations of classical and contemporary works with real people. Laguna Beach.

12-28: 2002 Orange County Fair. The 110th annual Orange County Fair will offer a wide variety of exhibits, foods, entertainment, rides and hands-on activities, plus summer headline concert series, working farm and petting zoos, thrill rides, contests, and games. Orange County Fair & Exposition Center.

13-14: Lotus Festival 2002. Celebration of Asian and Pacific Islands people and cultures featuring live entertainment, exotic food, dragon boat races, a carnival, children’s courtyard and more. Echo Lake Park.

13-14: Santa Barbara French Festival. Celebrate the Bastille Day weekend with French cuisine, continuous entertainment, children’s activities, more. Oak Park.

13-14: Uptown Whittier Street Festival. Four stages of non-stop live entertainment plus arts & crafts, children’s activities, food. Uptown Whittier Street Festival.

20-21: Ho’ olaule ‘ a 2002. A celebration of Hawaii’s multi-cultural heritage featuring performing groups--dance, music and family fun. Alondra Park.

26-27: Malibu Arts Festival. All-day event features displays of fine arts and crafts, plus live entertainment and food. Malibu.

27-28: Oxnard Salsa Festival. A celebration of everything salsa---food, music and dance---with crafts including ethnic clothing and jewelry, plus live music, children’s activities, more. Plaza Park.

27-28: Central Avenue Jazz Festival. Two-day event celebrates Central Avenue Renaissance from the 1920s through the 1950s. Los Angeles.

31-Aug. 4: Old Spanish Days Fiesta. 75th annual city-wide festival with entertainment, food, cultural exhibits, food, more. Various activities throughout the city. Call for complete schedule. De La Guerra Plaza.

31-Aug. 11: Ventura County Fair. Family fun with live entertainment, educational displays, food, games, rodeo, concerts by K.C. & the Sunshine Band, Jim Belushi and others. Seaside Park.

AUGUST

2-4: International Family Festival. This celebration of L.A.’s cultural diversity features live entertainment, international foods, arts and crafts, plus children’s activities, more. Westchester Park.

9-11: Watts Summer Festival. The oldest African American cultural festival in the U.S. will feature arts, crafts, music, theater, food and fashion. Cecil Fergerson Gallery, Watts Labor Community Action Committee.

10: Children’s Festival of the Arts. Music and art for the whole family. Paramount Studios.

10-11: L.A. Tofu Festival. Cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, arts & crafts, health & fitness expo, martial arts demonstrations, food, more. L.A. Tofu Festival.

17-18, 24-25, 31, Sept. 1-2: Los Angeles African Marketplace & Cultural Faire. Celebration of the African diaspora with arts and crafts, music, live entertainment, more. Los Angeles.

17-18: Taste of San Pedro Festival. Tastings from various local restaurants plus live entertainment, arts & crafts, children’s activities, classic cars, more. Point Fermin Park.

23-Sept. 2: Antelope Valley Fair & Alfalfa Festival. Sixty-fourth annual event will offer concerts by Travis Tritt, Charlie Daniels, War, Ronnie Milsap and others, plus rodeo, bull riding, rural Olympics, carnival rides and games, arts & crafts, more. Antelope Valley Fairgrounds.

24-25: Sunset Junction Street Festival. Annual multicultural street fair will feature arts & crafts, live entertainment, ethnic food, more. Proceeds benefit Youth at Risk program. Sunset Junction.

31: Banning’s Landing Ocean Festival. Celebration of oceanic cultures with hands-on projects for children, Polynesian dance & music, art, food, more. Banning’s Landing Community Center.