Here are some of the events happening around Ventura County this month.
Ventura Harvest Festival
The Ventura Harvest Festival will be happening at the Ventura County Fairgrounds from Oct 4 -6. Family-owned & operated, the Ventura Harvest Festival has been enjoyed for 47 years. Only the nation’s top trend-setting artisans qualify for this showcase, featuring 24,000 handmade creations. The Harvest Festival experience wouldn’t be complete without a plethora of specialty foods, live entertainment, a KidZone, demonstrations, prizes, and lots more.
SHOW HOURS
- Friday: 10am – 5pm
- Saturday: 10am – 6pm
- Sunday: 10am – 5pm
PRICE OF ADMISSION
- $9.00 General Admission
- $7.00 Seniors (62+)
- $7.00 Military
- $4.00 Kids (13-17)
- FREE (12 & Under)
Pier Under The Stars
Pier Under The Stars will be happening on October 5th from 5 PM to 8 PM at the Ventura Promenade. It will feature a gathering of restaurants, wineries, and breweries, all in support of Ventura’s treasured Pier. Music will be provided by the Colette Lovejoy Band. General admission tickers are $75 and include a commemorative pier wine glass as well as food, wine, and beverage tastings. VIP ticktes are $150 and include entrance to the VIP area, one seat at a reserved VIP table, and wine and hors d’oeuvres in the VIP area. Food and drink vendors include the following:
- 8th Devil Distributing
- Aloha Steakhouse
- Andria’s Seafood
- Beach House Fish
- BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse
- Boochcraft
- Brophy Brothers
- Cask Alehouse
- Cazcanes Tequila
- Channel Islands Distillery
- ChzGuy
- Concrete Jungle Brewing Project
- Cupcakes in Wonderland
- Figueroa Mt. Brewing Company
- Four Brix Winery
- Fratellis Pizza
- Giessinger Winery
- Hoyt Family Vineyard
- Indigene Cellars
- La Cosecha
- Labyrinth Winery
- Limon y Sal
- Lori’s Lemonade
- Madewest Brewing
- Magnavino Cellars
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Opolo
- Poseidon Brewing Company
- Stonefire Grill
- Trader Joes
- Ventiki
- Yolanda’s
- VeroVino Inc.
- Winchesters
Seaside Highland Games
The Seaside Highland Games will be held in Ventura on Oct 11-13. October 11 will feature whisky tasting and a Scottish evening at the Four Points Hotel from 5:00 pm till 10:00 pm. The Games will be held at SeaSide Park in Ventura on October 12 & 13 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Entertainment during the games include the following and ticket prices can be found here:
- Large Men Throwing Stuff
- Massed Pipebands
- Scottish Fiddling Competition
- Scottish Entertainers
- Clan Tents
- Children’s Glen
- British Food
- Highland Dancing
- Battle Re-enactments
- British Cars
Ponies by the Sea Car Show
Now in it’s 33rd year, the Tri-County Mustang Club presents the Ponies by the Sea Car Show, which will be happening on October 13th from 10 AM to 3 PM. The show is going to be at Channel Islands Harbor, on the grass and right next to the water. The show will have space for participants to park on the grass, spectator parking, sponsor booths, and popular food trucks!. All Mustangs and Ford powered vehicles are welcome to enter. The event is free for attendees and proceeds from registration fees will benefit Guide Dogs of America. An awards ceremony will give prizes to winners of People’s Choice, Best of Show, Best Paint, Best Engine, Doggie’s Choice, and a special “Most Likely to get a Ticket,” given by the California Highway Patrol.
Ventura Marathon
The fast and scenic Ventura Marathon is back this year, on October 19th and 20th. This point-to-point marathon is the perfect amount of downhill, starting in Ojai and ending in downtown Ventura. The course winds along the paved paths of the Ojai Valley Trail and Ventura River Trail, bringing runners toward the coast and one of Southern California’s most popular surf destinations. Qualify for Boston or run a new PR and spend a weekend in beautiful Ventura. The Ventura Marathon will host multiple evens, including a 5K, half marathon, full marathon, and more. A schedule of events can be found here .
Ventura Brew Fest
October 19th from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM marks the inaugural Ventura Brew Fest, featuring tastings from craft brewers at Ventura’s Mission Park. Sip on a variety of craft beers while enjoying a laid back atmosphere with music, food, vendors, games, races and more. The event takes place alongside the Ventura Marathon 5K and Downtown Mile, giving motivated beer drinkers an opportunity to whet their thirst. The Ventura Brew Fest will showcase 8 breweries from Ventura County and throughout Southern California. Festivalgoers can purchase 10 or 20 tasting tickets and indulge in local libations. Local food trucks will be on site and selling delicious breakfast and lunch items for Brew Fest attendees. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options will be available. Local bands will take to the stage for a day of rock, blues and funk guaranteed to get you grooving.
10 tickets – $20 + beer stein (10 three ounce tastings)
20 tickets – $35 + beer stein (20 three ounce tastings)
Buy your tickets online to save $5.
Boofest
On October 26th from 1 PM to 4 PM, Boofest will be happengin in Old Town Camarillo! This FREE event is for kids of all ages! Trick or Treat with your scariest costumes up and down the Boulevard at participating stops. Make sure to bring a bag to collect all the fun candies and goodies! Stop by the Chapel City Church for a free carnival for all ages. There will be candy, water, games, prizes and more!
Steampunkfest
The Oxnard Steampunk Fest Crew would like to invite you to join in the fun, at historic Heritage Square in downtown Oxnard, 11 AM – 7 PM on Saturday the 26th of October, and 11 AM – 5PM Sunday the 27th. Steampunk is a blend of the Victorian Era and technology with a bit of Science Fiction and Fantasy….think of airships, goggles, jet packs, corsets, top hats, parasols, combined with imagination and a wee bit of whimsy. Steampunk is a loosely-based term for a sub-genre of Science Fiction, fantasy and role-play that provides an alternate history of steam-powered societies during the Industrial Revolution. The most popular eras include British Victorian and Edwardian, with the American Wild West and a completely imaginary post-apocalyptic future coming in a close second.
#TBT FOOD TRUCK FEST
There’s no better way to spend a #throwbackthursday than at the historic Camarillo Ranch for #TBT Food Truck Fest! The last festival of the season will be on October 25th from 5 PM to 9 PM and will include food trucks, local beer, live entertainment and more! Admission is FREE and money spent at the event helps support the Camarillo Ranch Foundation. There will be a special Halloween Spooktacular theme featuring costume contests and “trick or treat” at the Camarrilo Ranch House. Live entertainment will be provided by the Ventura Jazz Sextet featuring Donna Greene.
Gates Open at 4pm
VIP Parking – $10 cash First Come – First Serve
(For ALL VIP Parking, please use main entrance) -Have a disabled parking permit? VIP parking is free!
Table Reservations – $50 for (1) 8-person table
Please check-in at Camarillo Ranch Foundation booth. Table reservations are limited! RSVP to foodtruckfest@camarilloranch.org
Picnic Benches are First Come – First Serve
Don’t forget to bring your picnic blankets and chairs! No coolers, outside food, drinks, and/or alcohol permitted. No early arrivals. Gates will be closed to the public until 4 pm.
Don’t leave your pup at home during this heat wave! Bring your dog with you to #TBT! Friendly dogs welcome. Please remember to clean up after your pet with your own bags and keep them on a leash while visiting the Camarillo Ranch.
Stop by the Camarillo Ranch Foundation booth to receive complimentary potty bags, while supplies last.
Food vendors include:
- Cousin’s Maine Lobster
- Grilled Cheese Truck
- Middle Feast
- Epic Tacos
- The Deli Doctor
- Baby’s Badass Burgers
- Farm and Flame
- Rice Balls of Fire
- Kona Ice
- Shrimp v.s. Chef
- Nothing Bundt Cakes
- Okamoto Kitchen
- Belly Bombz
- Churro Stix
- Marcel Waffles
- SoCal Comfort
- Ventura BBQ
Farmers’ Market Pumpkin Fun Day
Enjoy a wonder fall harvest day that is FREE to the public, on October 27th from 10 AM to 2 PM! There will be art activities for children, trick or treating all day, a children’s costume parade at 11:30 a.m., and a costume contest with prizes at noon. The certified Farmers’ Market will feature a wonderful fall harvest from local farmers and daily fresh catch seafood by local fishermen, arts & crafts, food, live music and much more. The event will be held at the Marine Emporium Landing in Oxnard.
Halloween Haunt in the Park
On Saturday, October 27th, The Oxnard Downtown Management District presents Halloween Haunt in the Park. The kid-friendly thrills occur all evening from 4-7:00 p.m. at Plaza Park in Downtown Oxnard. Be sure to register for the free Costume Contest. Everyone wearing a costume can enter to win great prizes. Contests start at 5:30pm starting with the youngest group: 3 and under, 4-12, and 13 and above. From 4-7:00pm children can hit up the Trick-or-Treat Village. Booths created by local non-profits and businesses await trick-or-treaters with games, tricks and goodies to be gained. Additionally, there will be free activities including bounce houses, face painting, games, hands-on crafts for the kids, Halloween themed movie clips and music, and more. Admission is FREE.