Chinese New Year has been celebrated in San Francisco for the past 150 years. Celebrated for the past 5,000 years in China, Chinese New Year is a spring festival that is two weeks long. The largest event of its kind outside of Asia, Chinese New Year also has a Flower Fair and a community street fair to showcase the rich Chinese culture. One of the largest California events in the northern part of the state, this vibrant parade is punctuated by hundreds of thousands of exploding firecrackers and a 200 foot long paper dragon.
There is a large Mexican American community in California. While San Francisco and Los Angeles are both major population centers for people of Mexican descent, this California events biggest display is in downtown Los Angeles, on Olvera Street. Cinco de Mayo is more than an excuse to party. This holiday is important to Mexicans because it was the day that the French forces were defeated in Puebla Mexico on the fifth day of May, 1862. Mexico and Los Angeles are two places have been intertwined for many years, and this festival can bring you closer to this lively celebration.
There are plenty of other interesting California events outside of the big cities like SF and Los Angeles. Californians love good food and wine, so the yearly Gilroy Garlic Festival is one of the most well-known food festivals in California. It all started with the Rotary Club luncheon that featured a menu with garlic in every dish. 27 years later, the festival is still popular. Held on the last weekend in July to mark the end of the garlic harvest, the Gilroy Garlic Festival has live shows, arts and crafts stall, and a Garlic Queen Pageant.
Be sure to stroll down Gourmet Alley if you go to the Gilroy Garlic Festival - here you can try all the garlic dishes from garlic soups to garlic ice cream. The cook off is an exciting part of the event. This is where all the kooky garlic recopies are reviewed and the best 8 invited to prepare them and enjoy a final award from a tasting panel of celebrity chefs.
With so many Californians that are involved in sports and outdoor activities, it is no wonder that many take part in triathlons. One of the most well known in the country is Ironman. The Ironman Triathlon is an international competition, held in destinations all over the world, culminating in a final challenge in Kona, Hawaii. Only a few US states host part of the Ironman competition. Knowing that you are watching what will eventually be an international competition in Hawaii adds to the excitement of attending the Ironman triathlon, which has separate competitions for women and men.
A fun way to enjoy the outdoors and all the best California has to offers is at a state or county fair. In the capitol Sacramento, the California state fair has been held for since 1854. Events like livestock competitions are still a part of the state fair, but this festival does not focus on the longest peanuts or the largest beets anymore.
There is also a county fair that you can find in just about every mid-sized city in California. This is the perfect setting for family fun and diversion, with amusement park games, carnival style-rides, and educational exhibits on interesting topics, like bears and exploring the woods. A county fair is going to be smaller than the state fair, but with more of a local feeling you enjoy from going to one.
California event tickets can be purchased easily online. Online outlets allow you the option of having tickets mailed to you or on a will call basis. Often, the prices are higher if you buy your tickets on the same day as the events. Certain events may not have pre-sale tickets, so the fastest way to find out when or if the tickets will go on sale ahead of time is to look online, since online ticket booking places will know ahead of time when the tickets will go on sale. Many California event tickets are only available at the gates, so if you're planning to attend an event its wise to do some research ahead of time. While it is easy to get tickets for events like concerts and the symphony, smaller fairs and festivals are some of the hardest California event tickets to obtain ahead of time. All you can do is arrive early, get in line, and hope they don't sell out.
Whatever you are looking to enjoy in the Golden State, California events like fairs, parades and festivals give you a taste of culture and entertainment at the same time.