The San Gabriel Valley is a culturally rich region with a lot to celebrate!
(Obviously, the listings below fluctuate in the post-pandemic economy.)
Lunar New Year Festivals
Monterey Park Lunar New Year Celebration
Five blocks of entertainment, food, family activities and vendors.
January, one Saturday
Free admission
Downtown Monterey Park on Garvey Avenue between Garfield and Alhambra Avenues.
Asian American Expo
The Pomona Fairplex hosts seven halls of exhibits, live performances, and food options from across Asia.
January, one weekend
2705 Fairplex Dr, Pomona, CA 91768
Tickets: $12 one day, $18 two days
Pacific Asia Museum Lunar New Year
The Pacific Asia Museum museum rings in the Lunar New Year with a free afternoon of pan-Asian activities. Traditional performances take place in the museum’s courtyard, plus art activities, food trucks and free admission to the galleries.
January, one Saturday
46 N Los Robles Ave Pasadena 91101
Tickets: Free
Alhambra Lunar New Year Festival
250 booths with featured activities, such as a dragon boat rowing station, an auto square, children’s workshops, a health fair and cultural demonstrations, provide festival-goers with a taste of Asian culture. Giveaways, fun games, and ethnic foods attract long lines of attendees.
February, one Saturday
Tickets: Free
San Gabriel Lunar New Year Festival
Ancient traditions combine with modern celebrations to mark the Lunar New Year: a street food fair, marketplace, carnival games, chalk art contest, fun zone for the kids, and more.
February, one Saturday
Mission District, 320 S. Mission Drive, San Gabriel
Tickets: Free
Other Festivals
Camellia Festival, Temple City
A parade, carnival, beer garden, and live performances.
9701 E Las Tunas Dr, Temple City, CA 91780
Festival of Colors
Live music, dance, yoga, mantras, food and the throwing of colors — eco-friendly powders (made from corn starch, food-grade dyes and fragrance) that are available on-site.
March, one weekend
Whittier Narrows Park, 750 S. Santa Anita Ave., South El Monte
Tickets: $6.50-$30
Renaissance Pleasure Faire
Travel back in time to the days of yore when Queen Elizabeth I ruled England. A 20-acre wooded playground offers entertainment, such as fully armored jousting, and is populated with characters wearing elaborate costumes that recall the era. Don’t miss the marketplace and pub crawl.
April-May, Saturdays and Sundays
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale
Tickets: $30 single day adults, $15 single day ages 5-12; season passes $165 (adults), $70 (ages 5-12)
Arroyo Seco Weekend
This Goldenvoice-produced music festival has brought Tom Petty, Mumford and Sons, Robert Plant and Jack White to the Rose Bowl in recent years. Each year’s lineup is expected to be released in early March.
June, one weekend
Brookside Golf Club, 1133 Rosemont Ave., Pasadena
Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Festival
Cal Poly offers the biggest pumpkin patch in the area for families to pick out their ideal jack-o-lantern, as well as a corn maze, kids’ activities, and fresh products from the university’s onsite farm.
October
4102 S. University Drive, Pomona, CA 91768
Los Pobladores Walk
Every year, locals gather at the Mission San Gabriel for a 9-mile stroll to Olivera Street in downtown L.A. The walk reenacts the pilgrimage of a diverse group sent by the Spanish to found their first secular settlement - the birth of Los Angeles.
August, one Saturday
Mission San Gabriel, 428 S Mission Dr, San Gabriel
Tickets: Free
Los Angeles County Fair
One of the largest fairs in the country boasts an array of entertainment options and exhibits, including carnival rides and games, arts & crafts, products for sale, farm animals, diet-busting foods, and a wine, beer and spirits marketplace. The main stage concert series draws top acts from today and yesterday.
May
Fairplex, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona
Tickets: Prices TBA
Route 66 Cruisin' Reunion
Tens of thousands of classic car lovers from throughout the country descend upon Ontario for three days of food, life music, entertainment and more than 2,000 classic vehicles. Entertainment lineup generally announced in May.
September, one weekend
Downtown Ontario, along Euclid Ave.
Tickets: Free
Harvest Festival
Annual arts and crafts show features thousands of handmade items including jewelry, clothing, photography, original art, hand-turned wood and ceramics, plus much more to browse and buy. There also will be stage and strolling entertainment, plus a fun zone for the kids.
December, one weekend
Fairplex Expo 4, 1101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona