This April, California is booming with things to do, from hitting the slopes to wildflower viewing to attending the legendary Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in the desert. Perhaps you’d like to enjoy some spring weather while watching a Shakespeare-inspired theater production in Yosemite, catching a baseball game at one of California’s great ballparks, or tasting your way through a legendary outdoor culinary festival. Here are more than 25 April events in California to help you make the most of spring.
All month: Ojai Pixie Tangerine Month, Ojai
April is peak season for this small, super-sweet pixie tangerine, produced by 40 growers in the Venturay County town of Ojai. Pick up the fresh fruit at local stores such as Friend’s Ranch Packing House and Rainbow Bridge Natural Foods Market, or enjoy pixie-infused cuisine, spa treatments, and merch at participating businesses around town. The month brings hotel deals too, including special goodies for guests at the Ojai Valley Inn.
All Month: Season of the Force at Disneyland Park, Anaheim
May the Fourth arrives early in Anaheim this year and lasts well beyond the day itself. Disneyland Resort will celebrate its Stars Wars attractions by offering a “Hyperspace Mountain” experience at Space Mountain, new features on Star Tours—The Adventures Continue, and special music during the evening fireworks when you watch them from Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Runs through May 11.
Want a VIP Jedi experience? Starting April 8, Disneyland Park will also host eight Disneyland Star Wars Nites—separate ticket events that include character sightings, themed menus, light saber lessons, and a Fans of the Force Costume Cavalcade, an all-are-welcome cosplay parade along Main Street USA. With your ticket, you can enter the park at 6 p.m. and festivities last from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Runs on select evenings through May 6.
April 2–5: The Silver Belt, Sugar Bowl
This competition at Sugar Bowl ski resort started in 1940 as a high-speed, off-piste giant slalom for Olympians and World Cup skiers along a rugged 1,300-foot course. Today, top athletes vie for the freeride competition finals, with Silver Belts and $10,000 in prizes on the line for the men’s and women’s champions. Qualifying races start on April 2.
Begins April 4: Glowing Wild, Redding
Experience Redding’s Turtle Bay Exploration Park at this after-dark, limited-time attraction. Illuminated Asian lanterns inspired by animals and plants from around the world will dot 1x0 acres of the park near the landmark Sundial Bridge. Stroll through the lights with stops at the food and drink kiosks and listen to live music. Runs on select nights though June 8.
April 4–13: Spring SF Restaurant Week, San Francisco
Dine your way around the San Francisco Bay Area during this spring edition of Restaurant Week. Choose from prix fixe menus that range from $10–$45 for brunch or lunch and $30–$90 for three-plus courses at dinner. As of press time, participating restaurants were still TBD, but past participants have been located in San Francisco neighborhoods such as Union Square, Chinatown, and SOMA, as well as Bay Area towns including Santa Clara, Concord, and San Jose.
April 5: Wildflower & Nature Festival, Oroville
Soak up the seasonal color at Oroville’s Riverbend Park, located along the Feather River in Butte County. Browse the seasonal produce, locally made crafts, and food-truck offerings, and take one of the guided kayak tours on the river.
April 5: Historic Santa Ana Walking Tour, Santa Ana
Join a special 2.5-hour walking tour to see the striking architecture of downtown Santa Ana and learn about the active historic preservation efforts going on in this stretch of Orange County. The downtown district, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is home to buildings that embody some of the richest styles of the 1900s–1930s: Art Deco, Classical Revival, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Richardsonian Romanesque. This charming area will soon welcome back its old-school streetcar too.
April 5: American River 50-Mile Endurance Run, Folsom
Enjoy Gold Country scenery along the American River during this 50-mile run from Folsom to Auburn. The race starts at Folsom Point in the Sierra Nevada foothills, and passes through oak woodlands and meadows, followed by the Pioneer Express Trail, a path once used by gold prospectors. If 50 miles sounds too daunting, you can do the 25- or 10-mile runs that follow portions of the full course.
Come back April 25–26 for the Live Performing Arts Academy Jazz Festival, when jazz ensembles will play on outdoor stages in the Folsom Historic District.
April 5–6, 23–27: Clovis Big Hat Days & Clovis Rodeo, Clovis
Each spring, the Fresno County town of Clovis embraces its cowboy heritage, starting with a nearly century-old street fair in Old Town Clovis known as Big Hat Days (April 6–7). Enjoy the food and craft vendors, a beer garden, and live music (wearing a 10-gallon hat is optional). From April 23–27, enjoy the classic Clovis Rodeo, which includes a lineup of bull riding, roping events, and concerts.
April 6: Blessing of the Vines, Temecula
Help South Coast Winery usher in a new growing season at this event that includes both savory and sweet dishes paired with the Temecula winery’s current wares. The same day, the winery also offers a Wine Blending Experience, a hands-on class where you can create your own custom blend.
April 7–12: Kamome Festival, Crescent City
This annual festival celebrates the special relationship that the North Coast town of Crescent City shares with Rikuzentakata, Japan. The sister-city status goes back to 2013, when an empty boat from a high school in Rikuzentakata, named Kamome, washed up on the shores of Crescent City and was rehabbed by local high school students. These days, the Del Norte County town celebrates with a Japanese-themed restaurant week and free activities such as a guided historic tsunami walking tour and a shinrin-yoku-certified forest bathing event in Redwood National Park. The week wraps up with the Taste of Japan evening of small bites and a Taiko drum show.
April 10–13: Pebble Beach Food & Wine, Pebble Beach
This acclaimed culinary event in Pebble Beach features themed lunches, dinners, walk-around tastings, seminars, and even a VIP golf tournament. The lineup of talent and makers includes 135 chefs and 150 wineries as well as mixologists and sommeliers. This year’s culinary headliners include Richard Blais, Stephanie Izard, and Antonia Lofaso. Book tickets for individual events or get a package that bundles in several experiences.
April 10–13: Monterey Sea Otter Classic, Monterey
This Central Coast cycling event is considered the kick-off of the North American cycling season, attracting more than 10,000 athletes to Monterey—including pros and national, world, and Olympic champions. Watch athletes compete in mountain bike, cross country, dual slalom, road, and cyclocross events, and join in the fun during non-competitive recreational events for all ages.
April 11–20: Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, Indio
Good news: As of press time, there are still passes available for the second weekend of this epic music festival, and you can also get on the waitlist for other, sold-out dates. Either way, you can always enjoy the region-wide party in Greater Palm Springs. Headliners on both weekends are Lady Gaga, Green Day, and Post Malone, with supporting acts including Charli XCX, Megan Thee Stallion, the Go-Gos, Japanese Breakfast, and special guest Travis Scott. Check out these hacks for making the most of Coachella, with or without a pass.
April 12: Battle of the Brews, Santa Rosa
The one-day festival at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa celebrates both global and California craft beers. Check out the juried competition, dubbed The Craft Cup, then cast your own vote at the main event, where craft-beer fans pick their favorites among more than 40 breweries.
April 12: UC Davis Picnic Day, Davis
This annual event started as an open house for a new dairy barn in 1909, but now is a big party showcasing the esteemed university in Yolo County. It’s great for prospective Davis students or anyone nostalgic for their own college days, with its parade, picnicking, and quirky activities like the Doxie Derby and the Battle of the Marching Bands.
April 12–13: Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival, Santa Clarita
Scoot your boots at this Western music festival in Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles County town that’s rich with both cowboy history and movie history, as the setting for many movies and TV series. Check the schedule of more than 20 live acts of country, folk, and bluegrass music; at the festival, browse the Western fashion vendors and check out the Pioneer Corner’s lessons on wool-spinning, candle-making, and leather-stamping.
April 12–13: WhaleFest Monterey, Monterey
Celebrate Earth Day early at this weekend event dedicated to helping protect the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and held at Fisherman’s Wharfin Monterey. The all-ages activities include live music, abalone races, gyotaku and scrimshaw activities, and an afternoon symposium with marine science experts.
April 12–13, 19–20: Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, San Francisco
This party for pink blossoms is said to be the largest festival of its kind in the U.S. outside of Washington, D.C. The two weekends in San Francisco’s Japantown also feature a full schedule of food, music, and bonsai exhibits.
Another nice spot for cherry blossoms this time of year is Filoli in nearby San Mateo County. The estate’s garden and orchard have weeping cherry blossom trees that are more than a century old, as well as blossoming crabapple, pear, peach, nectarine, and plum trees.
April 13: Celebration of the Whales, Oxnard
Salute the migrating whales along the Santa Barbara Channel—recently named a Whale Heritage Area—at this event at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. Check out the family-friendly activities, chalk art, and a children’s fun zone, as well as the Channel Islands Maritime Museum and the “Gray Whale Migration Trail” that runs through Harbor View Park.
April 13: Santa Barbara Kite Festival, Santa Barbara
April is National Kite Month, and the Central Coast city of Santa Barbara offers a particularly lovely setting for this one-day celebration—a giant meadow at Santa Barbara City College. Activities include the traditional children’s kite-tail chase and contests for Most Beautiful Kite, Funniest Kite, and Most Unflyable Kite.
April 13: Wildflowers & Wine, Amador County
Taste Amador County’s top wines and cuisine, complemented by live music and views of blooming wildflowers. Your ticket gains you admission to seated food-and-wine experiences at eight tasting rooms in downtown Sutter Creek; as you walk between tasting rooms on Main Street, soak up the music, plein air art demonstrations, and plants for sale.
April 17–20: Godwit Days Spring Migration Birding Festival, Arcata
Come to this Humboldt County town to welcome the spring migration of the marbled godwit—just one of the many diverse bird species that traverse the Pacific Flyway. Take part in guided birding trips and workshops and find out who’s been awarded Bird of the Year.
April 17–27: San Francisco International Film Festival, San Francisco
Founded in 1957, this San Francisco event is the longest-running film fest in the nation, offering a mix of international and domestic crowd-pleasers. This year’s lineup will be announced on March 26; consider buying six-packs or 10-packs of tickets for the best value.
April 18–20: Red Bluff Round-Up, Red Bluff
Watch roping and riding at one of the biggest rodeos in the nation. The weekend in Tehama County includes classic competitions, legends of professional rodeo, and the Wild Ride, the Sunday event where cowboys dress in costumes while attempting eight seconds on the back of a bucking horse.
April 18–27: Kool April Nites, Redding
Immerse yourself in car culture at this Redding event that includes an all-can-join cruise, a Big Show, and smaller “show and shine” events most other days. There are fun family activities, too, like pancake breakfasts and drive-in movies.
April 19: Chico BrewFest, Chico
The Butte County town of Chico is famously the hometown of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., a pioneer in the craft-beer movement. This festival goes beyond the hometown roots, however, offering tastes of more than 40 beers from 20 breweries. Participants typically include breweries such as FiftyFifty Brewing from Truckee and Dust Bowl Brewing from Turlock. Proceeds benefit a wide range of local charities.
To get a workout, come back to town the next week for the Chico Wildflower Ride & Festival (April 26–27), the annual cycling event that offers routes ranging from 12 to 100 miles.
April 19: Levi Leipheimer's GranFondo Cycling Event, Windsor
Ride through wine country at this Sonoma County event launched by Levi Leipheimer, the former pro cyclist and three-time Amgen Tour of California winner. Choose from seven routes around the Windsor area: Routes range from 11 to 138 miles and feature a variety of terrains, from a flat wine country routes to a super-challenging ride on par with the toughest stretches of the Tour de France.
April 19–27: National Park Week
Celebrate Earth Day (April 22) by visiting one of the nine national parks in California. Admission fees are waived on April 19, and there are special themes each day, along with opportunities to pitch in at parks. Or celebrate Earth Day all month long by signing up for one of the 11 different volunteer days at California State Parks.
April 23–27: Days of 49 Wagon Train, Amador County
Celebrate the Gold Rush era at this living-history tribute—a caravan of covered wagons helmed by mountain men dressed in buckskins and fur hats—to frontiersman Kit Carson. Watch the parade-style route through this county’s towns, including Plymouth, Amador City, and Jackson.
April 24–27: As Yosemite Likes It, Yosemite
Enjoy some springtime Shakespeare in the park—and in this case, a national park—with this updated production of the bard’s comedy As You Like It. Each year, these 90-minute musical productions are adapted to include both Earth Day and Yosemite themes, starring a cast made up of UC Merced students, park rangers, and Yosemite employees. Opening night is staged at UC Merced’s open-air theater while the following three nights will be at the amphitheater in Curry Village.
April 25–27: California Poppy Festival, Lancaster
See the state flower at its peak this month at Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in the Los Angeles County town of Lancaster, then celebrate at the nearby AV Fair and Events Center. Activities include rides, live music, a beer garden, and live animal exhibits.
April 25–27: La Jolla Concours d’Elegance, La Jolla
Ogle 150 rare and restored vehicles—including horseless carriages, European marques, and American classics—displayed on grassy oceanfront lawns in La Jolla. The weekend also features live music and the free event Porsches & Power on Prospect—a lineup of 75 Porsches parked along La Jolla’s Prospect St.
April 25–27: Stagecoach Festival, Indio
After the rock fans have dispersed from Coachella, the Empire Polo Club in Indio welcomes country music fans for this three-day extravaganza. Headliners include Zach Ryan, Jellyroll, and Luke Combs, supported by genre-crossers such as Lana del Rey, Nelly, and Sammy Hagar.
April 25–27: Stags Leap District’s Vineyard to Vintner, Napa Valley
Enjoy “backstage” access at 15 heralded wineries and vineyards in Napa Valley’s Stags Leap District during this VIP-style festival. The weekend includes small vintner-hosted dinners, vineyard walks, seminars, and many tastings including new releases and library wines. Buy a ticket for either Saturday or Sunday, or a pass that covers Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday.
April 26: California Duck Days Festival, Davis
This annual event is a great excuse to check out the impressive, 25-square-mile Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, home to almost 200 species of birds. Look at the exhibits, go on birding tours, meet adorable ducklings, and learn duck calls.
April 26: Rhododendron Parade, Eureka
Spring is peak rhododendron season in Humboldt County, when the bright red, pink, and white blossoms stand out beautifully against a backdrop of redwood trees. Head to downtown Eureka to see a parade of classic cars, floats, horses, tractors, and bands—all festooned with rhododendron blooms and other flowers.
April 26–27: Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, Los Angeles
This two-day event on the University of Southern California campus features book sales, readings, signings, and musical performances. This year's author lineup will include poet Amanda Gorman.
April 26–27: Surfscape, Huntington Beach
Immerse yourself in surf gear and surf culture alike at this free-admission expo in the town nicknamed Surf City USA. Demo surfboards and wetsuits, browse lots of surf-inspired fashion, and buy food and drink to enjoy in the picnic area. The event takes place in the Huntington Beach City Parking Lot, across from both the Waterfront Beach Resort and the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa. Register online to secure your spot for gear and board demos or sign up in person at the event.
April 27: Opening Day on the Bay, San Francisco
Head to The Presidio to witness 100-plus decorated boats gliding by in an annual tradition that goes back to 1917. The all-boats-welcome parade—organized by the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association to kick off the boating season—starts off the shore of Crissy Field in the Presidio, and traverses the city's waterfront to the Fort Mason building, east of the Marina Green. This year's theme is "Generations on the Bay," which celebrates colorful eras of San Francisco history, from Gold Rush times to the Summer of Love and the tech boom.
April 27: Celebrate the Craft, San Diego
Enjoy the oceanfront scenery at The Lodge at Torrey Pines during this annual food festival showcasing regional chefs, farmers, wineries, and craft breweries. Your admission covers small plates and drinks all enjoyed on the resort’s grounds, overlooking the coastline as well as the neighboring Torrey Pines Golf Course.