Summer Concert Series, Fourth of July Fireworks, LA County Fair, NASCAR and Silly Muddy Buddy Are All Fun So Cal Events in 2011
Fun events such as the Muddy Buddy highlight the 2011 So Cal events calendar.
Not all of LA’s great lifestyle happens in Hollywood, at the beaches or around Staples Center.
There’s plenty of action elsewhere, and this story looks at the most fun events that occur in the area outside of the “inner L.A.”
There are horse, auto and bike races, a beer festival, big-time concerts, Fourth of July fireworks, the gigantic LA County Fair, a rockin’ Oktoberfest, even a mud-filled event that’s a perfect combination of exercise and socialize.
For the most part, these are annual events, so if you missed one this time, there’s always next year to catch it.
This is a look at the major events in the vast area east of Los Angeles with dates, descriptions and information. They are listed in chronological order.
Some events have already occurred, and since they are annual happenings, they are included at the bottom of this article. But mark ‘em down, because they are certainly should be considered in future years.
• SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
June thru September, San Manuel Amphitheater
A near weekly lineup of big-named bands and musicians at this 65,000-seat outdoor facility off the 15 freeway (it’s formerly the Glen Helen Pavilion, Hyundai Pavilion, and the Blockbuster Pavilion). Here’s the summer lineup of concerts:
June 4 – Tim McGraw
July 9 – Mayhem (Disturbed, Godsmack + others)
July 23 – San Manuel 25th Anniversary concert
Aug 27 – Lil Wayne
Sept 10 – Art Laboe
Sept 11 – Luis Miguel
Sept 17 – Rascall Flatts
Sept 24 – To Be Announced
Oct 29 – Judas Priest
San Manuel Amphitheater, 2575 Glen Helen Parkway, San Bernardino
Link: Event Website.
• TEMECULA VALLEY BALLOON AND WINE FESTIVAL
June 3-4
The event location is the Lake Skinner Recreation Area 37701 Warren Rd. Winchester, CA.
The gorgeous area of LA’s Temecula Valley, known for its hot air balloons and wineries, puts the two together for this huge annual event. And beer drinkers, fear not, for there will be plenty of Stella Artois being poured, as well as the wine.
In addition to the activities, there’s also a huge lineup of live bands, including Candlebox, Third Eye Blind, Common Sense, plus freestyle motorcycles on Sunday.
Now for the really important part: Tickets for beer and alcohols are $2 each, and it’s sold until 8:30 on Friday and Saturday and 4:30 on Sunday. Those who want to do a wine tasting need to purchase tickets for $15, which includes six tastes and a souvenir glass.
The event runs from 5-10 p.m., on Friday and Saturday and Sunday from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. The balloon launches are for sunrisers: 6:30 a.m., returning at 8:30.
Parking is $5, $10 for motorhomes and buses (no overnight parking).
Tickets:
On-line: -Friday $20.00, Saturday $23.00, Sunday $15.00, Juniors 7-12 $5.00, Children 6 and under FREE.
Weekend Combo: $50.00, (Friday, Saturday & Sunday).
At Gate: Friday $22.00, Saturday $25.00, Sunday $17.00, Juniors 7-12 $5.00, Children 6 and under FREE. (Active Military Discount, $10, Sunday at the gate).
Link: Event Website.
• FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS
July 4
Auto Club Speedway (California Speedway, Fontana
Beer, bands, a car show, carnival rides and the largest fireworks show in the Inland Empire. Plus, get your photo next to the Budwesier Clydesdales! Gates open at 2 and the fireworks show is at 9.
The event is called Red, White & Cruise. Tickets are $15 at the gate, $10 in advance. Parking is free.
Link: Event Website.
• LA COUNTY FAIR.
Sept. 3-Oct. 2, Wednesday thru Sunday
Pomona Fairgrounds
Even with a big crowd getting beer here is no problem as there are 52 stations pouring it.
This annual event draws nearly 1.5 million people during its month-long run. Opening weekend, which also happens to be Labor Day, is the biggest of them all.
This is an oversized version of the county fairs prevalent throughout Midwestern and Southern towns. How oversized? There are 52 – that’s fifty-two – Budweiser beer stations on the grounds.
Events include a wine and spirits marketplace, fair rides, fair games & prizes, A Pirate’s Life, Western Days & Rodeo Nights (new); competitions in cooking, home brewing, commercial brewing, monster trucks, concerts, freestyle motocross and even a demolition derby (these events cost extra).
Tickets are $17 on weekends and Labor Day, and $12 weekdays. A season pass is $24.95.
LINKS: LA County Fair Review. LA County Fair Official Website.
• OKTOBERFEST AT BIG BEAR
Sept. 18-Oct 30 (Saturdays and Sundays)
Big Bear Convention Center, 42900 W. Big Bear Blvd.
Prost! It's hardly Germany but Big Bear Oktoberfest is a blast.
Call is a mini Munich.
But go with the right group and it can be just as much fun as the real thing in Germany.
This is Oktoberfest with a mountain twist. There’s beer – and plenty of it – and a live band, plus unique events such as a mechanical bull, old-Western photo booth and a petting zoo. The beer comes in mugs, mini kegs or the large DAS BOOT!
Beers and babes makes for a great Oktoberfest beer hall.
The crowd is a mix of locals, tourists, couples and rowdy singles, all brought together for one thing: beer and fun.
LINK: PubClub.com’s Big Bear Oktoberfest Review.
• COLUMBIA MUDDY BUDDY.
Nov. 6
Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, 120 Via Verde Drive, San Dimas
After crawling through mud, there's Red Hook to hook people to a beer garden.
People get down and dirty at this event. And they love it!
This is a half bike ride, half run followed by a crawl through a mud bath. Teams of two compete on a 5.7-mile off-road course. It starts with a costume contest and ends with a beer garden. Exercise and socialize!
The Red Hook beer garden, a fenced-off area strategically located above the mud pit. This turns into a cheering – encouraging people when they hit the mud – or jeering – yelling at people who try and minimize the mud – section. This is not good clean fun, but good muddy fun.
The Columbia Muddy Buddy is a national series with 18 stops around the country and with its hills and rugged landscape – which is only about a half-hour from the buildings of downtown – the LA course is considered one of the toughest on the tour.
The cost is $150 per team (plus $10 parking). Registration for the LA Muddy Buddy closes Nov. 2.
LINKS: Muddy Buddy Review. Official Muddy Buddy San Dimas Registration Website.
• SAN DIMAS WESTERN DAYS RODEO.
First of October (2011 dates not announced)
Tex Shoemaker Arena, Horsethief Canyon Park, San Dimas
A full-fledged Western rodeo in Southern California. Cowboys and cowgirls compete in Bronc Riding, Bareback Bronc, Bull Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Steer Wrestling. Team Roping and the ever-popular Barrel Racing over the two-day period.
Lots of beer! Plus, a true seeker of Western lifestyle surely has to appreciate that takes place in Horsethief Canyon Park.
It’s part of the national Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) tour.
LINK: SanDimasRodeo.com.
• CALIFORNIA BEER FEST, CLAREMONT.
Oct. 8
502 W. 1st Street, Claremont
Now who doesn’t love a good beer festival?
This one is in the fun and lively town between the 10 and 210 freeway and features craft brews, food from local restaurants and three live bands throghout the day.
The cost is $40 (must be 21 w/i.d. Designated driver tickets are $25).
LINK: Beer Festival Official Site.
– OTHER FUN ANNUAL SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EVENTS (2011 Dates) –
• SANTA ANITA RACETRACK.
Dec, 26 thru April (April 17 in 2011)
Santa Anita Park, Aracadia
Events such as this microbrew festival make Santa Anita a fun destination.
The home of Seabiscuit and host of many Breeder’s Cups is a legendary landmark in Southern California. Going to this historic facility is like stepping back into the 1920s, and getting beer and making bets is as easy as walking through the friendly-staffed gates.
Santa Anita, located in Arcadia with the scenic San Gabriel Mountains standing tall in the distance, has major races throughout its winter season – winter in Southern California still bringing largely spectacular weather, of course – fun infeild events such as beer and wine festivals with bands and a general overall winning atmosphere.
LINKS: Santa Anita Party Guide. Santa Anita Park Official Website.A Look at Arcadia’s Bars.
• NHRA WINTERNATONALS.
Feb. 24-27
Pomona Fairplex
The stands at the Pomona Fairplex are packed for the Winternationals.
The sports biggest event is its first of the sesaon, the NHRA Winternationals at the Pomona Fairplex.
Drag racing was born in Southern California and it’s moved from 50s hot rods to this track where Funny Cars and Top Fuel Dragsters run the quarter-mile at speeds exceeding 300 mph. It’s loud, there’s lots of beer and tens of thousands of roaring spectators.
This is the territory of funny man Funny Car driver John Force and where legends such as Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, Kenny Bernstein and others were developed. The Snake was honored during the 2011 race, which was the 51st at the track.
LINKS: Winternationals Official Site.
• MONEY IN DA BANK
March 12, all day
Mt. Baldy
There's money in da bank, and beer in spectators' hands at this wild event.
Sean White wannabes, this is your chance to show what you’ve got on the slopes and rails.
Money in Da Bank is a snowboard tournament where anyone can enter and win money. There’s a Michelob Ultra beer garden for fans.
It’s wild and it’s fun!
LINKS: PubClub.com Review. Register: Mt. Baldy.com
• NASCAR @ CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY.
March 25-27
Auto Club Speedway, Fontana
The big, bad boys of NASCAR, fresh off the Daytona 500, come to Southern California in March for the Auto Club 400.
The track once held two NASCAR events a year, but to build more punch to a single race, there is just this one now.
California Speedway, officially known as Auto Club Speedway, is a 2-mile oval in Fontana, off the 10 freeway just east of the 15.
It was built by Roger Penske and is something of a modern marvel for the area. It’s as immaculate as Disneyland and race days are true events, with bands, a Budweiser beer garden and electric atmosphere taking place at the main entrance before the gentlemen (and one lady) start their engines.
And then there is the scene in the infield, where motorhomes camp out for the entire weekend, creating the kind of beer-flowing NASCAR flavor that some say only exists in the South.
Race weekend consists of NASCAR practice and qualifying, the truck race on Saturday and the big event on Sunday. Grandstand tickets are $35-105 (parking is free) and a weekend pit pass is $35.
LINKS: NASCAR Weekend Scene (And the Infield). Auto Club Speedway Official Site.
• THE ORIGINAL RENAISSANCE PLEASURE FAIRE
April 9-May 22, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, Irwindale
For those who can't wait for Halloween to dress up, there's the Faire.
It’s a day of play, Mideivil style. This is how they used to do it before things such as Super Bowls and NBA Finals.
This event has a fully armored joust, a battle pageant, parades 13 stages of all-day entertainment, food, rides and games.
The beer here is Bass because, well, it’s an English event and having an English beer here just makes sense.
Tickets are $25 ($17.50 thru April 1).
LINK: Renaissance Pleasure Faire Site.
• AMGEN CALIFORNIA BICYCLE TOUR.
Stage 7, Claremont to Mt. Baldy
Saturday, May 21 (the full event is May 15-22)
Amgen Tour bikers are encouraged by the Michelob Ultra girlsl
The Tour de France in Southern California.
That’s almost exactly the case, as world-class riders and teams compete throughout the state of California in an eight-stage event. The sevent stage was the the most challenging, from the lovely little town of Claremont to the heights of Mt. Baldy. Spectators lined the course at the start and also all the way up to Mt. Baldy (where they were refreshed near the top by the Michelob Ultra beer garden).
The Amgen Tour of California was voted the Third Best Stage Race in the World by Cyclingnews, and this is one of the most scenic of the stages.
It’s also one of the most fun, and spectators – who don’t necessarily have to be biking enthusiasts – are encouraged to line the route and watch the racers. There are viewing points from where people can watch the racers, from the Lifestyle Festival in Claremont and Mt. Baldy. It’s free and people even run along the riders for a brief, shining moment
LINK: Spectator Viewing Guide. LINK: Amgen Tour California Official Site.
Great post.
Hello! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be ok. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new posts.
The Twitter account is @SurfsideSam. Thank you!