The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the return of The Goleta Lemon Festival, celebrating 30 years! Presented by Rusty’s Pizza, the festival will be held on September 30 and October 1, 2023 at Girsh Park in Goleta.
The Goleta Lemon Festival celebrates the rich history and role lemon harvesting has in the region. Around 1875, Sherman Patterson Stow, of Goleta’s Rancho La Patera, planted the first known commercial lemon orchard in California, numbering 3,000 trees. In this way lemons became the first irrigated agricultural commodity of the Goleta Valley.
What started as a small street festival in 1949, The Goleta Lemon Festival has grown to attract more than 40,000 residents, visitors, community leaders, nonprofits and elected officials celebrating the South Coast and the Goleta community. The festival is Goleta’s largest community event of the year, hosting over 80+ booths featuring local non-profit organizations, crafts, lemony foods and beverages, and lemon-themed souvenirs. Applications for vendors are now open. Visit LemonFestival.com/vendorapplications/
Indulge at the Community West Bank Food Court with treats to satisfy any craving like lemonade, lemon tacos, lemon bars and Rusty’s pizza! When you get thirsty, visit The Signature Flight Support Lemon Lounge for a refreshing lemon ale and local wines.
While festival goers explore and shop, they will enjoy live entertainment from the American Riviera Bank Main Stage with a wide variety of musical styles, including Rock, Country, Blues, R&B, and more. Don’t miss the headliner, Area 51 on stage Saturday afternoon.
The Lemon Festival is celebrated as a fun, informative, and exciting event for kids of all ages. Grab an all-inclusive activity wristband for endless rides and games including archery tag, inflatable bubbles, and obstacle courses at the Santa Barbara Airport Kids Zone. Pre-purchase your activity wristband for a $5 savings at LemonFestival.com.
The festival also features the largest interactive display of Fire, Police, and Emergency Services in the County at Safety Street presented by ExxonMobil. Meet the people who help keep us safe and get an up-close look at their state-of-the-art vehicles and technologies. Attendees are also invited to meet the Sheriff’s Mounted Enforcement Unit.
Saturday only, the festival will feature the 16th Annual Goleta Fall Classic Car Show, presented by Santa Barbara Honda, showcasing a variety of cool classic cars ranging from Corvettes and Camaros to trucks and pick-ups along with motorcycles and bicycles. Enjoy refreshing lemon ale or lemon meringue pie while admiring these classics. If you have a Classic you would like to enter, registration is now open. Visit LemonFestival.com/goleta-fall-classic/
The festival could not happen without the many volunteers, ages 14 and up, who spend time planning the festival and lending a helping hand over the weekend. Applications for volunteers are now being accepted, visit LemonFestival.com for volunteer opportunities.
The Goleta Lemon Festival is from 10 AM to 6 PM on Saturday, September 30 and 10 AM to 5 PM on Sunday, October 1. For more information, visit LemonFestival.com.
Thank you to our Sponsors –
Presenting Sponsor: Rusty’s Pizza.
Main Squeeze Sponsors: American Riviera Bank, Community West Bank, Cox Communications, ExxonMobil, GoGoleta, MarBorg Industries, Rincon Broadcasting, Santa Barbara Airport, Signature Flight Support, Scale Microgrid Solutions, Spectrum Reach, Visit Santa Barbara.
Lemon Slice Sponsors: BlueStar Parking, Goleta West Sanitary, Ice in Paradise, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Santa Barbara Honda, The Berry Man, Inc.
Lemon Zest Sponsors: American Indian Health Services, American Medical Response, Chevron, Complete Care at Home, Culligan Water, Cumulus Radio Station, EdHat.com, Goleta Sanitary District, Goleta Water District, Good Land Wine Shop & Bar, Hazelwood Allied Moving & Storage, KEYT/KKFX/NEYT, KJEE, KRAZy Country, KSBY, Latitude 34 Technologies, NatureTrack Film Festival, Noozhawk, Planet Fitness, Polar Seltzer, Por La Mar Nursery, Ramada by Wyndham Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara Metropolitan Transit District, Tammy Dobrotin State Farm, Teledyne FLIR, The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, The Towbes Group, UC Santa Barbara, Univision, Ventura Rental Party & Events, Vitalant.
Event Supporters: Anna’s Bakery, Bright Event Rentals, Camino Real Marketplace, Foundation for Girsh Park, Granite Construction, Hollister Brewing Co., homegrown graphics, JANO Printing & Mailworks, Jay Farbman Photography, Lucidity Collaborative Events, M.Special Brewing Co., Pacific Beverage Company, Page Youth Center, Santa Barbara Cider Co., Tri-Valley Trophies & Specialties.
The Goleta Lemon Festival is organized by the Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria.
About Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce
The Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, from Goleta to Carpinteria, is a regional business organization with the mission to help South Coast businesses, residents, and visitors thrive. Through leadership and collaboration, the Chamber is the principal economic development entity advocating for the business community. We engage with businesses, elected officials, and regional partners in proactive business initiatives that foster the South Coast’s unique business environment and create opportunities for our communities. The Chamber is proud to represent local business members who create 75,000 jobs on the South Coast! To learn more, visit sbscchamber.com.