Pucker up! The Goleta Lemon Festival is here! This weekend celebrate lemons and enjoy the Goleta coast’s biggest celebration! Read on to learn a little bit more about lemons in Goleta and this year’s citrus festival events.
History of Goleta Lemons
When you walk through Goleta, it is very hard to miss all the lemon trees. In fact, they line the streets and the aroma fills the air. Goleta’s rich lemon history was partly started by Edgar Stow, a manager of Rancho La Patera until the mid 1900s. Stow was the director of ranch activities, which meant he experimented with irrigation, harvesting, and the overall agricultural vision. He found out that lemon plants thrived in Goleta’s climate, and started planting as many as he could. As people started buying more, lemons started to have a massive economic and cultural impact. Therefore, the Goleta Lemon Festival was born!
Festival Activities
The festival has been around for almost 30 years. A break was taken for Covid but has consistently been the largest festival on the Goleta coast. At this year’s festival, there is a classic car show, kids activities, live music, and of course, lemons! For the kid in you, check out the classic car show, named the 15th annual Goleta Fall Classic. This show features Corvettes to Camaros, along with motorcycles and bicycles. For the actual kids, Safety Street and the Santa Barbara Airport Kids Zone are must visits. There are fire trucks, Euro bungees, slides, mini golf, and so much more! Throughout the day, there will be performances from local artists on the main stage. And, at noon each day there will be a pie eating contest! All of these events are brought together by lemons, as vendors will sell pies, drinks, and everything in between lemon themed!
Ready to Go(leta)?
The Goleta Lemon Festival will take place at Girsh Park from September 24th to September 25th and starts at 10am both days. However, the Goleta Fall Classic takes place on September 24th and starts at 9am. Did you know at Marina Beach Motel we have free bicycles to rent? Bring one to the show and see what you can win!
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