This was a very good event. The vendors had a great variety of beers to drink and they were well…read morespread out. The lines were not too long at any vendor. Everyone was very friendly and the food and water for sale were very reasonably priced for a closed-in event (water was only $1 per 16 oz bottle). Free parking too! They could improve the event by providing some live music and adding more places to sit.

I won tickets for this event off of Instagram from @yelpbakersfield (McKenzie), a huge thank you to…read moreher. I have always wanted to attend such an event but either didn't have the time or didn't feel like spending on something I was unsure of liking. We parked on the east parking side which was one heck of a walk, we didn't know where the entrance was to be honest. Once we arrived, we were greeted by a few ladies to check IDs & get stamped and then entering the gates to present our tickets & get our glasses. I brought my wife with me, though she does not drink she likes trying stuff and the food vendors was also a plus! The tastings: I will admit, I know I didn't try every single offering but I have some new found loving for beer I never knew existed. I've been a fan of "805" since I first tried it so I knew what they were about. There were some that were not great and some that were very good. One so good to me, I asked where I could purchase their beer in Bakersfield since they are from San Diego. It was Karl Strauss' beers, just loved the Mosaic beer. All in all a great experience! The food: The vendors were Moo Creamery, Jake's Original Tex-Mex and Eureka, even though I am not sure Eureka served food because their stand was small, might have been their beer. All items for sale were $5-6 and went well with the beer and atmosphere. Whoever chose the food vendors, Thumbs Up! The atmosphere/environment: Everyone was having fun, friendly and it was a little warm but if you sat in the shade the breeze made it so relaxing. I just wish I knew to bring my own chairs to lounge on while hanging out. Great experience at an excellent event, I need to be a "Volunteer for Beer".

Lightning in a Bottle is like a 4 Michelin Star restaurant…read more It's probably on par with French Laundry and Alinea if they had a baby, but the restaurant only served House and Bass music, which we know the latter is an acquired taste (for me at least). I think the most important part of my year, is arguing about the Lake water. I tend to make sure it's brought up around the dinner table during Thanksgiving and Christmas, if I feel like we aren't debating the lake Buena Vista water quality enough, the lake water is always top of mind in my house hence why I married an ecologist. Also, I really enjoy totems. So much so, I've made an LED Parasol totem that gives off random light commands since I never took the time to learn how to truly code while working in Trad. Fi. All in, I rate Lightning in a Bottle 13/5. Lucky 13 for the amount of times me and my friends had to troubleshoot my RV or Trailer rental, and that has allowed me to successfully escape the dust and eventually drive home on the 5 (what up Moo Moos on the road, respect). My favorite stage remains Woogie, that's why I named my dog(s) Woo and Gie, with their powers combined they arf arf arf into the night as one dog, in unison like the biggest baddest dog named Al Capone. Last, it's imperative that we all spend ample time in a Porto by the end of the trip, for it was Seneca that said setting aside a few days to wear rough clothing, eat meager food, and ask oneself: "Is this the condition that I feared?"

Probably the absolute best music festival I've ever attended! Lots of fun stages and mini mobile…read moreDJs which were all playing excellent music. The crowd was chill and welcoming. Not like other music festivals where people are over the top and on their phones the whole time. I made so many friends and will definitely be returning next year! However, they need to do something about the holes in the ground. I tripped a few times and saw a girl break her ankle. Also the camping situation can be a little rough so prepare for that!

This was the 2nd Annual Tamale Fest and I was excited to check it out. When you enter at the gate…read morethey give you some tickets for your free tamales. When you go to get your tamales, you're given 4 1/4 pieces, so basically you're given 1 free tamale, but 4 different flavors. This event is brand new to Bakersfield and I do anticipate it to grow in the future. It wasn't a bad event at all, there were at least 10-15 vendors/trucks out there selling crafts or food. Music was provided by a live band and there was a little bit of stage entertainment. You're able to bring your own folding chairs from what I was able to see and there's lots of room for growth. One thing I'm hoping to see in the next years as this event grows is more restaurants showing off their tamales. Maybe even a tamale throw down. I only saw 2-3 different trucks, which I think is okay since it was their 2nd event. When we went there was supposed to be some kind of tamale eating contest, but I think something happened in the process. Hopefully we can check out that contest next year and see who can put it down. ;-)

It wasn't really a festival more like a street fair they had very little Apple focusesread more

This years apple festival has 80 vendors with everything you can imagine. Candles, essential oils,…read morepurses, jewelry, home decor, clothing and so much more. Don't forget to buy some apples while you are there. You won't go hungry, lots of delicious food and a carnival for the kids. My son is having a great time on the rides. Eating lots of junk food too. If you didn't make it out today, don't worry it will be open tomorrow too.

Bakersfield Village Fest is definitely the party of the year. I was fortunate to obtain VIP access…read moreto the venue. We were able to park at the VIP lot and avoid crowds, enter the VIP entrance, and access to the VIP lounge with snacks, drinks and most importantly, clean restrooms. The VIPs were also welcomed in an hour early for dinner. At the entrance there is a metal detector and bag check. The website said clear bags only, so I prepared accordingly but they weren't too strict with enforcing it. We were given a village fest cup and a stamp card. The event sponsors Big Wave Kona had a large booth with ample staff pouring our first drink to get us started. We definitely felt the aloha! We started off in the VIP area to eat dinner. Then it was party party for the rest of the night. There were 4 different stages of live music, 100+ brews, 70+ wines, and unlimited food and snack samples from the local businesses. I have been to many food and spirits type of festivals and this one is without a doubt the best one I've been to. Loving the VIP life. Can't wait to come back for next year's Village Fest!!

So great in so many ways. Fabulous food, great music, outstanding beers and wine, clean outhouses…read moreetc. One HUGE problem though. The massive amounts of second hand smoke. Especially cigar smoke. Folks can smoke ANYWHERE. In food lines, on the dance floors, in front of the high powered fans etc. And there is a LOT of it. Really quite unbelievable. And while someone might argue a good cigar is pleasant, this is definitely not true of second hand cigar smoke! It's stomach churning putrid nonsense. Why not have designated zones for this? I have no problem with designated zones. It is truly remarkable that this can occur.

Well another great time featuring good live Rockin' Blues Music!…read moreThe Kern River Rockin' Blues Festival is an annual event in September held at the Frandy Campground in scenic Kernville, Ca, A lovely mountain village. It is a four day event showcasing National and local musicians. You can purchase a camping package or stay in local hotels or Air B&B's. Thursday there are parties and music at different local venues in the Village of Kernville. Friday and Saturday the festivities are held at the Frandy Campgrounds. They have a main stage and an acoustic stage and vendors providing food and shopping. Sunday there is a band and vendors in the Kernville Square. It is family friendly and you can easily go up for just a day if you live in Bakersfield. You can follow the event of Facebook. I highly recommend this fun local music festival.

Such a beautiful place! The food smells amazing, and the coffee is good! Highly recommend.read more

I have lived in the valley all my life and I had never been to CALM during their holiday light…read moreexperience (or otherwise). Thanks to Yelp and Garrett, I was able to see all the beautiful Christmas lights. Over 3 million lights are on display. We went on Tuesday at approximately 6:30 pm. We drove right in (warning: the drive into CALM is a service entrance that's a bit rough and dark (some road erosion and some potholes)). We had good parking (all parking is free). Due to the cold weather, we bundled up and literally walked right in. Oh my gosh!! Everything was so beautiful and every staff member was super friendly and helpful. Here are some musts: 1. Picture with Santa (using your personal phone/camera) 2. Train ride (Candy Cane Lane). Train ride takes you through a western town 3. Take your time strolling through and make the most of your experience 4. Dress warmly and wear comfy shoes 5. Support Teen Challenge booths. We purchased some yummy kettle corn, hot chocolate and coffee 6. Make sure your phone is fully charged Based on my conversations with CALM staff, the closer we get to Christmas, the busier it will be. Mid-week is a perfect time to visit to avoid large crowds. I highly recommend the holiday lights at CALM and look forward to making this an annual tradition.

Been coming to CALM Holiday Lights for well over a decade and always such a special visit to have…read morememories! Went yesterday evening and the lights were stunning and loved the Tree light show! All the employees and staff were incredibly kind and helpful! Lots of photo op's and a cute photo op with Santa and his sleigh! The Candy Cane Train is a must and I love the lights and decorations set up for this attraction! Great for families or a date night! Recommend the kettle popcorn and hot cocoa from Teen Challenge!