This year is the seventh annual Scarecrow Fest in Santa Ynez Valley. How did I just hear about this…read moreevent?? This was so much fun!! I had a few hours to kill so I wandered into Solvang to window shop. Quickly I noticed the adorable decorations and window displays. What could this be about? At one of the displays I found the information on the ballot sheet. There are over 100 businesses participating in Solvang and surrounding areas in the Santa Ynez Valley. On the ballot sheet is a map to all the participating businesses and organizations so you can be sure to not miss any. Voters can walk around (or drive for further out scarecrow locations) and enjoy all the different scarecrow and holiday displays. Voting categories include Most Danish (cuz it's Solvang after all), Best Photo Opportunity (you are encouraged to take pics with displays when possible and upload to FB or tweet them), Best Use of Business Theme, Most Humorous, Spookiest and Best Use of Recycled Materials. There was an incredible variety of displays showing different strengths, themes and artistic interpretations of Scarecrows. I felt like this was kind of a scavenger hunt as I ran through the streets trying to find all the different scarecrows. Unfortunately I didn't see too many others walking around participating, but I did notice that almost all the tourists (and some locals) were really enjoying the displays. Some of the window displays were difficult to take pictures of because of glare issues. I was in the city early in the day and not all businesses had their scarecrows out at that time, so I noticed a few extra as I was on my way out of the city. Scarecrow Fest this year goes from October 7 - November 7. Ballots need to include a name, email address and zip code for the votes to count. There are ballot boxes throughout the city to drop your completed ballots before the last day. The grand winner will be announced at the Haunted House and Street Fest on October 29th. Category winners will be announced on their website www.syvscarecrows.com at the end of the voting period. This was a ton of fun and a creative way to get visitors to explore the culture and climate of Santa Ynez Valley. I would definitely recommend checking it out, especially if you are an autumn junkie like me. This is something I will look forward to for many years to come.

First timer and was hesitant because of the weather forecast, but glad I came!…read more It was outdoors in the camp grounds and surprisingly it was warm with a slight breeze and only sprinkled a little red here and there! There were many vendors just selling merch like novelty items, kitchen towels and trivets, jewelry, and soap. At the entrance there was a stage where a band played for the first half then a DJ took over for the second half! Music was great and the crowd was lively! A lot of the vendors say this was much bigger than last year. There were many vendors some large breweries we'll known breweries like SLO brew, Fig mountain and smaller local ones as well. Really enjoyed the sparkling rose and the rose from a veteran owned stall (there's a pic included). There were tastings for wine, seltzers, gin, and whiskey!! Each stand either had an entry in Chile verde, red chili, salsa, or alcohol - some stands were were entered in multiple areas. Some stands had toppings you could add like corn bread, sour cream, cheese, and onions and the chips were all served with the central coast favorite taco works tortilla chips! One chili that stood out for me was a ground turkey butternut squash one made by the rotary club - it was hearty and had a slight sweetness, didn't think I would have liked it but it was one of my tops! So at end of your tastings you vote on best choice! Overall would deff come here again!!

SAME THING ONLY DIFFERENT…read more Ah... festivals. Always different. Always the same. Everything smells like weed. Except the guy standing in line beside me. He smells like sardines. And weed. Out-of-town dudes in man-buns crowd alongside pretty young women dressed vaguely like Native American princesses. Not sure Indians had bubble-gum flavored lip gloss though. Everyone is 'Gramming. A giant beach ball passes by with intention. The volume is concussive. The energy palpable. When the live music starts, I picture my 9th grade English teacher Mrs. Delaney, hands on her hips, shouting back grammar corrections. "Cause I'mma pimp you up" "'BE-cause I am GOING TO pimp you up', young man!" "Cold split you in two" "COLDLY split you INTO two!" "Then let you catch it in the du-rang" "OK not bad..." "Take the Bentley back to school" "YOU GOT THIS! WOOO!!" Good music, passionate people, and great alcohol-- the keys to success for all festivals. But after a while, an existential question rises out of the chili pot smoke... Use the filth-laden portable toilets, or risk sobering up too soon by discontinuing the refreshing beverage routine in the hot afternoon sun? Maybe we'll just go find sardine dude to pick up some herring-infused indo... Pro tip: Had a great time. We sampled a lot of chili dishes, enjoyed copious amounts of local beer and wine, and clapped a lot because... well like most white people, we have no idea what to do with our hands when we dance.

Such a fun annual event! Nestled right in the heart of Buellton once a year on Avenue of the Flags…read more Easy to walk to from most anywhere in town. They block off a lot of the road, so there's a fair amount of space to maneuver. They've got drinks, rides, and tons of food vendors! It's a multi-day event. Great opportunity to gather with friends/family and enjoy the local community!

(Attended 07/23/25 WE @ 7:30pm): Would I be able to solve the case behind the play's mystery at…read morethis local festival theater!? This was my first time attending a performance let alone hearing about the Solvang Festival Theater when I researched anything to do this evening. Under the bigger banner of Solvang Theaterfest and the Pacific Conservatory Theater (PCPA), this 700-seat open-air venue opened in 1974 (just past its 50th anniversary!) and has since garnered countless live performances from concerts to plays, while they continued to expand the programming to include other types of entertainment. On this fateful evening, I had the pleasure to experience the play, "Holmes And Watson", as I was a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and had never heard of this. Would I check the theater's schedule for something festive the next time I was in Solvang!? PURCHASE Ticket - Section 3 Row C Seat 3 + Fee ($72.00 + $3.00): A last-minute buy, I totally scored with this single seat nearly in the front row among friendly guests! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=83_WgH5VVPmXXjv_CzodHA 2024 Lucas & Lewellen Cabernet Sauvignon Red Wine 4floz Pour ($12.00): Real cork, deep red color, bold berries jammy aroma, medium body, berries earthy jammy flavor, drying finish, berries earthy jammy sweet aftertaste, and medium astringency. A lovely wine that paired well with my dessert. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=48&select=qdLD2rHUPW9bpvk6zn2eDg Santa Maria Sweet Street Warehouse Tiramisu ($8.00): This was an amazingly lovely dessert with multiple layers of sweet goodness heavily covered with a dusting of cocoa powder. The large portion size was also a surprise for the price. Value all around! https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=5XlcRq7PLNv-YAvHBH_TlA THE SHOW A murder, an isolated asylum, and the fallout from a dismembered criminal organization was the setting of this new mystery play with intrigue and plot twists from start to finish. Sherlock Holmes has been missing for two years (presumed dead - no body was found - after he fell off the Reichenbach Falls at the hands of Professor Moriarty), and his partner Dr. Watson has been called to try and identify the real Sherlock Holmes among three patients claiming to be him. With subtle clues, the mystery unfolds on stage with the blend of comical and dramatic roles of each of the actors. Don't spoil the ending! SERVICE The online ticket purchase was seamless, the check-in line outside the venue went swiftly, there was little to no line when I bought my beer/snack, I didn't recall seeing any security, and the volunteer staff was friendly and nice - easy-peasy! PARKING (FREE): Generally speaking, all of the many public lots throughout the town were free and spacious (I found a spot steps away), in addition to free parking along all of the surrounding streets - 'nuff said. ATMOSPHERE, DÉCOR, AMBIENCE Once you walked through the front entryway, you found yourself in an open grassy area https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=DeJYP2D1HX_aq1-SVY7BkQ with seating throughout, the concession stand, the merchandise booth, and a large leafy tree. Once inside, you looked among the tiered rows of seats as they faced and curved toward the stage. The sound quality was very nice. Plenty of natural lighting since you were outdoors while the electric house, stage, and street lighting filled in the rest. I didn't recall any monitors or pre or post background music. https://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?userid=8jVT2inwc8GIQ6sH2UG9Vw&start=72&select=qkmSKrGwWmhebCkMUx5ovg ATTIRE Totally casual, so I would normally be in a t-shirt, boardshorts, and flip-flops. OVERALL I had a very enjoyable time with the performance of "Holmes And Watson" at the Solvang Festival Theater and would definitely consider another visit the next time I was doing an overnight visit! The drive from L.A. was more than two hours, so I wouldn't recommend a daytrip. However, the various convenient parking options, and the town of Solvang were major pluses. The intimacy of the theatre should prove favorable to both patrons and performers. And, there were plenty of things to do in the immediate area. I found complete value based on the prices, service, and experience noted above (TOTAL paid experience was around $95.00 BEFORE any discounts/tip). And, although I was only allowed to pay with a VISA card to buy the ticket online, they accepted my credit card of choice for the concessions... AMEX! 5.0 STARS

My wife and I went to the Solvang Festival Theater for the first time the other day…read more The musical "Something's Rotten" was amazing made betterI think by this intimate venue. We sat near the last row but positioned in the (sort of ) middle of the theater and didn't feel far away. It's easy for me to say there isn't a bad seat in the house when we were in the middle but I can see being on either side of the half circle seating( so you can only half the stage) could make for a great perspective...as the view isn't obstructed in anyway and if I recall considerably cheaper than the seats we purchased. Still the music and volume were plenty loud and the lights plenty bright from any seat. If you find a musical or play at this theater I assure you this is a great venue to experience that performance. The ushers were helpful, pleasant and plentiful! Also the restrooms are massive ( the ladies in particular according to my wife). The only thing of note...bring a blanket! It's summer but the central coast isn't as warm in the evening as I recall. We were fortunate to bring our jackets but towards the end (after the intermission ) I was definitely cold! We left and were on our way home by 1045ish? Can't wait to come back!

This review is for the opening party. I was super excited…read moreto attend this party, all you can eat and drink in solvang? How could it go wrong? Well the party was set for 3 hours, 6-9:00 pm. I arrived around 630. Check-in was a breeze. We got our souvenir wine glasses and made our way in. There were two rooms with food stalls but one had tables to actually sit, a cocktail station and a photo booth location. The other had a stage with room to dance, cocktail tables and more food and wine stalls. At 6:30, two of the restaurants were already out of food. I don't understand how 30 mins into the event anyone can be out of food. That's frustrating. To the event planners: please ensure with all restaurants participating that they make enough food to last for the entire event. Of all the food stalls I did get to try, Surprisingly, my favorite were these buckwheat noodles with burratta. The burrata was creamy and there was a bit of a crunch from some salad mixed in. Delicious and I probably went back for 3 more servings. The band playing was quite fun, they had a country vibe but played a bunch of cover songs. Overall, I had a good time. Free flowing wine and beer, and the food I did get to try was pretty good too. I'd say it's worth checking.....out at least once.

We love coming up to the Santa Ynez for wine tasting so we bought tickets to the Taste of Solvang…read morewhich includes a bunch of food & wine tastings. We bought the Grand Tasting which was $35 and included food tastings from 11-4 on a Saturday and then the Beer & Wine Walk ($40)which was from 5PM-8PM on Saturday and 11-4PM on Sunday. I do want to caveat my review by stating that I really dislike (more like HATE) desserts so if you do like desserts as most people do maybe you want to read my review with a grain of salt. The Grand Tasting basically included 40 locations that were serving snacks and desserts in and around downtown solvang. The concept is great except the website states this - "Hob nob with your foodie friends, and our World-Class Chefs at the newly redesigned Grand Tasting." Now i love pizza like the next person but i don't think getting a small slice of cheese pizza would be considered eating with world class chefs. I was really hoping Root 246 or Panino Solvang would have a stop but they didn't. I really loved the meatballs/cheese from El Rancho Market and buttermilk biscuit from Succulent Cafe though. Also all the Danish meatball samplers were yummy but my biggest problem is the crazy amount of desserts that were served: danishes, ice cream sundaes, chocolate covered strawberries, butter cookies....on and on. These were definitely not gourmet samplings of desserts but if you are a dessert lover, you def may enjoy this tour. I had to go back and order another pizza because i skipped more of the dessert stops and was a bit hungry. The Wine Tour was pretty fun....basically you walk around Solvang and visit designated wineries who have pared down tastings for you. Its also a great deal at $40 since there were maybe 12 or more wineries on our list. Since there were over 500 people who bought the Taste of Solvang, sometimes there were long lines but def a good way to meet and greet the different wineries in town. We love Tocatta but loved it even more that there was a 10 year anniversary sale and the three wines they had on the tasting menu were all $10 (reg parice - $24). The wine tour is super fun because everyone is getting a bit tipsy and super chatty so its super fun. Tour ends promptly at 8PM (starts again on Sunday) and the town pretty much empties out around then. Wouldn't mind doing the wine and beer walk again but i'd prob skip the grand tasting. not really my style.

One word to describe.... HEAVEN!!!…read more One entry fee, ALL YOU CAN EAT & DRINK! You can taste all the sample and try out all the beer & wine~ SWEET!!! If you like bacon... THIS IS YOUR EVENT! Bacon in all kinds of dishes, in salad, appetizer, sliders, etc. They give you a souvenir glass, you just go around the vendors and try out any beer/wine you like. We stayed there for hours! Basically eating 3 meals there already~ :D Great choices of local restaurants. Many different varieties. Live music, great crowd, fun day! Just one suggestion for the organizer.... we need more shades or umbrellas and table/chairs. Thank you. Will definitely attend the event again next time!

Solvang Farmer Pumpkin patch is absolutely perfect. The parking is free & the entrance is free…read more They are so many pumpkins too choose from and so many in perfect condition. Great prices and they have a corn maze $10. They also sale Kettle Corn and Waters. If you finish the corn maze and find all the Signs you get a prize. We sure finished it and found all signs. We showed proof and the staff was nice enough to show us our prize a mini pumpkin (how cute). we had such an amazing time.

The pumpkin patch is charming! I felt the maze was quite expensive! There's no shade offered…read moreanywhere so even though we wanted to hangout more, there was no place to do so. They had a lot of pumpkins in all sizes! The staff were friendly! I wish they would have thoroughly explained how everything works when we first arrived. PS-the maze is definitely a challenge!