I'm STILL gloating about this awesome brew fest! I seriously cannot believe that this was my first…read moretime ever attending. It has honestly given me a whole new appreciation for beer. I've really grown a strong love for beer; particularly for wheat, sour, saison, kolsch and pretty much anything on the lighter and less hoppier end. What's nice about this festival is that you get to explore a variety and try so many different beer types. With over 60 different breweries on deck, you won't be able to taste them all. This makes sense as this isn't really the point (well... at least not for most people who come here). You get to try some new beers (some unreleased) and some popular favorites. It's also a great way to discover some local breweries that you may not have heard of before. Went with a group of friends and we had an absolute blast. The line to get in looked pretty long when I first arrived, but it moved seamlessly once they opened the gate around noon. We were greeted with a souvenir glass and made our way to the beer stands. The big names like Lagunitas and Russian River Brewing weren't present, but most people have either tried their beers or at least heard of them before. They're so big now that they really don't need to "advertise" at brew fests at this stage of the game. We tried LOTS of beer and for the most part, it was all pretty tasty. There were a few that really stood out to me that I have to mention because they were so damn good! *Old Caz Beer Orange Crush Imperial Sour: INSANELY scrumptious! Went back three times for this and ended up finishing the last of it. I have never heard of an Imperial Sour before but absolutely LOVED it. It's like a slightly sour, nutty, crispy, and fruity flavor. Looked up Old Caz immediately and found out that they're in Rohnert Park. Already planning on visit their brewery soon! *Canyon Lakes Brewery G.I.R. Cucumber Wheat: Sooo refreshing!!! That cucumber though! Geezus! It was like heaven in my mouth. I would sip this down so quick on a hot day. This brewery is located on a golf course in San Ramon, so I already know that I'll be there soon to check it out. *Bartlett Brewing Invoking the Muse Mixed Ferm Saison: Amazing! A very oaty and wheat forward Saison which a smooth finish. Something that I'd easily order at a pub or brewery if I saw it on the menu. Also really enjoyed Firestone Walker's Cali Squeeze Blood Orange Hefeweizen and a lovely triple IPA from a brewery that I can't remember. Had sooo much beer, but these were ones that truly stood out to me. They had a good amount of food trucks out but my friends and I ended up dining at the Old Spaghetti Factory instead. When the event in 4 hours long, it makes sense to eat before, spend most of the time drinking, and then eating afterward to get the most bang for your buck. Although I must mention that I didn't have to pay to enter this year, thanks to my free ticket from Yelp East Bay! Woot woot! The live music was great and we met some really cool people. At one point, one of my friends starting serving beer to the other patrons. It was funny to watch but she was enjoying herself. The weather was great too which was awesome since it's been raining like crazy lately. All in all, I'm impressed! I have some new breweries to check out too now and I'm excited to make my way there. I will definitely be back next year and hopefully every year after that. Such a great local brew fest!

We go to lots of beer festivals (Covid surely slowed that down though). Been to this one six or…read moreseven years in a row (up to Covid). There are good festivals and bad festivals and this one is one of the best. Really well done and always has a lot of breweries. We prepay and get there early and get in first. For four hours we'll drink as much as we can. I've come across so many beers at this festival that I drink regularly. Nothing better than discovering a new great beer. Love the Hop Grenade home brewery tent too. Always buy the shirt. Since we cannot drive after slapping down 40 small beers (if we haven't taken an uber) we'll go to Spaghetti factory and get some ice cream for a bit. Super fun, very well run and one of the best beer festivals in California.

What a great turn out! Dozens of great breweries with friendly pourers, and awesome live bands…read morecovering the classics! I thought I was going crazy when I heard "Don't Stop Believing" (because that's pretty much the song you hear anyway while drunk, right?) but one of the bands was actually playing that song! The food was also awesome at awesome prices. $4 for an awesome sausage (they had many--my choice was the chicken cajun sausage) with all the toppings/condiments. The food was pretty much from food carts with extremely reasonable prices... Please let it stay like this forever!! The thing I hate most about most beer festivals is the rip off food... But this one had all the right stuff for all the right prices! Kettle corn for $3 too! The shuttle that took us from the North Concord/Martinez BART was totally hilarious/legit... It was a yellow school bus with a BACBF sticker banner on it. Lovez it!! The lady on the bus (Bus Bitch, as she called herself) gave us a lovely guided tour of Martinez on the way to the festival site from BART. The Martinez PD were also present at the festival, but they were only outside and their job was to make sure that no one left intoxicated without a DD. If your ass was too drunk, they pulled out patio chairs for you to sit on! Even though it rained, most of the festival was held indoors in a warehouse (with EZ-Up tents for some of the outdoors) and everyone was in great spirits! Mannnnn totally sweet, I can't wait until next year's event!

Attended the Beer Fest again today and I was happy to find that they have made much needed…read moreimprovements since we last attended three years ago. Our friends live nearby so we parked there and walked, as opposed to trying to find parking at the event. They do still offer the free shuttle to and from the North Concord BART station, which is great. We got in line a little after 11:30 and, once they opened the gates at noon, the line moved quickly. They checked our IDs while we were in line, which was nice and sped up the entrance. Once inside I was impressed by the vast and varied beers available. Most breweries had 2-3 beers available. I stuck mostly to IPAs and other hop-heavy brews...of which there were plenty. I was also happy with the variety of delicious food available. We stuck with cheese zombies and frickles but our friends also enjoyed their carne asada fries, Indian wraps, etc. The BBQ place even walked around with samples of cole slaw and "shots" of pulled pork. The pulled pork was excellent and if I hadn't already eaten, I would have gotten a pulled pork sandwich. There were umbrellas and tall standing tables scattered throughout the event. We had a big group so we snagged a table as soon as we arrived to be our "home base." From there, we switched off getting beer/food. They had plenty of port-o-potties available and we never had to wait in line. There was also hand sanitizer and sinks with soap and water. To top off a nice afternoon, we got to spend time with great friends and ran into many more throughout the day.

I actually was working a booth for this event. I loved it!! The organizers were friendly, helpful…read more The location was great. You're allowed to bring dogs!!! Great food selections, entertainment and vendors. Highly recommend.

Downtown Walnut Creek is like that bff in your life that you want to spend every day with. It's a…read moreplace to go shopping, grab a bite to eat, get some exercise, and hang out at the park with your other bff, Mr. Sunshine. Now, to add to that list, we have First Wednesday in downtown Walnut Creek from 5-8 pm. Do you like trying a variety of new food (trucks) and meeting new people? How about enjoying live music and dancing with that cute guy sitting next to you? (In my case, that "cute guy" was my awesome husband who asked me to dance - even though it was mostly little kids out in front at the moment). This event is family friendly, but they have adult beverages as well. (Designate a driver if you plan to have a few!) Your furry bff is welcome to come along also so don't forget your leash. Several great vendors and tables were set up on Cypress Street between N. Main and Locust. We had fun visiting all of them! The surrounding parking garages are all going to be free on Wednesday nights! There are two Locust Street garages that are convenient to the action. This party lasts from 5-8, but your fun doesn't have to end then. There are lots of other great places to hang out or get some dessert while youre downtown. What a fun way to mark the mid-week!

Had a great time tonight at PH Night Market. Chilpancingo Park is located next to Floor & Decor…read more It's shady and grassy - a really pleasant location. There's plenty of free parking at DVC across the street. The music was great (a Tina Turner tribute band). The food trucks offered a culturally diverse selection of eats. There was also a bouncy house for the kiddies. It's happening the first and third Friday of each month. I'd like to see a schedule of bands/entertainment posted somewhere.

Very convenient, near my apartment and I love the vendors! Cocamel & Company, Squeezy-D's Lemonade,…read moreOoey Chewys by BUC & Chilly Willy's Smokehouse BBQ! Great food!

Such a fun weekend. My husband competed in the amateur competition and took 2nd in chefs choice…read more There is food to purchase from all the major BBQ joints, lots of booths with jewelry and other stuff. Glasses were 16 or 17 bucks and came with 2 drink tickets. ( we brought an ice chest ). did i mention parking and admission is free? See ya next year!

2013's fest was a bit underwhelming compared to the far more magnificent 2012 spread. Much smaller…read morethis year, and it might surprise newbies to see only 3 options for BBQ for sale to guests (no sampling of the competitors unfortunately). The local standbys of Kinder's and Back Forty are great, and in 2013 Smokehouse 10 was there. Their line was huge and prices astronomical, so I showed loyalty to my locals. They were also both wise to offer a rib sampler, 3 ribs for around $6, while Smokehouse only offered full meal platters. Kinder's ribs were tasty and smoky, and man does their sauce just ROCK. Back Forty's ribs were equally yummy and just a bit more tender. If I could get Back Forty's ribs with Kinders' sauce, oh happy day! Vendors were also scaled down quite a bit, only a small cluster of people selling more knick-knack items. 2012 offered multiple vendors selling homemade BBQ sauces and rubs, which was one of my main reasons for returning this year so imagine by disappointment when I couldn't restock! There were also more fun vendors selling quality knives and handcrafted soaps - the vendor quality was drastically reduced. So hopefully 2014 will bring the cool folks back, otherwise I might have to pass in 2015. : /

Just another reason to love living in Walnut Creek. They typically have this in April and…read moreSeptember. I've got some favorite artists that I've seen year after year and then others who just randomly appear from time to time. This Pacific Fine Arts fair also does shows in other areas, such as Montclair, so if you check out their website you can see where they'll be next. Great way to wile away a Sunday afternoon. In my experience, September seems to have more variety and a larger artist turn out-at least that's what I remember. The April event was a success and I am looking forward to the next one this fall. The one in September is an especially great time to look for holiday gifts-I left last year with some great jewelry for and screen printed T's (all handmade and unique)-except they were gifts for me...ooops! Check it out-if nothing else you'll get to stroll through Walnut Creek and get some fresh air!

I go to this sidewalk festival pretty much every time it's in town. After 3 years, I am familiar…read morewith each artists' location and what they sell. It's really nice to see the same people return, especially for those who may collect their art or want multiple pieces. Just today my husband and I bought two new ceramic pieces for our kitchen. In the past we've come home with a cute giraffe who now adorns our living room shelves, and a piece of collage work by a gentleman I didn't see this year. There is a good variety of art, but painting/photographs definitely dominate. If you're in search of jewelry, there are about 5 booths. I love the hand-blown glass and ceramic artists, but simply cannot afford to fill my house with all the art that inspires me. The festival itself is well organized and I appreciate that it closes as few streets as possible (downtown WC traffic is bad enough). The sidewalks get a bit crowded during the middle of the day, but it's to be expected, and most people accept the slower browsing-pace. I like that this group continues to come back to the area from year to year, and look forward to seeing them in town next time.

Mouse-Con is such a sweet event. I enjoy going with my friend the past few years. We started going…read moreto Mouse-Con in South San Francisco, then it moved to Concord. Price for a ticket is cheap ($10 in 2021), compared to D23. People are allowed to express themselves in Disney attire, just like at Disneyland, this is a safe space. We've never parked at the hotel lot, I don't know if it's covered? There are restaurants walking distance from the hotel: Taco Bell, The Habit, Starbucks, and more. My favorite thing to do is walk around and look at what the vendors are selling. I've always made some amazing purchases for not too much money. My friend loves to attend the panels. Super amazing, they are able to draw out at least one famous Disney person. Bring cash if you wish to have something signed by a Disney Princess, it appears to run $40 in cash for signatures and $20 for a photo. Great way to get your Disney fix without having to drive 400 miles. Also now that so many Disney stores have closed in the Bay Area, you can walk about a shop a little. See you next year.

I never knew such a convention existed in the Bay Area until a few months ago. The name Mouse-Con…read moreleads you to believe it's a convention pretty much based around Mickey Mouse or so I thought but I was wrong. This year it was being held in the crown plaza hotel, they utilized a few conference rooms, part of the lobby and a mice portion of the registration area of the hotel. The admission fee was $10 I believe and parking was free, they did have shirts, buttons and other souvenirs for sake with the Mouse-Con logo on them but they sold out pretty fast. This convention is only held on one day but you will get through it pretty fast as it is really small. It was an all around Disney Convention with so much cool merchandise, many of the vendors were selling exclusive park merchandise such as limited released pins, funko pops, spirit jerseys, mouse ears, vintage memorabilia and just about everything you could possibly think of. I did like the selection and variety of items that were being sold, although some items were highly priced I did get some good deals on pins and a pair of ears. The convention also held a costume/cosplay contest which was great and there were tons of creative costumes! There were some guest speakers and special guests such as Margaret Kerry (Known for the famed Tinkerbell), Eva Bella & Livvy Stubenrauch (Voices of Ana and Elsa from "Frozen"), Tony Bancroft (helped create Pumbaa for Lion King, Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast and Lago the parrot from Aladdin). But this year's really special guest and spotlight was Disney Legend Bob Gurr!! Bob Gurr has designed most of the ride vehicles at Disneyland (Autopia, Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Disneyland Monorail and Submarine Voyage) as well as the King Kong encounter at Universal Studios Hollywood. I had the pleasure of meeting him and taking a picture with him, he's very nice and I had been wanting to meet him for a few years now so I'm glad to have experienced that. Overall it's a good convention I just think it should be bigger and should be two days instead of one and maybe have more vendors and other fun activities. It's worth checking out and hopefully I'll be back next year.

It was amazing food and the beers where great. I love dark beer my fav I'm so mad I didn't get the…read morename because I was having fun drinking and the sun was shinning high and bright.

Kind of a boring saturday afternoon... I tell the kids "shoes & socks, we'll hit Todos Santos, I'll…read moreget a Peets, you two can hit the play structure, win win." They were thrilled. We drive up and there's tent after tent, a band playing, rides for the kids! I had no idea it was Concord's Oktoberfest. Bands included: the Volker Strifler Band, The Squeegees, and The Red Hot Chachkas. I'm sure there were more in the lineup throughout the day. There was a polka costume parade and polka lessons! You could buy a pass and sample seven different beers from local microbreweries. But the very best thing about Concord's Oktoberfest was Cyclecide. The first ride I saw looked like it might be the first ever merry-go-round. But after talking to the Cyclecide guy managing the line, their rides are all one-of-a-kind, made from salvaged parts, powered by pedaling. Awesome. This is a good description of Cyclecide, taken from their website: "Cyclecide is a touring freak show that showcases muscle-powered contraptions welded together from bits of bikes salvaged from junk heaps, scaffolding, and car parts. FAULT LINES SPRING 2007" Another good description: "... here is the basic recipe: rent Mad Max and Pee Wee's Big Adventure, toss them in a nuclear reactor together, and watch the ensuing mutant merriment"... Boise Weekly Sept. 2004 My kids did three of their rides, two of which were merry-go-round-ish. One pedal-powered by whoever brought the kids there, the other powered by the kids themselves. The third was a solo-ride. You sat on a tiny bike seat contraption about 4 inches from the ground, pedaled, and spun 'round like mad. My kids didn't get it going very fast, but had a blast nonetheless. The older set who did this ride (clearly aiming to increase their already apparent buzz) pedaled so hard and spun so fast that the thing kind of crept around on the grass. Every single one of them got up and nearly fell over from dizziness. They were fun to watch. My pics to be posted soon, but until then, visit their site: www.cyclecide.com Yay Concord for bringing this to Todos Santos.