Hot Saturday around the Quad! The whole festival is so laid back :) music, plenty of craft spots, good food. Highly recommend you check out Re-Awaken Glass! (Forgot to ask for the lady's name) my wife bought 2 super cute pair of earrings! read more

See all

If you want meat, do not go here. It's okay. Been trying to revive itself since COVID and it's almost there. Same geodesic dome as every year. Not so hippie...some vendors are accepting wireless payments even. And they've done away with the "rent" for plates and utensils. You just get them now and are shockingly (not really) expected to return them. You know, like civil people and stuff. "Now that I live in Davis again" blah blah blah it hasn't changed one bit. Gimme a break. It's okay as a once a year takeover of the quad but no one is really all that disappointed when it's gone. All the vendors really want to do is make a buck off of you. Yay capitalism. It is nothing more. There is nothing that says "bE KinD" to the planet anymore like there used to be. It's a new Davis and it's fairly sad. Way to go. read more

See all

This was our first time at this event. We went on Sunday at 1 pm. It wasn't too busy today. There were a lot of tents for visitors to get some rest and shade. The best part for me was the popsicles--peach limeaide and basil ?? Both were refreshing for today but the basil one was the favorite. Glad we got to experience this festival at least once. read more

Whole Earth Festival - Center stage with live music - Festivals Near Me - Davis, California

Fun for all. Families welcome and lots of good food and family activities. A variety of interesting vendors and good food!

I've been told several times by different people I should participate as an artist at this event but I'd never attended until this past Sunday. WOW! Now THIS is the type of event I'd like to be doing. Where actual artists occupy booths with work they've made themselves from their own creativity like I do vs. the cheap manufactured or gimmicky goods or plastic imports that can be purchased online or in discount brick and mortar stores that have taken up the vendor spaces at most street fairs and markets these days. Who can compete with that? I'm looking to replace some events I've been doing. After talking to a few vendors and getting their feedback, I'll apply to this one next year. Even for a Mothers Day and a Sunday, this was well attended. There was a variety of booths with quality merchandise. The music was really good and from what I saw there was a great selection of food choices. I appreciated the dish stations and not disposable plates. read more

It's the whole earth festival. Enough said. Venders, music, and hippies. I have not been for a few years but will be there in a few months.

Wonderful festival with lots of art vendors and vegetarian food. They serve all the food on reusable plates or compostable plates. Two stages with music too! Held every Mother's Day weekend from Friday to Sunday. read more

Whole Earth Festival - Festivals Near Me - Davis, California

See all

Classic Davis. Great art, food, vibes and a geodesic dome. Great merchants selling eclectic merchandise. Classes and talks. Live music. read more

See all

Mothers' Day weekend in Davis means Whole Earth Festival on the UC Davis campus. I've been attending for many years. The last few have unfortunately seen a large decrease in the number of bands, crafts people and attendees. It's still a free and family friendly event and usually excellent weather. read more

Whole Earth Festival - Tempest playing in the quad stage - Festivals Near Me - Davis, California

We have been going to Whole Earth every year since it started, I think. We've seen a lot of change. They're definitely used to be more of an emphasis on Eco/green education, there were many many hippies, and a distinct vibe that I've experienced nowhere else. It's hard to explain. It's changed a lot recently. That hippie thing is largely gone away. If it bothered you to walk around with a bunch of barefoot people with dreadlocks, you might like it better now. I kind of miss that whole thing. Whole Earth Festival has essentially become a craft fair. This year, 2018, there were far fewer vendors than ever before. I had heard that people were getting priced out of it which is sad. Some of the merchandise, (not all) is very overpriced. read more

Always a fun event to attend. Wonderful crafts, food vendors and performances. The university is the perfect place for such an event. read more

See all

A great annual festival always on Mother's Day weekend & it's not just a bunch of dirty, smelly hippies! The vendors are amazing. It's such a special occasion to see so many talented people come together in one place. Many were from Oregon & Nor Cal was definitely represented. Custom ironworks, art, pottery, great clothing from hoodies, yoga pants to panties (mostly American Apparel CA, hemp, & bamboo) & jewelry really stood out. I've seen many of the same vendors participate in the festivities of Whole Earth for at least a decade. I know all fried food is good, but I'm a sucker for those veggie corn dogs. Our local Lydia's Lovin' Foods was there as were a bunch of other scrumptious places. All of the dishware was reusable which I thought was really awesome. You pay a deposit & then return the dishes/cups to a stand & get your deposit back. It would have been more helpful to have more than one drop-off place; especially for those that would've rather donated their deposits to some Earthly cause. -1 for the cigarette smokers. There's nothing like breathing in fresh air surrounded by fellow peace lovers without a lousy cigarette to destroy the sentiment. read more

Used to love the funky vibe, it got commercialized and not in a good way. Price of a Chocolate dipped Banana: $ 5.- are you friggin' kidding me? It is good for walking through, listening to some music, looking at some of the crafts and at the hippie'ish dressed folks and then go and find some fairly priced good food somewhere else. I get an attitude when I feel I am being taken advantage of price wise. read more

Another place where I spent a good portion of my childhood. Wandering around atop my dads shoulders. It's just really fun and entertaining.(: read more

YOU LOSE 2 Stars! Argh, why on earth can't I eat a healthy happy free range cow or chicken while I slave away looking at all the wonderful leather goods you sell? Food or shoes, is there a difference? read more

I am a sucker for yearly festivals. One of my very favorites is the three day Whole Earth festival held annually over Mother's Day weekend on the quad at UCD. Whole Earth is a student-run festival celebrating music, art and holistic/environmental education. WEF is free - free workshops, free movies, free crafts, free speakers, free entertainment, you get my drift. But just because it's free doesn't mean you should leave your ATM card at home... If you drive and park on campus you'll need to pay for parking and if you wind up needing to own some of the various arts and crafts items lining the quad then you'll need a fat wallet because the vendors are pricey. Also, you'll want to bring some extra dough to try the tasty food and drinks (try the hibiscus tea - mmm). This is an environmentally friendly event (most of the festival waste is composted or recycled) so when you're served your (mostly organic vegetarian) food you are charged a nominal refundable deposit for your dishes - once you're finished there are two "dish collection" sites where you can return your dishes and collect your full deposit. Going to go this weekend? Start at the Karma Dome to pick up your program and then go to town but you shouldn't rely solely on your program. While you're there check out some of the spontaneous activities not listed in the program such as the drum circle, jugglers, parades and maybe you'll run into Wavy Gravy. I've been going to WEF since 1993 and I wouldn't miss it, it's never the same experience twice. read more

See all

Never before have I been surrounded by so many people who haven't showered. But it's appropriate I guess to help save water in these drought times and do what we can to make a difference. I still had fun at this once-a-year belated Earth day event at the quad, which features entertainment, shopping, and overpriced food. Highlights: the performers, watching hula hoopers and hippies do random things, and pictures where you put your face on animal bodies. Cons: the food is all vegan, which supports the statement of saving the Earth, but is super overpriced and there are limited options with 4 stands basically all selling the same thing. The options are Mexican, Indian, or deep fried things. While it is standard for carnival/fair type foods, I feel like they should offer more healthy options. The prices make disneyland look reasonable: my friend wanted a slush but $8 is pretty ridiculous. This event is still fun, but I really hope the food improves by next year. read more

If you like hippy fashion, jewelry and other knick knacks...this is your place. Personally, the items are overpriced and not worth the trip out. But if you're looking for a free place to go with your kids or friends~ I'd come check it out. read more

Whole earth is the one weekend that I am willing to say that I hail from Davis. It's got hippies, composting, recycling, learning stations, shopping, fruit dipped in chocolate on a stick! and MUSIC!!!! Plus I get to run around partying in a town that is usually really lame.... I even brought my girls up from the city and they thought Davis was cool... wait till they go on a regular weekend. But the food is always good, the music is fantastic and there is always an eclectic mix of genres and there are like 3 stages which I love! Lots of grass, hippies, mushroom chocolate and trying to be sly about smoking since there are cops ever 15 feet. My favorite is the DJ stage but I truly wish that it would stay on later than 10 pm, that's when the real party starts.. and it does... the after party is for sure the best part... the year before last they had like 3 houses open with different DJ's spinning sweet vibes. Plus the fire dancers are off the hook. It's always like a high school reunion which is kinda cool. The best thing is the karma that was returned to me. So while indulging in a handle of Jack, I neglected to pick up my digital camera when we left. It was sitting in the grass, I was bummed because my birthday was coming up. So I bought a new one. About a month later, literally the only day that I was in Davis... I get a call from an old friend who says his friend found it looked at the pix, recognized some of his friends. Then he gave him the memory card and saw it was mine. Happened to have my phone # memorized from like 2 years ago and I GOT IT BACK!!!!! Peace. love. dancing. partying. That is whole earth! read more

Every year, May rolls around and I feel a longing deep inside of me. Visions of sun and grass and naked babies running around. Dreadlocks, tie dye and linen. Birkenstocks and the smell of patchouli. Honestly, there is nothing that I do not love about the Whole Earth Festival except for how crowded it's gotten in the last few years. Yes, the food is overpriced and kind of... not good. Yes, many of the people who attend Whole Earth are a little bit... ripe. Yes, you may get a contact high from walking around. But if you're pissed off about all that - you're completely missing the message. Just take a second to think about that many people coming together, trying to come up with an earth-friendly festival in which anyone and everyone is welcome. I dunno... maybe I've been drinking the Whole Earth Kool-Aid (which is probably kombucha or something), but I think it's amazing. P.S. Hippies dancing - truly, is there ANYTHING better? I thought not. read more

The Whole Earth Festival definitely caters to a certain crowd and if it's not your thing, don't hate and definitely don't go. I would highly recommend eating before you go because lines are crazy and the food generally is not that good. I have eaten very delicious vegan food before, but you won't find that here. It's also pretty overpriced for what you get. I LOVE the crafts for sale at the fair but they have steadily gotten more expensive over the years so don't except anything super cheap. Handmade unique items are usually expensive, especially in the United States. The jewelry is actually quite beautiful but I can usually only afford one or two pieces. You can still find some cheap stuff like the clothes and some jewelry but I wouldn't go looking for discounts; I would go looking for beautiful unique pieces. The pottery here is also very nice but isn't super cheap either. The biggest negative is obviously the extreme body odor that wafts through the festival; not for the faint of heart. read more

First timer and definitely a coming backer, except next time I'm bringing a blanket and tons of water. The vendors were awesome, so many cute items to oogle my little eyes at I wish I had loads of money I would have purchased more. I would have to agree the music was awesome and the pipps were friendly... The Little Cheese got a way cool dragon face painting which is still on his face (half worn off) but we can not wash it off. The weather was super hot though, I would have been sweating balls if I had some. Want to come back next year and party down all day!!! read more

Whole Earth... Such great memories! Gosh I love wandering here. So many cool things, so many happy and peaceful people! Music is great too. Yes it's expensive... but I believe the fun that can be had here is so so worth it. Come for the sights and sounds, pack yourself a picnic lunch instead and prepare to have everything cost way more than you'd normally pay. Though I have to admit, those garlic fries and the portobello mushroom burger are almost essentials here. Other advice - come early, before noon. Also!! This may or may not work for you but it's always worked for me... Many of these vendors are stuck in their shops all day because they're running stuff alone. If you offer to go grab food or a drink for them, many will be super grateful and give you a sizeable discount!! read more

I had a great time there and purchased a couple of metal yard signs and would like to get more. Does anyone know the vendor who was selling these? read more

Whole Earth Festival - Who sells these? We want more - Festivals Near Me - Davis, California

It's really fun to look at all the vendors selling their overpriced jewelry, hand crafts, and artwork. Sadly, I can only afford to look. I did buy a $10 rock necklace that was promised to enhance my thinking and regulate stress fighting hormones ... I'm still always stressed. It's also fun to people watch because you really see a different crowd than what you usually see on campus. There's lots of hippies, security scouting for drug abusers, dogs with dreads, and half naked gender neutral children running around with their $6 mangos on a stick. read more

The annual Gathering of the Hippies. Put on your tie-dye and let your freak flag fly! Bring a drum and a picnic blanket because you're going to be here all day. I love the WEF is zero-waste and focused on supporting small businesses My only dislike is that despite the emphasis on being a very earth-friendly event, I continue to be alarmed that they continue to allow leather vendors sell their wares at WEF. I really wish they didn't. Nonetheless, this is my annual to-do for any and all of my crunchy shopping needs. read more

So much fun. Lots of chill people and great food vendors. needs for interactive educational stations or places where people can sign up to volunteer for things. read more

See all

Mother's Day at WEF is has become a tradition for our family. This year was the best ever. The weather was perfect -- hot and sunny. On the drive to Davis, the pull of yummy chocolate-covered frozen bananas grew stronger and stronger. Because WEF is a "zero waste" event, we brought cotton napkins and water bottles in a day pack and decided not to tote a blanket -- the grass in the shade of a tree or tent would be fine for a lunch or music break. This year, we selected a wrap so we didn't even need a plate or fork. I actually missed handing a dirty plate to the washing station in return for a dollar deposit. I'm looking forward to hearing if this year's WEF beat any records for recycling. They have their act together and it gets better each year! We noticed a new food booth devoted to strawberries. It was on a corner between two music venues. Hope it is there again next year! Another WEF addition was a huge craft tent for new artists. Overall, there was music, food, and entertainment everywhere! Loved it. We took tons of photos to capture all the color. Kudos to the student organizers of WEF for another excellent festival. read more

For those outsides that don't know much about Davis and the Whole Earth Festival, it's very hippie and not in a bad way at all. They have decent food and a lot of vendors. in addition a lot of stages for dancers, singers and displays. Davis is a beautiful campus and its just a overall fun day. Would recommend going if you live around the area, might be a bit far for those East Bay and SF peeps. they really focus on Karma, Relaxation, spirituality, organic food and lots of vendors. (my friend really wanted toe rings and got hers last year from this place and just had to go again). just remember to take your allergy medication, it gets a bit dusty up there!!! read more

This is an annual event for me, and I look forward to returning every year, Heat and all...

Dig out your old tie dye and Birkenstocks and check out this UCDavis institution. I think its been around since the 60's or 70's. As far as I know it's always held on Mother's Day weekend on the Quad at UCD. So if you need a little dose of hippiness, check it out. Love it and look forward to it every year. Always a tradition to go with my family on Mother's Day. Except for those years when my kids were of the age they would never be seen with me at Whole Earth. Too bad in the past several years its gotten smaller, not as many vendors and not as much entertainment. But still has good vegan and vegetarian food, lots of jewelry, herbal products and lotion, etc for sale. And lots of dreadlocked people, music and drumming, and at times the smell of pot in the air. Brings back good memories of growing in SF in the 70's and all the hippie concerts in Golden Gate Park. Loved it then, love it now! read more

great to go while in-town for Mother's Day - tons of booths of green items and jewelry - and the food seems to be all-vegetarian and soooo good check out the fried artichokes, frozen thai tea popsicles (made with sweet potatoes?) and the yummy cucumber lime drink tons of cute people young and old - always seems to be great weather during this weekend too icing on the cake: zero waste efforts read more

Been going to WEF since 1990. It used to be a hippie fun-fest with lots of fantastic music, drum circles, affordably-priced crafts, vegan food, the occasional whiff of weed, happy hippies and -occasionally- topless young women, which my husband thought was sublime. Loved seeing the same craftspeople year after year, like family. Then the crafters began to disappear, the vendors became fewer and more expensive, and the 'recycle your plate' mandate [while environmentally sound] made buying food a hassle. Not as many bands have showed up in recent years, not much spontaneous dancing or drumming, and it seems as though there are fewer craftspeople every year. Prices of everything are exhorbitant. More law enforcement and fewer topless ladies - could there be a connection? What a long strange trip it's been... read more

This festival has evolved in my time in Davis. I grew up here and it's my home town. The Whole Earth Festival is where earth-conscious crafts and vendors come together. When I was a child, they had tie-dye booths and sidewalk chalk booths, psychics, magic shows, "love tents" where you could go and smoke or take a nap (a rest from the business of the festival), ribbon trees to play with, hair braiding stations, singing shows, and free honey sticks. More recently when I attended, it was more of a collective of vendors, but there is more music than before, and more henna and food vendors. People can sell their earth-friendly wares. It's a great place to buy a mother's day gift. Also, it's a good reminder to be good to the Earth. Food vendors there use reusable cups, plates, and forks. You turn them into the dish washers after your meal. You can get henna or face painting done. You meet all kinds of different people. read more