There is no better symbol for spring than blankets of flowers covering the hillsides. To celebrate the beauty of the season, the California Poppy Festival™ has brought together hundreds of thousands of visitors with exhibits, entertainment, food and fun for the family for more than two and a half decades.
On April 22-23, 2017 the City of Lancaster is hosting the 26th annual edition of the California Poppy Festival™ at Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park. On a span of 35 acres, the festival will feature more talent and unique experiences than ever before, drawing attention to the colorful carpets of poppies and wildflowers throughout the Antelope Valley.
Headline entertainers will appear throughout both days on the Festival’s Poppy Stage, while several popular local performers entertain audiences from the Primrose Stage. Strolling artists will bring out surprises while visitors savor fresh fruits, vegetables and baked goods, fresh from the Festival’s own Farmers Market. Crowds will take in the artistry of local crafters and discover creative pieces by notable local artists.
With the Festival’s tradition to always offer something new, this year’s event is introducing Architects of Air, with its premier West Coast exhibit, “Arboria,” an oversized luminaria sculpture dedicated to the theme of trees. Its dazzling maze of winding paths and soaring domes meld ancient architecture, Archimedean solids and Gothic cathedrals in a monument to the beauty of light and color where visitors can lose themselves in the subtle soundscape of the Ecuadorian Cloud Forest.
“For all day family entertainment, the California Poppy Festival™ is a great bargain,” says Ronda Perez, director of Parks, Recreation and Arts for the City of Lancaster. “People can spend a whole day at the Festival and still not see everything there is to offer; and many people come both days. That’s our goal.”
The Festival begi
ns at 10 a.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Daily admission fees are $10 for adults (13-61); $5 for children (6-12), seniors, and active military (with ID). You may bypass any ticket lines at the gate this weekend by purchasing your tickets online at www.poppyfestival.com, and then print your tickets from the comfort of your own home!
Some of the features for the convenience of visitors include free parking and a free tram service in the dirt parking lot across the street from the Festival to shuttle guests to and from the event entrance/exit. Also, bank ATMs will be available onsite.
To ensure that the Poppy Festival is safe and fun for everyone, visitors need to leave pets, alcoholic beverages, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, radios, rollerblades, Frisbees, tables and coolers at home. Bags are subject to inspection by Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies.
The Festival will take place, rain or shine, at the Sgt. Steve Owen Memorial Park, (formerly Lancaster Park), located at 43063 North 10th Street West, between Avenues K-8 and L. For information, contact the City of Lancaster’s Parks, Recreation and Arts Department at (661) 723-6077 or visit www.poppyfestival.com.
