It’s the month to go time traveling. Take a trip to the “merry ole England,” and the small port city of Deptford during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, or pull on your boots, strap on your spurs, saddle up your mount and mosey on over to the Cowboy Festival.
It’s also the month to celebrate the California poppy, Scandinavia and jousting.
Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival
April 11-14. Free, with some ticketed events.
Address William S. Hart Park, 24151 Newhall Ave., Newhall
Info cowboyfestival.org
The family-friendly main festival will be held Saturday, April 13, 10 a.m. and Sunday, April 14, 10 a.m to 6 p.m. Listen to performers, eat chuck wagon barbecue and shop at vendors with one-of-a-kind gear and goods.
The 2019 Walk of Western Stars Unveiling
Thursday, April 11, 5 p.m. Free
Main Street in downtown Newhall[FL]
The Walk of Western Stars Induction Ceremony
Thursday, April 11 6 p.m. $60
William S. Hart Park Hart Hall
Western Stars inductees include James Drury, Robert Fuller
James Drury is best known for playing the title role of the 90-minute weekly Western television series “The Virginian.” Robert Fuller guest-starred in dozens of Western television programs including “Buckskin,” “The Big Valley,” “The Californians,” “The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin” and “The Monroes.” In 1959, he was cast as Jess Harper on the Western series “Laramie,” then he joined another popular Western series, “Wagon Train” as Cooper Smith.
The other inductee is Dan White, who lived in Hollywood and Newhall for most of his acting career, appearing in 345 films and television shows — 264 of which were of the Western genre.
Californio Fiesta de Rancho Camulos with New West followed by a Tribute to Don Edwards
Friday, April 12, 11 a.m., $50
Rancho Camulos Museum, 5164 E. Telegraph Road (Hwy. 126)
Piru
[Body]This event includes the concert, lunch, a documentary highlighting the life of cowboy singer Don Edwards and costumed docent-led tours of the museum.
Cowboy Dance with Cow Bop
Friday, April 12, 6:30 p.m. $20
William S. Hart Park Hart Hall
This event includes dance lessons and dancing.
Cowboy Chili Cook-Off
Sunday, April 14, 1-4 p.m., $10 tasking for five 2-oz. samples
William S. Hart Park
[Body]The proceeds of this event go towards Bridge to Home’s mission of providing support services – including an emergency shelter, case management, housing navigation, and referrals for health, mental health, and substance use treatment – to help individuals and families in the Santa Clarita Valley transition out of homelessness.
A Night with National Cash: A Tribute to Johnny Cash
Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m. $15
William S. Hart Park
Historical Bus Tour of Santa Clarita Valley
Sunday, April 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., $50 includes lunch (vegetarian and vegan selections will be available). No children under 6 years of age.
Heritage Junction, 24101 Newhall Ave, Newhall
[Body]There will be walking for short distances over uneven terrain. The tour includes Heritage Junction, an 1898 trestle bridge replacement for the one swept away by the St. Francis Dam disaster, Mentryville, Oak of the Golden Dream and the site of the driving of the stake commemorating the joining of San Francisco with Los Angeles by rail.
The Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire
Saturdays and Sundays April 6 to May 19, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 E. Arrow Highway, Irwindale, 91706. Adults, $29.95; Children (5-12) $15; Children 4 and under, free. Discount tickets available online.
Info Renfair.com/socal
Thousands of performers roam the 23-acre lakeside shire, including Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, as well as a bevy of knights, ladies, peasants
The royal shipyard city of Deptford, transported to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, also offers a marketplace with more than 125 artisans with demonstrations of glass blowing or forging iron. Unique food and drink are also available for purchase. Costumes are welcome, wear sunscreen and comfortable shoes. Dozens of activities available for children.
The event features theme weekends, including “Opening Weekend,” “Time Traveler Weekend” and more.
California Poppy Festival
Saturday, April 27 and Sunday, April 28, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location Lancaster City Park, 43011 N. 10th Street West, Lancaster $5-15
Info Poppy Reserve Wildflower Hotline (661) 724-1180, Theodore Payne Foundation Wildflower Hotline (818) 768-3533. poppyfestival.com
The California Poppy Festival is an annual spring celebration of the California State Flower. The festival’s highlights include musical entertainment, food and crafts vendors, games, demos, art show and carnival. On Sunday, there is a car show.
If you don’t want to wait for the poppy festival, this year’s massive fields of orange poppies are blooming in the nearby Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve, 15101 Lancaster Road, Lancaster.
44th Scandinavian Festival
Saturday, April 6 and Sunday April 7, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
California Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, 91360.
Adults $10; Teens $5; Kids, 12 and under are free. Free parking.
Info facebook.com/scandinavianfestival, (805) 241-0391 or scandinavianfest.org.
The largest Nordic festival in Southern California, produced by the Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation, will celebrate the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Sami people from the Arctic regions of Scandinavia. The family-friendly festival offers music, dancing, food, crafts, activities, demonstrations, vendors and lectures.
Festival-goers can also wander through an authentic Viking village, as well as a Sami sliddastallan, or community gathering. They can ask a rune reader for advice, visit Norwegian elkhounds and take Scandinavian dance lessons. Families can also try their hand at Dala horse croquet and play an ancient Viking game called kubb.
Cooks will demonstrate how to make aebleskivers, lefse and krumkake. Family activities include making a head wreath with real flowers and ribbon and raising the Maypole and dancing around it while singing traditional songs.
Chalk Festival
Saturday, April 13, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free
Location Heritage Plaza Park, 400 North Citrus Ave., Covina
Info covinaca.gov/parksrec/page/chalk-art-festival
Watch artists transform concrete into colorful, temporary art at the Chalk Festival, with music and vendors in Heritage Plaza (at the corner of San Bernardino Road and Citrus Avenue) in Covina.
Seventh Annual Riverside Tamale Festival
Saturday, April 13, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Location White Park, 3885 Market St., Riverside, 92501. Info: rivtamalefest.com
The Riverside Tamale Festival offers food, beer and margarita garden, live music, folklorico dancing and children’s area.
