Come Visit the City, Goleta Valley Library and Goleta CERT Booths!
The Goleta Lemon Festival is happening soon on Saturday, September 27 & Sunday, September 28 from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. at Girsh Park! Here at the City, we are preparing our booth area and excited to see you there! The City is again sharing space with the Goleta Valley Library, and new with us this year will be Ellwood Friends on this 20th Anniversary of community members coming together to protect Ellwood Mesa and ensure its preservation for future generations. Stop by and say hello, pick up a prize, get a library card, and/or purchase a commemorative Ellwood 20-Year T-shirt!
The Goleta Lemon Festival is a special tradition for our city, and on September 2, 2025, the Goleta City Council proclaimed September as Lemon Month in the City. Show your spirit by wearing your vintage Lemon Festival (or yellow) T-shirts throughout the month. View the proclamation at https://tinyurl.com/5n4axt58.
The Goleta Lemon Festival, put on by the South Coast Chamber of Commerce, celebrates the rich history and role lemon harvesting has in the region.
What started as a small street festival in 1949, The Goleta Lemon Festival has grown to attract more than 40,000 people. The festival is Goleta’s largest community event of the year, featuring over 80 booths packed with local crafts, nonprofits, lemony food, drink, and souvenirs.
There is so much to enjoy throughout the weekend. You can snack, shop, and listen to live music with sounds ranging from Rock and Country to Blues, Funk and more with crowd-favorite Area 51 headlining on Saturday afternoon. You also won’t want to miss the ever-popular pie eating contests each day starting at noon!
Purchase an all-inclusive activity wristband for endless rides and games for the kids including mini golf, inflatable bubbles, and obstacle courses. Save $5 when you pre-purchase your activity wristband at https://lemonfestival.com/activities-entertainment/.
The festival also features the largest interactive display of Fire, Police, and Emergency Services in the County at Safety Street. Meet the people who help keep us safe and get an up-close look at their state-of-the-art vehicles and technologies. Attendees are also invited to meet the Sheriff’s Mounted Enforcement Unit. The Goleta Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) will also have a table – come by to learn more.
Saturday only, the festival will feature the 18th Annual Goleta Fall Classic Car Show. Admire an impressive lineup of Corvettes, Camaros, vintage trucks, motorcycles, and more. Have a classic of your own? Register now at https://lemonfestival.com/goleta-fall-classic.
The festival could not happen without the help of amazing volunteers (ages 14 and up). Sign up to help plan the event or help during the weekend at https://lemonfestival.com/get-involved/volunteers/.
For more information, visit LemonFestival.com.
Pictured above: City of Goleta staff at our 2024 Lemon Festival booth
Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber receiving the “Lemon Month” proclamation from Goleta City Council at the September 2 City Council meeting