Outdoor street festivals and Bay Area County Fairs fill the summer calendar starting in May. Here is our list of outdoor street fairs, carnivals, and festivals to pencil into your Summer plans and beyond including kid-friendly features. Pack up your wagon and have a blast.
Thank you to Discover San Ramon for sponsoring our guide to the amazing Bay Area fairs and festivals happening this summer! Kick off your summer at the beloved San Ramon Art & Wind Festival on May 25-26!
The Summer’s Outdoor Concerts for Families >
August County Fairs and Neighborhood Festivals in the East Bay
Watsonville Strawberry Festival, Watsonville
A family-friendly day celebrating strawberries with a carnival, performances, rides, and people dressed like berries.
When: August 1-3, 2025
Where: Downtown Fremont More details >
Fremont Festival of the Arts, Fremont
The Fremont Festival of Arts has a Kid City with carnival rides, arts & crafts, music, etc. Free admission
When: August 2-3, 2025 (10 am to 6 pm)
Where: Downtown Fremont More details >
Laurel Street Fair, Oakland
Kid-friendly features: children’s carnival & petting zoo. Admission FREE
When: Saturday, August 9, 2025 (11 am to 7 pm)
Where: MacArthur Blvd between 35th Ave and High in Oakland Details here >
{ROAD TRIP} Gravenstein Apple Fair, Sebastopol
Enjoy good old-fashioned fun on the farm with a kid-friendly celebration of apples, a climbing wall, juggling, bubbles, a petting zoo, hula hoops, pie-eating, silliness, room to run around, and a children’s corner. Tickets are priced $10-$23; kids under 5 are FREE; save when you purchase early.
When: August 9-10, 2025
Where: Ragle Ranch Park, Sebastopol Details here >
Thank you to Discover San Ramon for sponsoring our guide to the amazing Bay Area fairs and festivals happening this summer! Kick off your summer at the beloved San Ramon Art & Wind Festival on May 25-26!
May County Fairs and Street Festivals in the Bay Area
Contra Costa County Fair, Antioch
This County Fair kicks off a full season of fairs and festivals with entertainers, animals, rides, carnival games, and food. Looks like fun!
When: May 15-18, 2025
Where: Contra Costa County Event Park, Antioch Details here >
Greek Festival, Oakland
The Oakland Greek Festival is back to celebrate its 52nd year as an Oakland historical treasure with its delicious homemade cuisine and breathtaking panoramic view of the entire SF Bay Area! Expect tasty treats and lots of Greek dancing including child performers.
When: May 16-18, 2025
Where: Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Ascension, 4700 Lincoln Avenue, Oakland Details here >
Himalayan Fair, Berkeley
Live music & dance performances, arts & crafts, and delicious regional food. Stop by the kids’ booth for crafts and games. Since it is hosted at Live Oak Park, there’s also room to run, a creek to explore, trees to climb, and a nearby playground.
When: May 17-18, 2025
Where: Live Oak Park, Berkeley Details here >
Ardenwood Rail Fair, Fremont
A celebration of big, medium, and small trains that your young train enthusiast will love. Also, live music and toddler activities.
When: May 24-26, 2025 (10 am to 4 pm)
Where: Ardenwood Historic Farm Details here >
Bay Area KidFest, Concord
Memorial Day weekend comes alive with things kids love: 15 kid-friendly rides, arts, sports, popular characters, and other live entertainment. Find lots of food, too.
When: May 24-26, 2025 (10 am to 6 pm weekend, 10 am to 5 pm Monday)
Where: Concord Pavilion Details here >
👉 Art & Wind Festival, San Ramon🪁
Join a weekend with high-flying kites, hands-on activities, live entertainment, and family-friendly fun. Children’s shows, professionally choreographed kite demonstrations, free kite-making workshops, puppet shows, rides and family amusement zones, and 3 live performance stages with music and dance.
Visit the Discover San Ramon Stage on the grassy field next to the tennis courts, for a full lineup of live music: Pacific Vibration (island reggae), The Traveling Wilburys Revue (classic rock), and Top Shelf Classics (Motown hits) on Sunday, and Lady K & the Kings of Swing (big band), The Idea Band (pop favorites), and Salvage Title (rock hits) on Monday. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and settle in for a full weekend of great music. Expect a pet-friendly, bike-friendly, and family-friendly vibe with tons of food options.
When: May 25-26, 2025 (11 am to 6 pm both days)
Where: Central Park, 12501 Alcosta Boulevard, San Ramon Details here >
Bay Area Book Festival, Downtown Berkeley
Family Day is Saturday, May 31 with activities in and around the Downtown Berkeley library. Storytime, performances, and age-appropriate book giveaways.
When: May 31-June 1, 2025
Where: Downtown Berkeley Details here >
June county fairs and street festivals in the Bay Area
San Mateo County Fair, San Mateo
This County Fair will have the whole shebang: rides, carnival games, and food. Looks like fun!
When: May 30-June 8, 2025 (with a few days off)
Where: San Mateo County Event Center, San Mateo Details here >
Bay Area Butterfly Festival, Vallejo
Mare Island is a monarch sanctuary, this festival will teach you how to make a helpful difference for our pollinator friends. Family fun, music, crafts, and presentations about butterflies. Take home milkweed plants and learn how to make your home into a butterfly’s favorite stop. Suggested donation is $15 for adults, and $5 for kids 12 & under.
When: June 1, 2025 (10 am to 5 pm)
Where: Mare Island, Vallejo Website >
Oakland Carnival
Held on the first Saturday in June, Oakland Carnival’s unique inclusion of Caribbean, African, Brazilian, and African American cultures makes for a family-friendly showcase of local and international talent, art, food, and music. Youth Zone, three stages of performers, bands, costumes, a colorful parade, wellness themes, and international food.
When: June 7, 2025 (noon to 8 pm)
Where: Mosswood Park, Oakland. Website >
Cherry Parade & Festival, San Leandro
Celebrate all things San Leandro during the Cherry Parade, which kicks off at 10 am. A family-friendly festival follows from 11 am to 6 pm and is filled with live entertainment, a Fun Zone, food and drink, and of course, plenty of cherries. This event is filled with small-town charm.
When: June 7, 2025 (10 am to 6 pm)
Where: Downtown San Leandro Details >
Solano County Fair, Vallejo
This good old-fashioned county fair with free admission and a la carte pricing for rides, games, balloon art, music, animals, and surprises; are all kid-friendly. Prices vary.
When: June 12 – 15, 2025
Where: Solano County Fairgrounds, Vallejo More details >
Alameda County Fair, Pleasanton
County fair with all sorts of kid-friendly delights like carnival rides and games; award-winning quilts and pigs; and booths offering treats like funnel cakes and deep-fried pickles. Pricing varies wildly based on when you go and how much you ride. Look for deal days. ALWAYS CLOSED ON MONDAYS & TUESDAYS.
When: June 13 – July 6, 2025
Where: Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton More details >
King of the County BBQ & Music Festival, Martinez
Kid-friendly features include carnival rides, kids’ zone, and face painting. Parent-friendly features include lots of tasty BBQ and live music. Free admission and parking.
When: Father’s Day Weekend, June 13 – 15, 2025 (hours vary)
Where: Martinez Regional Shoreline Park, 1 Ferry St., Martinez More details >
Fiesta Cultural Street Fair, Walnut Creek
This street fair is a celebration of Latin American art and culture. Families can enjoy music and dance performances.
When: June 13-14, 2025
Where: Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek. Website >
Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, Berkeley
Look for a kids’ zone with a rock wall, skating, and STEM activities. More family-friendly activities like dance, art, clowns, and stories. Lots of live music, too. (Find other local Juneteenth celebrations here)
When: Sunday, June 15, 2025 (11 am to 7 pm)
Where: Adeline at Alcatraz in Berkeley. More details >
Sand Castle & Sculpture Contest, Alameda
Build sandcastles or create something even more original in this traditional party on the beach. Super family-friendly and fun.
When: June 21, 2025 (9 am to 1 pm)
Where: Robert Crown Memorial Beach, Alameda More details >
Lakefest, Oakland
Lakefest Oakland is a family-friendly annual event bringing together the city’s vast range of artists, musicians, retailers, and non-profits featuring over 100 vendors, a kids’ fun zone, a Tech Pavilion, an outdoor beer garden, and food.
When: June 21, 2025 (11 am to 7 pm)
Where: Lake Merritt, Oakland. Website >
Fairy Fun Fair, Oakland
Fairyland is throwing a giant carnival in celebration of its 75th birthday and we’re all invited. In addition to the regular amenities of Children’s Fairyland, there will be bounce houses, fun houses, face painting, games, live music, and circus performances. Expect lots of Circus eats and treats. $25 for non-members, $20 for members.
When: June 28, 2025 (noon to 7 pm)
Where: Fairyland, Lake Merritt, Oakland. Website >
Beaver Festival, Martinez
Martinez ‘Worth a Dam’ Beaver Festival is a family-friendly annual event that focuses on nature and how beavers are essential animals in the fight against climate change. There are beaver-themed children’s activities, a parade, chalk art, music, and opportunities to meet with animals at this niche event.
When: June 28, 2025 (10 am to 3 pm)
Where: Susana Park @ Estudillo & Susana Streets, Martinez. Website >
July County Fairs and Street Festivals in the Bay Area
Marin County Fair, San Rafael
County fair with all the trimmings like carnival rides for big and small, and booths offering treats like funnel cakes and deep-fried pickles. Concerts may appeal to parents more than kids. Pricing varies wildly based on when you go and how much you ride. Children under 4 are always free. Look for deal days.
When: July 2-6, 2025
Where: Marin County Fairgrounds, San Rafael. Website >
Alameda Art & Wine Faire, Alameda
Another place to get your kid’s face painted by the pros while you wander around looking at cool art together. Live music on three stages and fun kids’ area at Park Street to bounce, flip, and twirl.
When: July 26-27, 2025 (10 am to 6 pm both days)
Where: Central Ave between Park Street and Oak in Alameda. More details >
Fourth of July, OMG
There are so many Fourth of July events for families in the East Bay that we created a separate guide! Check it out and pick one (or two, but probably just one!) in Berkeley, Alameda, Oakland, Albany, Fremont, Piedmont, and El Cerrito. You’ll find fireworks, parades, and carnivals.
Santa Clara County Fair
This County Fair is all about the livestock with a Horse show, Livestock shows, and Livestock auctions. I am not sure how kid-friendly it will be so stay tuned!
When: July 30 – August 3, 2025
Where: Santa Clara County Fairgrounds, San Jose Details here >
