Everything you need before heading to the Citrus Festival
The festival happens at Harding Park, right in the middle of Santa Paula. The address is 1330 E. Harvard Blvd, Santa Paula, CA 93060. If you punch that into your phone's GPS, you'll end up exactly where you need to be.
The town is tucked into the Santa Clara River Valley — you'll drive through rolling hills and citrus groves on the way in. It's actually a pretty scenic route, especially if you take the 126 instead of the freeway. Fair warning: cell service gets spotty once you're between the hills, so download your directions before you leave.
Friday: 5:00 PM to midnight
Saturday: Noon to midnight
Sunday: Noon to midnight
Admission: $5 general entry. Kids 12 and under get in for $2. Carnival ride tickets are separate — you buy those inside.
Friday evening tends to be the least crowded, if you're the type who doesn't love elbowing through a packed fairground. Saturday is the big day — that's when the car show happens and the main headliner plays. Sunday is more relaxed, family-heavy, and honestly a great time to bring younger kids without the madness.
Here's the deal with parking: it gets rough, especially Saturday evening. Harding Park has a lot, but it fills up fast. The streets around the park get packed too, and some are permit-only for residents.
The Kiwanis Club sets up a free event shuttle that runs from satellite parking lots around town. Honestly, use it. You'll save yourself twenty minutes of circling and the frustration of parking six blocks away in the dark. Shuttle locations vary each year — they're usually posted on signs along Harvard Blvd as you drive in.
If you absolutely must drive in, arrive early. Like, before 4 PM on Saturday. After that, you're rolling the dice.
Layers. Seriously. Santa Paula can hit 95°F during the day in July and then drop into the low 60s after the sun goes down behind the mountains. Bring a light jacket or hoodie if you're staying past 8 PM.
Comfortable shoes are non-negotiable — Harding Park is mostly grass and packed dirt, and you'll be on your feet for hours. Cash is useful at some vendor booths, though more of them accept cards every year. Sunscreen during Saturday and Sunday daytime sessions. And a reusable water bottle if you've got one — there are fill-up stations around the park.
Leave the coolers and outside food at home. Vendors are a big part of how the festival funds its community programs, and outside food isn't permitted in the main grounds.
The main pathways through Harding Park are wheelchair accessible, though some grassy areas near the outer vendor booths can be uneven. Handicapped parking is available in the main lot on a first-come basis — if you arrive early, you should be fine. The shuttle service can accommodate wheelchairs too, but let the volunteers at the pickup point know so they can arrange the right vehicle.
Santa Paula itself doesn't have a huge hotel scene — we're talking maybe two or three options in town. But that's not necessarily a problem. Ventura is 14 miles west and has plenty of hotels and vacation rentals along the beach. Ojai is about 30 minutes east and offers boutique inns if you want to make a weekend of it.
If you're coming from LA for just the festival, honestly? You don't need to stay overnight. It's an hour-fifteen drive each way (without traffic — but when is there no traffic on the 101?). Come Friday evening, enjoy the music, drive back. Or come Saturday, hit the car show and the carnival, grab dinner at a taco stand, and head home.
But if you DO want to stay, book early. The few rooms in Santa Paula fill up during festival weekend. Airbnb has some options in residential neighborhoods — a few casitas and guest houses that give you the small-town experience. And Ventura's hotels along Harbor Boulevard are a solid fallback, with the added bonus of being walking distance from the beach.
Don't limit yourself to festival food — though it's great. Downtown Santa Paula has some legitimate restaurants worth checking out before or after the event. The taco spots on Main Street are local institutions. There's a brewery or two within driving distance. And the Saturday morning farmers market at Anna's Cider Taproom is worth a detour if you're arriving early.
One thing worth knowing: Santa Paula restaurants tend to close earlier than you'd expect. This isn't Ventura or LA — many places wrap up by 8 or 9 PM. Plan accordingly if you're looking for a sit-down dinner after the festival gates close.
Phone: (805) 535-8323
Organized by: Kiwanis Club of Santa Paula
Mailing address: Kiwanis Club, P.O. Box 186, Santa Paula, CA 93061
Got questions about vendor applications, volunteering, or the car show? Call the number above — someone from the Kiwanis organizing committee will get back to you, usually within a day or two. They're volunteers, not a call center, so a little patience goes a long way.