Page 76 - 2024/2025 Travel Guide to CALIFORNIA

SPECIAL EVENTS 2024
RIVERSIDE DICKENS FESTIVAL Costumed Dickens characters descend upon downtown Riverside. Festivities include a fashion show, parade, street entertainment and Oliver’s Alley for children. Feb. 24–25, dickensfest.com
RIVERSIDE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (RIFF) Enjoy the best of comedy, mystery, science fiction and horror. Filmmakers and actors attend to present their films, interact with audiences and participate in workshops and forums. April 19–23, riversidefilmfestival.org
RAMONA OUTDOOR PLAY Playing since 1923, this tragic romance about the Ponca Indians is America’s longest running drama and California’s Official Outdoor Play. April 20,21,27,28, May 4 and 5, ramonabowl.com
TEMECULA ROD RUN Roaring hot rods descend upon Old Town Temecula. May 3–4, temeculaca.gov/991/temecula-rod-run
TEMECULA VALLEY BALLOON & WINE FESTIVAL This festival features hot-air balloon rides, wine and craft beer tastings, gourmet food, live music and more on Lake Skinner. May 17–19, tvbwf.com
ROUTE 66 CRUISIN’ REUNION Classic 20th-century cars roam Ontario’s historic down- town in a tribute to the legendary Mother Road, which runs through Rancho Cucamonga just to the north. Contests, live entertainment, fabulous food and revelry make it a fun-filled jamboree. Sept. 20–21, gocvb.org/route-66-cruisin-reunion
BIG BEAR LAKE & LAKE ARROWHEAD OKTOBERFESTS These events
feature bands, beer and brats at a 7,000-foot elevation. Weekends, Sept. 7–Nov. 2 at Big Bear Lake, Sept. 14–28 at Lake Arrowhead Village. bigbearevents.com/Oktoberfest, lakearrowheadoktoberfest.com
Beautiful Homes,” and its opulent Victor- ians and Arts and Crafts-style homes of yesteryear.
North of Temecula, play in the mud or soak in the soothing mineral waters of the 160-year-old Glen Ivy Hot Springs, dating from early stagecoach days. Get in on the action of the gaming tables at the Pechanga Resort Casino. Or soar in a hot air balloon over Temecula Valley’s 35,000-acre wine country, dotted with B&Bs and luxury resorts amid vines and citrus groves. After- wards, relax with a glass of local wine on a winery portico or play golf in this quiet oasis.
Heritage & Culture
Riverside harbors a wealth of California his- tory. On Magnolia Avenue, the state’s first and oldest navel orange tree, planted in 1873, stands on the spot where California’s multi-million-dollar citrus industry began. Since 1880, the iconic Mission Inn has hosted U.S. presidents and delighted trav- elers with a Hearst Castle-like eclectic mix
74 2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
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