Redwood Jazz Festival
Held every year in the popular town of Eureka, the Redwood Jazz Festival is four days of non-stop action. There is so much to do in Eureka: shopping, sea food dining, and antique shops are what most visitors do when they are waiting for the next performance. Here you can listen to your traditional Dixieland Jazz, Swing, Calypso, and many more!
You’ll also be able to witness a huge variety of performers: Bob Draga, Big Bang Jazz Band, Gator Beat, Ivory and Gold, The Mixers, Pete Krebs Duo, Soul Pie, The Stolen Sweets, Stompy Jones, Titan Hot Seven, Young Bucs, and many more of your favorites. Come enjoy food, beverages, and endless fun at the Redwood Jazz Festival!
Christmas Truckers Parade
Chances are you’ve been to a traditional Christmas parade- fancy floats, high-school bands, and your favorite cartoon characters. But have you ever been to a Christmas Truckers Parade? Every year, on the 2nd Saturday of December, people line the streets of Redwood. At this parade, huge trucks (50 to 100 of them) are decorated in Christmas lights and driven down the streets for all to see.
There are even 18-wheelers (60 feet long) which carry bandstand platforms, flying fish, and dancing reindeer. Some convoys have been known to carry more than 40,000 lights (requiring 3 generators). Come witness this amazing spectacle which starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 8:30 p.m.
Organic Planet Festival
This is the largest “green” even in the entire state of California. You get to listen to good music, munch on organic food and beverages, and listen to several inspiring speeches about protecting the environment. Their mission: to share creative solutions on how to better our planet, solve environmental issues, and celebrate our world. Don’t miss an exciting and educational event in Humboldt County.
Excalibur Medieval Tournament and Market Fair
Swords, shields, and horse drawn carriages- does this sound like your thing? The Excalibur Medieval Fair began at Saint Bernard’s Catholic School in Eureka, California. It was designed to instill the younger generation with courage, leadership, and honor. Today, this event is still going strong and is now an opportunity for Humboldt County schools to raise funds for their extracurricular activities. Every year, public, private, and charter schools from all across the state attend this event to celebrate and have fun. You can even become a volunteer (part-time work or just go gain experience) and work games gaming booths and vending stands.
Chicken Wing Festival
Leave it to Eureka, California to come up with the most exciting annual events in Humboldt County. The annual Chicken Wing Festival is an opportunity for local businesses to come together and help put an end to the local meth problem. B.A.M.U. (Business Against Meth Use) hosts this event every year and in 2011, it will be the 3rd one to date.
If you are a wing lover and love celebrating chicken wings with like minded people, then stop by the Eureka boardwalk in September and help raise money while eating great food and listening to great music.
Humboldt Redwoods Marathon
How cool would it be to run under a canopy of endangered Redwoods in the scenic Redwoods State Park? Well you can if you participate in the Humboldt Redwoods Marathon. This event is held annually in October along the Avenue of Giants. You have the option of running the half-marathon or the 5K (or both). The first run began way back in 1978 with only a few hundred people. Now the event hosts more than 1,000 competitors and is the qualifying event for the Boston Marathon.
Reggae on the River
Are you a reggae fan? Do you like spending time with like mind individuals who also love reggae? If so, Reggae on the River is an event you might be interested in. Held annually on the first weekend of August, this festival is celebrated on Benbow Lake State Recreation Area. It began it 1983 and its main purpose was to spread love, joy, and happiness through music. Today, people from all over the would come to Reggae on the River to listen to a huge showcase of the best reggae music around.
Conclusion
Humboldt County boasts some of the most fun and interesting annual events in the State. With one being held almost every month, stop by any time of the year and enjoy yourself with non-stop fun and excitement!
