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Paso Robles is proud of its rich agricultural heritage; autumn is full of weekend activities celebrating the rural way of life. The most endearing of these activities is Pioneer Day, started by a local minister in 1931, during the Depression, as a way for the townspeople to thank area farmers and ranchers for conducting their business in Paso Robles. The long-standing slogan for the day is “Leave your pocketbook at home,” and there are plenty of free activities to enjoy—a parade, games, demonstrations, a street dance, and a gymkhana featuring area cowboys and cow girls. Pioneer Day is held the Saturday before Columbus Day every year. As the Paso Robles wine country has continued to expand, so have the festivals surrounding it. Harvest is a special time of year, and the annual Harvest Wine Tour brings the sights and sounds of the harvest experience alive. Held the third weekend of October, the Tour features winemaker dinners, special barrel tastings, and winery open houses and tours. On the third weekend of March, the Zinfandel Festival takes place, complete with silent and live auctions, a grand tasting, and an elegant evening of dining and dance. The third weekend of May brings the annual Paso Robles Wine Festival, which has been celebrating the area’s wine industry for over twenty years. The wine festival is truly the anchor of the Paso Robles wine celebration experience. Wine grapes aren’t the only crop being harvested, however. An Olive Festival and a Herbal Garden & Basil Festival celebrate other elements of the bountiful harvest and help visitors discover magical ways to enjoy autumn afternoons. As the holidays approach, Paso Robles gets into a festive mood with Light the Downtown and the Christmas Light Parade. The area’s signature holiday event has become the Vine Street Victorian Holiday Showcase, which features 13 blocks of pedestrian traffic along Vine Street complete with colorfully decorated homes, community organizations serving festive fare, and a wonderful assortment of local musicians and bands performing holiday music for one extraordinary evening. Springtime brings a further flurry of activities, including the Vintage VW Show, Sagebrush Days in San Miguel, the Wildflower Triathlon and Festival at Lake San Antonio, and the Parkfield Rodeo. The West Coast Kustoms Car Show, complete with a cruise and street dance, and the Great Western Bicycle Rally take to the streets of Paso Robles on Memorial Day Weekend. The Hospice du Rhône festival has become the largest gathering of Rhône wine enthusiasts in the world. The West Coast Kustoms Car Show returns on Labor Day weekend along with Mid-State Motorcycle Rally. And
summer is filled with an assortment of film and music festivals,
a Kite Festival, and an assortment of 4th of July activities throughout
the area. The granddaddy of the summer is the California Mid-State
Fair, held annually at the end of July. This twelve-day event encompasses
topname entertainment, commercial vendors and exhibits, livestock
shows, and demonstrations. Of course, a fair wouldn’t be a fair
without lots of fair food and family fun along the midway.
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