Festivals

Snowbird Breakfast - Each January, winter visitors to Imperial County are welcomed with a free Breakfast sponsored by El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. Breakfast is served by members of local service clubs. Local businesses and agencies set up displays. For additional information, contact the El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

Imperial Valley Business Showcase - Imperial County businesses come together annually each January at the Imperial Valley Expo for a four-hour business show, sponsored by the Imperial Valley Joint Chambers of Commerce. In addition to several hundred business displays, the show also features samples of food from Valley restaurants. The free show is open to the pub­lic. For additional information, contact any Imperial County chamber of commerce.

Carnivale on Main is held annually at the Plaza Park in Brawley. There are food booths and live entertainment as well as contests for all ages. The theme is Mardi Gras, so don’t forget to wear your masks and your beads and come on out for the event. For more information, contact the Brawley Chamber of Commerce.

Niland Sportsmen & Tomato Festival - For more than six decades, the community of Niland hosts this festival in late January/early February to celebrate its heritage as a tomato growing area. Events include a parade, a tomato-packing contest, a carnival, queen contests, food and other contests and events meant to bring the community and the Imperial County together. It is spon­sored by the Niland Chamber of Commerce.

Salton Sea International Bird Festival - Held each winter, usually around the Presidents Day weekend in February, this festival brings in several hundred bird watchers from throughout the country. The festival consists of tours, lectures and exhibits. For additional information, contact any Imperial County Chamber of Commerce.

Farmers Market - This outdoor market is held each winter in El Centro. Sponsored by the El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau and the Downtown El Centro Association, this event includes live entertainment, farm equipment displays, fresh produce, arts & crafts and food vendors. Local businesses and agencies also set up displays. For more information call the El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

Childrens’ Fair - A celebration for children takes over El Centro’s Bucklin Park each Spring for the annual Children’s Fair, sponsored by the Imperial County Child Abuse Prevention Council. The event offers booths, food, games, walk-around characters and information for families. Its purpose is to bring the community together and display resources available for families. About 35,000 people turn out for the event each year. For more information contact the Child Abuse Prevention Council at (760) 353-8300.

Blue Angels Air Show - held in March, the air show kicks off the air show season for the Blue Angels.

Carrot Festival – The Carrot Festival is the annual harvest of carrots celebration held in the city of Holtville. To cel­ebrate its status as "The Carrot Capital of the World", the Holtville Chamber of Commerce hosts a variety of events. A golf tournament, week long carrot-cooking contest, and midway carnival follow the opening dinner banquet. The festival hits its peek when downtown Holt Park comes alive with the annual 10K run, parade, arts and crafts fair, antique car and tractor show, student art exhibit, local entertainment and a variety of food booths.

Holtville Athletic Club’s "World-Famous Rib-Cook Off" is held annually in Holtville, complete with homemade ice cream. For more information contact the Holtville Chamber of Commerce.

California Mid-Winter Fair & Fiesta – Showcasing the talents, products and cultural wealth of Imperial County, the California Mid-winter Fair and Fiesta, is held annually in late February or early March. It is a production of the 45th District Agricultural Association. Carnival rides, games and booths abound on the 100-acre Imperial Valley Expo grounds. The fair consists of more than 50,000 square feet of exhibit area in five buildings, grandstand and race track.

Mariachi Festival Sin Fronteras - This festival, held each spring, annually attracts several thou­sand people to listen to some of the best Mariachi performers in the country. For additional information, contact the Calexico Chamber of Commerce.

Main Street Brawley - As part of the Main Street revitalization project, Brawley’s Main Street hosts four events annually. Two of which are the multi-cultural food extravaganza "Taste of Culture" held in the Spring and the "Ice Cream Sundae" held in the Summer. For additional information, contact the Brawley Chamber of Commerce.

Freedom Fest Independence Day Celebration - This event, the biggest synchronized music fireworks show in Imperial County, is held each July Fourth at the Imperial Valley College campus. There is live entertainment, food booths and numerous military aircraft and vehicles are on display on the campus. For more information, contact the Brawley, El Centro, Holtville or Imperial Chamber of Commerce.

4th of July in Calexico - Crummett Park in Calexico is the site each year for Calexico”s Fourth of July Independence Day Celebration. There is entertainment, food booths and various dis­plays. For additional information, contact the Calexico Chamber of Commerce.

Ice Cream Social - Held in the month of July in El Centro. This event brings people out to enjoy a fun filled evening of ice cream and the El Centro Fire Department’s "Rain on Main."

16th of September Fiesta - This celebration is held annually in Crummett Park, Calexico. For additional information, contact the Calexico Chamber of Commerce.

Cattle Call – Brawley helps the Imperial County recapture the pioneering spirit of its early res­idents each November with a rousing rodeo celebration that attracts some of the top profes­sional cowboys in the nation. The week-long Cattle Call includes events such as the Fiesta Cultura, Bluegrass Festival, Chili Cook-off, Cowbelles’ Beef Cookoff, Mariachi night and the Cattle Call Parade. Capping the celebration is the Cattle Call Rodeo, one of the largest profes­sional rodeos in California. For more information contact the Brawley Chamber of Commerce.

Christmas in a Small Town - Santa Claus sneaks into Imperial each year, days before his “offi­cial visit” to help the City of Imperial celebrate Christmas in a Small Town. In excess of 5,000 people participate in this day-long event which also features booths selling homemade Christmas crafts, carolers and plenty of food stalls. For additional information, contact the Imperial Chamber of Commerce.

Los Vigilantes/Merchants Christmas Parade - The El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau kicks off the holiday season with its traditional Christmas parade on the first Saturday in December. There are various marching bands, drill teams, color guards and floats to enjoy. For more information call the El Centro Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau.

Calexico Downtown Christmas Parade -- The Calexico Chamber of Commerce celebrates sea­son with its Christmas parade downtown each December. There are marching bands, drill teams, color guards and floats to enjoy. For more information call the Calexico Chamber of Commerce