Ventura Music Scene
by Pam Baumgardner
VenturaRocks.com
Pam@VenturaRocks.com
The California Strawberry Festival runs over the weekend of May 16 and 17 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds. This family-friendly event offers over 40 food vendors, arts & crafts booths and of course live music entertainment across several stages. Saturday highlights include performances by Hot Southern Nights, Twisted Gypsy, Adam Lasher and more, and then on Sunday, it’s the Kings of Queen, The Long Run, Jayden Secor and Bonnie Boy. For rules and admission pricing, visit CaStrawberryFestival.org.
The Ventura Music Festival lineup was announced on May 8 with early bird ticket sales running through the end of May followed by their standard ticket window on June 1. Here now, the lineup:
• Classical Edge: Beethoven’s Choice, July 23 at Ventura College Performing Arts Center
• Angel Blue with Bryan Wagorn, July 24 at Rancho Campana High School
• Akropolis Reed Quintet, July 26 at Ventura College Performing Arts Center
• Classical Edge: The Birth of Impressionism, October 15 at Museum of Ventura County
• Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter, October 17 at Mission Park, Ventura
• Pacific Jazz Orchestra: a Tribute to Quincy Jones, October 18 at Rancho Campana High School
For more information go to VenturaMusicFestival.org.
The City of Thousands Oaks gets it right with their Pop Up Arts & Music Festival which runs Friday and Saturday evenings through the month of June. As the name suggests, the festival features “pop-up” public performances and activities at a variety of locations throughout Thousand Oaks. The primary goal of the festival is to provide residents and visitors with an opportunity to actively participate in and enjoy the arts in unexpected and distinctive locations throughout the community. Get artist lineup, dates and locations at bapacthousandoaks.com/popup. Oh! I forgot to mention that all events are free!
Press has started on the 7th Annual Oxnard Jazz Festival. 2024 saw this event cancelled just days before opening due to “unexpected challenges,” but they’re back for scheduled dates September 10-13 at Olol’koy Beach Park in Oxnard. Artists on tap include Louie Cruz Beltran, Brasscals, B.I.G., The Whispers and more. Ticket information at OxnardJazzFestival.com.
Music Under the Stars concert tickets went on sale Tuesday, May 12
All the information for tickets can be found at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/1738/Music-Under-the-Stars.
Quick Notes: Tickets for Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox are on sale now for their concert at the Majestic Ventura Theater for December 3; listing for the Psychedelic Furs at the Ojai Libbey Bowl for Sunday, May 31 has disappeared from the Libbey Bowl website, however ticket vendors are still selling tickets (do with that what you may); and Friday, May 15, Carlos y Charlos plays the Paolomazo Music Series in Oxnard.
Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows that you would like help publicizing? Please send all information, short or long, to Pam@VenturaRocks.com. For updated music listings daily, visit www.VenturaRocks.com.