Riverside Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Riverside, California - CA, USA)

The mild, warm and pleasant weather all through the year means that there is often something going on in Riverside that might well be of interest to visitors. Popular local events range from annual festivals to open-air summer concerts and street markets, with much of the activity tending to be centered around the city's downtown core.

There are a number of theaters and performing arts centers in the city, such as the Performance Riverside Theater on Magnolia Avenue, which sits within the grounds of the City College and regularly plays host to musicals, Shakespeare plays, chamber music, choir recitals and comedy events, as well as performances by the RCC Symphony Orchestra (Riverside Community College).

Located on Mission Inn Avenue, the Fox Performing Arts Center (also named the Riverside Fox Theater) occupies an especially historic and attractive building, which dates from the very end of the 1920s.


The Fox Performing Arts Center is famous for being the first theater anywhere in the world to screen 'Gone with the Wind' in 1939. In 2006, this 1,600-seater venue was acquired by Riverside and its restoration became part of the city's ambitious US$1.7 billion regeneration project known as the Riverside Renaissance program. Today, the center continues to screen selected movies, whilst also hosting touring Broadway musicals, comedy nights and local events.

Riverside Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

Some of the most notable events held each year in the city include the following:

• Black History Parade and Expo - mid-February, usually staged on the second Saturday of the month, with the procession heading along Terracina Drive and down Market Street
• Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival - mid-February, a huge event dating back to the middle of the 1940s and held at the County Fairgrounds in Indio (roughly 75 miles / 121 km to the east), drawing close to 300,000 attendees
• Dickens Festival - late February, features an assortment of literary events, presentations, activities and entertainment alongside the City Hall (around 9th Street and Main Street)
• Spring Gala Performances - mid-March, with theatrical events and performances laid on by the Repertoire Riverside Ballet company
• Legends of Riverside Film Festival - mid-March, at the Riverside International Automotive Museum, often attracting famous celebrities from the world of motor racing
• Riverside Airshow - late March or early April, held at the city's municipal airport on Flight Road and drawing in the region of 75,000 spectators
• Riverside International Film Festival (RIFF) - mid-April, with close to 200 different films being screened at theaters and other venues around the city during this week-long film fest
• Riverside Flower Show and Garden Tours - mid-April, held at Elks Lodge and Gardens on Brockton Avenue
• Indian Pow Wow - mid-May, at the Sherman Indian High School on Magnolia Avenue
• Beaumont Cherry Festival - early June, held in the nearby town of Beaumont, roughly 30 minutes' drive to the east
• Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival - mid-June to August, dating back to the mid-1920s and held at the amphitheater in neighboring Redlands
• Independence Day - July 4th, with live music and evening fireworks around the Mount Rubidoux area
• LGBT Pride - September or October, previously centered around White Park and incorporating a colorful procession
• Oktoberfest - late September / early October, at nearby Big Bear Lake and including polka bands, yodeling competitions and lots of tasty German-style food
• Long Night of Arts and Innovation - late September or early October, showcasing talent in the world of performing arts, as well as technology, science, engineering and maths
• Festa Italiana - mid-October at White Park, on the corner of Whittier Place / Hidalgo Place and Market Street
• Ghost Walk - late October, a spooky Halloween-themed walk around the city, sponsored by the California Riverside Ballet company
• Robot Expo - early November, hosted by the city's very own Robotics Society and now the biggest event of its kind in the whole of Southern California. The Robot Expo is held at the Woodcrest Community Library on Krameria Avenue, usually from midday until 16:00 or thereabouts
• Riverside Festival of Lights - late November to early January, based at the Mission Inn Hotel and throughout the downtown district (particularly Main Street), including a fireworks display, live music, ice skating and even horse-drawn carriages, which are all part of the Thanksgiving Day and Christmas celebrations
• Festival of Trees - late November to early December, also part of Thanksgiving, first staged in 1990 and now based at the Riverside Convention Center