Lompoc Flower Festival runs all weekend long, parade to take place Saturday

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –  The Lompoc Flower Festival is up and running all weekend long.

The festival committee says a lot more people have been attending this year. The parade is also back.

According to the the chairman of the committee, Ben Contreras, and he said last year, it was very difficult, and were barely able to get the carnival and live music together. 

Before that, there wasn’t a festival in the last few years due to COVID.

Now, this year, everything is different on a positive note. 

The Flower Festival is put together because of fundraisers hosted by the Lompoc Valley Festival Association.

Contreras said they were able to get a musical grant, that was able to pay for a portion of the festival. 

Putting them in a position where they had enough fundraiser money to have a parade this year. 

“Because we provide music, this was the same grant, I believe, was funding other musical venues in Santa Barbara County,” said Ben Contreras. “So we were able to get funding from them, which was our starter money to get going. I am very thankful for them, very thankful for them. because i don’t think we could’ve redone everything. 

Approximately 47 local floats will start on H Street, continue through Ocean Avenue, and end at Ryon Park. 

That will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. 

As for the festival tickets are on sale at the door for $5. 

Children under the age of 12 go in for free. 

The festival is open until 10 Friday night. It will open again on saturday at 11 a.m. The last day of this event is on Sunday.