Clamming to Tradition: 65th Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival

Previous guests include Santa Claus ...
What? It's his only break, y'know? 

What's all this clamor? Another celebration of tradition and fun is settling in Pismo Beach next weekend (October 14-16)?

Indeed. The pro-"clam"-ation of this celebration is expected to bring thousands of excited kids, teens, and adults from here, there and everywhere. Countless activities await you as you enjoy this event with the wine and waves of Pismo Beach.

The Clam Festival Parade will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 10:00 AM. The "Clam to the Past" theme of this parade will make everyone go back to the Fabulous Forties when this great tradition first began.

Featured on Saturday will be the annual surfing contest, parade and clam chowder cook-off, while Sunday will feature a clam dig, surf and bubbles, and surfing lessons.

Join in the fun next weekend only in Classic California. And don't make a wrong turn at Albuquerque!

As for accommodations, stay where the action is. Reserve now at Valentina Inn & Villas, less than 2 blocks from the beach!

Get Out Your Clamforks . . . The Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival is Here!

The 64th Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival
Pismo Beach, CA
Reserve your Valentina villa today!

As any Pismo Beach resident or long-time visitor could tell you, Pismo was always known for its outrageous clams. Just ask Bugs Bunny. So like any quaint beach town, we need to celebrate that which defines the community. The Pismo Beach Clam Festival is celebrating its 64th year of good times and good food. This fun-filled celebration is from October 15th-17th, and will feature a live parade, beer garden, clam chowder cook-off, wine tasting, surf contest, sandcastle contest, food, music and much, much more.

"[Guests] can’t help but be lured by the new tasting attractions," says the New Times of SLO. Festivities include "a champagne and caviar tasting, a clam chowder cook-off featuring 10 Pismo Beach restaurants with professional judges and a people’s choice award, a beer garden on the beach, and a wine walk through many participating Pismo Beach businesses.


"Each event will require a ticket,  . . . but you can save quite a bit of money buying the VIP weekend ticket for $60, which includes the wine walk and commemorative wineglass, beer garden, clam chowder cook-off, champagne and caviar, VIP seating for movies and bandstand, a T-shirt, and a badge.

"On Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., a beer garden will be featuring four beers on tap: Coors Light, Sierra Nevada, Negra Modelo, and Pacifico, which sponsored the beer garden. They’ll be serving fresh pretzels and feature a VW car display; tickets cost $25 for one day only. 

And you can't miss the Clam Chowder cook-off on Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with features 10 restaurants: Cracked Crab, Me & Z’s, Penny’s All American Café, Rosa’s Ristorante, Splash Café, Steamer’s Pismo Beach, and Ventana Grill, among others. The ticket price is only $6 to taste all 10 chowders and vote for the people’s favorite.

On Sunday, the beer garden re-opens, and your VIP badge gets you in once more. The badge also gets you into the champagne and caviar tasting. This event, sponsored by Gather Wine Bar owner Kari Ziegler, offers Central Coast bubblies from Arroyo Robles and Laetitia. The sparkling wines, including a non-alcoholic version, and “reverse mimosas” made of sparkling blood orange juice and Pinot Blanc, will be paired with an array of seafood on the raw bar. It will include caviar, oysters, ceviche, sushi, and cooked dishes like steamed clams, plus much more. The individual ticket price is $35. As you can see, the Pismo Beach Clam Festival is a much better value when you buy the weekend VIP badge. Bring a good appetite.

Adapted from http://www.newtimesslo.com/cuisine/

And while you're enjoying this wonderful celebration, be sure to stay at Valentina Inn & Villas in Pismo Beach, CA. Located just 2 blocks from the beach, you are surrounded by all the great festivities and attractions, as well as spectacular ocean views. To reserve, call 805-773-1234 or visit our website at ValentinaPismoBeach.com/reservations.html.

2010 Central Coast Shakespeare Festival July 19-August 14th

Season 2010 of the Central Coast Shakespeare Festival is here! July 9th to August 14th.


Ribald revelry and wisecracking fools await you at the 2010 Central Coast Shakespeare Festival. Grab beach chairs, blankets, family and frtiends, pack a picnic and enjoy live theatre under the stars! Join us for our second season at River Oaks Amphitheatre in Paso Robles, CA. For 2010 we bring you an audience favorite, Twelfth Night, one of Shakespeare's most produced comedies, in repertory with The Gamester by Freyda Thomas, a sparkling comical romp loosely based on a 1696 work by Jean-Francois Regnard. Both are comedies that will charm and delight.
See a video!

And after you watch these talented performers, be sure to stay at the Valentina Inn & Villas of Pismo Beach, CA. We are only a short drive from Paso Robles, and less than 2 blocks from the beach.

The 61st Annual Pismo Beach Clam Festival

Come celebrate with Pismo Beach, once called "The Clam Capital of the World" at our 61st Annual Clam Festival.

The parade on Saturday morning kicks off this annual event. What follows is what has brought both residences and visitors back year after year. Local restaraunts take the Chowder Cook-Off Title almost as serious as a politcal race. You must taste and cast your vote, otherwise you might feel left out!

Every year hundreds of vendors come to display things like paintings, carvings, pictures, T-shirts, jewelry and much much more. What's a festival without carnie food? Come hungry so you can try all the delicious varieties. BBQ, cotton candy, shaved ice, numerous strawberry deserts and every fluid you could imagine to wash it down with too!

Musicians from all over the United States submit demos and request to play live at this popular two day event. Check back later to see who's coming! If you know a great musician be sure to pass this event on to them!

Don't leave the kids at home! Our annual Kids Clam Dig could net your kid (12 and under) a $100 bucks! We bury 100 numbered clams in an area 30' x 100'. Every numbered clam discovered will win a prize! The clam numbered 100 wins the $100 bill. 


And while you celebrate, be sure to stay at Valentina Luxurious Villas- Pismo's newest(and greenest) luxury resort.


~http://ValentinaPismoBeach.com