Three free festivals celebrating artists, chalk and lima beans are planned across Ventura County this weekend.
The Rotary Club of Ventura's two-day Art and Chalk Festival kicks off the weekend from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 12-13 at 1583 Spinnaker Drive in Ventura Harbor.
The third annual Lima Bean Festival is set for noon to 4 p.m. Sept. 12 at Oxnard Historic Farm Park, 1251 Gottfried Place in Oxnard.
The inaugural Spotlight Arts Festival is scheduled for 2 to 5 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Bank of America Performing Arts Center, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., in Thousand Oaks.
Chalk Festival in Ventura
More than 30 artists are set to participate in the Art and Chalk festival, which began in 2007, said Saurabh Bajaj, a Rotary Club of Ventura committee member.
This year will feature
six artists creating 3D art, he said. The artwork will remain on display for at least two weeks afterward, weather permitting.
Artists generally start their chalk compositions on the first day and finish them on the second, Bajaj said. Artist and Rotary Member Greg Wray will return to create a large Sonic the Hedgehog-themed piece with a twist, the organizer said.
New this year, 10 Ventura County nonprofits representing various fields will host informational booths, Bajaj said, adding that the festival’s handmade craft vendor area has expanded.
For more information, visit venturaartandchalkfestival.com.
Lima Bean Fest in Oxnard
The third annual Lima Bean Fest in Oxnard will feature $10 tastings of four lima bean-inspired items, including a new snickerdoodle lima bean cookie.
“I’m looking forward to that one,” said Jeff Maulhardt, festival creator and director of the Oxnard Historic Farm Park. Maulhardt is also the author of “Ventura County Lima Beans, A History.”
The other featured dishes are lima bean soup, lima bean chili and lima bean hummus.
The festival will also feature live music by Frankie and the Lima Beans, lima bean displays and demonstrations from a lima bean thresher, a machine that separates beans, will also be featured.
Other activities include lima bean-related crafts for kids, a lima bean toss and a slideshow on the legume’s history.
For more information, visit oxnardfarmpark.org.
Spotlight Festival in Thousand Oaks
The inaugural Spotlight Festival in Thousand Oaks aims to highlight Ventura County arts organizations, artists and arts workers, said Niki Chopra Richardson, executive director of the nonprofit Thousand Oaks Alliance of the Arts.
The organization, also known as TOArts, seeks to promote arts, culture and entertainment through presentation, education and collaboration, according to its website.
The festival will feature 15-minute showcase performances from local performing arts groups and local artists who will host booths where attendees can meet them and commission original work. DJ Uncle Alex will also spin vinyl in the Fred Kavli Theatre lobby.
Richardson said organizers expect about 300 people or more to attend and are asking guests to RSVP.
For more information and to RSVP, visit givebutter.com/SpotlightFestival.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Artists, chalk, lima beans highlight free Ventura County festivals
