Photo courtesy Explore Lompoc.
Explore Lompoc Blog:
LOMPOC — California has long been known as the land of Endless Summer. In recent years, actual summertime in much of the state has meant scorching temperatures and sweltering heat waves. Not in Lompoc! The city’s coastal location keeps it at a cool 74 degrees in July and August, so it’s the perfect place to escape the heat! There are loads of things to do here in summer — here are some of our favorites.
Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary Opening Day
Saturday, May 4
3:00-6:30 p.m.
Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary
4115 Jalama Rd.
Lompoc, CA 93436
The 2024 program season begins on Saturday, May 4. Stop by to take part in the opening events, including a Native American blessing of the horses and land, walking tours, herd observation, local food and wine options, and more! Plus, help celebrate beloved Kiger mustang Spirit’s 29th birthday with photos and more! (You may recognize him as the muse and model for the 2002 DreamWorks Animation classic, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron.)
Lompoc Valley Flower Festival
Thursday, June 20 – Sunday, June 23
Ryon Memorial Park
800 W Ocean Ave
Lompoc, CA 93436
Enjoy carnival rides and games, arts and craft exhibitors, commercial vendors, and food booths at this weekend celebrating Lompoc Valley’s flower growing heritage! The 2024 Annual Flower Festival will be held June 20-23, 2024 at Ryon Memorial Park in Lompoc. Don’t miss the parade or the festival headliner, Drew Baldridge!
Old Town Market
Friday evenings from 5-8pm, July 5-August 9
On six magical Fridays this summer, from 5 to 8 p.m., the 100 block of South H Street will come to life as the Old Town Market. Each week will have a unique theme and include food booths, vendors from across the region, live music, activities for kids of all ages, and a farmer’s market. Stop by and be enchanted! This year’s themes:
July 5: Family Fun Night
July 12: Performing Arts Night
July 19: Ag & Wine Night
July 26: Healthy Lompoc Night
August 2: For the Love of Lompoc Night
August 9: Public Safety Night
Food Truck Fridays
Friday evenings from 5-8pm, year round
Another great way to spend a Friday night in Lompoc! Stop by Cold Coast Brewing Co. for the ultimate Food Truck Fridays experience! Behind the brewery each week, you can try the best of up to 14 fantastic food trucks. You’re sure to find something to fix your latest craving. Add on a fresh beverage from the brewery and you’ve got the beginnings of an epic weekend.
40th Annual West Coast Cub Fly-In
Friday, July 12 – Sunday, July 14
Lompoc Airport
1801 North H Street
Lompoc, CA 93436
This family-friendly weekend-long event is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2024! Stop by the Lompoc Airport to see the planes up close, watch the flying events (including pilot proficiency contests!) and get to know the pilots. Plus, enjoy great food and drink from local vendors.
Santa Rita Hills Lavender Festival
Saturday, July 13, 12:00 PM 5:00 PM
Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm
1900 Tularosa Road
Lompoc, CA, 93436
On July 13, take a moment (or a few hours) to stop and smell the lavender at the inaugural Santa Rita Hills Lavender Festival! Explore all things lavender, with food, local vendors, a lavender distillation class and multiple wreath making classes throughout the day.
Watercolor Painting at Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm
Saturday, August 3, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm
1900 Tularosa Road
Lompoc, CA, 93436
Create a watercolor masterpiece, even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush! As you sip (complementary) lavender lemonade, a trained artist will guide you through the process of drawing and then painting the lavender and surrounding landscapes of the Santa Rita Hills Lavender Farm. Join us and free your inner artist!
Space Launches at Vandenberg Space Force Base
Various times and dates all Summer
Experience the thrill of a space launch! Vandenberg Space Force Base is home to all west coast launches, making almost every place in Lompoc ideal for catching the action (we’ve got a guide for you here). Because Vandenberg is an active military base, only military personnel can watch a launch from on-base—but visits to the Space and Missile Heritage Center are offered monthly.
Sta. Rita Wine & Fire Weekend 2024
Thursday, August 15 – Sunday, August 18
Spread across the wineries and tasting rooms of the Sta. Rita Hills, indulge in the wines of the region, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and other cool-climate varieties. This food and wine experience is not to be missed! Things kick off on August 15 at the Sanford and Benedict Barn Party, followed by the La Paulee Dinner honoring the Vintners of the Year, a grand tasting at La Purisima Mission, and much more! Tickets go on sale April 15.
Mountain Men at La Purisima Mission
Friday, August 23 – Saturday, August 24, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
2295 Purisima Rd
Lompoc, CA 93436
Join the buckskin-clad members of the American Mountain Men as they share history and survival skills from 1820-40. Experience cooking, hide preparation and tanning, leather working, rope making, and blacksmithing techniques and equipment from the period, and enjoy tall tales shared around the campfire.
Mission Life Days
Saturday May 25, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Saturday July 22, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Saturday August 31, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
La Purisima Mission State Historic Park
2295 Purisima Rd
Lompoc, CA 93436
Come to La Purisima Mission Historic State Park and step back in time! Join costumed docents and staff to experience the craft activities that were part of everyday life for mission residents. Try your hand at tortilla making, candle making, soap making, spinning and weaving, carpentry, pottery, and blacksmithing.
Plan Your Stay
Come and experience these unique events for yourself and find a comfortable place to stay by staying at a hotel in Lompoc. Want a hotel that’s close to the action? Use our interactive map to find the right hotel.
ABOUT LOMPOC
Located on scenic Pacific Coast Highway 1, just 155 miles northwest from Los Angeles with close proximity to Santa Barbara and Solvang, Lompoc takes
on a world of its own. Its valley setting, surrounded by spectacular rolling hills and vineyards, creates an invitation for visitors to detour off the main road,
and explore what’s around the bend.Lompoc is a destination for wine tasting, golf, cycling, hiking, skydiving, birding, and surfing at nearby Jalama Beach.
It is home to La Purisima Mission State Historic Park, the most fully restored and furnished of the 21 California missions, and adjacent to Vandenberg Air
Force Base, where rockets are launched throughout the year by such entities as NASA, SpaceX, and ULA, to name a few. Lompoc has 12 hotels to
welcome visitors. To discover more about the Lompoc Valley, and other things to see and do, visit: www.explorelompoc.com.