Well even though Summer is winding down fast and soon Autumn will be here, that doesn’t mean that the fun has to stop. Here in California we never want the party to end, and luckily someone’s doing a good job of keeping the good times rolling. What’re we talking about? The Orange Street Fair that’s coming up in a couple of weeks.

Slated for the perfect holiday weekend for fun, Labor Day weekend, The Orange Street Fair is going to be a festival like no other with tons of great events and sights to see. For one thing, there’s going to be lots of great bands and other entertainment acts performing throughout the weekend for you to watch. But there’s a lot more than that, including games, events for the kids, plus lots and lots of great food and cold beer for you to enjoy.

The fun gets started on Friday, September 2nd at 5 pm and lasts all weekend. The best news of all is it’s completely free to attend, so get the family together and head out to The Orange Street Fair next week and have a great time!

Photo Courtesy: Orange Street Fair Online

One of the best parts of summer is getting to spend time outside grilling hot, delicious food for yourself and your family.  Everyone loves a good plate of spicy, sweet BBQ, and luckily there’s a big festival celebrating this delicious food on the way.  Only about a 20 minute drive from The Crossing, the Orange Country BBQ Festival will be on Saturday, June 11th at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.  The party gets kicked off at 11:00 a.m. and lasts into the evening until 6:00 p.m.

You can come out and be a part of all the exciting events going on.  There will be a car show, BBQ eating contests, the “Mr. BBQ” pageant, plenty of live music to enjoy, plus lots of fun activities for the kids.  And of course the main attraction: the State Championship BBQ Contest.

Show up early on Saturday morning to get registered early and pick up your tickets to make sure you get into this once a year event.  You’re sure to find plenty of good food and big fun at the Orange County BBQ Festival, so don’t miss out.

Photo Courtesy: stock.xchng

The Red Bull Soap Box Race 2011 is about 30 minutes from Orange County in  Los Angeles and is back for its appearance as the tenth U.S. This event would be great for a quick weekend getaway. The Red Bull Soap Box Race is a global race for amateur drivers, which is fueled by creativity and competitive fun. Did we fail to mention tons and tons of the need for speed?

The unique non-motorized racing event challenges both experienced racers and first timers alike to design and build outrageous, human powered soapboxes powerhouses, and compete against the clock in a downhill race. The race will be held in downtown Los Angeles on Grand Avenue.

Approximately 40 teams will compete in this non-motorized racing event; which encourages gear heads and adrenaline junkies to break out their toolboxes. Drivers must be 18 years old to compete in the race on May 21. Grease monkeys of all ages are welcome.

Go to www.redbullsoapboxusa.com for more information.

Photo credit: tombdmot

Are you a history buff? If so check out the New Birth of Freedom: Civil War to Civil Rights in California exhibit at the Fullerton Arboretum. This exhibit examines the issues of freedom and equality raised but unresolved by the Civil War era as well as the ways Californians fought for equality during the modern Civil Rights Movement as the state and the nation struggled to make good on what President Abraham Lincoln had termed a new “birth of freedom” at Gettysburg during the Civil War.

The exhibit opened on April 30 and continues to bring cultural facts to everyone who visits. It’s truly a treat to get to know and understand the history of not only California but the Unites States. The exhibition also examines the ways in which issues of freedom and equality continue to be debated today. New Birth of Freedom is culturally enriching students all around Southern California and Orange County.

For more information go to www.fullertonarboretum.com

Photo credit: chadh