We are camping in the area and found the festival on Facebook local events, so we decided to check…read moreit out. First the handicapped parking was not available (my husband is handicapped), as they placed tables and chairs in the handicapped parking. Once parked we went inside to check it all out. There were 2 lines for food, the wait about 30 min + each, so we skipped on food. We then walked over to see what was for sale and they had maybe 3 booths, not impressed. Our next stop was the bar... the drinks were pre-made and not very strong and served in less then 8oz cups, filled with ice and each was $12. Total rip and would not worth it!

It was not planned but we happened to be in town the weekend they had the Greek Festival in San…read moreLuis Obispo. Having just gone to the Oakland one just a few weeks before, we just stopped by this one to check it out vs sampling all the Greek food for sale since we have set spots we always hit while in SLO. One area was dedicated to entrée like items like moussaka, gyros, etc. while another booth had the pastries like my favorite, the galaktobouriko, and a separate booth for the loukoumathes. We did give into temptation and got a small order of their loukoumathes but did feel it was a bit too dense and doughy than what we are used to and had just a few weeks before. Held at the Mission Plaza, understandably it is not as large as the annual Oakland one but there is a certain charm to SLOs. Since it is smaller, there is a definite community feel to it that it probably would not be uncommon to run into your neighbor or friends at this event. Since it is during the weekend before the Cal Poly Commencement, it is geared more towards residents than students who were probably busy cramming for finals.

Having gone to a fair number of beer festivals I like to think I have a pretty good reference for…read morehow they 'can' be. That being said, this was my first time at the CFoB. I decided to buy both the Friday Connoisseur Tasting and Saturday Grand Tasting. I'll break this down by each day... Friday Connoisseur Tasting: Here is how it is billed on the website.. The "Arts and Drafts" Connoisseur Tasting will feature specially selected Craft beer and local food offerings for guests enjoyment. The intimate tasting format allows the beer "connoisseur" an unique opportunity to converse one-on-one with the brewery reps on hand. This evening will also feature the work of visual artists and musicians local to the California Central Coast. The idea was for this to be a more intimate exclusive event with local artists present, meet and chat with the brewery reps, and taste some special selections. Art... Okay, first off, I am not an art guy so that didn't do anything for me. Art and beer...can they go together? Sure, do they normally? No. But whatever, they were not in the way and some people seemed to like them and bought some stuff. Food... There was Buffalo Wild Wings, Kind bars, a bbq catering company, some meatballs, and some more meatballs. It was all okay, but seemed a bit sad and underwhelming. Everyone was really nice, but really...I came for good food and beer. I didn't get that. The breweries... I visited each, maybe eight, and no more than 10 breweries were there. I me maybe two brewers who knew a lot about the beer, most were just people who poured beer and didn't know anything about it. There were no special beers to taste, each beer served was wholly available in the store, either in a can or bottle. No one offs, no special blends, nothing unique at all. A total sham in my opinion. If someone was there for me to complain to, I would have. A waste of $50. Saturday Grand Tasting: Great location and the setup was spacious enough to allow for plenty of walking without long lines and huge immovable crowds. Almost 50 breweries (counting cideries)! Wow cool! That's what I thought when I showed up. But then I approached the Firestone tent...they were pouring Easy Jack and DBA. Wait..what? I went to Central Coast Brewing and they poured, Montery St., Catch 23, Chai Ale... I went to Barrelhouse, they poured Sunny Daze, IPA, etc. I went to Oscar Blues they were pouring IPA and Mexican Lager... What the heck? Is this just a bunch of breweries serving their normal everyday beers? Not only did each brewery serve their normal everyday bottled beer, but less than 10 had anything special (that 20% new beer). Very very disappointing. No free food, but plenty of food trucks/vendors. The Pairing Knife, What the Truck, and a few others. Good prices, and they all took credit cards which is great. Plenty of shaded seating, as it was hot and sunny all day. Perfect weather, but I can't say the same of the event. The staff were all friendly and the organization was nice. It's just too bad about all of the normal beer. I suppose this is what you get when the event serves to benefit Hospice of SLO and breweries are only donating beer. So...my fault for not picking up on that. Stick with for profit beer festivals for the good stuff. Againg, for $75 I would say I got my money's worth in terms of quantity, but I care more for quality. And no Spike's?! How do you know invite the guys who started the entire festival??? For shame.

Two day drinking festival going towards a good cause -- perfect event for a small college town!…read moreBeer Fest took place at the Madonna Inn with 50+ breweries. First Day -- Connoisseur Pairing is the smaller night event held indoors at the Madonna Expo that features music and art. It's mainly an event catered to people who want to pair different brews with food and cigars. Second Day -- Grand Tasting is the HUGE event that takes place outdoors in the Meadows from 11am - 4pm. There are about 3,000+ people, most of which are local college students. All the breweries come out and the guests can sample alllll the beer they want!! There are usually a few food vendors as well (Spikes, Marston's, Pacifica Catering, Popolo..) They also had a couple of random activities like life size beer pong with big trash bins and a soccer ball. Beer Fest tickets are pretty pricey and run up to around $80 for GA but all the proceeds go to the SLO Hospice Center, an organization that provides support for anyone experiencing life threatening illnesses or grief of a lost one. Definitely one of the biggest events of the year in SLO and always a great time!

I had the pleasure of attending the Atascadero pride event at the zoo and I was so happy I went!…read moreParking was easier when the event started but then the lot filled up as I departed mid afternoon. I would suggest getting to the event early next year for easy parking. - There was about 20 vendors featuring queer artists, local resources, food and drink and clothing. There were different activity stations, a raffle and a DJ. I thought the decorations were very tastefully done. - I felt safe and comfortable the entire time. Everyone was very welcoming and polite. My personal space was respected. In the afternoon, I grabbed a blanket from my car and laid it in the grass while I ate a snack. I look forward to next year's event and hope even more vendors join in for the celebration!

This was my first pride ever at 16 years old, I went with my friend, a trans man also 16, and we…read morehad the time of our lives, we went to Pride 2016, 20 year anniversary. Never before had I felt so much love and acceptance in one place, especially at the plaza since I go there when they have their weekly farmers market the street over. I cried when my mother brought the event to my attention and took me and my friend. The live entertainment was incredible, it was the first time I'd seen any band live. We got to play games, instruments, paint a pot for a succulent which we got to keep, there was lots of food and booths from supportive businesses. I can't wait for the next prides, and when I turn 18 to enjoy some of the pre- and post-pride dances. It was such a surreal experience, to be around people like me and people who supported people like me, it was so overwhelmingly amazing.

Haven't been here in about 7 years. There's definitely more booths, and some upgrades to the…read moresurrounding businesses. Glad to see some of the older businesses still there. Felt very safe to walk. Nice, clean, safe. And I would try Vix creek saloon BBQ best tri-tip and ribs I've tried in a very long time.

One of the best farmers markets in California. Great food, produce, music, prepared food, specialty…read moreitems and more. Parking is available nearby and a must experience weekly event.

Updating my 2012 review: Disclosure: I have volunteered in…read more2024 as a SLOIFF Noob. Celebrating film and creative history earns the SLO International Film Festival the Coolness Award. Award for Confusing/ Could be Clearer? Navigating the schedule for films and events. We are avid Palm Theatre-goers and try to see new and classic releases. So the SLOIFF is a perfect opp to do just that, right? Right. So I've divided this into pros and cons. Although I enjoy taking a chance on a film, perhaps having an orientation or set of trailers (so the films are a little more 'familiar' or desirable to see) would help me 100%. Pros: Lots of energy, planning and marketing goes into this, and as a volunteer, I got to witness some of the behind-the-scenes (and films/discussions) as well. Highly recommend volunteering. Cons: 3 stars go to somewhat confusing venues and scheduling. There has to be a way to make this clearer for the visually-oriented learner like me. Kudos to the coordinators and the hard-working volunteers who put in long hours to make this happen. One can only imagine the selections and scheduling were done with a sense of humor.

What an event! Fantastic afternoons and evenings had experiencing independent films, shorts,…read moredocumentaries. Lots of greats showcasing at SLO's 30th anniversary. We were honored to sponsor Academy Award nominated "NAI NAI & WAI PO" short film/documentary. It did receive an honorable mention :D SLO Independent Film Festival is one for ALL; non-Hollywood alike, families. It's a great event to attend, support and enjoy!

I have not been to the tasting room officially but my wife and I had tickets for "A Servant and Two…read moreMasters" put on by Central Coast Shakespeare Festival. The Filipponi ranch hosts the production annually and it's an amazing experience and wonderful property. The stage is a little ways from the tasting room but set nicely in a valley between some hills and a nice shade covering of oak trees. Bringing your own food was encouraged but we were asked to buy the wine from the host set up at the stage. Everything was great. Prices were reasonable for the glasses and bottles. The people working were very nice and accommodating and it made for an all around perfect date night with my wife. I did not have a glass while there but I did sample their 2023 Chardonnay and it was very nice. We asked if they had any fully cooked bottles for us to take home and enjoy on a later date. They did and I'm very excited for the pairings I have in mind for this bottle. This experience has solidified that the wife and I will definitely need another date night but at the tasting room this time. Highly recommend this business.

Second time coming here- one year later. We had such a lovely time. The wine is so yummy- the…read morewhites are so light. We loved the hospitality and the small town feel. We will be back anytime we come to Avila.

This place is an absolute gem. It's one of the best theaters to catch a blockbuster. They offer…read morepopcorn, candy, soda, beer, and wine. Reclining loungers are available in most of the theaters, and I believe most of the screening rooms have recently been renovated. The team here is always looking to provide a premium, Hollywood-premiere-style experience. If you live in the area, I'm sure I'm telling you something you already know. If you're new to the area, I encourage you to give this awesome movie theater a visit. Enjoy!

This theatre is super dated! Super small and the worst part was air conditioner! It was so hot…read moreyesterday and as we walked into the theatre we immediately felt the stale heat inside the theatre. We asked some employees about the AC and they stated that it was always hot in there! We watched the movie obviously but with a completely packed theatre it was like an oven. Completely unacceptable! I wouldn't return here ! As we all walked out and felt the cooler air outside the concession area we all said it was hot in there! Management needs to do something about that!

I have never taken the time to truly be in the moment and really chill when in California and see…read morebeyond the obvious gorgeous beaches, sunsets and sights. This 8 day leisurely drive to and from SF was beautiful and stopping at will and experiencing this farm in San Luis Obispo was so peaceful and fun. Open fields for acres, a beautiful calm in the air, no loud noise and no horns or city sounds, beautiful flowers in every color that greet you and make you smile; apples and then more gorgeous and delicious apples that you leisurely pick and place in the basket that fills up fast. A wonderful and warm Manager Olivia who lives in the area and loves what she does. A lovely store with Halloween Knick knacks and jars of honey and other delicious items. A nice area for kids to play. We loved the SLO Creek Farms just off the 101 in San Luis Obispo.

One of our favorite places to come as a family! We have been visiting every year for almost 5 years…read morefor their apple picking in the fall! The service is always so sweet and inviting! The snacks are fun and we love taking pictures in the fields!