Once a year, ALBANY and Berkeley California have an event that spans the length of Solano Avenue. It is called the Solano Stroll. This is like a parade for spectators. All the residents visit Solano and there are food vendors store vendors everybody's out on the street having a great time there's a live music and dancing. There are dance troops from around the world exhibiting their skills. The businesses that have restaurants sample their food out on the street and have items that entice people to return other vendors have candies that they give people that stopped by to hear about real estate or schools churches. Everybody comes out for this event and it's an equal amount of children as is for adults. Little literally thousands of people short for this event every year. Usually we are blessed with good weather and today was no different. And all the business is a representative as well as services for the cities. The police department show up along with the fire department. There are professionals on the street and all sorts of different occupations to give you advice. It's a wonderful way to take your family out and have a fun time and be sure to bring your pets because they have stuff for the dogs and pets as well. You might even get the pet that snake the guy brings in every year. This is truly a family event that should be seen by everyone. read more

Solano Stroll - Festivals Near Me

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This is an awesome annual street fair featuring a mile-long stretch of vendors and entertainers on Solano Avenue. Such diverse offerings, it's hard to run out of things to see and do. Rescue pigeons and doves, Berkeley Humane with cats and puppies available for adoption, 3-D Theater tent, karaoke, face & body art, an artisan and art fair, massage tents, magic shows, balloon artists, the Big Bubble People (creating giant bubbles for the kids as well as bubble play), judo demos, taiko drumming performances, lots of dance routines, and plenty of live music entertainment, at least one stage/tent on every block with different bands playing throughout the day, in addition to youth orchestras... and there were a LOT of blocks that seemed to never end (I was planning to watch The Long Walk later that day, and felt like I was actually living it here before even seeing the film). Community organization booths included the Happy Day montessori school and Child Therapy Institute, among others. And there was no shortage of food and drink options to grab a snack or meal, a combination of local brick-and-mortar businesses along the street as well as food trucks and vendor tents serving anything and everything, from mediterranean bites to asian fusion to cajun cuisine, along with classic dishes like pizza, hot dogs, and loaded fries. I picked up lunch from Tante's food stand and enjoyed a delicious hot link and potato-spinach knish. The only downsides to this event were the crowds, making it hard to move around at times, and the parking situation which was difficult in the surrounding neighborhood streets. read more

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Great annual community event. Bring a hat and water if it's a sunny day. There are so many stands related to the community businesses and high school organizations, as well as several vendors for food, crafts, cute trinkets. This event has a tradition of happening a week after school starts. Good way to discover the businesses and organizations in Albany/Berkeley. read more

Keep on Strollin'. There should be an official dance step called the Solano Stroll. It would look something like Robert Crumb's 'Keep on Truckin'' cartoon where the guy's left foot juts out as he saunters down the street. Even though it's 2018, the vintage vibe would work since this annual street fair has been around since the 1970's. There's also an unassailable reason to strut as it's the Bay Area's largest street fair according to Wikipedia, stretching nearly two miles from The Alameda to San Pablo Avenue. Carnival rides and game arcades flank the two ends of the street with food, live music, and informational kiosks in between. No spanking booths, no glory holes. This is family-friendly with a capital F, a Sunday Streets on steroids, and now it's all over until next September. See you next year. RELATED - Here's a collection of special festivals I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2Qcka9r read more

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The next stroll will be in 2019. I have put it on my calendar and you might want to do the same. There is so much to see: food, crafts, carnival rides, live music, community groups, a petting zoo, pony rides, kid activities, and fun for adults. It is a great family event. If you a hankering for something other than street food; almost all of the restaurants along Solano were open. To fully enjoy this event I would suggest starting out early. I got there at two and did not walk the whole avenue before the police cars came down the street to announce the fair was over. Parking is difficult. I was able to park on a side street, but it took time to find a spot. Next year I might take the bus. read more

Date: 9/11/2016 Time: 1:10 PM 64° Mostly cloudy My sister mentioned Solano Stroll to me last week. At first, I wasn't sure if I wanted to attend it. Sunday football or Sunday stroll? Undecided until about 12 noon and approaching half time of the Raiders game that stepping out and heading to Albany to get my walk in for the day would be more beneficial for me health wise. This event started about the same time as the Oakland Raiders game against the New Orleans Saints. Before I arrived at this event, I wanted to make sure I familiarize myself with the area. Which BART Station did I want to get off at - North Berkeley or El Cerrito Plaza? There is public transportation nearby the El Cerrito Plaza, AC Transit #72. That bus travels southbound on San Pablo Avenue and I can get off at the stop on San Pablo & Solano. However, after reading another yelper's review (Ann L), and thanks to her I exited the North Berkeley station and caught the Solano Stroll shuttle. Also on the search was, where is a good place to dine at without buying food from the outdoor vendors? Shuttle bus drops a bunch of us passengers off across the street from the Solano Stroll. First thing I see are the rides, kids' games and activities and the giant slide. As I am walking along, admiring the vendors selling their wares, the various food booths, musicians entertaining the audience, martial arts demonstration, information booths, the Solano Stroll is more than just a stroll. It is about a mile long up Solano Avenue. That is no stroll along the avenue...not like Park Street in Alameda. It is walking up a slight incline to get from San Pablo Avenue to Colusa. I have to stop along the way to get lunch at a cafe highly spoken of by my fellow yelper, Victor G. Thanks, friend, your reviews are always on point. It's wall to wall people with children and pets. Since I am not too much into the rides at the lower end of Solano Avenue, the further I walked up Solano, the better and more entertaining it was. Highlights along the way: Berkeley High School Jazz Band, the wooden horse and dinosaur ride, the folk dancers, bands that played different types of music, even a karaoke singer singin' the blues. The only disappointment: the weather. It was mostly cloudy and slightly cold. The sun came out briefly, but disappeared in about 10 minutes. However, I will return for next year's Solano Stroll, knowing how to get there to and from utilizing public transportation. The upside of the Sunday Solano Stroll: About 9,000 steps on my Zip Fitbit and 3.5 miles of walking. read more

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I went to Solano Stroll in Sun 9/13/15. I woke up late and so missed the parade. Took the shuttle from North Berkeley Bart station and that was fine, not crowded at that time. Walked around and got a bunch of freebies: reusuable bags Kind bars Jelly Belly pens bike reflectors for my pants when I'm out walking Milk from Andronico's Restaurants I need to try stil for future tripsl: House of Curries Bowl'd Kathmandu Restaurant Lao Thai Kitchen This yr out Kyoto - take-out sushi. Tasted ok, Cash Only. read more

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My husband has been wanting to attend the Solano Stroll for years, only because his good friends who grew up in the area always talked about it. It was a big part of their childhood. We drove up parked at the Bart station because they provide a shuttle every 30 minutes to the event. It kind of depends on the driver what time the bus leaves. This is such a huge event, like a mile long of booths, a few rides and local shops. I had a good time, but got a little tired towards the end. I didn't bring my water bottle and was so thirsty. We did purchase water bottles and a fresh coconut to aid our thirst. My favorite thing to do was dog watch. I saw so many dogs! In conclusion, the Solano Stroll is something your should try at least once, a lot of hard work goes into this one day. Blows my mind. read more

I just walked home from the Solano Stroll for the 2nd time today. My son and I usually try to get there in the morning before the parade starts. And by the time the afternoon kicks in, it's almost wall-to-wall people. This IS my favourite street fair in the Bay Area or elsewhere, hands down. It's more of a community gathering that showcases a really great, diverse, and always changing Albany/Berkeley neighbourhood and what it has to offer. For anyone to say that this giant block party would be the same year after year, completely misses the point! Here are my own personal highlights from this year: 1. THE COMMUNITY PARADE, led by this year's Grand Marshall - former Mayor Jewell! 2. THE COMMUNITY. Where lots of people know your name! Great people and dog watching too. But watch out for the sometimes aggressive stroller moms and their adorable babies. 3. THE COMMUNITY GROUPS. The ones that caught my attention was all the Green-related stuff, various churches and synagogues (but where were the Unitarians?), school and library groups, the Desert Survivors Hiking Group, the Berkeley Camera Club, the BAHA, and others too numerous to mention. 4. THE FOOD. For lunch, I had a very tasty falafal from Zands and the day before had my pizza by the slice from Zachary's (try to stuffed spinach and mushroom). There was also pie from Walkers (sigh....they're closing) and coffee from Peets. Too bad I missed the Indian buffet and the Thai at the top of the hill and the outdoor seating at Fonda. 5. THE BOOZE. Well actually, I didn't drink alcohol at the Stroll. However, the Ivy Room was giving out free drink tickets and what comes to mind Yelp-wise is the DYL Group and my desire to someday cover the Dive Bars of Albany. 6. The ENTERTAINMENT. The belly dancers were back, as were lots of different bands, Akido demonstrations, etc. I didn't hear or see much Zydeco music this year. And some day, I will see Tim C. doing his Elvis imitation! 7. THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS. In this neck of the woods, there wasn't a McCain - Palin campaign button to be found. There was of course an Obama booth and the Metro Dogs Barack poster for sale. And then there were all the local Albany and Berkeley council, school board, and initiative races going on. My only concern is that this Midwest Liberal feels a little left out in this sometimes elitist East Bay "Progressive" surge. 8. THE EXERCISE. During the Stroll, it's so easy to walk up and down Solano. I have to do more of that the rest of the time. I also ducked into Fit Lite during the Stroll for a great workout in an empty gym. And they had cold water and other convenient facilities. 9. THE CRAFTS. The Solano Stroll is really not an arts and crafts fair, although they have improved in this area over the years. This time around I enjoyed Gathering Tribes (thanks Pennie!), Elaine Chu's handcrafted papers and bindings, and Pacha World's Fair Trade products. My son had a great time too and spent a lot of his time at Dave's Dugout. And chasing him around was the big reason I didn't get the chance to meet up with the Yelp group at the Stroll. Sorry..... read more

BRING WATER FOR FIDO! In short, the Solano Stroll is an awesome annual mile-walk adventure on the closed-off Solano Street filled with tents for cool local organizations and companies, political candidate informational booths, local vendors, and food stands. There's a parade, and live music and dancers (see their website for scheduling). Transportation is easy, as it's about a mile from the El Cerrito BART station. We actually drove and parked about a half mile away. Beautiful neighborhood. The Solano Stroll an event that caters to families with small kids--there's lots of face-painting or crown-making opportunities, a couple epic rocking dinosaur or rocking horses, and even a few fair rides--and has lots of opportunities to support local high school or civic programs. This is a great event if you're looking to find ways to get more active and engaged in your community, whether that be by becoming a season ticket-holder to a local theater, or signing up to volunteer for a local non-profit. Many stores or restaurants on Solano have their own stalls--some giving out coupons. Lots of birthday or Christmas shopping opportunities--I know that I scooped up some cool socks, some discounted earrings, and a few flyers for local theater companies! Something that's really cool to me is that it's open to well-behaved dogs, which not many street fairs allow! However, when I went to this event yesterday (September 10th, 2017), I saw TONS of dogs and not a SINGLE water dish out anywhere. Dogs were stopping to lay down, panting, almost everywhere I looked... and their owners would usually just look around dumbly and let their dog rest. It was REALLY HOT yesterday, and if you are going to be bringing your dog to this event, please: bring your own water, both for you and your dog. And definitely bring sunscreen! An important tenement principle for anything like this is Have Fun And Be Safe--so be safe for yourself AND for Rover. read more

Solano Stroll - September 10th 2017. Hot day, don't forget the sunscreen! - Festivals Near Me

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So much to see 2019. Great artist, food and live music. read more

Solano Stroll - Custom Embroidery By VV Fantastic Stroll - Festivals Near Me

Great energy at this street fair! Different music performances as you go up the street - classic rock, taiko drums, soul, hip-hop, hawaiian, fire juggler (eh, it wasn't as great as it sounds), and trapeze artist (again, not as good as it sounds). There's definitely something for everyone - food, clothes, knick knacks, community organizations to get involved in, organic food delivery, religious organizations, slides, and the bouncing machine for the kids. What's more great is that it's within walking distance of my apt. so no hassle with the parking! read more

My favorite street fair in the Bay Area, hands down. I actually look forward to it every year. There's just so much going on, and Solano is just the perfect street to absorb it all, with its size and view of the Bay, as you can see in my photo. The food offerings are plentiful. The live performances (especially the belly-dancing girls) are good, not cringeworthy like at other fairs. The people-watching is a lot of fun. There's even bike "valet" parking. Since it's in September, sunny weather is practically guaranteed. What's not to love? If they ever bring back the frozen-cheesecake-on-a-stick booth, I'd give the Stroll 6 stars. So much better than staying home watching the Niners and Raiders open their season with a loss. read more

Solano Stroll - Festivals Near Me

**Over-priced food. Lots of Asian food stands that marked their prices up, 9 dollars for a plate of pad thai? **Nice representation of local businesses but the very worse was the NEW YORK TIMES stand. I was not surprised that no one stopped by and when I asked the scruffy man behind the stand if I could have a cheap plastic pen (they had a bunch), the guy said I had to subscribe in order to get a 10 cents pen. At first I thought he was kidding because the other local businesses had candy and fancy pens as give-aways as their advertisement. I don't think I will ever subscribe to the New York Times after this awful experience at the Solano Stroll. Overall, I had a blah experience that was not helped by the gray skies and chilly weather today. read more

If you want to get to know Albany and Berkeley all at one time, this is your event. Definitely one of the best local street fairs I've experienced in the Bay Area. It's got everything: Talent! Little girl gymnasts doing cartwheels without hands in the street. Taiko drumming. The Latino brothers band doing Santana covers. Russian folk dancing. Jiu jitsu. A Mexican folk choir. Some guy doing 80's cover songs in a tie-dye Elvis suit. Food! Brentwood local farming. Frozen ice, Sausages, Corn-on-a-stick, Thai food, and $3.50 Zachary's by the slice (probably the only time you won't have to wait 40 min for a pie). Tri-tip, barbeque, funnel cake, falafels, and yes, even Jamba Juice and Peet's have stands, also. Art! If you ever wanted a glittery crown with streamers, an ethnic top woven by monks from the Himalayas, or to learn about all the local high schools in the area, this is your event! Fun for the family! A gigantic blow-up obstacle course for the kids (costs $$ of course). A fifty foot slide. A rock climbing wall sponsored by the Boy Scouts. A car getting blown up by the fire department. $1/ minute massages, and you can even figure out your health based on your tongue appearance and health, sponsored by the holistic acupuncture society. Be aware: you will not walk faster than 0.0001 miles per hour. You should look where you're walking, both straight ahead and at the 3-foot level because of all the dogs and children running around. ** Free things I grabbed: toothbrushes and reusable grocery tote bags. Since I live a few blocks away, I'll definitely be back next year. read more

Starting at the top of Solano at The Alameda (and close to Bangkok Jam ) we began walking down the middle of the closed street along with about a gazillion other people. This year's Solano Stroll theme: " A Global A-Faire. " We ended at the foot of Solano near the Albany Theater just around the corner from San Pablo Ave. Our 2010 Solano Stroll had taken about two and a half hours. And this was just one way. It was fun, but slow going. Lots and lots of people. "I felt like a grain of sand sliding slowly down the hourglass" Said the Tinman. Or was it the Scarecrow? Or perhaps the Lion. Never you mind, there was plenty for the crowd to do on this sunny afternoon. We were an orderly 'n mellow bunch as we wended our way through carnival rides, sponsored booths, food vendors, and performing artists. The folks looking for a heart found it... The Berkeley-Albany Girl Scout Service Unit was there, the Albany Lions Club Foundation was there, and there were so many opportunities to help all forms of fuzzy critters that the mind boggled. All things bright and beautiful had definitely arrived at the Faire. The folks looking for a brain found it... California Shakespeare Theater was there. Many different schools were there. Albany Preschool, El Cerrito Preschool, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Richmond Art Center, and the Young People's Chamber Orchestra were all there. To name a few. Opportunities abounded. Even the OLLI Lifelong Learning folks were there. "E Pluribus Unum" for all, as it were...or was that "E Clampus Vitus". Can't remember...the mind boggles. The folks looking for courage... Well, the Melody Club was there, should liquid courage be needed. The City of Berkeley Fire Department had a truck on display. The Police Department sent a van just for show,. Berkeley Disaster Prep had a booth. Epworth United Methodist Church was there handing out little Rainbow Flags proclaiming "God is Love." The Golden Lion Martial Arts Center was one of a number of athletically oriented groups present. Courage...or the ability to work toward gaining courage. The Stroll had it all. And as for me, Dorothy the Meek and the Humble... After the Stroll down the crowded street, I just wanted to head for home. It was fun, it was real; it was a bit like being swept away in a tornado. And Smiley, Furby and Emmett Dogstar needed their dinner... Trust me, even little dogs can have a meltdown when the kibble is not forthcoming. Solano Stroll 2010 is history. It was fun. Goodbye for now, my pretties..see you next year. read more

Seeing friends' recent reviews of the Solano Stroll, particularly Terry T's, reminded me I hadn't reviewed it. It's been several years since I've gone. Sometimes I've been down at KCSM-FM answering the phones for the Fall pledge drive. Sometimes the weather has been cold and rainy or otherwise inhospitable. But mainly, I've realized upon reflection, because it has grown so large. I loved the early days of the Stroll, back in the 70s. In those days it was held on Thursday evenings and was confined to upper Solano. Since my childhood there has been something festive about being out at night and the early Stroll had that feeling. The crowds were small and I remember running into friends regularly. It felt like a small town experience. After a few years some youngsters started acting up and the Stroll was moved to Sundays during the day on the assumption that the kids could be more easily controlled in the daylight, I assume. It was still small, w/ food and bands and booths selling a variety of goods, but over the years it extended into Albany and eventually filled Solano Avenue between The Alameda to the east and San Pablo Avenue to the west. The crowds got larger and now I see from photos that there are carnival rides and booths, along w/ the music and food. I'm a fan, I guess, but only in restrospect and in absentia. read more

The Solano Stroll is a FREE street faire held every year on the second Sunday of September. Over a mile of Solano Avenue is blocked off to accommodate this much anticipated, day-long, community-run event. We look forward to it all year long! The morning begins with a lively parade to celebrate local culture with colorful performers, regional organizations, activists, art cars, etc. Immediately after the parade, the street is full til evening with happy folks, vendors of every kind (great food, locally-made goods, toys, art, jewellery - everything, really), live music, dance and theatrical performances, games, community and activist groups' stalls where you can learn and meet cool people, and even some free stuff. Solano Stroll is generally disability-friendly because the street is blocked off for the faire and the extra space may aid mobility. The street, though on a very slight slope, is pretty even and easy to navigate. Though for folks with sensory disabilities, please be aware the crowds are large and loud as this is a fabulously popular event. The event is accessible by bus, BART is very nearby, and there's street parking in the surrounding neighborhoods just off Solano Ave. The bus lines run along San Pablo Avenue at the bottom of Solano and also at the top of Solano near a street called The Alameda. El Cerrito Plaza BART Station is just blocks away, maybe a 15-20 minute walk. And there's a FREE shuttle from North Berkeley BART Station!! It's wheelchair accessible, but just know that the wait for the shuttle can be a while. The community spirit and fun had here is what makes this annual event so beloved. I've been to a lot of street faires and similar goings-on, but this one seems to be the most family-friendly with the most positive atmosphere. It's heartening to see almost everyone being responsible about not littering (though even more recycling bins could always be helpful). Plus, it's an awesome place to get started on some early holiday shopping. Friendly dogs are very welcome! Many people bring their dogs to Solano Stroll and most people are for it. I've never seen or heard about any problems with the dogs' presence so far. Dogs are family and I'm thrilled that this is one of the few community events where they're gladly included. Solano Stroll forever! read more

This was my second year to go Strolling, and I plan to continue going as long as I live in the area. Bring good walking shoes, as it's 26-blocks (about 1.25 miles) from top to bottom, though only a 1-2% grade. There's a free shuttle from the bottom back to the top, in addition to the free shuttle from North Berkeley BART. Do yourself a favor and don't even consider trying to park within 1/2 mile of Solano Avenue--it's just not gonna happen. The bottom 1/4 of the fair is mostly a kids' playland (lots of slides and bouncy houses) and the food booths. The middle is lots of Saturday Market-type craft booths, and the upper 1/4 is mostly civil and social service agencies. There are small bands about every 2 blocks, and this seemed to be dominated by jazz groups. Several athletic studios, from martial arts to circus aerobatic to the ubiquitous 24-Hour Fitness, had demonstrations as well. Be forewarned that as with any street fair, you will be repeatedly accosted with lots of fliers and the various booths and displays are nearly all designed to separate you from your wallet. But at least you'll enjoy the food, music, and people-watching in the process, and hey, all that walking is good exercise! There was quite a display of contrasts in the mix, too. From people bringing their large dogs--which drew adoring attention from kids and adults alike--to folks bringing their Paris Hilton-esque lapdogs (you know, the ones that are the size of a loaf of bread)--which was clearly and justifiably terrifying for the dogs as they tried to avoid getting stepped on by the massive crowd. There was also the performance by the hoochie-dancing 8-year-old girls that contrasted with the t-shirts being hawked across the street saying "Barbie is a doll, not a goal". read more

My theatre company has had a booth at the Solano Stroll for something like the last 5 years or so, and it's one of my favorite events to work all freaking year. Here's why: 1. PEOPLE WATCHING. I don't care wtf you're looking for here (hotness upon which to launch yourself, entertaining freaks, fashion dos and don'ts and holy fucking crap!s, adorable babies, adorable babies with adorable dogs, adorable babies with hot parents) you will find it here. In abundance. 2. PEOPLE YOU KNOW BUT HAVEN'T SEEN IN LIKE A YEAR. There are always 3-5 of these every time, no matter who you are. I don't know what kind of creepy vortex creates this, but it's a fact. Scientists are working on an equation to express this night and day! 3. GARLIC FRIES. I think this one speaks for itself. 4. AN ASSLOAD OF COOL LOCAL BUSINESSES. They put all of us theatre companies together in one area, and it's fun for us to run around and steal each other's stickers and Starbursts and generally act foolish and socialize. It's fun to wander around and see the sheer variety of local flavor/food choices/lunatic political causes. It's fun to wander the stroll and see what kind of swag you can accumulate. 5. THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE THERE. Um, yeah. I'm no longer single, but this one is for all you single ladies (and gay men) out there. They're there with a hook and ladder hanging out and socializing with the masses. You could file this under the hot people watching thing, but don't you think firefighters deserve their own special hotness category? That's what I thought, too. 6. Did I already say garlic fries? 7. It's the least debauched street fair in the area. At least you know you won't contract herpes when you accidentally bump into the person in front of you. The Downside: 1. EIGHT STRAIGHT HOURS OF ZYDECO MUSIC. I was ready to kick someone's ASS, and I only worked the booth for 4 hours. 2. Garlic fries vis a vis my fat ass. 3. It's the least debauched street fair in the area. This of necessity limits the level of people-watching entertainment. All in all, it's a lot of fun. I took one star off because it's impossible to park within a million-mile radius and because the neverending zydeco music is still making me cry inside 24 hours later. read more

Man, this event (along with the Mountain View Art and Wine festival) has to be my favorite in the entire bay area. I really love the easy-going community vibe that permeates the neighborhood. Albany seems to be a really great city anyway. What are the differences between this festival and just about any another other in the bay area? 1) The main parade that commences the event: Fire engines, a Grand Marshall along with a few local quasi celebs and politicians. These are followed by marching bands, Carnaval-type dancers, pre-schoolers, high-school organizations, political groups, etc. 2) The community owns it: The Berkeley-Albany Girl Scout Service Unit was there, the Albany Lions Club Foundation, local martial arts schools had demonstrations, Berkeley Disaster Prep had a booth. 3) Better food selection: Plenty of brick and mortar restaurants & food booths were on both sides of the street. Little Star Pizza at the bottom of Solano, Zachary's Pizza towards the top, Ajanta Indian, New Orlean Cajun Cooking Booth, a few Vietnamese booths, at least 2 sushi options, a fish & chips booth, a few spots service teriyaki rice bowls, and a couple of taquerias,. There were others but you get the point. 4) A great selection of live entertainment: The California Shakespeare Theater was there, along with high school bands, a large (20-30 piece) orchestra, a blues band and a few other live music performers. 5) Dogs are allowed(on leash): An interesting aspect of this festival is that they actually encourage people to bring their dogs along for the stroll. I'm not sure if this is good or bad but it certainly adds to the character of the event and as far as I can see, there haven't been any negative incidents so far. 6) Activities for kids: Face painting, giant slides, a Ferris wheel and of course a "jumpy" house. In my opinion they could use more photography vendors(my favorite) though. Although I figure there is a good reason why there were no fine art photographers selling. This is a community and an event that 'gets' it. They do it right every year. read more

I've tried making it to this event every year since 2000. However, every time that i attend this event i have a blast with whomever i go with. I made sure i put in a request early to get this day off from work since now i kinda work weekends. I made sure i didn't get too slaughtered upon arrival to this event because i didn't want to end up scrubbing my face on the pavement in a drunken state down by the ivy room like i did about 6 years ago at the same event while chasing after my friend. Dumb i know. Last years stroll i caught like the last 40 minutes of it due to a tattoo appointment in Berkeley. This is an event that's fun for everyone! Fun for the whole family as well! Alcohol-free event but that didn't stop myself and a whole lot of others LOL. I definitely got my drink on and had a blast walking up and down this years event with friends. Hell! i even got a free blow-up Parrot which i carried with me up and down the stroll lol. This years event had it all. I mean i believe it was probably bigger than last years and 10 times more the people. I recommend you check it out and attend this event. unfortunately, this is an annual event so you'll have to wait till next year. Sorry lol. 5 out of 5 stars for this years solano ave stroll. read more

First time at the Stroll and certainly not the last. I was forewarned to park far as it'll be difficult to find parking. Having been raised in SF, parking wasn't an obstacle. We ended up parking just 3 blocks away. I love street festivals with so much to see, and shop around for. We'd been thinking of preschools for baby, and there were lots of preschool tents at the stroll. Anyways... we loved the stroll. Unfortunately, after a tri tip sandwich (not so good), chicken skewers (very good), fried oysters and garlic fries (yummy), and a blueberry funnel cake (too good)... hubby got sick and we had to go home. We made it about 1/2 way up the stroll.... next year, we'll pace it a little more in food and distance. All in all, I really enjoyed this community event. read more

Good food,live band,games for kids and the parade!!!what can you ask for more! My second year and I just Love It!

We would have a great time at the 2019 if we weren't terrified by the sight of so many police walking around with military style machine guns for no apparent reason than to scare people. I won't be coming to this event again if the police are going to continue to do that. I have no idea why there were that many police anyway, on foot, motorcycle etc. And then when you add in the scary guns...forget it. read more

Good reason to be outside and walk around. It's a good idea to save your appetite before you go because there are a lot of food options that sound absolutely delicious. (Too bad, I ate before I arrived.) I was pleased to see the Oaklandish bus there, but I must have been the only one because it didn't get much love. I agree, this is what every street fest should be - lively, well attended, diverse, and full of good food and a variety of vendors. There was a new vendor who sold old black and white photographs of the Bay Area. There were multiple stages and activities for all. Overall, I expect this to be the same year after year and for that reason, I'll space out my visits and not go on consecutive years. read more

Everything a street fair should be. I like to go to street fairs to oogle the cute doggies that everyone walks and daydream that I can take them all home with me ;) Luckily, when we got there about 2 hours before closing on the last day, the crowd was comfortably sparse. Things were winding down, everyone was friendly and at ease. A stroll indeed. We had a DELICIOUS crab garlic fries from one of the street food stands. The lady charged us $7 instead of the usual $8, just cuz. She was tipped the extra dollar. Grazed at all the interesting handmade art things. Ended up buying two neat bamboo bowls from a really sweet older couple. One of the bowls was just barely damaged and thus discounted steeply. All in all, a great last-minute decision to attend! read more

I grew up in Albany, so this is an annual event for me since I can remember. I always make the parade and do the stroll in the morning, the kids always enjoy the lower half which is more for children. The Berkeley side is still full of special interests peddling their wares! lots of entertainment, oodles of food! read more

We were looking for something to do last weekend and on a lark decided to check out the Solano Stroll. I'd heard about it for years but never thought to go. What a loss. This street fair is one of the best I've ever been to, and I've been to a lot of street fairs. There's something about the Berkeley/Albany area that makes anything that happens there interesting. There were lots of interesting groups represented, the food we tried was delicious and it was fun to watch the people -- and pets -- who were there. I'll definitely go next year. read more

The solano stroll has certainly changed over the years, but one change I do like is the carnival rides. Vendors do not bargain deal very much anymore and certain booths are not interesting such as politics, frames, and solar panels. read more

The Solano Stroll is a great opportunity to check out all the local businesses on a warm fall weekend. The Solano Ave Association puts together a parade, kid-friendly entertainment, tons of demos, and of course yummy food. Definitely a great local event! read more

Allen Cain does an amazing job running the Solano Stroll, which is a HUGE event with more moving parts than you would believe possible. The event is amazingly family-friendly, with so many special areas and activities for kids, and extremely eco-responsible as well. There's a licorice specialty vendor this year, which shows you how diverse the food options are! The Stroll is alcohol-free, which makes it a great opportunity for those who prefer public events to be more relaxed, and don't forget there's a parade! read more

Allen does a great job of running this event! We're about to enter our second year as an arts booth demonstration vendor - and am so excited to be here :) read more

We bought 3 sets of the sheet sets being sold at the Stroll. Big mistake! Should have bought one set first to make sure they were what was promised. So thin you can run your finger through it while trying to put it on the bed. Also weird sizes, Cal King isn't for a Cal King no matter which way you turn it. Waste of money. Anyone know about any money back guarantee or where I can find the women selling them directly from the manufacturer? I think I'll keep them until next year and take them back. read more

Great environment to take the whole family, or a date, or just go with a couple friends. It's good food, great entertainment and overall provides a fantastic sense of community. I would go every year. read more

If you are an art vendor - this event does not work! They screen to make sure you make your own goods and that's fine. But the attendees are high school kids from the parade with no money or parents. The community does not turn out for this joke of an art show~! read more