Pato Banton and Los Hermanos Mendoza headline Atascadero Fall Fest
Photo by Flying90
Three-day event features more than 40 bands and 60 vendors
– The fifth annual Atascadero Fall Festival will take place Friday, Nov. 14, through Sunday, Nov. 16, at the Sunken Gardens in Atascadero. Festival hours are Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 10 p.m.
The free, family-friendly event will feature a carnival with rides and games, more than 40 bands performing on two stages, and over 60 food and merchant vendors. Event organizers said this year’s festival will include more carnival rides, headlining acts, and themed entertainment nights.
Friday, Nov. 14, is Country Night, featuring Jayden Secor, Stephen Styles Band, The Mother Corn Shuckers, and headliners Los Hermanos Mendoza. Central Coast line dance instructor Vanessa Robertson will also perform. Los Hermanos Mendoza, a first-generation Mexican-American country band of three brothers from Bakersfield, blends the Bakersfield Sound with regional Mexican influences inspired by artists such as Buck Owens, Merle Haggard, Vicente Fernandez, and Ramon Ayala.
On Saturday, Nov. 15, the annual Colony Days Parade will join the Fall Festival weekend. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and travels around downtown near the Sunken Gardens.
“To be able to welcome Colony Days into the Fall Festival weekend was a no-brainer,” said event organizer and co-owner of En Fuego Events, Andres Nuño. “We know how important Colony Days is to the community, and we are excited to be able to enhance the weekend. We encourage families to join us after the parade ends, and our scheduled 12 p.m. opening will be perfectly aligned with the end of the parade.”
Saturday’s entertainment begins with an 80s and 90s Dance Party on the Visit Atascadero Main Stage featuring Ultra, Way Out West, Club DV8, and the 90s Babiez. DJ sets by Traffic Records will take place throughout the weekend.
Saturday evening will feature Reggae Night with local band True Zion and Grammy-nominated reggae artist Pato Banton. Banton has recorded and toured with The English Beat, Steel Pulse, UB40, and Sting.
“Having Pato come back and do this free concert during the Atascadero Fall Festival is going to be amazing for the community,” said Nuño. “We had a lot of people reach out hoping to have him come back and play the Fall Fest, and we are excited we finally were able to make it happen.”
Sunday’s lineup includes Fiesta Sunday with Flor de Luna Folklorico dancers and Norteño bands La Nave Especial and Equipo Elite. The festival will conclude with the Funk ‘n’ Rock the Block Party featuring Wordsauce, False Puppet, and Carbon City Lights.
The carnival will include rides such as the Century Ferris Wheel in front of City Hall, the Zipper, bumper cars, a carousel, Super Slide, Extreme, Kamikaze, and Pharaoh’s Fury.
Presale all-you-can-ride wristbands ($38) are available online until Thursday, Nov. 13, at 10 p.m. Wristbands and ride credits will also be available online and at the event. Wristbands can be purchased in person at the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, Wild Fields Brewhouse, Ancient Owl Beer Garden, and Decades Hi-Fi Lounge.
Guests over 21 can attend the Suds at Sunken Gardens boutique-style Beer and Wine Festival on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 12 to 3:30 p.m. The event will feature more than 12 breweries, cideries, and wineries. Presale tickets are $35 and available on the festival website.
The festival will also include a free shuttle on Saturday for attendees, with room for chairs, blankets, and strollers.
For more information and a full entertainment schedule, visit www.atascaderofallfest.com.
