The Ultimate Guide to the Oxnard Salsa Festival (2024)

It's summer and the Oxnard Salsa Festival is heating up. The festival returns with the hottest bands in salsa, non-stop dancing, spicy salsa tastings, a vibrant marketplace, margaritas and more.

Here's your must-read guide to this year's Oxnard Salsa Festival.

Oxnard Salsa Festival

The Salsa Festival takes place at the historic Plaza Park, in the heart of downtown Oxnard at Fifth and "C" Streets. In addition to the air being filled with the irresistible rhythmic sounds of Salsa music while cooled by coastal breezes, the festival offers delicious latin food, refreshing beverages, and an eclectic selection of craft and retail vendors. The Oxnard Salsa Festival brings back their Salsa Tasting Tent where festivalgoers can sample a selection spicy Salsa while sipping margaritas and beer.

Where to Park

Parking is free, but we highly recommend arriving early to find a space.

Parking is available at the Downtown Parking Garage on 4th and B streets. There are more than 20 public parking lots throughout Downtown Oxnard that are free, and the 2-hour parking limits on-street parking are not enforced on Festival weekend as a courtesy to festival attendees.

Another option is to take the local Gold Coast transit bus, which stops in Oxnard, Ventura or Ojai, to the Oxnard Transit Center.

If you're living outside of Ventura County, take the Amtrak train into town. The station is located three blocks from the Festival.

Learn more about getting to the Festival.

Tickets

The Oxnard Salsa Festival is a ticketed event. General Admission tickets to the Oxnard Salsa
Festival start at $6.99, children 12 and under are free. Salsa Tasting Lounge
tickets that include festival entry, an exclusive shaded area, salsa tasting from local
and national salsa makers, and a choice of a beer, margarita or water, are $24.99.
All tickets provide full access to food, beverage and marketplace vendors, and live
entertainment. VIP and group seating tickets will also be available. For more
information and to purchase tickets, visit Oxnard Salsa Festival.

Festival hours on both Saturday and Sunday are from 11am – 7pm.

Salsa Tasting Tent

The Oxnard Salsa Festival is a celebration of all things salsa – food, music and dance - and a place where salsa (the sauce!) reigns supreme. Under the big-top Salsa Tasting Tent, festivalgoers can sample a selection spicy Salsa while sipping margaritas and beer. You'll find dozens of flavors of salsa to sample and buy. From fresh and fruity, sweet and smoky, to mild and scorching hot. It's the region's biggest salsa bar!

Food at the Event

The Oxnard Salsa Festival is bringing the flavor with two amazing international food courts. From flavorful carne asada tacos, aguas frescas and empanadas to roasted corn and strawberry desserts – there are dozens of menu items to choose from in the two Festival food courts! So come hungry and get ready to enjoy a global food adventure!

Entertainment

When the festival begins, the music gets going with dynamic live performances
continuously throughout the day until closing time. Six bands will perform at the Oxnard Salsa Festival in 2024. Check out the main stage schedule here.

Kid Zone

Kids can enjoy games, rides and bounce houses at the Oxnard Salsa Festival's Kid Zone. There are also arts and crafts activities for kids of all ages.

Salsa Festival Gives Back

The Oxnard Salsa Festival has raised more than $750,000 over the past ten years for various local charities through the "Dancing with Our Community Stars" event. The stars train and show off their skills in a dance competition on Sunday's main stage.

You can vote by donating $1 to the star representing their favorite charity. One-hundred percent of the proceeds raised goes directly to each charity.

Need Planning?

• ​​Find accommodation options here.
• Find out more about planning your visit here.
• Discover cool things to see and do in Oxnard here.
• Want to come back for another event? Check out the line-up of Oxnard events here.
• Want to take a trip to the beach? Here's a guide to Oxnard's best beaches.