Carlsbad Village Street Fair

More than 100,000 people will take in the beauty of our seaside city while browsing through unique booths, indulging in delectable eats and enjoying family entertainment when the largest one-day street faire in the nation returns next month.

The Carlsbad Village Street Faire will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. November 6, 2011. Each year, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce hosts the faire in May and November. Now in its 36th year, the free event has grown to be so popular that it not only continually attracts people from all over Southern California, but also from other states. Some visitors even plan their vacations around the bi-annual event.

"The reason so many people return to the faire every year is that they can count on finding quality items to purchase because of the wide variety of vendors," said Ted Owen, president and chief executive officer of the Carlsbad Chamber. "You name it and it's for sale at the faire."

Just like at past faires, over 850 vendors will sell everything fathomable, including clothes, accessories, plants, household products, art, antiques and home decor. The international food court will once again feature more than 50 booths serving everything from Thai to Hawaiian cuisine. The children's area will entertain youngsters with rides, games, a super slide, a bounce house, a rock climbing wall, face painting and arts and crafts.

The Rotary Club of Carlsbad's beer and wine garden will entertain fairgoers with a large screen TV and live bands. The Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad will continue its more than 25-year tradition of hosting a pancake breakfast at the Carlsbad railroad depot. The meal, which includes pancakes, sausage, coffee and juice, will be served between 7 a.m. and noon.

Grand Avenue from Carlsbad Boulevard to Jefferson Street, and all of the cross streets in between, will be closed for the event. To make parking more convenient, complimentary shuttles will run to and from the faire. Shuttles will pick up and drop off passengers at the Poinsettia Coaster Station and the northwest corner of Sears at Westfield Plaza Camino Real.

Parking for the popular festival is limited, so visitors are encouraged to use the complimentary shuttles that run to and from the faire every 15 minutes. The shuttle pick-up locations are at the northwest corner of Sears at Westfield Shoppingtown Plaza Camino Real (Highway 78 and Jefferson) as well as at the Poinsettia Coaster Station (Poinsettia exit off of I-5).