Capitola Begonia Festival
During the Capitola Begonia Festival, there is a Lighted Nautical Parade, Chalk Art on the Seawall, and Music at Esplanade Park. All of these are events that are sure to please all ages.
Historical significance
During the Capitola Begonia Festival, the community comes together to celebrate the colorful environment of Capitola and its local creative ingenuity. The Begonia Festival is a family event that runs for three days. The Nautical Parade is the most anticipated event of the festival. The parade floats travel down Soquel Creek to the Capitola Beach lagoon. Visitors line the creek banks to watch the barges and to clap for their favorite ones.
Before the Capitola Begonia Festival, Capitola was known as a port for shipping crops. The area had a moist coastal climate that was perfect for begonias. The family that owned the Brown Bulb Ranch in Capitola was very interested in begonias and obtained the best tubers from Belgium and Germany. The family bred two varieties of begonias. The Pacific Begonia, which produced hardy flowers, was a hit.
Tribute to the festival
Taking place September 24 and 25, the Capitola Beach Festival features a sand sculpture contest, row boat races, a fishing derby and a lighted nautical parade. There’s also an “Extra Large” Concert in the Park. It’s free and open to the public. Taking place in Esplanade Park, the concert will feature the world saxophone quartet.
The Capitola Begonia Festival was a bi-product of Capitola’s horticultural history. Since the 1930s, tuberous begonias have been part of the community’s floral heritage. This year’s festival will have thousands of them, along with a variety of other colorful flowers and plants.
In the spirit of the Capitola Begonia Festival, the Capitola Historical Museum created a tribute to the event. It will include nostalgic memorabilia from past festivals and some new items.
The festival will also feature a scavenger hunt, disc golf and a lighted nautical parade. Some events will be free, others are tickets. The festival also includes the Capitola Beach Music Festival, a bash that will feature music from a variety of local bands.
