California Corner

Festivals, Feasts & Fairs

SAN DIEGO--Celebrate the cultures of Scotland, Ireland and Wales at the fifth annual Celtic Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the War Memorial Building in Balboa Park. Featured: traditional music and dance from the Scottish Highlands, Ireland and Wales; an Irish/Scottish village, and Celtic foods and folklore. $1. Dinner and a ceilidh (party with entertainment) follow at 6 p.m. $15. The War Memorial Building is on Park Boulevard, at the intersection of Zoo Drive (at the far end of the San Diego Zoo parking lot). (619) 583-7349.

PETALUMA--Petaluma pays a wholesome tribute to its poultry and dairy industries with the 12th annual Butter and Egg Days Parade at noon Saturday. Other activities in the downtown area include an egg toss and children’s activities in Center Park; a pancake breakfast, 8 a.m. in the Main Street parking lot; Earth Day activities, 2-5 p.m. in Walnut Park, and live music all day in Putnam Plaza. Next Sunday, the Petaluma Outdoor Antiques Faire fills the downtown area, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. Take U.S. 101 north and exit at Petaluma Boulevard North. (707) 762-9348.

LAKE ARROWHEAD--Paintings, sculpture, crafts, dance and music are showcased at the Village Art Festival, Saturday and next Sunday. The first-time event, sponsored by the Rim of the World Arts Council, is 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days in Lake Arrowhead Village. Performances are by the Inland Brass Quintet and the recently formed Arrowhead Ballet Company. Free. From Interstate 10 east, take I-215 north, then California 18 to the Lake Arrowhead turnoff. (909) 336-3274.

SQUAW VALLEY--Squaw Valley Herb Gardens, 45 miles east of Fresno, hosts a variety of fragrant festivities at the third annual California Herbfest, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday. Highlights include garden tours, wreath-making demonstrations, Hmong crafts and dance, and a sale of potted herb plants. Lunch, featuring fresh herbs, is available 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The gardens are at 31765 E. Kings Canyon Road. Admission is $5. Interstate 5 north to California 99; go east at California 180 (East Kings Canyon Road); the gardens are on the right-hand side. (209) 332-2909.

COSTA MESA--Orange County youth share the stage with reptiles and amphibians at the 1993 Youth Expo, themed “Snakes, Frogs and Lizards on Logs.” The 14th annual event is April 30-May 2 at the Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive. Live animals and animal exhibits are featured, along with a 4-H show, school projects, a preliminary Talent Search competition, a jazz festival, cheerleader contests and the Orange County Science and Engineering Fair. Free. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. April 30; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. May 1-2. (714) 751-3247.