Thanksgiving may be over, but the spirit of giving should never end. We only have 19 days until we celebrate Christmas Day. While you run around conducting your errands for Christmas dinner, add a few extra items to your grocery cart. Then, consider donating them to one of the Ventura food pantries. Your heart fills with joy when helping others. A couple of other ways to get you into the Christmas spirit could be going to see the Ventura Tree Lighting or watching the Parade of Lights.Ventura Tree LightingThis Friday, December 10th, Downtown Ventura lights up the Christmas tree located right outside of the Mission. Starting at 6 pm, gather 'round the tree. At dusk, they flip the switch on the lights. I hear that Santa promises to make an appearance around 7 pm. But he can only stay for a... 12/06/2021

Next week, we celebrate Thanksgiving. For many, this means gathering with our families, sharing a meal, and counting the blessings bestowed upon us over the past year. Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of either family or food on the table. According to Food Share Ventura, one in six people in Ventura County experiences food insecurity. That means, more likely than not, you know of someone in this situation. One way to show how grateful you are this holiday season is to donate to local Ventura food pantries.Ventura Food Pantries Welcome Holiday DonationsThe holidays can be a particularly rough time for some people. When you go shopping, consider adding a few extra items to your cart. Then, donate them to a local food pantry. In turn, these pantries make sure that the goods are ... 11/15/2021

Ernest Hemingway once said, "there is no friend as loyal as a book." Books open the world up to everyone, no matter what their financial or geographical situation happens to be at the moment. Libraries help make these adventures available to everyone. To help clear out old inventory and raise money for programs provided by all of Ventura's libraries, come to the Ventura Bag o' Books Sale this Saturday, November 6th.What: Ventura Bag o' Books Sale 2021Where: EP Foster Library (651 E Main St)When: Saturday, November 6th, 10 am to 3 pmContact: Ventura Friends of the Library via emailVentura Bag o'Books Sale 2021The Ventura Friends of the Library organized this special book sale as a fun way to help out the libraries as well as the public. Pick up some books to fill your home library up at ... 11/01/2021

Halloween is less than two weeks away. Ventura Harbor Village hosts their Seaside Skeleton Hunt over Halloween weekend. That sounds like a ton of fun. But have you picked up your pumpkin yet? No better time than the present! Any one of these Ventura County pumpkin patches can help you find the perfect pumpkin to make your jack-o-lantern dreams come true this year.Ventura County Pumpkin PatchesCamarillo Pumpkin PatchPeace Lutheran (71 Loma Dr) - Open 1 pm to 7 pm October 24th to 31st. Includes tractor-pulled hayrides and a haunted house. Join them on the 24th for their special Peace Pumpkin Fest.Fillmore Pumpkin PatchesEMIS Pumpkin Patch (2600 Old Telegraph Rd) - Open 8 am to 7 pm Monday through Friday, and 7 am to 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Freshly picked pumpkins for sale at their sh... 10/18/2021

In Ventura, you never worry about finding fun things to see and do. Of course, we saw fireworks shows all over Ventura County on July 4th. In August, we experienced a sort of revised Ventura County Fair with SummerFest 2021. Last month, the Ventura Art and Street Fair filled Ventura Harbor Village with beautiful artwork. This month, we celebrate all things "spooookkky" with the Seaside Skeleton Hunt.What: Seaside Skeleton HuntWhere: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: October 30th & 31st, 2021Contact: Ventura Harbor Village (805) 477-0470Seaside Skeleton HuntVentura Harbor Village hosts many family-friendly events throughout the year. October proves no exception. As part of the Halloween fun, they scheduled a skeleton hunt this month for all good little boils and ghouls. But these skeletons are... 10/04/2021

Why wait until spring to clear out your home of unwanted junk? Not sure where to dispose of big things like furniture, appliances, and old mattresses? Sign up for the Ventura Community Clean Up & Recycling Day event. They dispose or recycle these things absolutely free of charge for all Ventura residents.What: Ventura Community Clean Up & Recycling Day 2021Where: 765 S Seward Ave, VenturaWhen: Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 from 8:30 am to 11:30 amAdmission: Free for Ventura ResidentsContact: Rick Guzman, City of Ventura (805) 652-4525 or via emailVentura Community Clean Up & Recycling Day 2021Curbside trash pick-up only accepts certain household trash. Larger items must be taken to the dump. And that entails a fee as well as your time and a bit of elbow grease. Instead, take them to the C... 09/20/2021

Artists of all sorts thrive in our Ventura community. Steel Drum Saturdays and Live Music Sundays highlight the talents of local musicians. All March long, we celebrate Mermaid Month with artistic offerings in various mediums. Artistic craftsmen even showcase their wares at events like SummerFest 2021. Another fun way to support our local artisans is by coming to the Ventura Art and Street Festival 2021 on September 11th and 12th.What: Ventura Art and Street Festival 2021Where: Ventura HarborWhen: September 11th & 12th, 10 am to 5 pmAdmission: FREEContact: Ventura Art Festival (805) 650-9858 or via emailVentura Art and Street Festival 2021Painters. Sculptors. Ceramicists. Photographers. Glassmiths. Metal artists. Leatherworkers. Jewelers. All mediums of artwork can be found at the art a... 09/14/2021

Firework shows on the 4th of July. Tequila and Tacos the weekend before last. We seem to have enjoyed a bit of a return to normal here in California lately. Unfortunately, the Delta variant of COVID-19 put mask mandates back in place for everyone when indoors. Sadly, officials canceled the annual Ventura County Fair this year. But, visitors may satisfy their "fair tooth" with the Ventura SummerFest 2021 Carnival instead.What: Ventura SummerFest 2021Where: Ventura Fairgrounds (10 W Harbor Blvd)When: Aug 4th to Aug 15th, 3 pm to 10 pm Mon through Fri, 12 pm to 10 pm Sat & SunAdmission: Free (tickets required for carnival rides)Ventura SummerFest 2021If we cannot enjoy the Ventura County Fair this year, at least we get the next best thing...SummerFest! Sure, the size of the fair we are use... 08/02/2021

Summer weekends at Harbor Village fill up with music thanks to Steel Drum Saturdays and Summer Sundays. But if you want something a little more substantial to feed your soul (and your belly), visit the Ventura County Fairgrounds this weekend for the Tequila and Taco Music Festival 2021. There will be music. There will be tacos. And, of course, there will be tequila!What: Tequila and Taco Music Festival 2021Where: Ventura County Fairgrounds (10 E Harbor Blvd)When: July 24th (1 pm to 9:30 pm) & July 25th (12 pm to 6:30 pm)Admission: $20 per person or $35 for twoTequila and Taco Music Festival 2021Guests of the festival enjoy the chance to sample some of the best Top Shelf tequila around. Since you also need something in your belly to keep your spirits high while enjoying the alcohol, pair... 07/19/2021

Who watched the fireworks in Ventura County this weekend? They were glorious! It is nice to see a return to some sort of normalcy here in California. Is homeownership next up on your agenda? Oxnard made Forbes' list of the hottest markets in California. But, really, we have seen prices reach record highs all over Ventura County these past few months. Finding a home is one thing. Avoiding falling out of escrow is another thing entirely.How to Avoid Falling Out of EscrowPossible Inspection SurprisesPart of the home sale process includes a home inspection. This offers buyers a realistic look at the condition of a property, warts and all. Sometimes, the inspector may find minor issues. Other times, an inspector may find major issues. At that point, a buyer can choose to either re-negotiate ... 07/06/2021

Last month, Governor Newsom said that he expected to lift the mandatory mask mandate in California on June 15th (just eight days from today). However, he may require workers to continue to wear masks under certain circumstances. Fortunately, outdoor events appear to be OK. Last month's Open Air Seaside Market showed tremendous success. Starting later this month, Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays should also be a welcome treat for visitors to Ventura Harbor Village.What: Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays 2021Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: 1 pm to 4 pm every Saturday from June 19th to Sept 4thAdmission: FREEContact: Ventura Harbor Village (805) 477-0470Ventura Steel Drum Saturdays 2021They say music calms the savage beast. Well, then, all savage beasts need to visit Ventura Harbor Village. Sip ... 06/07/2021

The CDC recently released their latest mask guidelines for fully vaccinated individuals. However, Governor Newsom has not released an update to California's mask guidelines as of yet. So, some businesses may require you to wear a mask when you enter. Even so, our beautiful sunny weather makes it a great time to be outdoors. And if you missed attending things like an open air market, the fairgrounds hosts the Ventura Open Air Seaside Market on the last two Sundays of May.What: Ventura Open Air Seaside Market 2021Where: Ventura Fairgrounds (10 W Harbor Blvd)When: Sunday, May 23rd & 30th, from 10:30 am to 4 pmAdmission: Free (parking $10)Contact: Ventura Fairgrounds (805) 648-3376Ventura Open Air Seaside Market 2021Graduation. Birthdays. Anniversaries. Father's Day. Just because. Or maybe ... 05/17/2021

Buying your first house may leave you feeling overwhelmed. Before you search for a Ventura home you love, you must find a real estate agent you trust, save for a down payment and closing costs, get approved for a loan, and make sure you are ready for the first year of homeownership. The CalHFA helps homebuyers in California purchase their first home.California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA)Requirements to QualifyTo even be considered for one of California Housing Finance Agency's loans, buyers must meet certain requirements. First, you must be a first-time homebuyer. That means that you either never owned a home before or you have not owned one in the previous three years. Secondly, your credit score below 660 (for conventional low-income rate) or 680 (for conventional standard rate). ... 04/30/2021

It seems like we battle wildfires here in California every single year. Our dry weather makes us vulnerable to these. Now that temperatures have begun to warm up, our chances of wildfires increases. To help protect your Ventura home as well as those of your neighbors, the City created a Ventura Fire Hazard Reduction Plan.Ventura Fire Hazard Reduction Plan (FHRP)Earlier this month, Ventura sent out letters to over 6500 homeowners outlining their Fire Hazard Reduction Plan. The City gives these homeowners until May 18th to clear up their property. The plan breaks down fire hazard reduction into two zones. Zone 1 focuses on the residence and the surrounding area up to 30 feet from it in all directions. Zone 2 extends from 30 feet out to 100 feet (or the property line, whichever falls close... 04/19/2021

Today's Ventura homebuyer looks for a good home office space (among other things) inside a property. But they also appreciate a nice outdoor living area. After all, being stuck inside our homes for most of 2020 really showed us that we need as much space as possible. Thankfully, Southern California weather permits outdoor living pretty much year-round. If you want to appeal to buyers in the future, consider incorporating some of these outdoor living space ideas.Outdoor Living Space IdeasA Cozy FirepitAs the evening cools off, people enjoy spending time around a roaring fire. Roasting marshmallows. Swapping stories. In general, spending time with each other outside of a viewing screen. In fact, people craved this so much last year that firepits sold out well before fall came in. Think ab... 04/05/2021

This global pandemic forced companies to make some changes in order to stay in business. For restaurants, it meant upping their "take out" game and moving some tables outside. For shops, it meant limiting the number of patrons allowed inside and requiring masks. Entertainment venues felt a huge hit, with most of them forced to shut their doors indefinitely. Live music all but disappeared. Well, we are very happy to announce that CBF Productions found a way to bring back live music again. They created Ventura Concerts in Your Car.What: Ventura Concerts in Your Car 2021Where: Ventura County FairgroundsWhen: Every Saturday in April 2021Admission: Varies per eventVentura Concerts in Your CarYou know about drive-in movies, right? Well, starting next month, enjoy drive-in concerts courtesy of... 03/15/2021

March is Ventura Mermaid Month. Mermaids fill a special place in the hearts of those in Ventura Harbor Village. All month long, visitors enjoy a variety of fun mermaid-related activities as well as special discounts on merchandise and food. Of course, all businesses and activities follow COVID-19 guidelines to keep the public safe. So, no Mermaid Meet & Greet this year, unfortunately. But there are still plenty of other fun things to see, do, and shop for all month long.What: Ventura Mermaid Month 2021Where: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: All month long in MarchVentura Mermaid Month 2021Scheduled ActivitiesVentura Boat Rentals recently released their newest swan boat "flock" out onto harbor waters...just in time for Mermaid Month. Rent yourself one of these fun little boats and paddle your... 03/01/2021

It feels like there is a holiday for just about anything. Did you celebrate National Cuddle Up Day (January 6th), Step in the Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day (January 11th), or Squirrel Appreciation Day (January 21st)? Yesterday was not only Valentine's Day but also National Cream-Filled Chocolates Day. We hope at least some of you celebrated it even if you did not know it was happening. Well, February 25th happens to be National Clam Chowder Day. And Ventura Harbor Village wants to help you celebrate.What: National Clam Chowder DayWhere: Ventura Harbor VillageWhen: Thursday, February 25thNational Clam Chowder Day at Ventura Harbor VillageThree great Village restaurants offer delicious options for how to celebrate Clam Chowder Day. The 805 Bar serves a scrumptious chowder with capers... 02/15/2021

Yes, even during a pandemic, the Ventura County housing market flourished. If you happened to sell your property in 2020, you need to think about how this affects your taxes. Last year, the government delayed our usual tax deadline date until July. However (so far), it appears that this year returns to the normal April 15th deadline. But you can never start preparing too early. To help you out, the following is a list of tax deductions, write-offs, and exemptions you might want to keep in mind for tax day.Tax Deductions for Home SellersSelling CostsYou probably had to come up with some money out of your own pocket/profits in order to sell your Ventura home. These included escrow fees, agent commissions, advertising costs, and possible legal fees. As long as you lived in your home for at... 01/18/2021

Being a first-time homeowner can be exciting...and a little scary. Anytime anything breaks, no more calling the landlord. You must fix it yourself. Plus, the expense comes out of your pocket. In your first year of homeownership, the learning curve can sometimes be steep. But you will get through it. Find out what to expect when you become a homeowner and how to prepare for it by reading below.First Year of Homeownership ExpectationsSomething Will BreakIt is inevitable. Even owners of newly constructed Ventura homes find themselves fixing something during their first year. It might be something as simple as a doorknob or something more complicated like the air conditioner. The longer we live in a place, the more likely a repair or replacement comes up.To prepare for your first year of ho... 01/04/2021