Short List: June 2025

NEW ART CITY THEATRE FESTIVAL
June 12-15 | Ventura
Beginning June 12, New Art City Theatre presents four exciting new plays at the Museum of Ventura County. These bold, original projects were selected from a field of 258 submissions. With a matinee and evening shows each day, and post-show audience talkback sessions, you don’t want to miss a moment of this festival of new theatre! Featured productions include “Tribeca” by Zach Tomasovic, “Trouble Deaf Heaven” by Michaelia Mendoza, “Two Man Rule” by Collin Van Son and “The Appliance Department” by Bella Poynton. Free; reservations required. 100 East Main Street, Ventura, newartcitytheatre.org.

HERITAGE SQUARE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
June 13 – Aug. 22 | Oxnard
Get ready for a sensational 10-week season of performances from perennial fan favorites plus some exciting new acts to our community stage. The series is produced by the Oxnard Downtowners with support from the Heritage Square Property Owners Association, and the Downtown Oxnard Improvement Association. Enjoy full-service food and beverage options just steps away at The 1901, our onsite restaurant. Let their excellent staff cater to you and your guests’ needs with concert table service anywhere in our concert venue. Concert tables reservations will again be through an online process. Individual seat tickets will be available to purchase each day of the show starting at 5 p.m. These seats are $12 each and are first come, first served. Unreserved BYO blanket or low back lawn chair seating will continue to be offered free (donations appreciated) starting at 4 p.m. on the day of the show (no early birds). 715 South A Street, Ventura, 805.247.0197, heritagesquareoxnard.com.

PALOMAZO MUSIC FESTIVAL
June 14 | Oxnard
Join us for the first Palomazo Music Festival, featuring an eclectic mix of live music, all happening in Downtown Oxnard! Beautiful Heritage Square will be the place, with performances by Los Xiqueños, Giselle Woo and the Night Owls, Maria Sanchez and the Midnight Grooves, Grupo Monitor and Mariachi Quinto Sol. General admission tickets are available for $26.50, with options for a lounge table ($36.50), VIP table ($178.50) and VIP Box ($204.50). 3-9 p.m. $15-$26.50. 721 South A Street, Oxnard, pipiripau.com/collections/palomazo.

SECRET GARDEN BALLET
June 14-15 | Thousand Oaks
“Secret Garden” is a cutting-edge full length contemporary ballet that reimagines the beloved 1911 classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett. A story of loss, dreams, hope and transformation, “Secret Garden” follows the restoration of a garden and the revival of the human spirit. Featuring the talented dancers of The Industry Dance Academy with special guest artists. Forgotten dreams bloom and the soul awakens. A full-length contemporary ballet directed and choreographed by Josie Walsh, with an original score by Paul Rivera. Performances on Saturday, June 14, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, June 15, at 4 p.m. $81.75-$86.90. Scherr Forum Theatre of the Bank of the America Performing Arts Center, 2100 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, 805.449.2787, bapacthousandoaks.com.

RHIANNON GIDDENS & THE OLD-TIME REVUE
June 16 | Ventura
Rhiannon Giddens has made a singular, iconic career out of stretching her brand of folk music, with its miles-deep historical roots and contemporary sensibilities, into just about every field imaginable. A two-time Grammy Award-winning singer and multi-instrumentalist, MacArthur “Genius” grant recipient, Pulitzer Prize winner, and composer of opera, ballet and film, Giddens has centered her work around the mission of lifting up people whose contributions to American musical history have previously been overlooked or erased, and advocating for a more accurate understanding of the country’s musical origins through art. A founding member of the landmark Black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops and the all-female banjo supergroup Our Native Daughters, Giddens is as much a curator as a creator. She is the current Artistic Director of the Yo-Yo Ma-founded Silkroad Ensemble, hosts a TV show on PBS and boasts many other achievements and accolades — including serving as Music Director for the 2023 Ojai Music Festival. See her in concert at the Majestic Ventura Theater. Doors open at 7 p.m. All ages. $52.95-$63.25. 26 South Chestnut Street, Ventura, www.venturatheater.net.

THE DECAMERON PROJECT: HOLLYWOOD’S ONE-MINUTE PLAY FESTIVAL
June 20-21 | Ventura
The Decameron Project — Hollywood’s One-Minute Play Festival continues to gain momentum as a must-see theatrical experience, with its growing popularity capturing audiences worldwide. After its successful debut at Burbank’s Victory Theatre in 2023, the project made an unforgettable impact with a sold-out run in Tokyo in November 2024. Building on this success, The Decameron Project will present three One-Minute Play Festivals in 2025, taking the art of short-form theater to new heights. With performances slated for Ventura, in June, Los Angeles in August and Tokyo, Japan in November 2025, audiences will experience a dynamic range of innovative plays, each lasting just one minute but delivering lasting impact. Don’t miss your chance to be part of this exciting, global theatrical movement! $20-$25. Namba Performing Arts Space, 47 South Oak Street, Ventura, 805.628.9250, NambaArts.com.

VENTURA COUNTY GREEK FESTIVAL
June 20-22 | Camarillo
The annual Ventura County Greek Festival is much more than a cultural event. For the stewards of St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, it is an opportunity to share a part of ourselves with the community. Who we are. Where we come from. What we believe. Our heartfelt wish is that you enjoy yourselves during the festival weekend, but please remember that we are here year-round and always prepared to help those in need, regardless of faith. The Festival celebrates our faith, culture, food, music and dance. It is how we express our joy and pride as Greek Orthodox Christians and in our Greek Heritage. Come out to celebrate with us through church tours, live music, performances, dancing, a KidZone and more! Friday, June 20, 5-9 p.m.; Saturday, June 21, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, June 22, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. The festival takes place at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church; there is NO parking at the festival. Free parking and shuttles are available at the Ventura County Office of Education, 5100 Adolfo Road, Camarillo. vcgreekfestival.org.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
June 20 – July 20 | Santa Paula
Tennessee Williams’ explosive and groundbreaking drama ranks as one of the greatest plays of the 20th century. Winner of multiple awards, this classic drama has well earned its ranking as a true masterpiece of the American Theatre. Drama and tragedy ensue when a troubled and aging Southern belle moves in with her sister and brother-in-law in a shabby New Orleans apartment. $24-$26. Santa Paula Theater Center, 125 S. South Seventh Street, Santa Paula, 805.525.4645, www.santapaulatheatercenter.org.

KINGSMEN SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
June 20 – July 27 | Thousand Oaks
The Kingsmen Shakespeare Company is dedicated to presenting professional programs and performances of the works of William Shakespeare for the education and entertainment of people of all ages. Taking place outdoors in lovely Kingsmen Park at California Lutheran University, it is one of the area’s most beloved summer traditions. Each year, the company brings one comedy and one tragedy or history to the stage, always wonderfully imagined and performed by a talented cast. The selections for 2025 will be the mischievous romance of mistaken identities, “Twelfth Night,” (June 20-July 6) and the tragedy of “Cymbeline” (July 11-27). $20-$150. 60 West Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks, www.kingsmenshakespeare.org.

OJAI WINE FESTIVAL
June 21 | Ojai
The 37th Annual Ojai Wine Festival is the longest running wine festival in Ventura County. Overlooking scenic Lake Casitas in the Ojai Valley, the Ojai Wine Festival is an idyllic venue to taste award winning wines and amazing craft beers. A bountiful selection of wineries, craft breweries, ciders, seltzers and fine spirits will be represented along with a tempting selection of gourmet food trucks selling delicious culinary cuisine. Drinking admission includes a keepsake crystal wine glass. Patrons can shop to their heart’s delight among the arts and crafts booths. Take a free ride on the Rotary Boat and experience the beauty of Lake Casitas Recreation Area. Bid on the Silent Wine Auction featuring fine wines, private tasting parties, VIP tours of wineries, artisan crafts and much more. Join the dance party on the lakeside dance floor and groove to music. Food and sealed non-alcoholic beverages are allowed. Tickets are limited so purchase early before we sell out. The Ojai Wine Festival is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Ojai-West Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose charitable projects focus on improving education, aiding low-income families and supporting activities that enrich the lives of area youth. Event times: 12-4 pm, Pouring ends at 3:30 p.m., band at 4 p.m. $95 by June 20; $105 day of event. Saturday, June 21, 12-4 p.m. Lake Casitas Recreation Area, Wadleigh Arm Event Site, 11093 Santa Ana Road, Ventura, ojaiwinefestival.com.

OTTMAR LIEBERT
June 27 | Ventura
Experience the magic of five-time Grammy nominee Ottmar Liebert live in concert — an unforgettable evening of his signature Nouveau Flamenco sound that blends elegance, passion and global rhythms. Don’t miss this world-renowned guitarist as he creates a spellbinding atmosphere with every note. Performance is at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 27; doors open at 6 p.m. $15-$99. Majestic Ventura Theater, 26 South Chestnut Street, Ventura, www.venturamusicfestival.org.

BOOTS & BREWS
June 29 | Ventura
Boots & Brews is more than just a concert…it’s all about celebrating good friends, cold beer and great country music! Grab your best dancing boots and get ready for an amazing country lineup! Kane Brown headlines this year’s event. General admission tickets start at $125.72. Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 West Harbor Boulevard, Ventura,
www.bootsandbrews.com.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT
Through June 29 | Moorpark
Outrageous, uproarious and gloriously entertaining, “Monty Python’s Spamalot” retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, featuring show girls, flying cows, killer rabbits and French people. This Tony Award-winning musical will have you always looking, “On the bright side of life.” $28-$34. High Street Arts Center, 45 East High Street, Moorpark, highstreetartscenter.com.

ON THE HORIZON

OJAI 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION
July 4 | Ojai
One of the best small-town Independence Day celebrations in the USA! Charming Ojai gets into the patriotic spirit with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Lion’s Club, a morning run, a community parade down the heart of town and an after party and picnic in Sarzotti Park. Later that evening, everyone gathers at Nordhoff Stadium for the fireworks show and live music. It’s always a wonderful time. Locations and prices vary. Find out all the details at
www.4thofjulyinojai.com.

VENTURA 4TH OF JULY STREET FAIR & PUSHEM-PULLEM PARADE
July 4 | Ventura
Join us for the City of Ventura’s 48th Annual 4th of July Street Fair & Pushem-Pullem Parade on Friday, July 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Ventura’s Downtown District. This year’s event will feature an artisan street fair with over 100 vendors, a car exhibit, food trucks, kids’ area, live entertainment, and more. It’s an all-ages red, white and blue celebration of the founding of our country – don’t miss out! More information at www.cityofventura.ca.gov/1723/Events.