THE TOP 5 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR KIDS IN THE VALLEY THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and the weather should be good enough to head outside and create a little family fun. Or at least go somewhere else and listen to your kids argue... 

Here are my top 5 family activities for this weekend: 





(Photo by Mitchell Joyce via Flickr.com)

1) Do you ever feel like it’s getting harder and harder to put down the electronics and have some old fashion family fun? Well this Memorial Day weekend head out to Topanga Days in Topanga Canyon for 3 legged races, pie eating contests, water balloons, and more. The 3-day festival starts on Saturday, May 24th, and runs through Monday, May 26th. Visit www.topangadays.com for info on parking and hours. There’s even a PARADE!!! Plus something they call a “Baby Derby”. Not sure what that means, but I know I have GOT to see it. And possibly bet on it.

2) WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PARADE? If you can’t make it over to Topanga for their Monday morning event, head east instead and hit the Memorial Days Parade held in Canoga Park. Monday the 26th find your spot on the parade that runs from Sherman Way and Owensmouth and ends on Sherman Way and the First Baptist Church of Canoga Park. The parade jumps into full gear at 10 am. http://cpwhchamber.org/25th-annual-memorial-day-parade/ has the details. 

3) The 25th annual Simi Valley Cajun & Blues Festival provides family fun, May 24-25, at Rancho Santa Susanna Community Park, 5005 Los Angeles Ave., in Simi Valley. Both days feature nonstop music from noon to 7:30 and Mardi Gras Parade at 4, plus two full stages full of music and FREE PARKING! Sometimes the parking situation can make or break an event for me....Tickets are $22 adults 13+ ($20 online until May 1) and $15 children 7-12, and are available online at www.simicajun.org or at the gate. 

4) Northridge is getting GREEK Saturday through Monday, 1-9 pm at 9501 Balboa Blvd when they celebrate the St. Nicholas Valley Greek Festival. There will be amazing Greek food, music, dancing, vendors, and fun. They had me at Greek food... Head to www.valleygreekfestival.com for details. And save me a gyro, would ya?

5) Sometimes you need an event that’s just a little less overwhelming than a big parade. So here’s a fun idea, head to Travel Town in Griffith Park and then keep driving to the next driveway and you will see the Live Steamers. Take your kids riding on these miniature trains that are open to the public on Sundays from 11-3 only and run by volunteers. It’s a suggested donation of $3 and is close enough to the park to visit other activities there or just head home and call it a day. Either way, you will feel like the dad on “Silver Spoons” (high five if you know what I’m referring to!). Info at www.lals.org.

You can always get more LA Kids Activities by following me on Twitter @nickerberger and checking out the hashtag #buzzLA. Also check out my show “The Buzz” at www.cityofcalabasas.com or on Channel 3 in the West Valley. Here’s this week’s episode with all these events and more: http://youtu.be/MYIDtbrVt28. I’ll be back next Thursday with more fun family activities!

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