The most memorable trips often revolve around an event because they give your vacation a focus, a purpose that shapes your experience. In Mariposa County, home to Yosemite National Park, events beloved by locals and visitors alike are especially delightful thanks to relatively smaller sizes and intimate venues, with some of California’s loveliest mountain and foothill scenery as the backdrop.
Plus, most events here happen in spring or fall, with fewer visitors, lower prices, and milder weather than winter and summer. There’s an event for everyone, from rock ‘n’ roll fans to rockhounds.
Another advantage of attending small mountain festivals or events during the fall or spring “shoulder” seasons in the Yosemite area is that there are always vacancies, whether you favor a rustic cabin rental or a luxurious bed-and-breakfast. Snagging a restaurant reservation is easy, too. And there are more than 100 things to do in the destination, such as spring waterfall hikes and autumn leaf peeping, which you can experience before or after the event at the heart of your itinerary.
We rounded up these seven spring and fall festivals and other events in Mariposa County, along with suggestions on where to stay nearby, to help guide an epic trip to this iconic region of California.
Attend a gem show, butterfly festival, and more in spring
California State Mining and Mineral Museum
Courtesy of the California State Mining and Mineral Museum
A “hidden gem” might be a cliché, but it applies to Mariposa’s Mountains of Minerals Show. Each April, you can admire dazzling rock and mineral specimens (including gold nuggets), fossils, crystals, jewelry, and rare gems at the annual event. It all happens just outside the California State Mining and Mineral Museum, home to the Fricot Nugget, a rare 13.8-pound piece of gold found in 1864.
A Spanish priest named the destination Mariposa (Spanish for “butterfly”) when he saw a kaleidoscope of thousands of butterflies in the county in 1806. The Mariposa Butterfly Festival has become as traditional as the annual winter arrival of monarch butterflies that inspired the priest. Happening in early May, the festival’s events are pure Americana. Think amusement and pony rides, a parade, car show, craft fair, music, food, and beautiful butterfly releases.
Lords and ladies, mock battles and mystery, and feasting and axe-throwing are among the sensory treats that should bring out your inner Lancelot or Guinevere at the Mariposa Chivalry & Fantasy Festival. The Mariposa County Fairgrounds event occurs in late May, an ideal time for waterfall viewing in the national park.
Celebrate at CoyoteFest and the Goddess Festival
CoyoteFest in Coulterville
Courtesy of CoyoteFest
You’re guaranteed a howlin’ good time at CoyoteFest, a lively September weekend fundraiser that benefits the Northern Mariposa County History Center. Besides classic festival fare—live music, kids’ activities, a chili cookoff, and a car and motorcycle show—this event in Coulterville (25 miles from Mariposa) features a coyote howling contest.
In October, organizers of the Yosemite Goddess Festival invite you to “unleash the goddess within.” You can also simply enjoy yoga, folk music, ecstatic dance, sacred drumming, and personal development sessions. This celebration of health, wellness, and spirituality in Mariposa offers activities for all ages and interests, including experiences for men and children.
Help protect and preserve Yosemite
Yosemite Valley with Half Dome in the background
Courtesy of Abhi Verma/Unsplash
Events like the Yosemite Facelift are more essential than ever to help preserve Yosemite’s beauty. Thousands of volunteers have removed 1.2 million pounds of trash since 2004 during the Yosemite Climbing Association event. Facelift events occur year-round in various communities, culminating in late September’s annual event in Yosemite Valley.
See live music in Mariposa and Midpines
Few small towns can boast of a music venue as appealing as Mariposa’s Grove House. A craft beer and wine bar and farm-to-table restaurant by day, it transforms into an entertainment venue about two nights a week, spanning a range of music genres. Guests are limited to 200, ensuring an intimate experience, and the lineup includes nationally recognized artists and rising stars, making for a top-notch musical experience. On many weekends, live music can also be found nearby at the Alley in Mariposa and AutoCamp Yosemite in Midpines.
Where to stay in Yosemite National Park
The Ahwahnee
Courtesy of the Ahwahnee Hotel
Yosemite National Park has two of the finest hotels in the Southern Sierras. The Ahwahnee is a stylish icon. Yosemite Valley Lodge is more casual and about .5 miles from the bottom of El Capitan—bring your binoculars to watch the rock climbers. Both are relatively close on foot to the base of Yosemite Falls.
You can still leave the sleeping bags and lantern at home while enjoying a camping-style stay. There are nearly 500 cabins and tent cabins in Yosemite’s Curry Village, vacation homes in Yosemite West near Glacier Point Road, and cabin rentals in Wawona at the southern end of Yosemite.
Where to stay near Yosemite
Many festivals take place at the county fairgrounds in Mariposa, so it’s convenient to stay nearby in town. Options include the Yosemite Miner’s Inn, Mariposa Lodge, and the River Rock Inn.
For a different experience, reserve a cabin or “glamping” tent cabin at Wildhaven Yosemite in Mariposa, an Airstream at AutoCamp Yosemite, or one of several accommodation types (where a spa and café are also on-site) at the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort.
