Knott’s Berry Farm holds fond childhood memories for me. The whole park has so much real-life history in it, dating back to when the Knott Family actually lived on the property with a farm, a chicken dinner restaurant, and an old-fashioned Western ghost town. It was from there that they built the theme park around it known as Knott’s Berry Farm, America’s 1st Theme Park.
Last summer in celebration of Ghost Town’s 75th Anniversary, Knott’s introduced a fun, interactive experience for guests called Ghost Town ALIVE The concept of a working ghost town for guests to interact with was brought to fruition and I had so much fun experiencing it. You literally feel as if you’ve stepped back in time when you’re there in Calico, in the Wild West. There are townsfolk, cowboys, bandits, judges, all kinds of interesting people who live there in the beloved town of Calico.
I was elated when I found out that Ghost Town Alive! was returning this summer! It is a must-do for families visiting the park! There are so many fun ways to participate in all of the town’s happenings. You can become an honorary citizen of Calico and help out in the quest to capture the Mayfield Gang, which recently escaped the custody of Sheriff Wheeler.
In our case, we were actually part of their gang, we were “bad guys”. I don’t think we were “bad”, just a bit “misunderstood” is all. Sheriff Wheeler saw right through us, just by looking at the color of our bandanas and took us right into custody, locking us in the town’s jail!
Here are just some of the things you can do in Calico during Ghost Town Alive!:
- Grab a copy of the Calico Gazette, hot off the press
- Participate in the town election and vote for the Mayor
- Witness a wedding in Town Hall
- Go to school in a one-room schoolhouse
- Go to the Barbershop for a “shave” and a mustache
- Help deliver a package from the Post Office
- Visit the animals in the Livery Stable
Every evening, the town’s “story” culminates with a town-wide celebration in Calico Square at the town’s Hoedown. It’s so much fun for guests to dance and mingle with the townsfolk of Calico.
In addition to all of the fun action happening in the town of Calico, Knott’s also has an extensive lineup of entertainment this summer. The live entertainment continues with:
- The explosive Wild West Stunt Show (Ghost Town)
- The high kickin’ Calico Saloon Show (Ghost Town)
- Get “krazy “when Krazy Kirk and the Hillbillies mount their toe tappin’, knee-slappin’, gut-bustin’ country comedy show that will have audiences clamoring for more! In the evening a group of krazy talented performers will have guests kicking up their heels with vine dancing, a down home jug band and dueling fiddlers and banjos! (Wagon Camp Stage)
- The renowned “Traveling Circus” also returns to Knott’s for another season of exhilarating performances. Set on the Calico Mine stage in Ghost Town, come witness a spectacle; see awe-inspiring stunts, and death defying acrobatics in “Circus of Wonders.” The astonishing 30 minute spectacular will be action packed with all-time favorite circus attractions such as the Trapeze, Tightrope, Aerial Acrobatics, Trampoline, and of course, clowns, incorporating lighting and pyrotechnics, making this nighttime show a totally unique event! Select dates, June 10 – August 20.
- While you’re in the park, be sure to catch the all-new show, Snoopy’s Magnificent Magical Revue, starring the World’s Most Famous Beagle, Snoopy! This family-friendly show features Magician Extraordinaire Greg Wilson as he teams up with Snoopy and the entire Peanuts Gang to perform a jaw-dropping magic show and lavish musical production. Guests may even find themselves part of the act! Watch Snoopy’s Magnificent Magical Revue on select dates through August 20 .The show is dark Wednesdays. (in the Charles M. Schulz Theatre.)
If you haven’t experienced Knott’s Ghost Town Alive! yet, you’ll want to head to Knott’s Berry Farm this summer, before September 4, to be part of this authentic western adventure. It’s definitely an action-packed experience and fun for the entire family and is included in the price of a Knott’s ticket (or Season Pass.) This summer is the perfect time to grab a Knott’s Regular Season Pass, which offers unlimited visits in 2017. Knott’s Gold Pass also includes admission to Knott’s Soak City Waterpark, whcih we enjoyed visiting recently. 
For more information about Knott’s Season Passes, go here. To read more about Knott’s Ghost Town Alive!, go here.
The Los Angeles stop on the tour will be hosted at Autry Museum of the American West, (located at 4700 Western Heritage Way, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90027)
Some of the fun activities fans will be able to experience at the event include:
The life-size character cars also roll onto the red carpet for the “Cars 3” world premiere on Saturday, June 10, 2017. The “Road to the Races” nationwide tour wraps up in California with a visit to NASCAR at the Sonoma Raceway June 24-25, 2017. For information, visit 
If you aren’t familiar with Knott’s Soak City, it’s Orange County’s largest family water park, located adjacent to Knott’s Berry Farm Park, in the heart of Buena Park. The park just finished going through an extensive 2-acre expansion and renovation, which included the addition of 7 new slides and 2 slide towers, Shore Break and The Wedge. Along with the renovation came an upgrade to the landscaping of the park, which now looks like somewhat of a tropical oasis. More cabanas, available for rental) have also been added to the park, as well as additional shady areas and expanded seating. 
Grand Re-Opening Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Immediately following the ribbon cutting, we headed directly over to try out the first of the new rides: The Wedge. This thrilling ride takes families with up to 6 riders, on an open-raft ride as they descend down navigating hair-raising twists, turns, and unexpected dips.
My girls rode in the inaugural raft of The Wedge that morning and absolutely loved it! They loved it so much that they immediately went back on, dragging me on with them. I loved it too!
Next, we hit up Shore Break, which is the other new group of slides that were part of the expansion. Shore Break includes 6 new slides. First, there are 4 slides that will take single riders on an adrenaline-filled water adventure as thrill-seekers board one of four Aqua Launch chambers to await the chamber’s floor dropping from beneath their feet sending them on a high speed free fall down a 60-foot tall slide and through a series of exhilarating drops and daring loops. Also part of Shore Break are two dueling tube slides which will have riders zipping through adventurous drops and turns as they soak up the warm summer sun.
In addition to the newest areas at Soak City, we also had tons of fun relaxing on the Lazy River, playing in Tidal Wave Bay wave pool, and hanging out at Beach House, waiting for the big red bucket to dump on us!
If you have small children, you’ll want to be sure to visit the Gremmie Lagoon area too.
With all of the new things to check out at Knott’s Soak City, in addition to this summer’s Ghost Town Alive! At Knott’s Park, there’s never been a better time to grab a Knott’s Gold Pass! A Gold Pass includes unlimited 2017 admission to both Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City Waterpark. Gold Season Passes can be purchased online starting at $117.00 or 6 easy payments of $19.50. Applicable taxes and fees apply. Please note: the Season Pass payment plan is only available online at knotts.com
The Pet Expo offers visitors education on responsible pet care, entertainment, and pet adoptions and is the ultimate destination for all pet lovers. Each year the show progresses to include the best in pet ownership and care and offers a variety of educational presentations, product launches, amazing pet acts and our popular animal adoptions, as well as showcasing the latest trends in the pet care industry.
At the 2016 Pet Expo, there were more than 500 animal adoptions including dogs, cats, and even a few guinea pigs, that were adopted from the Pet Expo’s Southern California animal rescue partner organizations. Pet Adoptions will be handled onsite at the Expo for those looking for that perfect animal addition to the family. There will be hundreds of animals hoping to find their “furever home” from local community partner organizations at the Pet Expo.
The Pet Expo is excited to announce the return of the crowd pleasing “Cook’s Racing Hogs & Dogs,” a race that consists of four pigs, which run from one end of a 90-foot U-shaped track to the other. Four dogs then compete in a similar race. Waiting at the end of the track is a treat – vanilla ice cream and a golden Oreo cookie.
The 2017 Expo will be the “Cat’s Meow” as the The Catit Playground Debuts. The interactive activity brings a close up view for guests to watch adorable adoptable cats and kittens and see how they interact with different toys and people. This is a great atmosphere for guests to learn all about cats and toys they like.
Lucy’s Wave Maker will return and also feature a cat surfer. The world’s one and only mobile wave machine makes an encore appearance America’s Family Pet Expo showcasing the best surfing dogs and cats too! The wave maker made international headlines from its appearance in the 2017 Rose Parade. America’s Family Pet Expo is the first stop on the 2017 National Tour that kicks off in Costa Mesa.
Returning favorites to the Pet Expo include Repticon, reptile show and sale, offering hundreds of common and rare species of reptiles in all shapes and sizes, such as lizards, snakes, and spiders. Plus, the ever-popular Splash Dogs will also be on hand offering a “splashing” good time as these dogs compete at dock jumping.
Added to the Expo line-up is the America’s Family Pet Expo Hobbyist Aquascaping contest. This new feature will consist of intermediate to advanced “aquarists” in a competition to create the most appealing natural aquarium. The participants will use a variety of live plants and other natural decorations in order to create a miniature underwater jungle. Pet Expo attendees are encouraged to come watch the process of setting up a fully functional planted aquarium from 10am on Friday, April 28th to 12pm on Saturday, April 29th. Ribbons and cash prizes will be awarded to the top 3 aquascapers on Saturday, April 29th at 5:00pm.
I had the opportunity to spend a day in the Park, enjoying many of their boysenberry-inspired foods and drinks. I got so excited to see Ghost Town all decked out for the occasion!
Did you know that the boysenberry originated at Knott’s? Yep! The roots of Knott’s Berry Farm stretch back to the early 1930s when Walter Knott nurtured the only surviving 
The popular purple little 
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival runs from April 1-23 this year. During the festival, guests have the opportunity to enjoy boysenberry foods, both sweet and savory, and boysenberry-inspired craft beer and wine. Trust me when I say that you need to try all of the special boysenberry offerings during Knott;s Boysenberry Festival. One of the best ways to get a tasting of a variety of these foods is by purchasing a Festival Tasting Card. For just $25, you’ll get to sample 6 different items. As you can see, I started with one of the desserts, Boysenberry Panna Cotta! 
The Festival Tasting Card gives you quite a bit of food as you get samples of Boysenberry BBQ Meatballs, Boysenberry Fry Bread, Boysenberry Buffalo Wings, Boysenberry Ravioli, Boysenberry Panna Cotta, and Boysenberry Pizza!
I loved all of the items I got to try but I couldn’t stop there because there was still so much more boysenberry goodness to try! Some of the other boysenberry items you can find during the festival include:
Aside from all of the boysenberry goodness at Knott’s Boysenberry Festival, there’s also a great lineup of entertainment for the whole family, you won’t want to miss including Snoopy’s Boysenberry Jamboree (on the Calico Mine Stage), Old Time Melodrama (Bird Cage Theater), The History of Boysenberry & Knott’s Berry Farm (in Town Hall), Cloud 9 Ballroom/Studio K Classic Dance Party (in the Boardwalk Ballroom), Wild West Stunt Show: Frontier Feats of Wonder! (in Wagon Camp Theater), and the fun Camptivities (in Camp Snoopy). Also stop by Calico Park for some fun, music & games and visit the animals Old MacDonald’s Farm (in Ghost Town).
Knott’s Boysenberry Festival is a must-do. Be sure to stop by before April 23rd! For more information, visit Knott’s Berry Farm’s site
Family-friendly activities and competitions for Imaginology include:
Here’s how YOU can help support this great cause
Built on the simple idea that nothing else should matter when a family is focused on healing their child – not where they can afford to stay, where they will get their next meal, or where they will lay their head at night to rest – RMHCSC helps families with critically-ill children stay together, connecting them with others facing similar challenges through its six Ronald McDonald Houses in Bakersfield, Inland Empire (Loma Linda), Long Beach, Los Angeles, Orange and Pasadena, and two Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. The Chapter also operates the cost-free, medically supervised Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, helping ill children and their siblings rediscover childhood and develop the self-esteem and self-efficacy often lost as a result of the disease.
We recently had the opportunity to take a farm tour with some friends, to kick off Strawberry Season. The strawberry tour is a one-hour long, wagon ride around the 30 acre farm. As we sat in a wagon pulled by a tractor, our tour guide discussed the different farming methods used at Tanaka Farms, as well the history behind it.
Throughout the tour, we stopped to see where different fruits and vegetables were being grown and even got to sample many of the ones in season. It’s a great way to get your kid to eat their vegetables!
The last stop on our tour was the most exciting one for us. It was in the strawberry patch! Before getting out of our wagon, our guide gave us a mini lesson on how to properly pick the strawberries.
Next, we got to walk through the strawberry patch to pick our own strawberries and fill up our own one pound basket of strawberries to take home! If you take this tour, you’re also allowed to eat strawberries as you’re picking. They are so sweet and delicious this year! It was so much fun!
Tanaka Farms offers Strawberry Tours on Saturday and Sunday, every half hour, from 9:30-2:30. No reservations are required but a 20-30 minute arrival beforehand is recommended. They also offer tours Monday through Friday but reservations are required and can be made by calling (949) 653-2100 ext. 204 or email 
School and group tours are also offered and require a reservation. The cost for the farm tour is $18 for adults and children, with children 2 years of age and younger free.
Strawberry season at Tanaka Farms is such a fun time of year to visit. For more information about dates and times for the tours, go 
While you’re at Tanaka Farms, you’ll also want to stop in at their fresh produce stand to purchase the freshest, most beautiful fruits and vegetables around. They also offer a variety of other delicious products for purchase.
Connect with Tanaka Farms on
This year Knott’s Boysenberry Festival begins on April 1st and will offer park guests 23 days of special boysenberry offerings, After attending a media tasting and getting a sneak peek at this year’s menu, I’m pretty sure this year’s Boysenberry Festival is going to be the best one by far!
Knott’s has a line-up of over 70 mouthwatering boysenberry-inspired foods and drinks to choose taste this year. You’re not going to want to miss out on any of it! I was absolutely wow-ed by some of the new offerings this year’s Boysenberry Festival! First of all, they’ve got an incredible Boysenberry Pizza that will drive your palette crazy! 
It’s made with arugula, smoked ham, and goat cheese, and topped with Knott’s very own boysenberry Sriracha sauce. It was delicious!
Another new menu item is the boysenberry ravioli! Who would’ve thought? This ravioli dish is packed with boysenberry flavors and so savory! Also new for this year is the freshly-baked boysenberry fry bread! Mmm!
Some other guest favorites from years past, which will be offered again this year, include:
Guests who want to take home the exquisite Boysenberry BBQ sauce, Boysenberry Butter, Boysenberry Dressing and Boysenberry Chipotle Sauce can do so by stopping by the Berry Market located in the California MarketPlace and General Store located in Ghost Town. *Select items are available on the online Berry Market store.
One of the best ways to experience the Boysenberry Festival is with a Boysenberry Bites Tasting Card. For only $25, the tasting card includes generous portions of six delectable treats:
Guests at the Boysenberry Festival can also visit the Wine and Craft Brew Garden, which is located inside of Ghost Town’s Wilderness Dance Hall. Those guests who are 21 years of age and older can enjoy 4 craft brews and over 50 different wines from 36 producers including boysenberry beer and boysenberry wine. There’s also a tasting card iavailable for only $25, which includes 6 tastings paired with snacks.
As you can see, there is lots to see and do at Knott’s Boysenberry Festival this year! In addition to all of these food and beverage offerings, there’s also an entire lineup of live entertainment during the festival, which I’ll be sharing more about once it begins. To see a schedule of the live entertainment, go 