Page 68 - SLO Visitors Guide Fall 2025

68 FALL 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Atascadero
Fun with history, Bovine Classic,
holiday activities, and zoo
happenings—Atascadero has it all
The annual community cel-
ebration, Atascadero Colony
Days, takes place on Saturday, Oct.
18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The
parade starts at 10 a.m. behind the
Administration Building on Lewis
Avenue, moving toward CA-41 and
continuing into downtown. After
the parade, enjoy the festival with a
variety of vendors, entertainment,
and food in and around the Sunken
Gardens. For more information, visit
www.colonydays.org.
Bovine Classic—ranked in the
top ten gravel events in North
America
Join Atascadero for the 5th
Annual Bovine Classic, ranked
by Bicycle Magazine as one of the
2025 top ten gravel events in North
America. Register by October 23rd
for a weekend of world-class cycling.
Sign up for the shakeout rides hap-
pening October 23 and 24, and line
up at Atascadero’s Sunken Garden
for the Bovine Classic for the 8:30
a.m. start on October 25.
Choose from three routes
through the very best, most scenic
dirt and asphalt roads in North SLO
County. The routes roam through
private vineyards and the property
of the Land Conservancy of San Luis
Obispo County:
• Happy Bovine—a 45-mile
round-trip ride reaching an eleva-
tion of 4000 feet.
• Feisty Bovine—70.6-mile
round-trip up to 6800 feet elevation.
• Big Bovine—an 88.8-mile
round-trip challenge topping out at
10,027 feet elevation.
Show up to moovingly cheer on
your favorite cyclist, and meet at the
Sunken Gardens for the post-race
festival with food, beer, wine, live
music, local vendors, and cycling
brand booths. Festival hours are
12:30-6 p.m.
Cow attire is strongly suggested!
Registration is open now until Oc-
tober 23. Local artisans are encouraged
to sign up for vendor booth space. To
register and for more information, visit
thebovineclassic.com.
Fall Fest, fun for the whole
family’
The 4th annual Atascadero Fall
Festival takes place November 15-16.
This three-day free family-friendly
street fair is held at the Sunken
Gardens and the surrounding area.
Come on down and enjoy carnival
rides and games, live music from
over 30 bands on two stages, food
vendors, and local craft beer, seltzer,
and wine! See you there!
Colony Days
kicks off fall fun
in downtown
Atascadero!
Holiday happenings
Atascadero holiday happenings
fill your calendar from November
until January 11 in the New Year!
• The annual Holiday Boutique
starts the holiday rolling. Find a
variety of one-of-a-kind handmade
gifts for yourself and the other spe-
cial people in your life. November
8, 10 a.m. at Atascadero Lake Park
and the Pavilion, 9315 Pismo Ave.
• Celebrate Veterans Day at the
Faces of Freedom Veterans Memo-
rial on November 11 at 11 a.m.,
8024 Portola Rd.
• Light up downtown with Gar-
den Lights & Winter Nights, and
experience holiday lights and décor
throughout Historic City Hall and
Sunken Gardens from December 5
through January 11.
• Holiday Musical Walk
Around the Lake on December 6. A
free evening walk around the Atas-
cadero Lake with carolers, commu-
nity singing, holiday decorations,
and more. December 6, 5:30-9 p.m.
A special visit with Santa starts at 5
p.m. for a fee.
• Winter Wonderland Down-
town is one of the Central Coast's
largest holiday events and a snow-
driven evening of fun. The Sunken
Gardens and the entire downtown
are transformed into a magical
snowy paradise. Over 70 tons of
snow will create a massive snow
slide (brought to you by Kiwanis),
and snow pile areas for the kids.
This year’s snow-themed event
includes bungee jumps, obstacle
courses, community entertainment,
Joe's Little Train, Santa and his
Elves, holiday shopping at over 50
craft and food booths, and more.
December 12, 5-9 p.m., Sunken
Gardens.
• Holiday Magic at the Central
Coast Zoo, when the zoo’s dedi-
cated zookeepers prepare special
gifts for the animals. Santa will
be there to welcome visitors and
deliver gifts to the animals. Along
with watching the animals open
The Bovine Classic kicks off from Atascadero’s Historic City Hall.