7 Must-Attend Spring Events in Butte County this April

The long-run­n­ing Wild­flower & Nature Fes­ti­val high­lights the nat­ur­al resources and wildlife of Butte County.

Held at River­bend Park, the event fea­tures over 70 ven­dors sell­ing unique, hand­made prod­ucts, along­side food trucks, live music, and a children’s craft area.

For those look­ing for a dif­fer­ent per­spec­tive of the bloom, a guid­ed kayak tour with the Fore­bay Aquat­ic Cen­ter is a must-expe­ri­ence dur­ing the fes­ti­val. Tick­ets are lim­it­ed and go fast, so make sure to sign up today.

This fes­ti­val is a great start to a day of out­door sight­see­ing or as a relax­ing stop before explor­ing every­thing Down­town Oroville has to offer. 

Loca­tion: River­bend Park, 50 Mont­gomery St, Oroville

A beloved Chico tra­di­tion, the Thurs­day Night Mar­ket trans­forms the streets of down­town into a vibrant out­door fes­ti­val. This year, the mar­ket is expand­ing onto Main Street, wel­com­ing over 100 new ven­dors to the mix. It remains the go-to spot for farm-fresh pro­duce, hand­made crafts, and local jew­el­ry, with live per­form­ers throughout.

New for 2026, the mar­ket will fea­ture month­ly themes in the City Plaza to cel­e­brate dif­fer­ent facets of the com­mu­ni­ty, with April’s ​“Health and Well­ness” theme kick­ing off the season.

You’ll still find deli­cious food trucks near the plaza, and the mar­ket serves as the per­fect jump­ing-off point to explore the per­ma­nent bou­tiques and eater­ies of Down­town Chico.

Loca­tion: Down­town Chico on Broad­way and Main between 2^nd and 4^th Street (includ­ing side streets)

A long-stand­ing Ridge tra­di­tion, the Kids Free Fish­ing Day is an annu­al fish­ing der­by that is open to all anglers aged 15 and younger. Since 2020, Par­adise Recre­ation & Parks Dis­trict (PRPD) has stocked over 10,000 pounds of fish at Par­adise Lake to ensure a great expe­ri­ence for young anglers.

The com­pe­ti­tion begins sharply at 6am with a foghorn blast, so arrive ear­ly to find a spot along the 4‑mile trail lin­ing the east­ern shore. 

Even for non-anglers, there is plen­ty to do with prizes, raf­fles, and plen­ty of hot dogs for the community.

Loca­tion: Par­adise Lake, Mag­a­lia. Access via Lucre­tia Road (Picnic/​Trailhead) or North Lake Road (Boat Launch #1 & #2).

There are few sights in Chico quite like hun­dreds of col­or­ful kites soar­ing simul­ta­ne­ous­ly over Com­mu­ni­ty Park. At the long-run­ning Kite Day, you can join in the spec­ta­cle by bring­ing your own kite from home or dec­o­rat­ing one of the free kites pro­vid­ed by CARD (while sup­plies last).

Beyond kite fly­ing, the after­noon fea­tures food trucks and park-wide activ­i­ties for all ages. Be sure to pick up your 2026 com­mem­o­ra­tive but­ton while you’re there!

Loca­tion: Com­mu­ni­ty Park, 1900 Dr Mar­tin Luther King Jr Pkwy, Chico

Ben­e­fit­ing the Butte Humane Soci­ety, Woof­s­tock is a tick­et­ed music and com­mu­ni­ty fes­ti­val for both humans and their dogs.

The event fea­tures local bands, food trucks, and a ven­dor mar­ket­place at the Sil­ver Dol­lar Fair­grounds. Well-behaved dogs on leash and their humans are invit­ed to bring a blan­ket or lawn chair for an entire day of fun you can feel good about.

VIP tick­ets are also avail­able, which come with a swag bag and exclu­sive access to the Hard Paw Café, while kids 10 and under get in for free.

Loca­tion: Sil­ver Dol­lar Fair­grounds, 2357 Fair St, Chico

Gold Nugget Days is a four-day cel­e­bra­tion of the Ridge’s rich her­itage and the 1859 dis­cov­ery of a mas­sive 54-pound gold nugget.

The fes­ti­val kicks off with the Queen Con­test pageant on Thurs­day and con­tin­ues through the week­end with a gem and min­er­al show, a horse fes­ti­val, the Elks hoe-down, and the famous Rotary bean feed.

The high­light for many is the Gold Nugget Days Parade on Sat­ur­day, April 25, which draws the entire com­mu­ni­ty togeth­er for a his­toric pro­ces­sion along the Sky­way through the heart of town.

Loca­tion: Var­i­ous loca­tions in Paradise.

Whether you’re an avid cyclist or just enjoy a scenic week­end cruise, the Chico Velo Wild­flower Ride & Fes­ti­val is a sure­fire way to ele­vate your spring.

The fun begins on Sat­ur­day with a free, pub­lic pre-ride fes­ti­val fea­tur­ing food trucks, a beer gar­den, a ven­dor expo, and a bicy­cle rodeo. 

Sun­day is when every­one hits the road, with rid­ers tack­ling one of eight dif­fer­ent routes designed to accom­mo­date every age and skill lev­el. Every route is ful­ly sup­port­ed with rest stops, snacks, and repair sta­tions to ensure a great day in the saddle.

Loca­tion: Sil­ver Dol­lar Fair­grounds, 2357 Fair St, Chico