History of Calabasas

According to the City of Calabasas, the name of the city is Spanish and means pumpkin, squash or gourd. The town story of how Calabasas came to be named Calabasas comes from the first settler in 1776. The story goes to say that Juan Bautista de Anza was traveling from Arizona to San Francisco. On his way to San Francisco he passed through what is now Calabasas and one of his traveling wagons carrying pumpkins overturned and started the area’s first pumpkin patch. Since then, the city has put on a festival that over the years has evolved from a small town fair to a significant annual event that the City of Calabasas puts on every year. This Pumpkin Festival is held in the same place where the story originated from now called Juan Bautista de Anza Park in Calabasas. Calabasas’s official logo is depicting a red-tailed hawk flying over the famous Santa Monica Mountians. It is a symbol to the community about preserving the natural beauty that the city has to offer and a tribute to the semi-rural quality of life. This logo is featured on the Calabasas City flag and is flown in front of City Hall and hangs in the City Council Chambers.

Events in Calabasas:

The City of Calabasas sponsors many annual events the four most prominent are, The Pumpkin Festival, Eggstravaganza, The Fine Arts Festival and The Fourth of July Spectacular. The Pumpkin Festival is held in mid October. The Eggstravaganza is generally held on the Saturday before Easter. The Fine Arts Festival is held in late April or early May depending on the weather. The Fourth of July Spectacular is held on July fourth and the show starts at approximately 9:00 pm.

Things to do in Calabasas:

There are many things to do in Calabasas. Hiking is what everyone does in Southern California, and why not, the mountains and views here are amazing. The best places to hike in Calabasas are Malibu Creek State Park or in the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. After the hike many locals go to Sagebrush Cantina, a place with live music and great Mexican food. This is a very nice way to spend the afternoon relaxing from a long or short hike. Another great place to go is The Calabasas Commons. This is the destination for all your shopping in Calabasas. Then just a short walk away from the Commons is Leonis Adobe Museum, where you can get a feel for what life was like for Miguel Loenis and his wife in the 1880’s. There is also the Los Angeles Pet Memorial Park; where you can go visit some celebrity pets. Once you have seen the Pet Memorial Park don’t forget to stop by your local Calabasas Estate Lawyer and get your own affairs in order as well.