Lemon Festival takes over downtown Upland through Sunday

Upland Lemon Festival: Friday–Sunday, June 5–7 · Fri 4–11 p.m., Sat & Sun noon–11 p.m. · Historic Downtown Upland, Ninth Street at Second Avenue, Upland · Free admission.

The festival packs five stages with more than 75 performances, headlined by nine tribute acts — Journey USA and a KISS tribute Saturday, Bruno Mars and Stevie Nicks tributes Sunday. Beyond the music: a full carnival midway, the Lemon Idol vocal contest finals Saturday evening, a kids zone, and 200-plus food and craft vendors. The event started in 1997 as a nod to Upland's lemon-grove origins and has grown into one of the corridor's biggest free street festivals.

A practical warning: parking is a challenge. Downtown lots fill fast on festival weekends, and organizers themselves push transit and ride-sharing over driving. The easiest move is Metrolink's San Bernardino Line, which stops at Upland Station a block from the grounds — the code LEMONFEST26 takes 20 percent off train tickets through Monday. Entry is free; carnival ride wristbands and a VIP lounge near the main stage are paid extras.