May – Memorial Day 2026
May Activities In Santa Ynez Valley –
There are so many reasons to spend the month of May – Memorial Day in Santa Ynez Valley – our charming towns of Ballard, Buellton, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Santa Ynez and Solvang are ready for some terrific summer fun. Whether you are looking for a solo adventure, something romantic, or living the family life, start making plans now for your weekend getaway in Santa Ynez.
WHERE TO STAY
Click here to find rates and availability at over 30 Santa Ynez Valley boutique hotels and inns.
Ballard | Buellton | Los Alamos | Los Olivos | Santa Ynez | Solvang
Other May Events in the Santa Ynez Valley
Memorial Day:
This may be the “official” start of summer, but we’ll already have the season well under way. Read our events calendar for upcoming Memorial Day Events in SYV.
Memorial Weekend Observances May 2026:
Crosses and VFW Medallions will be placed on veterans’ graves. You may see them and join in at the Santa Ines Mission, Chalk Hill, Oak Hill, and Saint Mark’s Cemeteries. The public is invited to view or assist in this observance. VFW Post 7139 Members hand out Red Poppies at Albertsons in Buellton, 1 – 3PM, Saturday and Sunday, May.
On Memorial Day, American Legion Post 160 will conduct short ceremonies. Join in at 10AM in Chalk Hill, 10:30AM – Santa Ines Mission, 11AM – Oak Hill, and 11:30 – Saint Mark’s Cemeteries. VFW Post 7139 conduct a hallowed VFW Memorial Day Ceremony at 12PM, at the Solvang Park Flag Pole.
Presentations includes The Santa Ynez Wind Ensemble; Rear Admiral Brian Brown, Vice Commander, Joint Forces Component Command for Space, Vandenberg AFB. Additionally, Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans; American Legion Post 160; Boy Scouts; and a fly over of vintage military aircraft make up the event.
A barbecue hosted by the Solvang Vikings Club for veterans and their families will follow the ceremony.
Memorial Weekend – Live Music at Zaca Mesa:
Saturday, from noon until 3:00 pm at Zaca Mesa Winery in Los Olivos. Enjoy an afternoon full of complimentary live music from Sean Wiggins! Event is free for everyone, so bring your friends, pack a picnic. Buy a bottle of wine to enjoy for a great afternoon.
Come enjoy these May events in Santa Ynez Valley!
Enjoy the Classics
The Santa Ynez Valley’s inns and hotels — including The Landsby, The Genevieve, and Skyview Los Alamos. Stay in the family-friendly Alisal Ranch, Flying Flags, Hamlet Inn, Santa Ynez Valley Marriott, Sideways Inn, and The Alamo Motel. All are unforgettable stays for a wide range of budgets.
The Santa Ynez Valley’s many incredible restaurants — including Bell’s Los Alamos, Bob’s Well Bread, Los Olivos Wine Merchant & Cafe, Pico, Plenty on Bell, S.Y. Kitchen, Full of Life Flatbread, Leonardo’s, Brothers at the Red Barn, Hitching Post II, and Trattoria Grappolo — are back to serving up their imaginative culinary creations to diners onsite.
And whether tasting along the scenic Foxen Canyon Wine Trail, in quaint downtown Los Olivos, the Santa Ynez Wine Trail, Sta. Rita Hills Wine Trail, or the Solvang Wine Walk, the Santa Ynez Valley has a world of wine waiting to be rediscovered.
Of course, never have we been more excited to enjoy open spaces. A horseback ride through the vineyards with Vino Vaqueros, a cycling tour along the region’s country roads, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails to explore, may just be what we need to feel free again.
