The center of live music Conejo Valley is the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, home to the 1,800 seat Fred Kavli Theatre and the 394 seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre, one of the largest performing arts complexes between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Ticketed shows run roughly September through June through the venue box office, while free outdoor concerts run May through September through the Conejo Recreation and Park District and the City of Westlake Village. Most residents can reach a professional stage in under 20 minutes.
Key Takeaways
- The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard houses the 1,800 seat Fred Kavli Theatre and the 394 seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre.
- Ticketed indoor performing arts season in Ventura County runs September through June, while free outdoor park concerts run May through September.
- The Canyon Agoura Hills at 28912 Roadside Drive seats about 550 for dinner shows and holds up to 1,000 people standing.
- The New West Symphony's 2026 Masterpiece Series presents six concerts, performing Saturdays at 7 PM in Thousand Oaks and Sundays at 3 PM in Camarillo.
- Conejo Recreation and Park District's Summer Concerts in the Park, a tradition over 40 years old, run 5 PM to 7 PM at Conejo Community Park and Conejo Creek Park North.
Buyers relocating from Los Angeles almost always ask the same question during a Saturday tour: does the Conejo Valley have a real arts scene, or does every good show require a drive over the hill? The honest answer, after 500 plus closings across these communities since 2009, is that Thousand Oaks quietly out punches cities twice its size. A city of roughly 126,000 people, according to US Census Bureau data, supports a two theater performing arts center, a resident professional symphony, a Broadway touring series, and more than 40 years of free summer concerts in public parks.
What are the best live music venues in the Conejo Valley?
Four venues carry the majority of the region's live programming, and they cover very different price points and moods. The Bank of America Performing Arts Center handles touring Broadway, symphonic work, and comedy. The Canyon Agoura Hills at 28912 Roadside Drive is the club room, seating about 550 for dinner shows and holding up to 1,000 standing, and it is the venue most often mentioned by buyers who want a real weeknight scene without trading the Conejo Valley for a Hollywood zip code. Free park concerts fill the summer, and Cal Lutheran's campus programming rounds out the calendar.
Conejo Valley Area Venue Capacity Comparison
05001,0001,5002,0001,8001,000394Fred KavliCanyon AgouraScherr ForumThousand OaksAgoura Hills (standing)Thousand Oaks (studio)
Source: Bank of America Performing Arts Center and AXS venue data, 2026
| Venue | City | Capacity | Typical Programming | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Kavli Theatre | Thousand Oaks | 1,800 | Touring Broadway, symphony, headline comedy | Venue box office, Ticketmaster |
| Janet and Ray Scherr Forum | Thousand Oaks | 394 | Tribute acts, cabaret, chamber, local theater | Venue box office, AXS |
| The Canyon Agoura Hills | Agoura Hills | 550 seated / 1,000 standing | Rock, blues, tribute, dinner shows | Ticketmaster, venue box office |
| Summer Concerts in the Park | Thousand Oaks | Open lawn | Cover bands, jazz, Latin, oldies | Free, no ticket required |
| T.G.I.F. and Saturdays in the Park | Westlake Village | Open lawn / courtyard | Motown, tribute, jazz nights | Free, no ticket required |
What is the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and what performs there?
The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza opened as a public and private partnership between the City of Thousand Oaks and the Alliance for the Arts, which is why a mid size suburb ended up with a 1,800 seat main hall. Programming is presented by TOARTS, Nederlander and Broadway In Thousand Oaks, and 5 Star Theatricals. Recent and upcoming bookings include Blue Man Group, comedian John Crist on April 12, 2026, and a December run of holiday theater. The Scherr Forum leans intimate: the Tony Bennett Experience on August 15, 2026, Desperado performing the Eagles catalog on September 11, and a Fleetwood Mac and Tom Petty tribute on September 18.
The New West Symphony is the resident orchestra and the strongest argument for performing arts Ventura County residents can claim. Under artistic and music director Michael Christie, the 2026 Masterpiece Series runs six concerts, performing Saturdays at 7 PM in Thousand Oaks and repeating Sundays at 3 PM at the Rancho Campana Performing Arts Center in Camarillo. That two venue structure matters for buyers weighing Camarillo against the Conejo Valley, because season access does not change with the address.
When does the performing arts season run in Ventura County?
The calendar splits cleanly. Indoor ticketed season runs September through June, with the heaviest concentration between October and December. Outdoor free season runs May through September. The Conejo Recreation and Park District Summer Concerts in the Park series is a tradition more than 40 years old, held at Conejo Community Park at 1175 Hendrix Avenue and at Conejo Creek Park North at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive. Concerts begin promptly at 5:00 PM and end at 7:00 PM, with food trucks and dessert vendors on site. Bring a jacket, because the marine layer usually arrives before the encore.
Westlake Village runs a parallel series. T.G.I.F. Concerts in the Courtyard start at 7:00 PM at City Hall, 31200 Oak Crest Drive, with food trucks opening at 6:00 PM, and Saturdays in the Park take place at Berniece Bennett Park, 31800 Village Center Road. The Promenade at Westlake adds live entertainment near the fountain on Saturdays from 6:30 to 9:30 PM between Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend, which pairs naturally with an afternoon of browsing the local retail corridors. For families, the park series is one of the easiest low cost weeknight outings in the region.
How do you get tickets to Conejo Valley concerts?
Three practical rules from someone who buys these tickets every season. First, buy directly through the Bank of America Performing Arts Center shows calendar rather than a resale site; Broadway and symphony inventory is released there first. Second, season memberships with the New West Symphony include free ticket exchanges between the Thousand Oaks and Camarillo performance dates, which is genuinely useful when a soccer tournament lands on a concert Saturday. Third, budget for parking: the Civic Arts Plaza garage runs $16 by debit or credit card only, and every attendee including infants needs a ticket. Scherr Forum shows frequently sell out weeks ahead because the room only holds 394 people.
Which Thousand Oaks neighborhoods are closest to the arts scene?
The Civic Arts Plaza sits on Thousand Oaks Boulevard just west of the 23 freeway interchange, which puts Wildwood, Lynn Ranch, and the Conejo Oaks pockets inside a ten minute drive. North Ranch and Westlake Village sit slightly farther west but gain proximity to The Canyon in Agoura Hills. Newbury Park and Dos Vientos add a few minutes each way. Pricing across these submarkets varies more than most buyers expect, and the gap between a Thousand Oaks buy and a Westlake Village buy is often the difference between a single story and a view lot, a subject covered in detail in this breakdown of what a million dollars actually buys here.
Approximate Median Sale Prices Near the Conejo Arts Corridor
$0$500K$1M$1.5M$1.05M$1.30M$1.45MThousand OaksAgoura HillsWestlake VillageApproximate recent median sale price, rounded
Source: Redfin Data Center, 2026. Figures are rounded and shift monthly.
One detail that catches relocating buyers off guard: Agoura Hills and Calabasas sit in Los Angeles County while Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Newbury Park sit in Ventura County, and the base property tax levy of one percent plus local assessments is administered separately by each county, as outlined by the Ventura County Assessor. The practical consequences are explained in this comparison of the two county tax structures. After a show, the post concert options within a mile of the plaza include Mastro's Steakhouse on Thousand Oaks Boulevard, and if you are timing a listing launch around the fall season, the local seller playbook covers how foot traffic shifts once the school year begins.
Frequently Asked Questions About Live Music in the Conejo Valley
Is there free live music in Thousand Oaks?
Yes. The Conejo Recreation and Park District has run free Summer Concerts in the Park for more than 40 years, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Conejo Community Park on Hendrix Avenue and Conejo Creek Park North on Hillcrest Drive. Westlake Village adds free T.G.I.F. courtyard concerts at 7:00 PM and free Saturday concerts at Berniece Bennett Park.
How big is the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza?
The complex holds two rooms: the 1,800 seat Fred Kavli Theatre for the Performing Arts and the 394 seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. It is described by the venue as one of the largest performing arts centers between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Do I need to drive to Los Angeles for concerts?
Rarely. Between the Civic Arts Plaza, The Canyon Agoura Hills at 1,000 standing capacity, New West Symphony performances in Thousand Oaks and Camarillo, and the summer park series, most residents attend a live performance within a 20 minute radius. Larger arena tours still require a trip east, which is a handful of nights per year for most households.
How much does parking cost at the Civic Arts Plaza?
The Civic Arts Plaza parking garage charges $16 by debit or credit card only. The box office is located at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, and will call opens two hours before curtain.
Thinking About Buying or Selling in Thousand Oaks?
Davis Bartels and the DB Real Estate Group have served families across the Conejo Valley and Ventura County since 2009, with 500+ closed transactions and nearly $500 million in career sales volume, including a career-best 100 closings and $103M+ in 2025. Whether you're exploring your options or ready to make a move, reach out for a no pressure conversation about your goals.
Contact Davis: davisbartels.com or (805) 341-6125
