Snow free hiking trails for the 4th of July

Mt. Shasta 4th of July parade

Thanks to our friend John Soares with the Mt. Shasta Trail Association for sharing this info… June 29, 2011

Mount Shasta Fourth of July Events, 2011

Mount Shasta and southern Siskiyou County is a great place to be on the Fourth of July weekend. I know many Mount Shasta Trail Association members live in the area and know all about the fun run, the parade, the fireworks, the music, and the booths, but we also have other members from outside the area and we want those folks to come up here also.

So below is information about hikes you can do this weekend, and also the official schedule of events. (Note that much of this is from a recent post on the Northern California Hiking Trails blog about Mount Shasta Fourth of July events.)

Snow-Free Hiking Trails

Some of the links are from this site, and some are from the Mount Shasta Trail Association (I’m on the board of directors).

Lake Siskiyou Trail. Nearby, flat, and plenty of good swimming opportunities.

Black Butte. Here’s an excerpt from 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, third edition, on hiking the Black Butte Trail.

Castle Dome Trail/Castle Crags.

More Castle Crags area trails.

McCloud Falls. And more pictures of Lower and Middle McCloud Falls.

Read the rest of this post at the Mt. Shasta Trail Association website…

Mossbrae Music Festival July 23rd

The Mossbrae Music Festival is coming up on July 23rd, so get your tickets now.

Featuring
Lydia Pense & Cold Blood (funk/soul, R&B and jazz)
Earl Thomas and the Blues Ambassadors (blues, rock, soul and funk)
Sound Advice (high energy, funk grooves, R&B tunes, blues, rock and original material)

Nestled by the Sacramento River, the event will be held at the City Park within the shady Dunsmuir Botanical Gardens.

PRESALE Tickets are $30 until July 20th ($40 starting July 21st). You can order tickets online through the Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce website

Weed’s 4 & 20 Blackbird Music Festival coming July 30th

The 4&20 Blackbird Festival will encompass 2 blocks of between Lake and Gilman Streets of downtown Weed, and feature up to 5 stages, diverse food and vendor booths, street entertainers, and music from over 45 bands, with music ranging from folk, to bluegrass to country to rock! Local businesses will be in full participation. Tickets are $5 and $10 and can be purchased at the event.
To see a full lineup of bands, go to the 4&20 Festival website or check out the Facebook page.

Each year, Spring and Summer bring the opportunity for new growth, and this year is no exception. On July 30th, the Mongo Party, RadioStar Studios, and Blackbird Event Promotions in partnership with the Weed Chamber of Commerce plan to celebrate this special time with the 4&20 Blackbird Music Festival. The goal of this festival is to raise funds to purchase a new street clock and signage for the town of Weed, as well as restoring the iconic “Weed Palace Theater” marquee.

Scott Valley Bank Concert Series is underway: Gimme Shelter up next on July 1st

16th Annual Scott Valley Bank
Summer Concerts in the Parks

Friday, July 1st, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Gimme Shelter • Classic Rock from Local Favorites
• Darrin W. Mercier, Attorney at Law • Sears, Yreka • Yreka Paint & Decorating

Friday, July 8th, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Groove for Thought • R&B, Jazz & Infectious Grooves (As seen on NBC’s The Sing-Off)
• Black’s Home Furnishings • G & G Ace Hardware  • Gold Nugget Printing

Friday, July 22nd, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Chicago Tribute Authority • Horns, Energy & Reminiscing
• Bruce Riger, MD • The Yreka Subways • John D. Durney, DDS – a Family Dentist
Attention all Kids! THIS CONCERT ONLY!
Fun & Crafts at the Siskiyou County Arts Bus

Friday, July 29th, 6:30 p.m. – Miner Street Park, Yreka
Broadway Phil & The Shouters • Rhythm, Blues & Smokin’ Harmonica
• ABY Petro, Inc. / Yreka Valero • Siskiyou Telephone • Surroundings

Sunday, Sept. 4th • Mt. Shasta City Park • Noon til 6 pm
Blackberry Music Festival
Three Bands! Berry Pies!  Plus Food & Games
Presented by the Mt. Shasta Rotary Club
Leslie Tift & Tom Scott – Folk/Americana
Bill Churchill & Friends with Victor Martin – Rock/Blues
Yogoman Burning Band – Dance Groove

Special thanks to all of our 2011 season sponsors! Please show your appreciation by shopping locally!
Lawn seating.  Pack a Picnic!

All-Star lineup set for 7th String Summit on July 6th

From the Mt. Shasta Herald…

Sean Watkins from the Grammy winning band Nickel Creek, and Indian tabla player Ty Burhoe were added last week to the already stellar lineup of musicians scheduled to perform at the 7th annual Summer String Summit concert July 6, 2011 in the College of the Siskiyous Kenneth Ford Theatre in Weed.

Produced by renowned acoustic musicians and educators Tashina and Tristan Clarridge, the Wednesday night concert starts at 7:30 p.m.

It will again bring together many influential and innovative musicians from the worlds of bluegrass, jazz, Celtic, old-time and Swedish folk music for an evening of music and dance.

Six-time Grand National Fiddle Champions and northern California natives Tashina and Tristan Clarridge have, literally, grown up in the company of these musicians. Acclaimed in their own rights, both have risen to become sought-after performers and teachers in the new American acoustic tradition.

To read more, go the the Mt. Shasta Herald website…

Weed Carnevale: full of fun and music July 6-10th

Weed Carnevale - family fun and games

The 57th annual Weed Carnevale is set for July 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 at Bel Air Park, featuring carnival rides and games, live music, a parade, the annual People of the Year presentations, a bocce ball tournament and other sports events, food courts, vendor fair, and more. Things kick off Wednesday, July 6 at 7 p.m. with the Garden of Weeden parade in historic downtown and continues with other events that celebrate the history and culture of this old mill town.

Thursday, July 7 is the opening day of carnival rides and games, the food court and cold beer. The vendor fair will all be underway with a wide variety of items including summer fashions, toys and more. Thursday also marks the beginning of the bocce games and softball tournament.

After a day in the sun, Thursday night’s Weed Arts Council Brewgrass Celebration at the Weed Ale House & Bistro will cool you off with local musicians and brews, including the award winning Porter and IPA from the Weed Brewery.
Brewgrass begins around 7 p.m. and lasts until the music stops, close to 11 p.m. Also on tap Thursday evening is a community barbecue dinner at Bel Air Park Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. to raise funds to keep the Weed Library open.

To get involved with the Top of the State Race which takes place the same weekend call Weed Parks and Recreation at 926-2494.

Friday, July 8 the music stage at Carnevale stays bumping until midnight with music by Keith Ronge, Angelina and Mika, Sundown Poachers, Ave of Escape, Melodramatics, Jeremy Kanaan, and Hollow Lane. The music and entertainment is a wide variety of acoustic blues, to hard rock, to belly dancers, and more.

This year, the Weed Chamber of Commerce  announces the presence of the Crystal Mist Shire, a local SCA Group. The Crystal Mist Shire will have their castle built by the bocce courts and will be living and acting the “old ways” all weekend long. Demonstrations of sword fights and a scavenger hunt for kids are planned for Friday and Saturday afternoon and evening.

Saturday, July 9 the Kiwanis Club will be providing a pancake breakfast fundraiser bright and early at Bel Air Park.

Saturday the live music stage will feature the talents of Julia and Cedar, Matt Kreizenbeck, Letters, Next Exit, Ben Lewis, Ron Lovelace, Terry and Denise Eilers, Spin Drift, Melvoy, Rockit, and closing out with The Lottery. The stage will run all day and wrap up at midnight.

Sunday, July 10 there will be a church service provided by the Weed Berean Church and Pastor Howe.

For a complete schedule of activities visit weedchamber.com and read updates on the Carnevale’s Facebook page.

Sunday is the finale of the Weed Carnevale and will shut down around 3 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets are $17 and available in Weed at the Visitor Center, Tri Counties Bank, PremierWest Bank, US Bank, and at Scott Valley Bank in Weed, Mount Shasta and Yreka. Each ticket gets you a wristband giving you access to all rides as many times as you or your kids would like for one day.

Clockwork on stage Sun, June 26th in Weed

Two great concerts are coming to the COS Ford Theater in Weed the near future – both connected to the Mt. Shasta Vocal Jazz/Show Choir Camp that is held every summer at the College of the Siskiyous.

The concert on Sunday evening, June 26, at 7 p.m., will feature Clockwork, an award?winning San Francisco Bay Area based vocal quartet with a signature sound and style performing music from funk to gospel and R & B to standards. Rooted in the tradition of the great vocal jazz groups such as the Hi?Lo’s and Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, the Clockwork “sound” draws inspiration from all styles. Members of Clockwork have performed live with artists such as Bobby McFerrin, the Hi?Lo’s, Meredith Monk, Don Shelton, Gene Puerling, Barbara Lewis, Sufjan Stevens, John Zorn, Barbara Morrison, Kent Nagano with the Deutches Symphonie Orchester and the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, The PM Singers, Heatwave, and on Ward Swingle’s instructional video “Swingle Singing.”

The program will open with featured entertainer, Richard Derwingson, from Mt. Shasta. Born into a musical
family, Derwingson recorded his first vocal album and began teaching himself to play piano at the age of ten. He made his first public appearance at the age of fifteen and formed his first band while in high school. After a professional career performing and recording with RCA pop, vocal group “The Match,” he relocated to northern California to raise a family and compose for musical theatre and the educational choral Release #: 238 Date: June 9, 2011 field. During this period he collaborated with his brother, Roger Emerson, on the “Teen Series” musicals, wrote two original musicals for the Siskiyou Performing Arts Center and was Musical Director and taught Technical Theatre at College of the Siskiyous. Jazz has always been a part of Richard’s musical endeavors and , in 2007, he recorded his first solo CD, “All About Love,” featuring standards from the Great American Songbook and two original compositions. His recently completed second CD of all original jazz vocal songs, “Collaborations,” reflects the breadth of his musical experience.

Tickets for the concert are $10 and may be purchased at Village Books in Mt. Shasta or at the door starting at 6:30 p.m. Both performing groups will have CDs for sale in the foyer of the Ford Theater after the show with the performers on hand to autograph their CDs.

On Saturday, July 2, at 2 p.m., in the COS Ford Theater, students of the Mt. Shasta Vocal Jazz and Show Choir Camp will perform a high energy show of singing and dancing (think Glee!) accompanied by a live band of professional musicians. Tickets for this show are $2 and may be purchased at Village Books in Mt. Shasta or at the door starting at 1:30 p.m.

Mt. Shasta’s 4th of July celebration – can’t wait

Fireworks over Lake Siskiyou

Mt. Shasta’s annual Fourth of July celebration is just a week away and the weather is feeling like summer time. It will be a weekend packed with events, with the downtown celebration set for Saturday and Sunday and the Fun Run/Walk, parade, and fireworks on Monday.

The Mt. Shasta Chamber of Commerce heads up the effort to create this wonderful small town event, which includes a street fair, live music and art shows. Mountain Runners puts on the “parade in reverse” Fun Run and Walk, which is a celebration of Independence Day along with family and fitness.

Below is the weekend schedule from the Chamber of Commerce:

Friday July 1st
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508

Saturday July 2nd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 7:00 pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Jack Tafaro & Trevor Sellman-10am; Last call12pm; Nonessentials-2pm; Blue Relish-4 pm

Sunday July 3rd
10:00am – 4:00pm Walk/Run registration & T shirt pick up at the Armory
10:00am – 5:00pm Mt. Shasta Blvd. & Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily –FREE (530) 926-5508
10:00am – 7:00pm Live entertainment throughout the street fair: Acrobats, Jugglers, More
On Stage: Therese Condit Swing & Jazz-10am; Sundown Poachers-12pm; Wild Blues Yonder -2pm;
Chick Music -4pm
7:00am – 1:00pm Community Breakfast by the Siskiyou Masonic Lodge #297 at the Mount Shasta Community Building on Alder St. All-you-can-eat, $8 Adults, $3 children.
5:00pm – 10:00pm Corben’s Ride Street Party – 200 Block of Mt. Shasta Blvd. Live music, dancing, entertainment.
5pm-Elvis; 6:30-8pm Chick Music; 8:30-10 Rockit

Monday July 4th
6:30am – 8:00am Register for July 4th Walk/Run & pick up pre-registration packages on Mt. Shasta Blvd.
across from Stage Door
6:30am – 11:00am Pancake Breakfast at St. Anthony’s Parish Hall. $8 adults, $5 kids under 6-All-you-can-eat pancakes, served with eggs, ham, orange juice & coffee.
8:30am Mountain Runners Walk/Run – Castle Street Starting Line
12:00 noon Annual Parade along Mt. Shasta Blvd. “Bears, Bears, Bears and More Bears”
7:00am – 4:00pm Castle Street Vendors – Crafts & Food Booths
12:00pm – 4:00pm Live Entertainment on Castle Street Stage
10:00am – 4:00pm Fiber Arts Show sponsored by the Sisson Museum – open daily

~NO PETS ALLOWED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA ~ NO PERSONAL FIREWORKS~

————– Fireworks over Lake Siskiyou at around 9:45pm ————–
Mount Shasta Resort Green opens at 4:00pm for Community Appreciation Day.
Live Music: “The Billy’s”~ $2 admission per person will go to Fireworks Fund. Food and drinks available on site.
~ NO COOLERS or PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort: $1. Admission per person ~ NO PETS or PERSONAL FIREWORKS
For more information call the Mt. Shasta Visitors Bureau
530-926-4865 ext 203 or visit www.mtshastachamber.com

Astronomy event at Lava Beds July 2nd

This year Lava Beds National Monument in far north eastern California is piloting it’s first annual Astronomy Day and Night Sky Event on July 2nd, 2011. The afternoon/evening will feature a few astronomy/night sky activities/talks, an evening program and finally a chance to look through two telescopes.

Lava Beds National Monument is in the high desert and because of this we frequently have many uninterrupted nights of beautiful viewing conditions thanks to few clouds, low humidity and high altitude (4,987 feet).   Check out our clearsky forecast at http://cleardarksky.com/csk/prov/California_charts.html.  The monument is also working on becoming a dark sky park and to this end has installed many high efficiency, low glare lights. To learn more about this exciting event call 530-667-8114.

Beginning at 8:00am and throughout the day, tour our solar system by taking a stroll on the planet walk and find out just how much space there is in space!

10:00am a Junior Ranger program best suited for 8-13 year olds will be presented about Moon Phases, younger children are also welcome.

1:00pm a Ranger will discuss how Lava Beds is reducing our light pollution for the best possible sky viewing. Learn what you can do too.

9:30pm an evening program about the night sky will be held at the campground amphitheater. Please bring a red tinted flashlight. The program will introduce viewers to the peoples’ historical relationship with the night sky and how this relationship has changed over the past few decades.

The event will conclude with a chance to view heavenly objects such as planets through a telescope. Please bring your telescope for a chance to set it up under the darkest skies around.

Dunsmuir Railroad Days – get here now

Dunsmuir Railroad Days

Come join the activities at Dunsmuir Railroad Days this weekend, June 11th and 12th, and celebrate the warmer temperatures. This annual event embraces Dunsmuir’s railroad history and culture and offers a  great family-friendly event. It’s also a beautiful time to visit as the dogwood trees finish blooming and blossoms of many colors decorate this town in the Upper Sacramento River Canyon.

Below is the schedule for Saturday and Sunday. You can learn more by visiting the website.

SATURDAY, JUNE 11
7 a.m.  Dunsmuir Ave. & Pine St. $20 Registration for River Run. 2-mile and 5-mile races.
8 a.m. Start of River Run.

8 a.m. – 11 a.m.  Dunsmuir Rotary Club Pancake Breakfast in Dining Car in Railyard
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Vintage trains on display at the Union Pacific Railyard.
Entry fee: $1.00

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Speeder rides.

9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Model train displays at the Cedar Flats RR Club.

10 – 11 a.m. Little Engineer Contest at Children’s Park
10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Kids’ activities at Children’s Park

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Railroad Museum next to Amtrak Depot open

10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Live entertainment at the Upper Pine St. Performing Arts Pavilion.
10 a.m. – 9 p.m. Food, craft, train & nonprofit booths next to UP Railyard and on Upper Pine

10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Local authors in front of Pizza Factory

10 a.m. Free walking tour of historic downtown. Meet at Sacramento Ave. and Pine St.

11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Lunch served on Dining Car in UP Railyard.

Noon – 1 p.m. Parade on Dunsmuir Ave. and Sacramento Ave.

1:30 p.m. Free tour of Hedge Creek Falls & Botanical Gardens. Meet at Sac Ave. & Pine St. for shuttle.

2 p.m. Awards Ceremony for parade winners at Upper Pine St. Performing Arts Pavilion

3:30 p.m. Talk on geology at Castle Crags State Park. Meet at Sac Ave & Pine St. for shuttle.

5:30 p.m. Dinner On The Dining Car.
Advance reservations required.

SUNDAY, JUNE 12
9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Model train displays at the Amtrak Depot and the Cedar Flats RR Club
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Vintage trains on display at the Union Pacific Railyard
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Speeder rides.

10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Kids’ activities at the Childrens’ Park

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Railroad Museum next to Amtrak Depot open

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Live entertainment at the Upper Pine St. Performing Arts Pavilion

10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Food, craft, train & nonprofit booths next to UP Railyard and on Upper Pine

1 p.m. Diaper Derby at Children’s Park

4:45 p.m. Grand prize drawing for button purchasers  at Upper Pine Street Performing Arts Pavilion.