If you find yourself sitting around with nothing to do this weekend except watching basketball on TV, well … dang, there’s no reason for it. It’s springtime and there’s stuff going on around here.
I’ll highlight of few of the activities and events that sound especially inviting. You should check the nifty calendar on A News Cafe for a complete list, because my compilation is not comprehensive.
• Dia de Cesar Chavez is Friday – as in today – in Anderson. Northern Hispanic Latino Coalition is organizing a short march beginning at 6 p.m. at the Anderson City Hall Community Center, 1887 Howard Avenue. A fund-raising dinner and slide-show of the labor leader will follow, starting at about 6:40 p.m. I’ve heard awfully good things about the food at this event in the past. Details at www.northernhispaniclatinocoalition.com.
• The 2010 Spring Home and Garden Expo runs Friday through Sunday at the Shasta District Fairgrounds in Anderson. Lots of vendors and experts at this event. Details at www.reddinghomeexpo.com.
• The Dance Project wraps up its latest show, “Steppin’ Out!” on Friday and Saturday evenings at the Cascade Theatre. Details at www.cascadetheatre.org.
• My homeboy Jim Dyar and his band play Vintners’ Cellar, at California and Placer streets in downtown Redding, on Friday night. I understand that tie-dye apparel is in order. The groovin’ starts at 6:30.
• Turtle Bay Exploration Park’s Jeans, Jewels & Jazz extravaganza is Saturday evening at the Redding Convention Center. Expect lots of gourmet food, specialty drinks, live and silent auctions of all kinds of cool stuff, and music by Dave Short’s Sax Therapy. You’ll need to get tickets by the close of business on Friday. To reserve those tickets, call 242-3130. More details at www.turtlebay.org/auction2010.
• Local Kiwanis and Key Clubs will be conducting a big food drive on Saturday morning. You might see club members pushing donated shopping carts around your neighborhood to collect donations. There also will be food drops spread around numerous towns in the region. Donated items will go to local food banks.
• The group trying to develop a Northern California veterans museum has put together a 1940s-style USO dinner and dance on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Hall, 1605 Yuba Street, in Redding. The Straight Ahead Big Band will provide music for the event, which also includes a buffet dinner and auction. The meeting and greeting begin at 5:30 p.m. Details at www.norcalveteransmuseum.org.
• Redding Mountain Biking club is hosting a trail work day on Sunday to repair a section of the Brandy Creek Trail (also known as the Ice Box trail). Volunteers will be working on a piece of trail just uphill from the short bridge, where the small pond used to be located. Rain and usage have eroded the trail pretty badly. Helpers should meet at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Sunset Marketplace, corner of Eureka Way and Buenaventura, for a carpool to the trail.
Paul Shigley is senior editor of California Planning & Development Report, a frequent contributor to Planning magazine and a sucker for authentic tamales. He lives in Centerville. Paul Shigley may be reached at pauls.anewscafe@gmail.com.
