Mark your calendars for:
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Chute 212: A Celebration of Magical Memories in the Potterverse
Wednesday-Sunday, July 2-6,
Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara
Please see website for detailed schedule and registration information
“Welcome to the Potterverse where a magical conference awaits you!
On July 2-6 2014 take the Chute Network to Chute 212.
In our secret, magical town hidden from the mundanes, this literary and create-play conference brings witches and wizards together for A Celebration of Magical Memories, and the towns-folk are all a-broom-buzzing in preparation!
Music and dancing, special guests and presentations, cosplay and createplay, interactive workshops and wingding activities are sure to send your spirits high and mark another year of fond memories in the magical world. 5 days and 4 nights of magic!
Come celebrate with witches and wizards of all ages, and get your broom on!”
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As One We Flow: A RiverGuidess Adventure
Thursday-Sunday, July 3-6
on the Stanislaus River in Oakdale, address given upon registration
see website for registration information
“Summer’s around the bend. Let your inner child out to play!
This is the Summer Camp you dreamed of as a kid! Now that you’re all grown up, you can enjoy comfortable shaded ‘glamping’ on velvet lawns, gentle river rafting, swimming, yoga, meditation, various forms of conscious and ecstatic dance, massage and bodywork, hot showers, gourmet organic meals, and so much more. Yes - Paradise has been found on the Stanislaus River, an easy drive, just 90 minutes east of Oakland Airport and the San Francisco Bay!
Open to Singles, Couples and (a few) Families, we offer exclusive access to a magical, private riverfront estate that few ever get to see, let alone be for an entire holiday weekend. You’ll discover sandy beaches, hammocks and rope swings galore, exotic statues, a temple made of redwood trees, plants carved into topiaries, and more surprises at every turn.
Swim in gentle currents, feel the warm breezes on your skin. Nurture your body, open your heart, soothe your soul and connect with people of like mind and spirit. This will become one of your most treasured memories in this lifetime! We’re along the road from San Francisco to Yosemite, so you might include a trip to the Park in your plans.
Our guest teacher and artist line-up is coming soon, featuring:
Live and DJed music
Yoga and Meditation
Conscious Dance and Movement Classes
Inspirational Playshops and Connecting Activities
Delicious organic meals and snacks
No rafting experience necessary! This gentle river is great for novice and experienced alike.”
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Time Travel Weekends
in Historic Old Sacramento
Saturday-Sunday, July 5-6, 11:00AM-5:00PM,
and every weekend through August 24
Historic Old Sacramento, 101 I Street, Sacramento
“Get ready to step back in time when the past mingles with the present once again in Old Sacramento! Visitors to Old Sacramento will enjoy lively and interactive street theatre as part of the hugely popular Time Travel Weekends. The streets of Old Sacramento will come alive with talented performers who put on spontaneous and elaborate skits and performances. Plus, visitors won’t want to miss the highly entertaining Old West stage shows happening daily, including the much-acclaimed Golden Melodeon Review in the Eagle Theatre.
As you stroll through Old Sacramento on weekends July through August, you might just chance upon historic re-enactments complete with wagons, wild characters with heroes and villains, children’s pioneer craft activities, historic gambling, bowling, juggling, singing, dancing and other forms of musical mastery, military encampments, mining camps, parades, historic events, medicine shows, Civil War cannon firings, and much, much more!”
A lot of the performers in this program are Renaissance Faire and/or Dickens Fair folk!
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Great Train Robberies at Roaring Camp
Saturday-Sunday, July 5-6, Saturday-Monday, August 30-September 1
Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, 831-335-4484
see website for schedule admission details
“Witness shootouts between famed lawmen and notorious outlaws from the 1880s aboard the Redwood Forest Train to Bear Mountain. See why the West was wild!!”
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Bay Area Country Dance Society Family Week
Sunday-Saturday, July 6-12
Foothill Horizons Outdoor School, 21925 Lyons Bald Mountain Road, Sonora
see website for detailed schedule and registration information
activities for ages from preschool through adult
“Join us for six days full of dancing, music, crafts, swimming, games, storytelling, and too much fun…
Family Dance Camp is about the time-honored tradition of movement and music, and the camp will be filled with fun folk-dancing for the whole family. There will be something for all ages, including English Country dance, square dances, contra dances, sword dancing, step dancing, couples dances, and daily community dances that bring the entire camp together.
The music at camp is the best! The extremely talented musical staff will make your toes tap for dancing and your ears happy from listening. The staff will provide music for all kinds of dancing, will lead workshops for new and experienced musicians alike, and will lead the camp in joyous song. Instruction will be offered for many instruments, including fiddle, guitar, piano, and mandolin.
Enjoy the eternal art of storytelling. Our professional storyteller will enchant children and adults alike with storytelling sessions every day and a bedtime story as well. After the evening story the children will be serenaded off to bed with our traditional pied-piper parade.
Family Dance Camp craft classes offer adults and children a chance to make things with their hands. Our talented and knowledgeable artists will help all ages take pride in what they create.”
Thanks to Vicki Solomon for letting me know about this event!
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Three Stone Hearth Farm Tour: True Grass Farms
Saturday, July 12, 8:00AM-1:00PM
depart from Three Stone Hearth, 1581 University Avenue, Berkeley, 510-981-1334
$60, ages 12+
“Join Three Stone Hearth on a field trip into our local foodshed. Guido Frosini raises California's only grassfed Wagyu (Kobe) beef and pastured heritage pork three miles from the Pacific coast in beautiful Marin County. Committed to stewardship of the land, Guido will share his passion and knowledge of rangeland restoration, using pasture to sequester carbon, and raising healthy animals on open land.
Come enjoy a tour of the ranch property and lunch featuring True Grass Farms beef. Ticket price is $60 per person and the trip is recommended for ages 12 and up. This includes transportation, tour, and lunch.
8:00AM: depart Berkeley (bus pickup at TSH kitchen)
9:00AM-12:00PM: tour and lunch at True Grass Farms
1:00PM: return to Berkeley”
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Teddy Bear Picnic
Sunday, July 13, 12:00-4:00PM
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, 1300 Senter Road, San Jose
included with park admission, $12.95
“It’s a Teddy Bear Picnic! Bring your teddy bears and their friends.
Join the fun in the meadow for a special day:
Picnic Story Time
Sing-Along
Family Games and Crafts
Special Animal Show
Bring your blankets and picnic lunch
Teddy bear vet technicians will be on hand to repair your thoroughly loved teddy bears!”
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Lineage Playshop: From Ancestors To Descendants
a Shamanik Improv playshop
Sunday, July 13, 2:00-9:-00PM
The Flight Deck, 1540 Broadway, Oakland
sliding $50-$75
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shamanik-improv-playshop-lineage-from-ancestors-to-descendants-registration-12012903919
http://www.eventbrite.com/e/shamanik-improv-playshop-lineage-from-ancestors-to-descendants-registration-12012903919
“A journey to far back before we were human, from the Big Bang to single cells, to multicellular organisms traveling through to the complex human blood lineage. Where were your people from? How did they celebrate their connection to the planet? What sounds did their language make? What dances did they dance? And then you arrive. And then what happens? Who comes after us? What world are we creating for them? In addition to the usual palette of shamanik improv tools, we may get a chance to explore ancestral constellation work. There will be an hour break for dinner together (bring your own funds). No prerequisites. Although we are exploring the infinite, we are limited to 10 people and their ancestors and descendants.”
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FURY Factory Festival of Ensemble Theatre
Sunday, July 6-Sunday, July 20
various San Francisco venues
see website for schedule and ticket details
“Welcome to the 2014 FURY Factory, a hub for ensemble theater on the West Coast. We are thrilled to bring you exciting work from dozens of vibrant performance groups from around the country packed into just two weeks. These artists are working in many different forms, from dance-theater to clown, multimedia improvisation to intimate, ritualized Shakespeare. We invite you to experience for yourself the eye-popping excitement of what theater can be today.
So buy a festival pass, attend a workshop, shmooze with the artists, have a drink or three, and enjoy this national gathering of ensemble performance right here in San Francisco!”
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RiffTrax Live presents Sharknado!
Wednesday, July 10 and Monday, July 15
see website for local event details
“Fathom Events, The Asylum and RiffTrax.com are ecstatic to bring the stars of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K) back to select cinemas nationwide on Thursday, July 10 LIVE and Tuesday, July 15 for a hilarious never-before-seen take on the viral B-movie sensation, Sharknado.
Considered by many critics to be one of the greatest movies ever made in the ‘Tornado full of sharks’ genre, Sharknado debuted in 2013 to unprecedented buzz. Not since Snakes On A Plane had the Internet been so excited about a movie, and not since the late 90s had anyone been so excited about anything starring Tara Reid.
Ian Ziering, played by William Katt, stars as ‘Fin’ (Get it???), a famous surfer whose day at the beach is ruined by colder than expected water temperatures. We’re just kidding of course, it’s ruined by the ENORMOUS TORNADO FULL OF RAVENOUS SHARKS. Soon they infiltrate the entire city of Los Angeles via the sewer system and… Look, why are you still reading this? It has chainsaws, helicopters dropping bombs, and the aforementioned TORNADO FULL OF SHARKS! Get yourself to the theater already!
From the moment it debuted, Sharknado has been one of the most requested titles in RiffTrax history. It makes Jaws IV look like Jaws III, and Jaws III look like Jaws. You won’t want to miss the chance to see Mike, Kevin, and Bill tackle Sharknado!
Join Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett of RiffTrax.com for an uproarious riff on the most outrageous flick of 2013! This two-night event will be your only chance to see the guys fire their wisecracking commentary at Sharknado on the big screen.”
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The BreastFest Beer Festival
Saturday, July 12, 2:00-6:00PM
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, San Francisco
$55 in advance, $65 at the door
“It all began while a daughter watched her mother fight breast cancer and was shocked to find Complementary Alternative Medical Treatments are rarely if ever covered by health care plans. It was an eye-opening experience to discover those treatments made her mother feel better and aided in her recovery.
Thus, The BreastFest Beer Festival, a non-profit 501(c)(3), was born as a way to help raise money for and support the Charlotte Maxwell Complementary Clinic (CMCC), a state licensed non-profit clinic offering alternative medical treatments for low-income women diagnosed with cancer. Located in Oakland and San Francisco, Charlotte Maxwell Clinic includes services such as acupuncture, Chinese and Western herbs, massage, therapeutic imagery, social services, organic foods and transportation. The clinic's core mission is to provide relief from the terrible side affects of cancer and it's treatments (pain, nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite,) to enhance immune function and better the quality of life for women battling cancer. Low-income women in the U.S. are four times more likely to die from their form of cancer than those living above the federal poverty line. For this reason, we seek to level the playing field and offer women tools to complete their prescribed cancer treatments, thereby increasing their chances of survival.
In July, 2000 the first Brewfest was held in Marin County. Hosting 16 local breweries, it was a successful start for many more to come. Years later, it has grown to welcome 60 breweries, local food purveyors and Bay Area musicians who all join together to help women gain access to alternative means of cancer therapy!
This is a festival organized for the purpose of helping those in need, created in an era in which beer-tasting events were far and few between. The BreastFest has become an elite presence for breweries on the West Coast and beyond, it gives the craft brewing industry a way to create camaraderie for a worthy cause. It's an event at which beer pioneers and festive attendees join hands and give back to the community committed to beating cancer!”
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Moonlight Steam Train Dinner Party at Roaring Camp
Saturday, July 12, 5:00-10:00PM,
and three more Saturdays, August 9, September 6, and October 4
Roaring Camp Railroads, 5401 Graham Hill Road, Felton, 831-335-4484
see website for schedule admission details
“Treat yourself to an evening of fun and relaxation at Roaring Camp's Western Moonlight Dinner Train Party. Start with a hearty barbecue steak dinner followed by a leisurely train ride aboard vintage railway cars. The steam train stops atop Bear Mountain to a glowing campfire, hot cider and musical sing-along. Upon returning to Roaring Camp, hot apple pie and a country western band await you. Get into the swing of things by line dancing or two-stepping the night away.”
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Summer Barn Dance at Tara Firma Farm
Saturday, July 12, Dinner at 6:00PM, Dancing at 7:00PM
Tara Firma Farm, 3796 I Street, Petaluma
$20
“Fun and lively dancing with caller Mavis McGaugh. Grab your friends and come on down to the farm for some delicious grub and lively dancing! Come early and tour the farm.
Eats at 6:00PM, Dancing starts at 7:00PM.
Tara Firma Farms is a sustainable, farm producing food that connects the community to each other. In 2009, we set off on a mission to create a source of food produced with the highest integrity and to allow the people who consume our food full access to our farm. From the inception we have offered FREE weekend tours, providing education to the public. This allows the community to learn where their food comes from, how they can be accountable in the process, choosing between conventional, organic or local and knowing all the differences to make educated decisions. By including our customers, it keeps us accountable to produce the highest quality food in the most sustainable and ecologically sound way.”
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Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival
Saturday-Sunday, July 12-13, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto
Free
“The prestigious and popular 22nd Annual Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival hosts a fabulous, free, fun-filled two-day celebration of Clay and Glass Art on July 12-13, 2014, at the Palo Alto Art Center. Featuring both fine and functional art, the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival is the largest show of its kind, with 150 juried artists displaying their work. Meet the artists and learn about their art. Enjoy a variety of engaging activities, including hands-on pottery-making and wheel-throwing demonstrations.”
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Felted Vest Workshop
with Katharine Jolda
Friday-Saturday, July 12-13, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Bodega Pastures, Bodega, RSVP for address
$265, including materials, camping and two meals.
To register please email fibershed@gmail.com
“Felted vest-making workshop with guest singers from Kitka
Limited to 7 students. Please contact Katharine at katharine@feltthesun.com for more information. To reserve your place, email fibershed@gmail.com, and you will be sent a Paypal payment request.
In this two-day workshop, you will make for yourself a customized and stylish felt vest from Bodega Pastures’ finest sheep’s wool.
Day 1: Size and design the patterns, card the wool on the Cyclocarder, meet and greet the sheep! Continuing the ancient tradition of singing while working, members of Kitka, the world-famous women’s vocal ensemble, will bring folk songs from Eastern Europe.
Day 2: Felting and decorating the vests. Plus, a small natural dye project for embellishment.
Camping is accommodated on site, and a full dinner and breakfast will be provided. The setting is rustic, but wheelchair accessible.
Instructor Katharine Ellen Jolda is the artisan behind Felt the Sun, a collection of felt apparel made from Navajo and Bay Area wool, and understands her felt practice as a creative form of ‘direct action’ that builds reciprocal and honorable relationships to serve practical needs.
Read more about Katharine in the blog post Mother of Invention on the Fibershed blog.
Bodega Pastures is a 1200-acre ranch in the hills surrounding Salmon Creek, just outside of the town of Bodega. Since the 1960s, several families have collaborated as stewards of the land, running about 300 sheep, and offering a Waldorf-inspired pre-school for children in the area.”
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Scofield’s Cowboy Campfire
Saturday, July 12, 6:00-10:00PM, and six more Saturdays - see dates below
Red Mule Ranch, Fiddletown (East of Sacramento, in the Gold Country)
directions given upon registration
$45 includes dinner and entertainment
“Scofield’s Cowboy Campfire
Old West Music, Cowboy Poetry, Chuckwagon Dinner
Ron and Marie Scofield are your hosts for an evening of old-time cowcamp entertainment under the stars at the Red Mule Ranch in Fiddletown, California. Enjoy a chuck wagon tri-tip dinner and cowboy music, poetry, and story telling in an 1880s setting. In addition to Ron's traditional brand of old cowboy standards, special guest performers contribute their unique style of western wit, wisdom, satire, and song.
Dinner is served at 6:30PM. Entertainment begins at 7:30PM with a break for intermission and dessert. After lots of music and poetry, it's ‘Happy Trails’ around 10:00PM.
Dates for 2014:
July 19 - Old West Trio and Ron and Gary Scofield
August 2 - Riverbend Folk Band
August 9 - Pipp Gillette and Jim and Karen Ross
August 16 - Juni Fisher and Jim King
August 23 - Old West Trio and Pat Richardson
September 6 - Old West Trio and Mark Twain (MacAvoy Layne)”
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Mendocino Middle Eastern Music and Dance Camp
Saturday-Saturday, July 12-19
Mendocino Woodlands, 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino
see website for registration information
“Enjoy a program covering a broad spectrum of music and dance traditions from this tremendously diverse geographical region. We urge you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us in a nurturing and informal environment:
Middle Eastern folk dance classes
Belly dance classes
Instruction on Middle Eastern classical and folk instruments
Parties with live music
Ensemble coaching, performances
Ethnic cuisine
Mendocino Woodlands is located in a beautiful redwood forest near the California coast, inland from the town of Mendocino, 175 miles north of San Francisco. Our camp has four-person enclosed cabins with fireplaces and balconies, and spacious dining and dance halls. If you prefer to tent, there is ample open space and of course, the woods provide their own pleasures.”
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Petaluma Art and Garden Festival
Sunday, July 13, 11:00AM-5:00PM
Historic Downtown Petaluma
Free admission
“Come and enjoy the best of what Petaluma has to offer at the 13th Annual Art and Garden Festival in Historic Downtown Petaluma! Listen to FREE live music by four bands and browse the streets of downtown that will be lined with more than 150 booths from local artists, gardeners, restaurants, wineries and breweries! This is one of Petaluma's favorite festivals as there is something for everyone, including the Italian Street Art Competition, formerly known as the Chalk Art Competition, as well as a Children's Corner!
We are pleased to announce that the Petaluma Art and Garden Festival has been voted as Best Outdoor Art Event, Sonoma County! Thanks to all those who voted for us and we look forward to another great festival this July with lots of amazing and talented participants!”
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Celebrating Phyllis Patterson: A Gypsy Forest Sunset Picnic
hosted by the Patterson Family
Sunday, July 13, 5:30-9:30PM
College of Marin, Indian Valley Campus, 1800 Ignacio Boulevard, Novato
Free
“This gathering is for the Friends of Phyllis Patterson who wish to honor her life and works by their presence.
Join us for an evening celebration to honor Phyllis Patterson's Life in the Great Meadow at the wooded Indian Valley Campus of the College of Marin. Wear your most colorful ‘forest gypsy’ fashions and sensible footwear.
Bring a supper picnic, a blanket, and lawn chairs. There will be shade from trees after 6:00PM.
Children welcome. Activities will be provided:
making gypsy rope and learning simple dances.
No alcohol may be brought onto the campus.
Beer and wine will be served at a no-host bar. I.D. required.
Picnic from 5:30-7:30PM; program from 7:30-9:30PM.
Free on-campus parking. Enter at Lot 2, walk across the bridge and follow the banners.”
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Listening to the Amazon
an evening with Didier Lacaze
Tuesday, July 15, 7:00-9:00PM,
doors open at 6:45, reception with light refreshments served before presentation
First Unitarian Universalist Church and Center, 1187 Franklin Street, San Francisco
$25 in advance, $30 at the door
“Please join us for an evening presentation by Didier Lacaze, founder of a visionary new project, the Sacha Warmi Center, for a powerful and unique experience evoking thousands of years of Amazonian medicinal tradition. We are excited to be hosting Didier's rare bay area appearance and what is sure to be an interesting and touching evening.
In his presentation, Didier will speak about ancient indigenous medicinal practices - why they are deteriorating, and what is at stake if these knowledge and practices die out. He'll also address the shamanic component of those systems, in particular how sacred plants are used in the Amazon basin for health and healing. Didier will describe the work of PROMETRA (Promotion of Traditional Medicine in Amazonia), the initiative he founded to encourage indigenous people to re-vitalize their ancestral medicine and conserve medicinal plant species. He'll also introduce the Sacha Warmi Center. Named for the ‘spirit woman of the forest’ in the Kichwa language, the Center represents Didier's dream for humanity: bringing Western and indigenous medicinal systems together in the spirit of interculturality to address the health crises of indigenous people and with the potential of fostering new paradigms of health and healing for the world at large.
The evening will begin with reception with light refreshments and a chance to peruse some wonderful handicrafts from the indigenous artisans of the upper Amazon.
All proceeds go directly to support the Sacha Warmi Center Project.”
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Step Back In Time at Filoli
Thursday, July 17, 5:00-8:00PM
Filoli, 86 Canada Road, Woodside
$60
Tickets must be purchased in advance
“Imagine the way you might have dressed if you were a guest at Filoli in the 1920s.
Filoli is a special place and we have planned a special summer evening that you won’t want to miss.
If you are a fan of Downton Abbey or The Great Gatsby and enjoy a great garden party, you will enjoy this evening as Filoli ‘steps back in time’ with music and dress of the 1920s. Stroll the House and Garden in your period dress (optional) or don your fedora and come to see those who have also dressed for the occasion.
While listening to live music, partake in passed hors d’oeuvres and drinks, including white wine, beer, iced tea and sparkling water served by staff and volunteers in period dress reminiscent of Filoli’s 1920s household staff.
Located 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli is an historic site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century. Whether enjoying its beauty or pursuing its educational opportunities, we invite you to explore this cherished community resource.”
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Sacred Sexuality: A Retreat for Men and Women
led by Lindy James with Fred Burks
Friday-Sunday, July 18-20
LoveJourney Temple, Sebastopol, exact address given upon RSVP
$335 per person, $625 per couple until July 8, $385 per person, $685 per couple after July 8
“We invite you into the temple to experience on a deeper level the delight and freedom of being in your body.
Learn the art of giving and receiving sacred spot massage plus...
Ways to slow down, be still and listen to the wisdom of your body
Healthy prostate massage
Tantric dance
How to open her heart through breast massage
Tools to process whatever arises
How to deepen the trust in your intuition, and more...
Sacred spot massage is a unique initiation ritual and healing process that activates the transformative power of the sexual center.
The focus of this retreat is to deepen your capacity to fully embrace the sacredness of your body. In slowing down, direct experience can take on a fullness, a vibrant openness, in which we can see what truly wants to happen. This can be a great relief for many people who say ‘yes’ when they mean ‘no’ and visa versa.
For more information, please contact Lindy at 831-662-3768 or lindy@lindyjames.com
Cost and Registration:
$335 per person, if paid in full by July 8, $385 after July 8
$625 per couple, if paid in full by July 8, $685 after July 8
Private rooms are available for a reasonable fee, tent sites and floor space at no additional charge.
To hold your space in this retreat, please send $150 deposit.
Prerequisite:
Must have a short phone interview with Lindy to discern if this is the right retreat for you at this time. Some prior experience with Tantra is helpful.
Lindy James has been a practitioner of western Tantra for over 20 years. She offers sessions in the ‘Art of Conscious Loving’, facilitating workshops and groups with a grounded, accepting, and warm style. Trained in the Hakomi Method, Lindy works as a counselor in Santa Cruz, where she also offers ‘Wind Horse’, a unique blend of Hakomi and horseback riding.
Fred Burks has led transformational workshops on both US coasts in heart-based Tantra and breathwork practices, helping people enter expanded states and gain soul wisdom. Fred was instrumental in the founding of Sacred Connections, a San Francisco area sacred sexuality community. A world traveler and language interpreter, he is deeply committed to personal and global transformation through love and empowerment.”
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Summer Yoga and Ayurveda Retreat
with Melina Meza
Friday-Sunday, July 18-20
Avalon Springs, Middletown, address and directions given upon registration
see website for registration details
“Discover the offerings of Ayurveda to explore a deeper sense of balance, awareness and vitality. The word Ayurveda is derived from the Sanskrit root Ayu, signifying life, and Veda, meaning knowledge. Ayurveda refers to a philosophy and health science that promotes life and longevity. Within the art and science of Yoga and Ayurveda, there are endless ways to rediscover the body’s inherent joy and healthfulness of living in balance from season to season. In addition to asana practice, Melina will share insights into physical health and nutrition as well as how to inspire self-knowledge that allows for the conscious adjustment of day-to-day choices. This nourishing retreat emphasizes the importance of sequencing and being in alignment with nature.
Melina will offer her favorite seasonal vinyasa practices and Ayurvedic concepts such as: doshas, rasa, vikruti, dinacharya, and pancha mahabhutas (earth, water, fire, air, space) to prepare your foundation for an unforgettable summer and weekend at Avalon Springs.
The mineral hot springs of Avalon have been honored for centuries for promoting harmony and wellness. Relax and unwind in the Magnesium-rich Medicine Spring Water. Experience the skin-softening effects of the Boron-rich Mother Spring. Melt away tensions while feeling the strengthening effects of the Iron-rich Dragon Spring. And stay hydrated with your choice of seven different mineral drinking springs, flowing fresh and clean straight from the earth.
You will return home from this retreat rejuvenated, with the foundation needed to continue a daily ayurvedic practice that can transform your life.
Melina has been exploring the art and science of yoga and nutrition for over 20 years. She combines her knowledge of Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, whole foods nutrition, and healthy lifestyle promotion into a unique style called Seasonal Vinyasa. Her devotion to yoga and eating well, to teaching and nutritional counseling, and to traveling and experiencing different cultures combine to create a colorful and hopefully enlightening perspective from which to share that which she loves about yoga in its entirety. Meza is the author of the Art of Sequencing books and Yoga for the Seasons - Fall Vinyasa DVD. Melina holds a BS in Nutrition, 500 E-RYT, and is an Ayurveda Health Educator.
Avalon Springs has what we think is the perfect mix between rustic living, cozy comfort and spa goodness. The rooms are old and are still being refurbished so aren’t super fancy, but are comfortable and cozy. Most of the rooms have a sink for washing but use a shared bathroom by the pools or in the lodge like the original hot springs was set up. The food and the waters are top notch and are as healing and tasteful as at any resort I’ve been to, if not more so. The all-around vibe is familial, and you’ll feel like you’re diving into yourself while being supported by the land, the waters, the food, the atmosphere and most of all the people. If you’re looking for a sterile 5 star $400/night hotel, this isn’t for you!
The healing waters are the heart of the Avalon Springs experience. The mineral hot springs of Avalon have been honored for centuries for promoting harmony and wellness. In addition to the soaking springs, Avalon boasts a variety of special mineral drinking waters which can be enjoyed straight from their place of emergence in the rock. One drinking spring is high in Lithium - a mood elevator commonly used to treat Bipolar Disorder. Other springs include a bubbly iron soda drinking spring, a Magnesium-rich ‘laxative’ spring historically named ‘Dynamite Spring’, and Bohemia Spring, which was considered a hang-over tonic to cure the effects of over-indulgence!
Avalon is set up much like the old Weber Hot Springs from the 1940s upon which Avalon sits, with a main lodge, a mini bath house and cottages set back on the hill. We offer shared double rooms or single rooms. The bathrooms are located in the bathhouse and the main lodge although some room shave a sink for washing in them.
The kitchen at Avalon Springs will draw ingredients straight from the garden, offering an ample buffet-style meal plan with large meals twice daily (lunch and dinner) and a juice and snack bar available for breakfast and between-meals needs. Entrees for meals at Avalon will include some organic local meats, fish, and poultry as well as ample fresh vegetarian fare sourced from local farms and Avalon’s own gardens. Raw food delights will also be showcased on occasion to feature the potency and taste of the freshest produce available.
With every meal introducing healing foods preparation including raw food delicacies, superfood juices, and healing teas, dining at Avalon will be a healing experience. Unlike many healing resorts, Avalon Springs will have no dogmatic restrictions on diet, allowing the guests the freedom to explore options and choose their own ways to nourish themselves naturally, with everything from raw chocolates to hearty meats and local wines.
Included:
Asana Practices and Teachings with Melina
Two Dinners, Two Brunches and two light breakfasts by our fantastic chef
Accommodation of your choosing
Use of Hot Springs and Facilities
Avalon has:
Towels, Robes, linens/bedding, wifi in the main lodge.”
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Intuitive Tracking: Hunting And Stalking Your Inner Wisdom
Master Classes with Shaman, Forrest Yoga Teacher, and author Bridget Boland
Friday-Sunday, July 18-20
Friday 7:30-9:30PM: Gut
Saturday 1:00-3:00PM: Heart
Sunday 1:00-3:00PM: Head
Innerstellar Yoga, 2800 Adeline Street, Berkeley, 510-649-1976
$40 per class or $100 for all three
“All of us possess an inner knowing, an ‘intuitive compass’ meant to guide us through our lives. This tool is made up of our intellectual/logical brain, our heart, which is the feeling/emotional center, and our gut, which processes and ‘digests’ information we receive from the world around us. When all of these areas are open and receptive - and we pay attention to what they are telling us! - we make empowered, dynamic choices in our relationships, careers and other areas of our lives.
This series of workshops is designed to help you sharpen your inner hunting and stalking skills of tracking. We'll begin with an asana practice to open the chakras and facilitate heightened intuition. Then we'll shift into energy practices and tools including wall tracking and vision questing to deepen into acknowledging and following your inner wisdom. Join us for a fascinating journey - into the deepest places within yourself!
Bridget Boland is a Forrest Yoga teacher, shamanic energy healer, writer, birth coach and former attorney. Blending Forrest Yoga with Scaravelli Yoga for a strong yet fluid practice, Bridget strives to provide a sanctuary for students to explore their emotional landscapes through breath and movement in yoga ceremony or practice. Bridget offers group and private instruction, corporate classes, pre/postnatal yoga and yoga/creative writing workshops.”
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Lichen Dyes
with Shelly Bensen and Sarah Minnick
Friday, July 19, 10:00AM-4:00PM
private ranch in Nicasio, Martin County, address given upon registration
$100, to register please email fibershed@gmail.com
“Join us for a special opportunity to learn about these fascinating organisms, and discover their amazing natural dye properties! This class is co-taught by Shelly Bensen and Sarah Minnick.
An overview and history of lichen dyes will be presented, followed by information on the methodologies of creating lichen dye baths. We will heat up some dyes and add fiber samples (provided). While the dye lichens are doing their work, Shelly will lead a foray into the surrounding area to look for lichens. Participants will learn some common lichen species and the characteristics that will help identify those good for dyeing. After the foray, we’ll see what colors have developed in the dye vats! Participants will take home instructions for dyeing with lichens as well as the samples they dyed. If you have a hand lens, please bring it on the foray so you can truly appreciate the fine details of the lichens.
The workshop will take place on a ranch in Nicasio. Participants are requested to bring a dish to share for the potluck lunch.
There will also be an opportunity to learn about the groundbreaking work of the Carbon Cycle Institute, whose mission is to stop and reverse global warming by advancing natural, science-based solutions that remove atmospheric carbon while promoting environmental stewardship, social equity and economic sustainability.”
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Elevating the Regency Jockey Style Hat
with Lynn McMasters
presented by Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild
Saturday, July 19, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Hancock Fabrics, 898 Blossom Hill Road, San Jose
$65, must register before July 12
“Regency Jockey Style hats have gotten a bad reputation. Most people think of them as visors with droopy bags of fabric in the back. If you extend the definition of a Regency Jockey Style hat/bonnet to encompass any Regency hat/bonnet with a soft round crown worn slightly back on the head and with a stiffened brim then there are many variations to be seen in the fashion plates of the Regency period. Brims can go from very narrow half brims, to very deep half brims, to brims that go around the entire head. Also, the complexity level of the decorations extends from the simple to the very elaborate.
The pattern we'll be using has 5 different shapes of brims to pick from. You can further alter the shape by making your brim narrower or wider. Also, you can choose to make a simple one-piece crown or perhaps a more complex two-part crown.
Check this page for lots of ideas and fashion plates that show how the style changes over the Regency period. Also check out Lynn McMasters' creations made with this pattern.
Lynn McMasters has been making costumes and hats for more than 20 years now and has had a line of historical hat patterns for 15 years. Passing on her passions through teaching and writing ‘how to’ articles is her real joy.
Hancock Fabrics is surrounded by lots of free parking. Hip, hip, hooray! The classroom is located at the back of the store. The restroom facilities at this location are up one level of metal stairs. There are other, more accessible restroom facilities at neighboring stores in the same strip mall.
Be warned that Hancock Fabrics has two San Jose locations. Make sure you come to the right one.
There will be a lunch break during this class. You may bring your lunch, but there are also several fast food options nearby.”
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Rivertown Revival
Saturday, July 19, 11:30AM-7:00PM
Steamer Landing Park, 6 Copeland Street, Petaluma
Free
“Once again, it’s time to ramp up for the Greatest Slough on Earth!
Like you, we love Sonoma County and all of the bounty that it has to offer. For this reason, and many more, we’ve celebrating the 5th year of this local, arts-based, community festival that highlights the Petaluma River and all of the amazing artists who call our county home. The event includes an art boat race and parade, floating art barges and an all-day festival, which includes local music, art, food and drink and over 40 fabulous local vendors. The Rivertown Revival is sure to be 2014′s most unique and creative summer festival!
Music
The stage will be busy all day with a variety of foot-stompin’, creative, crowd-pleasing acts of Americana.
Artboats
Races and displays will be happening throughout the day.
Eco-Consciousness
Please bring your own drinking vessel to the Rivertown Revival, as we are dedicated to creating a low-impact event to our beautiful peninsula and river environment. There will be limited disposables available at the event, and you will notice ample recycling and composting bins throughout. Please help us preserve the peninsula and keep our event waste-free.
Parking
We heartily encourage bicycling or walking to the Revival, however limited parking will be available off of D Street between the bridge and Lakeville Highway.
Bicycle Valet
A free Bicycle Valet organized by the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition will be set at Steamer Landing Park.
Children
Bring them! This is a family friendly event, and children will have their own kingdom in the River Kidstown - an area dedicated to kids crafts and entertainment.
Pets
We love animals, but our livestock and food vendors are wary. Pleases keep your dogs, cats, birds, and fish at home. (We’re ok with snakes as body art.)
Food and Beverage
A bounty of food vendors will be on site to tempt you with local goodies - save room for lunch, dessert, and more while supporting your local purveyors.
Artisans
We’re choosing the most unique local vendors to display their crafts at the Revival. We encourage you to support the many wares that will be available.”
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Midsummer Garden Tea: A Mad Hatter Tea Party
Saturday, July 19, 3:00-6:00PM
Luther Burbank Home and Gardens, 204 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa
$50
“Join us in the Memorial Garden at Luther Burbank Home and Gardens on Saturday, July 19, from 3:00-6:00PM.
Wine Reception, Afternoon Tea, and Silent Auction
Hat Contest and Table Decoration Judging
Complimentary Home Tour available at 2:00PM and 2:30PM
We would be delighted with the honor of your company!
Tickets are $50. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help assure that what's inside the fence line looks as good as our New Fence will! (We may or may not be showing off the New Fence by Tea Time.)
Reservations can be made online or by calling 707-524-5445.”
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Santa Cruz Starlight Evening Train at Roaring Camp
Saturday, July 19, 8:00PM,
and one more Saturday, August 16
Train departs from Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz
see website for ticket details
“Experience the beauty of an ancient Redwood Forest lit up at night from Pullman-like coaches and open-air excursion cars of the Santa Cruz, Big Trees and Pacific Railway. Smell the aroma of Redwoods, Pines, Tan Oaks and Madrone trees while traveling under the stars. Evening trains depart from and return to the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz for a leisurely two-hour round-trip along the San Lorenzo River Gorge and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park.”
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Renegade Craft Fair
Saturday-Sunday, July 19-20, 11:00AM-6:00PM
Festival Pavilion, Fort Mason Center, 99 Marina Boulevard, San Francisco
Free
“Renegade Craft Fair is the world’s premier network of events serving the DIY craft community. RCF was the first event of its kind when it was founded in 2003, and 11 years later we are still the largest and most far-reaching with 11 annual events in Austin, Brooklyn, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. On average, our events are attended by over 250,000 people annually, and hundreds of craft-based businesses have been launched successfully out of the fairs.
RCF was founded for a very simple reason: there simply wasn’t a curated, well-run event for DIY-ers. Our founders had been looking for an event to participate in, but existing events were highly focused on fine arts + crafts. After launching the first Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago in the fall of 2003, the DIY craft fair concept took off immediately has since spread to the major network of events that it is today. We are constantly on the lookout for bright new talent, and couldn’t be more proud of our reputation as a resource for advancing independent artisan and craft businesses.
Everything at the fairs reflects our commitment to showcase the best and brightest in indie craft and design. This begins with our vendors, featuring products ranging from cutting-edge fashion and jewelry design to sophisticated ceramics and housewares, contemporary furniture and lighting, bath and body products, screen-printed art, paper goods, and more.
Beyond our vendors, you will find local artisanal food and drink, original art installations created just for the fair by hand-selected artists, interactive workshops, great music, good vibes and more.
The Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco July Market lands at the Fort Mason Center Festival Pavillion this July 19-20. Situated between the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, the scenic San Francisco Bay will provide a perfect backdrop to the stunning work of some of the most talented makers out there. Market hours are from 11:00AM-6:00PM both days.
RCF is always free to attend. Limited but affordable parking is available at the Fort Mason Center lot. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed in the venue, so please do not bring your adorable dog.”
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Catalan Festival
Saturday-Sunday, July 19-20, 12:00-4:00PM
Gloria Ferrer Caves and Vineyards, 23555 Carneros Highway, Sonoma
see website for admission details
“A Spanish Heritage Festival of Wine, Music, and Food
Join us for a day of traditional Spanish folklore as you stroll and enjoy passionate music, flamenco dancing, savory tapas and paella samples and sip our acclaimed Carneros sparkling and estate wines. We invite you to share these multi-faceted experiences that tantalize the senses with cooking demonstrations, educational seminars and a festive grape stomp.
This year’s festival benefits the Sonoma Valley Education Foundation.”
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Gold Rush Adventure!
Sunday, July 20, 12:00-4:00PM
History Park, 635 Phelan Avenue, San Jose
$5
City parking available for $6
“Summer is a good time to have an adventure, and History Park will provide the backdrop. Gold Rush Adventure Day will allow friends and families to be a ’49er for a day - as in the original gold rushers of 1849.
Come join us for gold panning, historic games from the Gold Rush, and craft activities for children ages 4-11, including leavings dolls, churning butter, a jumping frog contest, roping a steer, milking a cow, and pony express relay. Lance Beeson and the New California Minstrels will provide a musical backdrop to the fun and games, but when your feet get tired, come inside to the Fox Den, and check out some of our gold rush videos.
There’s more than just gold to explore at the park. Take a ride on the trolley and give the handcar a try. Be sure to visit the Print Shop for a printing press demonstration, and explore the Fruit Barn, One Room School House, Umbarger House, and Dashaway Stables.
Be sure to drop in to the McKay Gallery at the Pasetta House to view the Shirlie Montgomery: Picturing San Jose Since 1938 exhibit.”
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Camp Cobalot
with Miguel Elliott of Living Earth Structures
Sunday-Saturday, July 20-26
Isis Oasis Sanctuary, 20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, 707-857-4747
for children 9-12
$100 per day
To register or for more information, please contact Miguel at livingearthstructures@yahoo.com
Please register by July 12.
“A week long summer camp focused on natural building for children ages 9-12.
The camp will be lead by Miguel, aka Sir Cobalot, and other guest instructors. Children can come for one day, or stay all week.
Camp will include:
Learning how to build a cob bench/oven,
How to make adobe bricks
Films about natural building in the theater
Meals cooked in an outdoor kitchen over an open fire
Bonfires at night with camp fire songs
Camping in the woods
Swimming in the river
Working in the garden
Cost of Camp Cobalot is $100 per day. Camp begins on 10:00AM on Sunday, and finishes on 8:00PM Saturday after the closing pizza party, where we will cook in the oven we built, which parents are invited to attend. Please register by the Full Moon in July, which is July 12. This is a great opportunity for children to delve deep into the dignified world of natural building, which surely Isis, the Goddess of Mother Nature, would encourage.”
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Not-So-Simple Living Fair
Friday-Sunday, July 25-27
Mendocino County Fairgrounds, 1400 Highway 128, Boonville
see website for schedule and registration details
“One thousand modern homesteaders will gather for Boonville's fourth annual not-so-simple living fair.
Once again, the scenic Anderson Valley gears up for three days of practical DIY skills, fun, music and the building of a community.
Mendocino County Members of the Anderson Valley Foodshed Group have filled dozens of presenter slots for the Not-So-Simple Living Fair in a packed schedule that spans Friday through Sunday, July 25th through 27th at the Boonville Fairgrounds. For the last five years, local homesteaders, farmers and experts in their various fields have been presenting hour and a half long hands-on workshops and demonstrations on topics as diverse as giving seaweed facials to working with draft horses. More than six workshops in six different subject areas will be taking place around the fairgrounds simultaneously, as well as ongoing demonstrations, scheduled round table discussions in the ‘conversation cafe’, a curated ‘tool show and tell’, kids activities and various local food and craft vendors. Main topics covered at the fair include homesteading, farming and gardening, animal husbandry, wild food foraging and hunting, food processing, creating shelter and other practical living skills.”
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CAYA Fun For Everyone: FaerieWorlds 2014
Event dates: Friday-Sunday, July 25-27
Travel dates: To the Realm: July 24, Back to the Default World: July 28-29
Mount Pisgah, 34999 Frank Parrish Road, Eugene, OR
see website for admission and camping details
To be part of the CFE rideshare and camp, please contact Cross Sidhe at cayafunforeveryone@gmail.com
Cross Sidhe says:
“Hello everyone!
This will mark the third year of CAYA Fun For Everyone being at Faerie Worlds! This year we are planning a camp where we can all get together and be in one place. We will have a 12x12 canopy and a solar shower this year. Since we will have people coming from other states, I have setup a planning page so we can all get together and plan things:
CAYA Fun For Everyone Faerie Worlds 2014:
PLEASE LET ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS KNOW!!!
Blessed Be!
Cross Sidhe”
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Litha Faire
Saturday, July 26, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Quaker Meeting House, 225 Rooney Street, Santa Cruz
$7, children under 12 free
“Litha Faire Midsummer Magic Psychic and Craft Faire
Welcome to Litha Faire!
A Summer Solstice Celebration to Honor the Enchantment of Midsummer
Greetings Litha Faire Participants and Guests!
Litha Faire is committed to the service of humanity and giving back to those who serve our community. We are pleased to announce that the Community Bridges Meals on Wheels program will be receiving all the proceeds from this year's raffle. Wonderful prizes have been donated!
The Litha Faire Group is a coalition of local artisans, psychics, healers, performers, and people who care about healing the planet.
The Litha Faire project was borne out of a need to unite people of like mind in a positive way. The economic downturn in our country has had negative repercussions for all of us. Many of us are feeling downtrodden due to the recent cycle of events.
Our group has chosen to approach these challenging times from a positive perspective and view it as an opportunity for a spiritual renaissance!
Although it feels as if Pandora’s box has been opened and unleashed in the world once again, Litha Faire is here to remind all of us of the one thing left in the box after all the calamity had passed… and that was…
HOPE
We may not be able to change the world instantaneously, but we can change the way we live in it.
Come celebrate the enchanted life with us this summer solstice.”
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TheurgiCon
Saturday, July 26, 10:30AM-5:30PM
Bay Area Thelemic Temple, 130 E 12th Street, Oakland
$30
“What is Theurgy?
It is the use of magick to contact the One or a particular God by use of appropriate signs and symbols and thereby achieving information or enlightenment. Personal spiritual development and happiness are generally the goals. The West Coast has many practitioners of magick; our goal is to provide a place for practitioners to exchange ideas and strategies for accomplishing the Great Work.
The price includes coffee and tea and some snacks. There are several good places to get lunches nearby. (We’ll possibly call in sandwich orders and get a runner to pick them up.) If you plan to pay at the door, we ask that you let us know so we have an idea for attendance.
Questions? email glenn@ancientways.com
We are still working on what the program will be, however it is going to start at 10:30AM, going to 5:30PM, after which we will likely order pizza or other food to be delivered according to how many stay to schmooze and eat.”
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Obon Festival
Saturday, July 26, 4:00-8:00PM
Buddhist Temple of Alameda, 2325 Pacific Avenue, Alameda, 510-522-5243
Free admission
“Mini Food Bazaar 4:00PM
Teriyaki, Udon, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers
Cultural Demonstrations
Taiko Drumming 5:30PM
Bon Odori Dancing 7:30PM”
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An Intimate Evening at Dunsmuir
Saturday, July 26, 6:00-11:00PM
Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland
$40
“Dress Code: All White
Entertainment:
Martin Luther (featured entertainer)
Ric Alexander
Funky Latin Orchestra
K’ Brick
Destiny Muhammad Trio
Danielle Dubois Flax
Soul Rebel DJs
Take a ride in a charming horse driven carriage or hop on the fun-filled Dunsmuir trolley car to experience an unforgettable evening.
Sample the finest cuisine provided by some of Oakland’s best caterers
Dance under the stars at the South Pond
Coffee and dessert in the Jazz Cafe
Tour the 115 year old Mansion
The Gatsby car exhibit
Main stage entertainment
The Intimate Martini Lounge
Wine tasting
Community Recognitions
Built in 1899, the Estate features a 37-room Neoclassical Revival Mansion set upon 50 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. When Alexander purchased the large estate in the rolling East Bay foothills, the land featured fruit orchards, farms and vestiges of the Spanish rancho days. The elegant mansion was built as a wedding gift for his beloved Josephine in December 1899. Tragically, Alexander became ill and died while in New York on their honeymoon. Josephine returned alone to her new home where she resided until her death in 1901.
In 1906, the estate was purchased by I.W. Hellman Jr. who worked for Wells Fargo Bank in San Francisco, as a summer home for his family. They dubbed their estate Oakvale Park. By 1913 the mansion was remodeled to accommodate the growing Hellman family and their acquisition from European travels.The Hellmans enjoyed the estate together for fourteen years until Mr. Hellman died in 1920. Mrs. Hellman kept the estate, where her children and grandchildren came for long summer days, until the late 1950s. During the Hellman era, the landscaping at the northern end of the estate was developed, and the swimming pool and Dinkelspiel House were added to the estate.
The estate was purchased by the City of Oakland in the early 1960s with the intent of using the grounds and mansion as a conference center. A non-profit organization was formed in 1971 to preserve and restore the estate for the public benefit. For many years, the non-profit group and the City jointly operated the estate until 2010 when the City of Oakland became the sole proprietor. The Dunsmuir Hellman mansion has been designated a National Historic Site by the United States Department of the Interior and both the Mansion and the Carriage House have been designated Historic Landmarks by the City of Oakland.”
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Mare Island Obtainium Cup Contraption Rally
Sunday, July 27, 3:00-6:00PM
Mare Island, 1085 Nimitz Avenue, Vallejo
“The third annual Obtainium Cup is upon us! On July 27, 2014, experience the adventure as dozens of mutant human-powered vehicles race down and up Vallejo's Mare Island! The road rally is fraught with challenges: Zombies! Flying Monkeys! More Mad Hatters! ROBOTS! Can our intrepid heroes survive? Come to Vallejo and find out!”
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Martinez Peddlers Faire
Saturday, August 2, 8:00AM-4:00PM
Downtown Martinez, Alhambra Avenue at Marina Vista, Martinez
free admission
“Join us for the 2014 Peddlers’ Faires
Voted East Bay's Best Source for Old Treasures!
Featuring Vintage, Antiques, Collectibles and Arts and Crafts
in Downtown Martinez, The Antique and Collectible Capital of Contra Costa County!
One of the largest outdoor antique and collectible shows in northern California. Held on the streets of historic downtown Martinez on Saturday, May 17 and Saturday, August 2, from 8:00AM-4:00PM. Get here early to get the first pick of that special item to add to your collection.
You will find plenty to choose from as dealers will be showing a huge variety of antiques and collectibles including glassware, porcelain, pottery, furniture, old advertising, toys, Native American wares, paper items and much more.
While at the Faire, be sure to visit the 12 downtown Martinez Antique and Collectible stores. The 50-plus dealers in the stores will be bringing in new inventory for the Faire in preparation for the thousands of visitors on Faire day. In addition to the antiques and collectibles, there are over 50 arts and crafts vendors so there will be something for everyone at the show.
John Humphries, radio and TV collectibles talk show host, and the author of several books on collectibles, will again be on hand during the day to give evaluations of one carry-in item for a $5 donation to the Martinez Historic Society. John will be located at the information booth on Ferry Street near Main Street from 8:00AM-4:00PM. John is always a popular feature at the Faire so be sure to get in line early and get a number. Bring in that old piece of pottery, glass, toy or other collectible but remember, no furniture, carry-in items only please.
Parking and admission are free. See you at the Faire!”
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Beaver Festival
Saturday, August 2, 11:00AM-4:00PM
Beaver Park, 495 Alhambra Avenue, Martinez
Free
article about 2013 Festival: http://blog.nwf.org/2013/08/celebrating-one-of-natures-greatest-engineers-the-martinez-beaver-festival
"Learn how the beavers in Martinez have improved the watershed and re-energized the community. Find out about simple tools that can manage beaver behavior, and see first hand how beaver-created wetlands improve populations of fish, birds and wildlife. Live music, children's activities, and guided beaver tours make this an event for the whole family, and one you definitely won't want to miss! Ride Amtrak directly to the festival. Have dinner in town and come back in the evening to see the beavers for yourself. We promise you'll have a 'dam' good time!"
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Fremont Festival of the Arts
Saturday-Sunday, August 2-3, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Paseo Padre Parkway and Capital Avenue, Fremont
Free
“The Fremont Festival of the Arts hosts a wide variety of activities and entertainment for the entire family; over 700 top-quality artisan booths delight the most discerning shoppers, music lovers enjoy continuous music featured on three stages, children are thrilled with the many games and activities found in Kid City, and Gourmet Marketplace offers gourmet specialties for the discerning cook. The best news of all, admission to the Festival is free.”
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San Jose Renaissance Faire
Saturday-Sunday, August 2-3, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Guadalupe River Park, 494 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose
Adults $17, ages 13-17, seniors and military $12, ages 6-12 $7, under 6 free
Parking $5 at HP Pavilion
“If you love Renaissance Faires, this full-scale, interactive experience is not to be missed. San Jose Renaissance Faire offers you a chance to visit the days of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth I. See brave and bold knights competing for the favor of the Her Majesty's Court and for their lady's affection during full-contact jousts held in the Queen's Tiltyard each day. 700 costumed performers will bring Shakespeare's England to life with parades, pageants, and fun townsfolke, offering continuous entertainment of spectacular variety. You'll enjoy musicians, jugglers, and the ribaldry of actors drawing you even deeper into the Renaissance.”
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Carnival of Stars World Dance and Arts Festival
Saturday-Sunday, August 2-3, 10:00AM-10:00PM
Richmond Memorial Auditorium and Convention Center, 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
Adults $15, children under 12 $6
“Put on annually by Pepper Alexandria and Latifa.
Carnival of Stars is a combination Belly Dance show and Comic Book Convention. Our location for the August 2014 show will take place in the Richmond Auditorium in Richmond, California. That's two full days of non-stop professional belly-dance performances and other entertainment interspersed with live musical performances, panel discussions and a costume contest - complete with prizes!
Performers from all over the world converge on the stage, solo after solo, troupe after troupe, while audience members are free to peruse the various items on sale at the vendors' booths that fill the hall, and also to savor delectable food and drinks at reasonable prices. Our International Market features arts and crafts, dance costumes and accessories, jewelry, comic books, artwork and gifts of all kinds. Our continuous show includes stars of the bellydance world and a variety of other entertainers.”
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Art and Soul Festival
Saturday-Sunday, August 2-3, 12:00PM-6:00PM
downtown Oakland - see website for map
adults $15, seniors and youth 13-17 $8, under 12 free
(discounted tickets available in advance - see website)
“A symbol of downtown Oakland’s renaissance, Art and Soul is a great entertainment value that sizzles with two music-packed days featuring Jazz, Rock, Gospel, Latin, R&B, Acoustic and Blues performed by national recording artists and top local talent.
Youngsters will love the kid-friendly carnival rides, interactive art projects, face painting and roaming costumed characters.
Stroll through the Artisan Marketplace, sample exotic foods and tasty treats from a multicultural menu and view great art.
Art and Soul, the Bay Area’s coolest festival, has direct transit access and free parking for thousands of cars.”
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Astronomical Society of the Pacific Annual Meeting
Saturday-Wednesday, August 2-6
Hyatt Regency, 1333 Old Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, 650-347-1234
See website for registration details
“The ASP’s 2014 Annual Meeting will be held August 2-6, 2014, at the Hyatt Regency in Burlingame, just south of San Francisco. The Galileo Teacher Training Program (GTTP) workshop will be held August 2-3, 2014. The E/PO Meeting will be held August 4-6, 2014.
Celebrating Science: Putting Education Best Practices to Work through:
Supporting the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Engaging with 21st Century Media and Technology
Enhancing Science Communication Skills and Practices
Evaluating, Assessing and Documenting E/PO Impacts
Promoting Multicultural Diversity and Gender Equity
Using Authentic Science and Citizen Science
Improving Our Professional Practice
Plenaries, Panels and Workshops
Milton Chen, Senior Fellow and former Executive Director of the George Lucas Educational Foundation will deliver the Supporters Luncheon keynote address
Kick-off plenary will feature a discussion with high-level STEM agency administrative officials, tackling Co-STEM and the future of federal funding and programs in STEM education/outreach, with panelists Shelley Canright (NASA Education) and Janice Earle (NSF Education and Human Resources).
Panel moderator Bonnie Meinke (Space Telescope Science Institute) will lead Increasing Diversity in Earth and Space Science, an interactive plenary discussion with panelists sharing their perspectives from working with diverse audiences, including Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, and girls and women. Panelists are: Gibor Basri (University of California, Berkeley), Annette Lee (St. Cloud University), Karen Kenney (Girls Inc. of the Island City), and Salvador Acevedo (Contemporanea).
Panel moderator Dennis Schatz (Pacific Science Center) will lead a Working with Scientists Who Interact with Public Audiences plenary, about enhancing the science communication skills of research scientists. Panelists will include Katherine Nielsen (UC San Francisco), Suzy Gurton (ASP), and Sue Ellen McCann (KQED and the Center for Advancing Informal Science Education).
Panel moderator Linda Shore, new Executive Director of the ASP and prior Director of the Teacher Institute at the Exploratorium, will lead a Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) plenary to address implications for schools, school districts, and teacher professional development providers. Panelists include Janet Carlson (Stanford), Julia Plummer (Penn State), and Caleb Cheung (Oakland USD).
Panel moderator Sanlyn Buxner (Planetary Sciences Institute) will lead Weighing the Balance of Science Literacy in Education and Public Policy. Plenary panelists will include Chris Impey (University of Arizona) and Bryce Johnson (Exploratorium).
Keynote speaker Dennis Bartels, Executive Director of the Exploratorium, will address connections across formal and informal STEM learning.
Other plenaries and concurrent sessions will explore NASA EPO impacts and metrics, public science literacy, ‘big science’, and amateur astronomers’ impact on research and outreach.”
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Esther Day
in honour of Esther Earl
Sunday, August 3
printable Esthertines: https://www.dropbox.com/s/kwfbmt4vgfxdkrd/EstherDay01.jpg
“Esther Day is not about metaphors. It is not about gestures. Instead of mass-produced greeting cards and baked goods, it calls for an uncommon honesty and bravery.
As the story goes, John and Hank Green asked Nerdfighter Esther Earl (now a published author) to decide how the community would celebrate her birthday every year. Given the opportunity to create a holiday, Esther chose to make it about love, family, and friends. When John uploaded the first annual video in August of 2010, he said ‘The words we use to describe the things we feel matter. [...] So maybe Esther Day is the day where we think, ‘who do I love who I have trouble saying I love you to?’
Esther passed away from thyroid cancer later that month; she was sixteen.
Since then, Nerdfighters have participated in Esther Day, celebrating the power and importance of love. Videos are uploaded, songs are sung, and we tell the people we love that we love them in no uncertain terms.
It sounds simple enough. In truth, it often comes as a challenge - being honest and unapologetic about love almost feels counterintuitive sometimes. We flee vulnerability.
This campaign - like Esther Day - is about changing that.
In the 2013 Esther Day video, John called the holiday ‘a Valentine’s Day for the rest of love.’ There is truth to that and it is an easy comparison to make, but this is a different kind of celebration.
On Esther Day, we act for love: to uplift each other and create a more positive fandom; to empower and inspire our community; and to increase empathy. Our goal is nothing less than to make Esther Day a globally recognized, baggage-free holiday about love and gratitude.
In the months leading up to Esther Day, we want to make this community an everyday celebration of our favorite holiday. We want you to join in.
Here are a few ways you can participate:
Before Esther Day
If you’re seeing The Fault in Our Stars, take a selfie or a picture with your friends making the shape of a heart with your hands. Tag your photos #EstherDay wherever you upload them.
Plan your #EstherDay projects and share your plans to inspire others.
Attend a Nerdfighter or HPA Chapter meetup celebrating Esther Day.
On Esther Day
Tell a friend or family member that you love them: pick up the phone, make a YouTube video, send them a text, an email, an owl, or some treacle tart.
Post your final #EstherDay projects online to share them with the world
Attend the Esther Earl Rocking Charity Ball at LeakyCon.
The beauty of this is that you can figure out what works best for you and then go do it. You can scream I love you’s from the rooftops or you can whisper them. Text messages, YouTube vids, Tumblr posts, scavenger hunts, postcards, positive reviews on Yelp: there’s no wrong way to tell someone you love them.
This is what it comes down to: love is awesome. Love is important. Love is what saved the wizarding world and, long before that, its residents. Fandoms become communities when we celebrate loving not just a book or a movie, but each other.
Whether it’s via owl post, social media (#EstherDay) or at LeakyCon in Orlando, please join us in celebrating love and celebrating each other during this year’s Esther Day.”
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Cupcakes and Muffintops - Clothing and Bake Sale
Sunday, August 3, 12:00-4:00PM
Humanist Hall, 411 28 Street, Oakland
$5-$10 suggested donation, no one turned away for lack of funds
“Fat-Friendly Clothing and Bake Sale with Big Moves Bay Area
Most clothing $1-$7; Some boutique items $10 and up, shopper’s discretion.
We are excited to announce that we will be accepting both cash and credit cards for clothing purchases. The door and bake sale will remain cash only.
Now in its 6th year, our fat-friendly, gender-inclusive clothing and bake sale happens every August. Presented jointly with friends of NOLOSE and the Fat Friendly Funders, we’re so proud that this bonanza of fat fashion and fellowship is becoming a Bay Area institution. It’s a delightful, low-pressure entry point for folks new to fat community, and an important resource for those already living in it.
It’s never too early to clean out your closets for great fat causes! We’re currently accepting donations of gently used clothing for people of all genders, size large and up, up, up! Superfat and masculine-spectrum clothing especially appreciated.
Send an email to cupcake@bigmoves.org schedule a donation pickup, volunteer to help at the sale, or sign up to bake some goodies!
You can follow all the latest arrivals to Muffintopia at the Cupcakes and Muffintops blog.”
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Born to Drum: Women’s Drum Camp
Thursday-Sunday, August 7-10
Bort Meadow, Anthony Chabot Regional Park
see website for registration information
“Join us on August 7-10, 2014 at beautiful Bort Meadow, Anthony Chabot Regional Park, just 20 minutes from Oakland, for a long weekend of camping, drum workshops, drum circles, shared meals, camp fires, performances, and fun for women and girls, 10 years and up. We also plan to have several vendors and a massage therapist on site.
This year, Women’s Drum Camp will be at Bort Meadow, the site of last year’s Community Camping Trip/fundraiser which was so wildly successful that we kept this site at popular request. Fees will remain very affordable, with only a slight increase in sliding scale to accommodate increased class offerings and provide payment for teachers. As always, trade for service will be available. Again this year, all participants at drum camp will volunteer for one or two 45 minute to 1 hour work shifts. Last year’s participants reported that work shifts were enjoyable and community-building.
Whether you are brand new to drumming or have been playing for years, you will find workshops that will both support and challenge you. We welcome women new to drumming, and will offer workshops to help you build a strong foundation. Some drums will be available to use. Workshops range from beginning to advanced with many all-levels classes. All workshops and drum circles are outdoors.
Prices for a long weekend of drumming are $50-$150 day on Friday-Sunday. This year we will provide the option of arriving on Thursday, August 7, to set up camp and enjoy the evening for $20. Register early. Space is limited.
We will be tenting at Bort Meadow. Our cars will be parked at a designated spot a short distance away from the meadow, with a drop off circle for convenient unloading of drums and gear. We also will provide a shuttle on an as0-needed basis. There is limited parking. Carpooling is recommended. Please network with friends to organize carpools. You can also post on the Born To Drum Yahoo site. After July 31, you can contact us at camp@womendrummers.org if you want to offer a ride or need a ride, and the organizers will help you. There are no electrical or other hook ups for RV. There are porta-potties but no showers. For those who do not want to camp out, the meadow is close to your homes or hotels in Oakland. Join us during the day! If you want to spend the night, bring your tent and camping equipment. Please bring a chair or stool for drumming. Potable water is available.
While we will share meals, everyone is responsible for bringing and cooking their own food and snacks. We will have a communal kitchen area. Last year we had sumptuous potlucks at every meal.”
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RASANBLE! Haitian Arts and Culture Festival
Friday-Sunday, August 8-10
The Humanist Hall, 390 27th Street, Oakland
see website for detailed schedule and prices
“The word Rasanble, in Haitian Kreyol, means ‘to gather’ or ‘to assemble.’ Our goal is to gather dancers, musicians, community leaders, scholars, activists, dance and music educators, linguists, cultural and food enthusiasts and supporters of Haiti to CELEBRATE make VISIBLE and INFORM participants of the rich cultural traditions that are the foundation of Haitian culture.
The Festival will provide a live forum over the course of multiple days that will allow for conversations, inquiries, technique analysis, and in depth interactions with traditional artists from Haiti.
Rara Tou Limen would like to extend a personal invitation to you, requesting your presence at RASANBLE! We look forward to collectively celebrating the richness and vibrancy of Haitian art, music, dance and culture with you!”
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Greater Vallejo Recreation District’s 70th Birthday Party
Saturday, August 9, 11:00AM-4:00PM
Blue Rock Springs Park, 650 Columbus Parkway, Vallejo
Free
“GVRD is happy to announce it's celebrating its 70th Birthday Party!
You are cordially invited to help us celebrate on Saturday, August 9, 2014 from 11:00AM until 4:00PM at Blue Rock Springs Park! There will be entertainment, food (for purchase), a Kids Corner and all around good time fun and the best part of all… admission is FREE!
We invite you to come and celebrate GVRD’s rich history and contributions and to thank the community for supporting the District throughout the years. Learn new things you didn’t know (or may have forgotten!) and reminisce about days past.”
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Peace Lantern Ceremony
Saturday, August 9, 6:30-9:00PM
North end of Aquatic Park, Bolivar Drive, and Addison Street, Berkeley
Free
“August 6th and 9th are the 69th anniversaries of the world’s first atomic bombings. In Japan and around the world, people will gather in early August to float lanterns in remembrance of the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, all victims of war, and all who have gone before us. This moving and beautiful tradition provides a chance to reaffirm our commitment to building a better future.”
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Gravenstein Apple Fair
Saturday-Sunday, August 9-10, Saturday 10:00AM-6:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-5:00PM
Ragle Ranch Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol
Adults $12, Seniors and Bicyclists $10, Children 3-12 $5, Under 3 Free
“The Sweetest Little Fair in Sonoma County
The 41st Gravenstein Apple Fair will be held on August 9-10 under the shade of majestic oaks in Ragle Ranch Park in Sebastopol. Join us for a weekend of old-fashioned fun.
There’s something for everyone: live music on 2 stages, arts and crafts vendors, excellent local food, wine, cider, and beer, contests and activities, children’s corner, chef’s tent, artisan cheese tent, do-it-yourself tent, life on the farm arena and of course our famous heirloom gravenstein apples.
The Gravenstein Apple Fair is produced as Sonoma County Farm Trails’ primary annual fundraiser. All proceeds fund our efforts to support sustainable agriculture in Sonoma County.”
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Perseid Peak
Tuesday, August 12, close to midnight (so technically, Wednesday, August 13)
in the northeastern sky, near the constellation Perseus
The Perseid Meteor Shower is at its meteoriest on this night. As Dave Barry would no doubt point out, "Perseid Peak" would be a good name for a rock band. Or maybe one of those promiscuous-teens-played-by-pretty-twentysomethings-prime-time-dramas. The ones that are named after places. Like if "Perseid Peak" were a mountain near which lots of pretty young people who generate drama and hotness lived. Not that I watch any of those, but I'd totally listen to the band.
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WomenSpirit Elderflower Festival
Thursday-Sunday, August 13-17
Mendocino Woodlands, 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino
Registration due by August 1 - see website for registration details
“Elderflower Womenspirit is a women’s spirituality festival that takes place every August, in the Mendocino Woodlands of Northern California. Since 1988, women have gathered together to create this festival, to create a time and space for healing and growth, as well as a growing community of empowered women.
Elderflower Womenspirit gives you four days of rest and relaxation, camping in cabins or tents by a creek in a beautiful redwood forest. Enjoy gourmet catered meals, with vegetarian options. Camp amenities include hot showers!
Elderflower Womenspirit is a grassroots volunteer event. There are no paid staff, presenters or entertainers. It is a participatory spiritual experience; the rituals, workshops, entertainment and other activities are created by the women who attend. Every woman is encouraged to bring her own unique talents and contribute to the diversity of the festival by leading and participating in workshops, rituals and other activities.
Elderflower Womenspirit is a non-denominational gathering, women of any spiritual path are welcome to participate. We honor the Divine Feminine, however She chooses to manifest in our lives. Our rituals celebrate the Goddess and the sacredness of nature.
Elderflower Womenspirit workshops have included a wide range of topics: Drumming, songs and chants, movement and dance, crafts, writing, divination, ritual, herbal magic and medicine, tarot, psychic skills, astrology, Reiki, herbal medicine, bodywork, yoga, meditation, Goddess lore, various spiritual traditions, crystals, sexuality and gender issues, political topics.
Elderflower Womenspirit activities include hiking, sports, massage, an open air market, our Friday Night Performing Arts Show, 12 Step Meetings, Silent Auction and our Treasure Table.”
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Redwood Magic Reclaiming Family Camp
Wednesday-Sunday, August 13-17
Campsite Three, Mendocino Woodlands, 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino
see website for registration information
“Share in four days of Reclaiming style, Earth-based spirituality, magic, and community!
Join us in the redwoods at Mendocino Woodlands as we weave a web that crosses the generations.
Redwood Magic is a do-it-ourselves family camp. During our time at camp, all of us will be responsible for creating a vibrant, magical experience!
This is a community retreat, not a festival or a drop-in camp. We ask that people plan to attend the entire event (unless advance arrangements are made) and be committed to creating camp culture.”
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Butoh Workshop
with Vangeline
Friday, August 15, 6:00-9:00PM
Mobu Dance Studio, 1605 Church Street, San Francisco
see website for registration details
“This Butoh workshop creates a supportive environment to start an individual and collective process of investigation through creative movement. Participants start a spiritual and energetic journey to express, heal and transform hidden aspects of themselves. The work incorporates Japanese Butoh techniques, guided imagery, bio-energetics, core energetics, creative movement, improvisation, release techniques, elements of Noguchi gymnastics. This unique training is an invaluable tool for dancers, actors, adult beginners, encouraging participants to open up and expand physically and energetically. All levels are welcome.
Vangeline is a teacher, dancer, and choreographer specializing in the Japanese post-war avant garde movement form Butoh. She is the Artistic Director of the Vangeline Theater (NYC), a dance company firmly rooted in the tradition of Japanese Butoh while carrying it into the 21st century. She was born in Bourgogne, France and moved to New York in 1993.
Since its inception in 2002, the Vangeline Theater has fused the post-apocalyptic vision of Butoh with the aesthetics of 21st century film noir. The Company's unique style, which might be described as ‘butoh meets film noir’, is informed by Vangeline's extensive training with Butoh Masters, including Tetsuro Fukuhara, Yoshito Ohno, Yumiko Yoshioka, Diego Pinon and Katsura Kan, as well as performing Butoh solo on stage and film.
Vangeline's critically acclaimed choreographed works have been presented in New York at Joyce SoHo, White Wave, the New Museum, Dance Theater Workshop, PS122 Performance Space, and Abrons Arts Center. She was the recipient of a six-month artist residency at PS122 Performance Space; since 2006 she has received prestigious awards from the Puffin Foundation, the Japan Foundation, the New York Department of Cultural Affairs, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Asian American Arts Alliance, Brooklyn Arts Council, and the Robert Friedman Foundation. She is the founder of the 7-year running, award-winning program The Dream a Dream Project, which brings Butoh dance to incarcerated men and women at correctional facilities across New York City. Vangeline passionately believes that Butoh can be a vehicle for collective and individual transformation in the 21st century.”
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Biodynamic Conference: Medicine for Earth and Man
Presented by Dennis Klocek, Thomas Radetzki, Steffen Schneider
Friday-Sunday, August 15-17,
Friday 2:00-9:00PM, Saturday 8:15AM-9:00PM, Sunday 8:30AM-12:30PM
Rudolf Steiner College, 9200 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks
$175 through July 3; $185 July 4-August 7; $200 at the door
“Medicine for Earth and Man: the Earthworm, the Cow, and the Bee
Sponsored by the Biodynamic Association
Biodynamic experts with many different specialties will lead workshops on provocative and timely topics for farmers, gardeners, beekeepers, and students of biodynamic and organic agriculture. Festivities will include biodynamic food and wine festival and film screenings.
Discussion Group Topics:
Women in Biodynamics
Demeter Certification
Small Dairy Farming
Biodynamic Compost Making
Biodynamic Prep Making
Young Farmers
CSA Management and more
Keynote Speakers:
Dennis Klocek, MFA, is the Director of Consciousness Studies, a study of alchemy and transformation, at Rudolf Steiner College and co-founder of the Coros Institute. He is the author of seven books including Sacred Agriculture: The Alchemy of Biodynamics. Dennis is also known as an international lecturer.
Thomas Radetzki has been a beekeeper for over 40 years; in 1985 he founded Mellifera e.V, a center for biodynamic beekeeping. Thomas is recognized as a pioneer for organic beekeeping by the conventional Beekeepers Association and the Federal Government of Germany. With Mellifera e.V, he contributes substantially to rethinking beekeeping, and the politics and broad public knowledge of beekeeping.
Steffen Schneider has over three decades of experience as a farmer and herdsman. He is the director of Farming Operations, Hawthorne Valley Farm; Treasurer and Vice President of the Board of Directors of the BDA; adjunct faculty member of the Pfeiffer Center and the Hawthorne Valley Farm Learning Center teaching livestock management and biodynamics.
Workshop Presenters:
Matias Baker, Mike Benziger, Lisa Bjorn, Marney Blair, Maureen Curran, Paul Dolan, Luke Frey, Keith Gelber, David Gershan, MD, Bobby Grimes, Harald Hoven, Patricia Kaminski, Deter Lenoir, MD, Delmar McComb, Stephen Payne, Thomas Radetzki, Eduardo Rincón, Johnny Romero, Steffen Schneider, Matt Taylor
Apprentice Scholarships
Rudolf Steiner College is offering scholarships to Farm Apprentices at a reduced conference fee. To apply, simply indicate you are an apprentice and tell us the name of your farm when registering.”
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Cajun Zydeco Festival
at Ardenwood
Saturday, August 16, 10:00AM-7:00PM
Ardenwood Historic Farm, 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, Fremont
$24 adults, $7 children 4-15, children under 3 free
“Enjoy some of the best Cajun-Zydeco music performed by local artists and groups from Louisiana. The day includes dance lessons, specialty vendors, and delicious Cajun food.”
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The Muppet Movie 35th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, August 16, 11:00AM (doors open at 10:15AM)
The Castro Theatre, 429 Castro Street, San Francisco
$10 (this will probably sell out, so plan to reserve tickets in advance!)
“The Muppet Movie
35th Anniversary Family Matinee Screening
Join Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, The Great Gonzo and all of your favorite Muppets as they head to Hollywood in their first big-screen adventure, The Muppet Movie. It’s hard to believe it’s been 35 years since Jim Henson brought his beloved creations to cinemas in a hilarious road-trip like no other. Kermit and pals try to strike it big in Tinseltown while on the run from the fast-food mogul Doc Hopper (Charles Durning) and his lackey Max (Austin Pendleton). Featuring a bevy of celebrity cameos including Steve Martin, Mel Brooks, Milton Berle, Bob Hope, Dom DeLuise, Elliott Gould, Madeline Kahn, Richard Pryor, Cloris Leachman and Orson Welles, and a fantastic collection of songs by Paul Williams.”
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Time Travelers Bazaar
Saturday, August 16, 12:00-6:00PM
Great Escape Games, 1250 Howe Avenue, Sacramento
Free
“Welcome! The Time Travelers Bazaar features vendors and interests from around the globe and throughout time. Pirate, Steampunk, Anime, Renaissance Faire, Magical, Fairy and Fantasy - it's all here. Come spend the day shopping, sharing and enjoying yourself!”
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Cotati Accordion Festival
Saturday-Sunday, August 16-17, 9:30AM-8:30PM
La Plaza Park, 60 West Cotati Avenue, Cotati
$17 per day, $25 for both days
“Cotati Accordion Festival is a yearly event. The 2014 festival will be the 24rd annual. The venue is open under the shade trees of La Plaza Park in Cotati. If you plan to stay for the whole day, bring your own comfortable, short-backed, folding lawn chair. You may have to find parking on the street several blocks away. Limited handicap parking is available at 8020 Old Redwood Highway and in front of the Korean Baptist Church at 81 West Cotati. Annual attendance reaches 2,000-3,000 a day.
Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, there are plenty of ‘those darn accordions’ at the festival. At the Cotati Accordion Festival the sound stage features a cast of rotating acts who play 30 to 45 minute sets. Musical styles range from traditional TexMex to whacky Rock-pop-San Francisco-mischief music. The festival is family-friendly wholesome fun!
If you like to dance, there is a separate tent that features polka music. In the adjoining club, Friar Tuck's, there is zydeco dancing both days from 1:00-5:00PM. There is also zydeco in the polka tent from 5:00-6:30PM both days.
Cruise the vendor displays. There are 100s of accordions for sale, music books and related merchandise. The vendors also include everything from arts and crafts to food, beer and wine.”
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Hayward Zucchini Festival
Saturday-Sunday, August 16-17, 10:00AM-8:00PM
Kennedy Park, 19501 Hesperian Boulevard, Hayward
$8 Adults, $4 Children and Seniors, Under 5 Free
“Clear your calendar for the third weekend of August when the annual Zucchini Festival swings into action. There's sure to be something for the entire family including live music, arts and crafts and a Kids' Town area with fun games, cool prizes, face painting and rides.”
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San Jose Pride
Sunday, August 17, 12:00-7:00PM
Discovery Meadow, 180 Woz Way, San Jose
see website for detailed schedule and ticket information
“Silicon Valley Pride invites you to join us in Honoring Our Past, Securing Our Future.
For almost 40 years, the local festival has honored the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and its allies. Held annually, festival attendees come from all over the Bay Area to participate in the festival and related events. It is the largest LGBT event held in the South Bay.
The name has changed, but our commitment to celebrating the diversity of our community while promoting outreach and awareness remains the same.
This year the festival will be a one-day event taking place on Sunday, August 17, 2014 at Discovery Meadow in San Jose. The festival will feature local and national entertainers, vendors, food, and fun.”
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Inner Sanctum Symposium on Infinite Possibilities
presented by Temple of Isis
Friday-Monday, August 22-24
Isis Oasis Sanctuary, 20889 Geyserville Avenue, Geyserville, 707-857-4747
see website for registration details
“This August, Isis Oasis will be hosting the Inner Sanctum Symposium on Infinite Possibilities, a knowledge-sharing event within the Egyptian Pantheon Mysteries, and would like to invite you to participate. It is a scholarly weekend that is meant to be a playground of interesting ideas, practices, ritual, and learning. Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend. You do not have to be a priestess or priest. You simply must have a healthy curiosity.
As a community, we have so many wonderful practitioners that have very specific skills that many others would like to learn. Have you ever seen a ritual or event and wondered, ‘How does she do that? Where can I learn to do it?’ These and other questions will be answered throughout our programming track. At a time when Isis is making herself more known than ever in the modern past, achieving our goals in seeking her wisdom often lies within the wisdom of others.
We will have workshops, rituals, meditations, and lectures for your enjoyment, as well as lots of needed downtime meeting new friends and seeing old ones. As our shiny new website is under construction, we will be adding presenters to the ones already listed, and making the programming tract as complete as possible.
The event will commence with a potluck dinner on Friday night where guests are encouraged to come dressed as a deity within the Egyptian Pantheon, and will we will go around the pavilion with introductions and inspirations. Saturday will be full of learning, and a grand ritual in the late evening, after dinner. Sunday will be a high-holy day, with more intentions and practical applications of magic, ending the symposium with another group dinner and fond farewell to our guests.
Our special pricing makes this affordable for everyone, and we will also be accepting a few volunteers on work-trade. Please keep watching the website for updates and new information as this amazingly fun weekend comes together in an organic, magical way.
We hope to see you in August!”
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Steampunk Safari at the San Francisco Zoo
presented by Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild
Saturday, August 23, 11:00AM-4:30PM
The San Francisco Zoo,1 Zoo Road, San Francisco
Adults $25, Children $15, must register by July 29
“Join our intrepid band of Victorian/Edwardian/Steampunk explorers as we stalk big game and picnic on the savannah. We’ll tour the zoo as a group, enjoy our own picnics or lunch from the zoo cafe, compete in an animal/safari trivia contest, and enjoy some delicious desserts provided by the guild.
Costume: Daywear 1870-1914, with bonus points for safari, sporting or steampunk fashion. Out of respect for the animals, please no weapons - this is a photo safari!
Schedule: We’ll meet at the main gate at 11:00AM. Tickets will be distributed promptly at 11:15AM. We will explore the zoo together, first visiting the African Region and then proceeding to Primate Discovery, Cat Kingdom, Bear Country, South America, Outback Trail, and finally - lunch! We’ll follow the route marked in red on this map in a counter-clockwise direction.
During each stop, we’ll have a small trivia contest with prizes. At about 2:00PM, we’ll enjoy lunch at the Leaping Lemur Cafe. You can purchase lunch there (it’s quite good and there are healthy options) or bring your own picnic. GBACG will provide the dessert! The zoo closes at 4:30PM, and you can stay as late as you want until that time.
Menu: We’ll provide delicious desserts to fuel us up for a long day of trekking on the Serengeti. Lunch is up to you.
Children: Oh, no! Kids don’t belong at the zoo… Kidding! Of course you should bring your kids!
Practicalities: Wear comfortable shoes! The zoo is mostly flat, gentle terrain, but we will be walking a lot. Bring either a picnic lunch or money to purchase one from the cafe. The weather at the zoo can vary widely. It can be warm and sunny, or you can shiver in the ocean breeze. Dress in layers and don’t forget your sunscreen, and possibly a parasol!
We’ll be eating lunch rather late to avoid the noontime crowds, so make sure you eat well before the event.”
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Peace in the Park
Saturday, August 23, 11:00AM-6:00PM
Spreckels Temple of Music, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco
Free
“Peace in the Park is a free festival with a rejuvenating atmosphere. It will contain music, relaxation techniques and fascinating insights. It is designed to be a community inclusive of all ages and backgrounds and will take place in San Francisco’s wonderful Golden Gate Park Bandshell on Saturday, August 23, 2014 from 11:00AM to 6:00PM.
Stage Concerts
World music and dances on the main stage: Listen to classical music from the Far East, Latin America and India. Watch folk dances from Mexico and Middle East. Prepare to be totally Enchanted!
Activities Pavilion
Fun and uplifting activities for kids and families. Making things, theraputic yoga, taichi, juggling, plus try out relaxation for kids of all ages to rise above worries and enter a world of calm and happiness.
Peace Exhibits
Engage with peace initiatives ranging from saving rain forests to youth cooperation circles to meditation experience to tree of blessings. Get involved with nonprofits doing global and local peace projects.”
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Bounty Of Heart’s Delight
Saturday, August 23, 4:00-10:00PM
Veggielution Farm, 647 S King Road, San Jose
$100 includes Tour, Appetizers, Dinner, Dessert, and Barn Dance.
“Join Veggielution for a farm fresh feast of local produce and wine, sourced and prepared by gifted chef Affie Mahini from Cafe Pomegranate. Celebrate the rich tastes of our bountiful harvest while soaking in the sights of the farm and sounds of live music. Polish off the evening with a decadent dessert, an exciting Barn dance and the warm feeling of supporting a healthy, homegrown, San Jose.
4:30PM: Farm Tours and Hay Rides
5:00PM: Appetizers
5:30PM: Dinner Begins
8:30PM: Barn Dance
10:00PM: Event Ends
Our chef will be using the very best produce from Veggielution Farm, and our event committee is currently sourcing other gourmet food items, beer and wine from local producers.”
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Bay Area Tarot Symposium
Saturday-Sunday, August 23-24
Doubletree Hotel, 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose
see website for detailed schedule and registration information
“The first, the original, the only... There is NOTHING like a BATS!
Two days of Tarot-drenched fun and frolic including workshops, presentations, readings in the Pagan Science Reading Room, fabulous schmoozery, and the legendary Tarot Bazaar, featuring Tarot Garden (your source for all things Tarot) and the Millard Fillmore Memorial Spiritualist Temple Garage Sale (the retail arm of the DoD)
Plus! the Raffle of Fabulous Prizes!
The BATS in the Belfry Magickal, Mystical Mixer on Saturday night will feature the Michael Kenny jazz combo and special guest performers.”
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Italian Family Festa
Saturday-Sunday, August 23-24,
Saturday 10:00AM-8:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-6:00PM
Guadalupe River Park, 494 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose
Free
“We invite you to stop by and experience what Italians already know. Sharing the day with great friends and family, authentic Italian foods, fantastic live entertainment, and strolling the many wonderful arts and crafts merchants is La Vita Dolce Italiana.
Now in its 34th year, the Italian Family Festa has evolved and flourished now drawing over 25,000 attendees. So grab a lawn chair or a blanket and join us in the park for a day of fun and festivities!
Live continuous entertainment
Italian sweet and savory specialty foods
Giardino di Vino (Wine Garden)
Italian culture and heritage center
Culinary demonstrations
Bocce ball and bambini bocce
Grape stomps
Prize drawing opportunity
Specialty food sampling
Unique arts and crafts
Fun activities for the entire family
SEATING IS LIMITED. Please feel free to bring a lawn chair and/or blankets to enjoy the entertainment.
NOTE: There are no bottles, cans or coolers allowed.
As a courtesy to others, we kindly request that you do not bring your pets to the Festa.
PROCEEDS: The Italian Family Festa is sponsored by the Italian American Heritage Foundation (IAHF), a 501(c)(3) non-profit. All proceeds from the Festa help us maintain and promote Italian history in the Santa Clara Valley area. In addition, the proceeds allow us to continue and enhance our IAHF Scholarship Program. Contact the IAHF for more information on additional sponsored programs and events.”
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Assyrian Food Festival
Saturday-Sunday, August 23-24, Saturday 11:00AM-11:00PM, Sunday 11:00AM-8:00PM
Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Yosip Parish, 680 Minnesota Avenue, San Jose
“A Place for Family Fun
Bring the whole family and join us in celebrating the 22nd Annual Assyrian Food Festival: The Celebration Continues! This two-day event, open Saturday 11:00AM-11:00PM and Sunday 11:30AM-9:00PM, will feature traditional Assyrian food (real kabobs!); live music, dancing, and entertainment; a wine bar; the original Samovar Alley featuring exotic teas, coffee, and pastries; arts, crafts, and exhibits; vendors from all over the world; and a Kids' Zone, as well as $10 Raffle for a 2014 car (Model and Color TBD). It’s a great deal of fun!!!
The annual festival is an opportunity to showcase Assyrian food, traditions and educate the community about the Assyrian heritage as well as to preserve and to continue passing on Assyrian cultural traditions to the next generation. If you enjoy trying authentic food, music, and dance, make plans to attend the festival! You can mingle with and learn about the people whose ancestral homeland is known in history as ‘the cradle of civilization.’
The festival will be held at the Assyrian Church of the East, Mar Yosip Parish. Admission Is Free, Parking and Shuttle Free, no pets please.”
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Berkeley Morris Workshop
Tuesday, August 26, 7:30PM,
and three more Tuesdays, September 2, 16 and 23
Christ Church of Berkeley, 2138 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Free
"Every year Berkeley Morris hosts a series of FREE workshops in morris and related dance traditions. No experience is needed, and all are welcome! Workshops are taught by members of Berkeley Morris, or friends of ours from the local (or not so local) dance community. Come to one, or attend all four. Join us afterwards at the Jupiter Pub at 2181 Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley.
The particular styles and dances taught vary from year to year. If you attended last year, come back for something new!
Come and learn the basics of Morris Dancing at a series of free workshops in Berkeley. Each Tuesday we will teach a different variation and begin at the beginning, so come to as many as you want. No partner needed; this is danced in a group rather than with a partner.
Morris Dance is a traditional English performance dating back hundreds of years, typically done in the spring by a team of dancers and musicians who have practised together over the winter months. Berkeley Morris was founded in 1977. We perform throughout the Bay Area and beyond. Our team members cover a wide range of locations, professions, ages and genders.”
These are the Morris Dancers who make the sun come up at Tilden Park on Beltane!
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CAYA Fun For Everyone: Burning Man 2014
Monday-Monday, August 26 - September 2
Black Rock Desert, 120 miles north of Reno, Nevada
To be part of the CFE rideshare, please contact Cross Sidhe at cayafunforeveryone@gmail.com
Cross Sidhe says:
“That is right!!!! I am going back to the Playa and I am taking you with me!!! I will have 3 to 4 seats open. Other drivers are most welcome. Planning will start after Burning Man 2013. Camp CAYA? Dome? Art? Group Origami? The possibilities are limitless.”
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Capitola Begonia Festival
Friday-Monday, August 29-September 1,
see website for detailed schedule
the beautiful seaside Village of Capitola, near Santa Cruz
Free admission
"The Capitola Begonia Festival is held every Labor Day Weekend in Capitola, California. It features FUN activities that all the Family can enjoy, from a Sand Sculpture contest, a Fishing Derby, Row Boat races, and a Nautical Parade of begonia-laden floats traveling down Soquel Creek. Join in on Children's Art events, compete in the Horseshoes tournament, or decorate yourself with begonias! Watch as float builders rush to put the finishing touches on their parade entries. Or, really get involved and put together a team of family and friends to build your own float. You can watch a movie on the beach, or dance to the sounds of the band. All events are FREE to the public!
Begun in 1952, the Capitola Begonia Festival is in its 61st year. It is put on by a committee of 100% volunteers who are dedicated to continuing this long-standing tradition, and it is sponsored with donations from the local business community and fundraising activities.
Don't miss out on this weekend of fun!”
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Gold Rush Days
Friday-Monday, August 29-September 1,
See website for detailed daily schedule
Historic Old Sacramento, 101 I Street, Sacramento
Free
“Hitch up the team to your buckboard and come on down! Bring the young'uns and the in-laws, the neighbors and the new folk just off the stage from Back East. Heck, bring your sweetheart along for a thrill… During Labor Day Weekend in Old Sacramento you’ll find yourself transported back to the days of Gold and Glory, when California was a brand-new state with brand-new ideas. Join in the truly old-time fun in the world of Yesterday!
More than 200 tons of dirt will pave the streets of Old Sacramento as this annual festival "turns back the clock," transforming Sacramento's historic district into a scene straight out of the 1850s. Hundreds of costumed performers take on the roles of celebrities, personalities and just plain folks, bringing history to life while bluegrass pickers and old-timey Musicians perform on several stages, evoking the vivid tunes of the times.
Featuring Dancers, Street Dramas, Wagon Rides, Gold Panning, Period Artifacts, Storytelling, Craft Making, Embarcadero Tent City, Period Musicians, Horse-Drawn Carriages and much more!”
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River of Bliss: A RiverGuidess Adventure
Friday-Monday, August 29-September 1
on the Stanislaus River in Oakdale, address given upon registration
see website for registration information
“This Labor Day, forget those dusty campsites and long traffic jams.
Unplug, unwind, and FOLLOW YOUR BLISS down to the river with us! Enjoy comfortable shaded camping on velvet lawns, gentle rafting, swimming, yoga, meditation, various forms of conscious and ecstatic dance, massage, hot showers, gourmet organic meals, and so much more. Yes, Paradise has been found at the Stanislaus River, just 90 minutes east of the San Francisco Bay.
Let your inner child out to play!
Open to Singles, Couples and (a few) Families, we offer exclusive access to a magical, private riverfront estate that few ever get to see, let alone be for an entire holiday weekend. You’ll discover sandy beaches, hammocks and rope swings galore, exotic statues, a temple made of redwood trees, plants carved into topiaries, and more surprises at every turn.
Swim in gentle currents, feel the warm breezes on your skin. Nurture your body, open your heart, soothe your soul and connect with people of like mind and spirit. This will become one of your most treasured memories in this lifetime! We’re along the road from San Francisco to Yosemite, so you might include a trip to the Park in your plans.
Our guest teacher and artist line-up is coming soon, featuring:
Live and DJed music
Yoga and Meditation
Conscious Dance and Movement Classes
Inspirational Playshops and Connecting Activities
Delicious organic meals and snacks
No rafting experience necessary! This gentle river is great for novice and experienced alike.”
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Northern California Women's Herbal Symposium
Session 3: Friday-Monday, August 29-September 1
Black Oak Ranch, 50350 Highway 101, Laytonville
see website for detailed schedule and registration details
“PlantWomen gather! The Tribe comes together!
Now, three times a year women from many backgrounds of life gather together in great celebration for four full days of inspiring Herbal and Sustainability classes, gourmet vegetarian meals, talented campfire capers, amazing handcrafted marketplace items, Rites-of-Passage Ceremonies, powerful campfire drumming and dancing, refreshing swimming hole dips, and conversations with remarkable and inspiring women!
We meet together under the ancient oaks, douglas firs, and bay trees of Northern California. Our main gathering area is encircled by sixteen tipis with a large firepit in the center. All classes are held sitting on the ground under these majestic trees, or under shade tarps that we have set-up. At night we camp together, either in the tipis or in tents that we each bring.
During the days we are a gathering of women and children studying, teaching, learning, networking, and talking about plants, healing, and healthy lifestyles. When the sun goes down we become a playful and celebratory group, chatting, chanting, singing, showing off our talents, drumming and dancing into the night around the campfire.
We are a group of 350-400 women and children and we gather to learn from each other, to nurture and nourish each other, to take a break from our daily lives, to regenerate, refresh, dance, frolic, talk plants, and most of all, to have a REALLY GOOD THYME together!
Each session is a separate event. Do join us for one, two, or all sessions!”
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Scottish Highland Games
presented by Caledonian Club of San Francisco
Saturday-Sunday, August 30-31, 8:30AM-6:00PM
Alameda County Fairgrounds, 4501 Pleasanton Avenue, Pleasanton
Adults 1 day $20, 2 day $27, Children 12 - 17 and Seniors 65+ $12, 11 and under Free
Parking $8
“One of the world's largest Celtic Festivals. Thirty pipe bands. World Championship Heavy Events and Amateur, Woman's and Masters Invitational. Western Highland Dancing Championships. Living History - Mary Queen of Scots, Highland Warriors, Roman Legion and Invading Vikings. Gathering of Clans. Celtic Heritage - Fiddling, Harping and Singing. Six stages continuous entertainment - traditional to Celtic Rock. Children’s Glen, Scottish Country Dancing. Irish Step dancing. Birds of Prey. Sheep Dog Trials. Clydesdale Horse Team. Five-A-Side Soccer, Rugby and Shinty Tournament. Whisky Tasting. British food and drink. Five buildings with 100 + Vendors.”
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Power Within the Land: Earth Magic of the Underworld and Faery Realm
with R.J. Stewart and Anastacia Nutt
Saturday-Sunday, August 30-31,
Saturday 10:00AM-5:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-4:00PM
The Barn at Rudolf Steiner College, 9200 Fair Oaks Boulevard, Fair Oaks
$190 if paid by August 1, $220 after August 1
Please note “Fair Oaks” in memo
For more information, please contact Eric Sciullo at emsciullo@yahoo.com
“At this time of environmental upheaval and global uncertainty, we have a valuable, and largely untapped, resource in the form of traditional teachings. These teachings hold important knowledge that we can apply to the present situation. To begin, we endeavor to understand and commune effectively with the Power Within the Land.
R. J. Stewart is a renowned Teacher, Author, Musician and Creator of Inner Temples and Inner Convocation methods.
Anastacia J. Nutt is a Working Priestess, Teacher, Author and Seer.”
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Historic Rail Fair
at Ardenwood
Saturday-Monday, August 30-September 1, 10:00AM-4:00PM
Ardenwood Historic Farm, 34600 Ardenwood Boulevard, Fremont
$10 adults, $5 children 4-17, children under 3 free
“The Rail Fair returns to the farm over the Labor Day weekend. Enjoy steam train rides, handcar rides, displays of garden railroads, model railroads, railyard equipment displays, Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor displays, food, the children's Hobo game, music and much more!”
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King's Mountain Art Fair
Saturday-Monday, August 30- September 1, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Kings Mountain Community Center, 13889 Skyline Boulevard, Woodside (on the Peninsula)
"The Kings Mountain Art Fair is an annual event, held every Labor Day weekend. The Art Fair benefits the Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade and other community activities, including the Kings Mountain Elementary School, and is staffed completely by volunteers from the local community.
Known for its stunning location among the redwoods and for its unique and varied artists (selected by jury), the Kings Mountain Art Fair celebrates 50 years of art and ambiance. Come visit!
Fair admission and parking are free."
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Oakland Pride
Sunday, August 31, Parade at 10:30AM, Festival 11:00AM-7:00PM
19th Street and Franklin Street, Oakland
see website for detailed map and schedule
$10 General Admission, $5 Seniors over 65/Youth under 12
“Oakland Pride exploded onto the pride scene in 2010 with a first year event so large and fabulous that it has been branded Northern California’s second largest pride. 2014 marks the 5th year of Oakland’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Pride celebration and we have gone the extra mile to ensure there is something for everyone. In additional to four stages featuring a diverse lineup of over 75 wonderful artists, Oakland Pride will host pavilions for seniors, HIV/AIDS Health, and the Asian Pacific Islander (API) Community. Our Family Coalition, Children’s Fairyland and The Oakland Public Library have teamed up to host a fun-filled Family Garden with live entertainment and interactive activities for children of all ages. With all of this plus almost 200 vendors and exhibitors providing a wide variety of food, merchandise, and information. Oakland Pride is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Come celebrate a proud day on the sunny side of the Bay!!”
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Songs of the Sea Cards
crafting workshop with Toy Jalanugraha
Sunday, August 31, 11:00AM-5:00PM
Castle in the Air 1805 Fourth Street, Berkeley, 510-204-9801
$80 includes materials
register in advance - class limited to 10 students
“These charming moveable cards are inspired by mermaids, whales, and Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. You’ll learn to make the collaged background, cut your figures, and attach them to a moveable wheel to animate the scene. Then build your front layer of paper to make the cards three-dimensional. Embellish with Dresden trim and ephemera of your choice to complete your treasure, and you’ll be hearing the mermaids’ voices floating to the surface and calling to sailors and all lovers of the sea.”
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Forest Therapy Guide Training
with TreeGirl (Julianne Skai Arbor)
Monday-Friday, September 1-5
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood
$800 plus $35 camping fee
“Learn how to lead people on shinrin-yoku walks.
An immersive five-day training at beautiful Sugarloaf Ridge State Park.
Shinrin-yoku is a term that means ‘taking in the forest atmosphere’ or ‘forest bathing.’ It was developed in Japan during the 1980s, and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine.
Our approach to Shinrin Yoku Forest Therapy combines leisurely walks on gentle paths under forest canopy with guided activities and meditations to help you open your senses, hone your intuition, and experience the forest as you never have before. We draw upon mindfulness meditation practices, and the techniques of deep nature connection mentoring.
In an unhurried way, allow your feet to wander. Shinrin-yoku is not about exercise. It is not about hurry. It is about being alive in all your senses and trusting that the forest and other landscapes upon which you wander hold something good for you.
Be one of an international group of 22 people who will discover the inner secrets of planning and leading shinrin-yoku walks.
This is the first step toward meeting the standards of certification by shinrin-yoku.org as a shinrin-yoku guide.
Researchers primarily in Japan and South Korea have established a robust body of scientific literature on the health benefits of spending time under the canopy of a living forest. Now their research is helping to establish shinrin-yoku and forest therapy throughout the world.
The idea is simple: if a person simply visits a natural area and walks in a relaxed way there are calming, rejuvenating and restorative benefits to be achieved.
We have always known this intuitively. But in the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that are demonstrating the mechanisms behind the healing effects of simply being in wild and natural areas. For example, many trees give off organic compounds that support our NK (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system's way of fighting cancer.
The scientifically-proven benefits of Shinrin-yoku include:
Lowered blood pressure
Lowered pulse rate
Reduced cortisol levels
Increased vigor
Reduced anger
Reduced depression
Just as impressive are the results that we are experiencing as we make this part of our regular practice:
Deeper and clearer intuition
Increased flow of energy
Increased capacity to communicate with the land and its species
Increased flow of eros/life force
Deepening of friendships
Overall increase in sense of happiness
shinrin gals tree
Become a Guide!
Learn a powerful approach to connecting people with nature and a path to wellness:
The 10 gates of perception and activities to open and improve them
Listening to the land to find the shinrin-yoku activities it supports
Choosing and getting to know a trail
Building your shinrin-yoku trail map
Cultivating mindfulness in the wild
Practicalities of building your referral network
Over 60 specific activities that you can use and adapt for the place where you work
Core routines of deep nature connection
Expressive arts activities
Fundamentals of nature connection mentoring
Our unique framework for the Way of the Guide
Much more...
Your guides Amos Clifford, Lindsey Mitchell, Pamela Wirth and TreeGirl (Julianne Skai Arbor), along with guest speakers and other guides, will lead you on a fun, challenging, and deeply nourishing journey of discovery.”
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Visions Of The Wild
Wednesday-Saturday, September 3-6
various venues in downtown Vallejo
see website for schedule, location, and admission details
“A Festival Connecting Nature, Culture, and Community
To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act, the Visions of the Wild Festival will be held in Vallejo, CA from September 3-6, 2014. It will include art shows, speakers, films, music, and field trips. The goal is to connect diverse urban communities to the wildness of nature around them.
The festival is sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service, the Vallejo Community Arts Foundation, and many other agencies and organizations.”
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Solfest 2014
Saturday, September 6, Noon-Midnight
Solar Living Center/Real Goods store
13771 Highway 101, Hopland (in Mendocino County)
Adults $20 in advance, $25 on the day, under 14 free
video from a previous year: http://vimeo.com/15751571
“SolFest XVI is a one-day event filled with hands-on educational workshops, inspirational speakers, live performances, eco-conscious vendors, kid’s activities, organic food, and many other festivities. It’s the largest fundraising event for the Solar Living Institute in Hopland, giving you the chance to gain a wealth of knowledge through workshops, speakers, and the variety of environmental organizations and businesses on hand. Or kick back, relax, socialize, listen to live music, relish organic food, wine and beer, and enjoy all the other festivities SolFest has to offer. Join us Saturday, September 6, Noon-Midnight.”
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Renaissance Tudor Fayre
Saturday-Sunday, September 6-7, 10:00AM-5:00PM
Cameron Park Lake, 2989 Cambridge Road, Cameron Park
$12 Adults, $8 for Children 4-12 and Seniors, Family package $30
other discounts available, see website
For more information, please contact Raelynn Debone at 916-223-6725 or raelynn_debone@yahoo.com
“Join the King for a Weekend of Entertainment, Feasting, Arts, Crafts, and Merrymaking!
Fun for Everyone!”
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Much Ado About Sebastopol
Saturday-Sunday, September 13-14, Saturday 10:00AM-6:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-5:00PM
Ives Park, 7400 Willow Street, Sebastopol
Adults $12, Ages 6-14 $7, Under 6 Free
“Join us for Sebastopol's very own Renaissance Faire and support local public schools and programs!
Ives Park in the center of Sebastopol, is transformed into the town of Fenford in 16th century England. The locals are celebrating the apple harvest, and Queen Elizabeth and her extensive court pay a visit to honor these humble citizens.
As a visitor to our Faire, wander around and interact with a myriad of villagers from 1578, make herbal soap or try your hand at weaving while listening to a wandering minstrel… enjoy some ice cold lemonade while watching the falcons and learning about their role in Renaissance farming, sit back and take in a short Shakespeare performance while feasting on a hearty, rustic lunch.
Come celebrate the Feast of St. Michael (Michaelmas) - when rents are due, wages are paid, and the crops have been gathered and stored for the coming Winter. It's time for the people of the little town of Fenford to relax and enjoy some well-earned recreation, while giving thanks for a bountiful harvest.
Queen Elizabeth has been out hunting with her courtiers, and her Master of Horse, Robert Dudley, The Earl of Leicester has arranged a surprise for her. He intends to lead her back to his manor by way of the celebration. Here she will join the revels of her loving subjects, and be entertained in their lusty, country fashion.”
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Casa de Fruta Renaissance Faire
Saturdays-Sundays, September 13-14,10:00AM-6:00PM,
and each weekend through October 12
10021 Pacheco Pass Hwy 152, Gate 6, Hollister (south of Gilroy)
$25 Adults, Children under 12 Free! Parking $10
Discounted tickets available through the website
“Our little village of Willingtown comes to life as our annual Market Faire welcomes talented and exotic performers from throughout the globe to our streets and stages. The Entertainment is non stop all day.
The streets and stages boast music and dance from traditional Morris and English Country, to Celtic and Gypsy Tribal. Swashbuckling swordfighters render women defenseless with their charm and skill.
The original form of Renaissance theatre is played out on the Royal Garden stage in the form of the hilarious Commedia Dell Arte performed by the renowned troupe, Commedia Volante.
Foolishness and fun rule the day as ever popular favorites, Moonie the Magnif’cent and BrooN bring their unique brand of mischief and humor to the Fools stage. The town is buzzing as the villagers prepare for a visit from Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth and the most famous Privateer of the time, Sir Francis Drake. Happy peasants, crooked Constables, gossiping washerwomen, and merry maidens fill the streets with revelry as the festivities begin. Seven stages boast non stop entertainment. For a complete list of shows, click on The Stages category. Meet all of the Theme Characters, Guilds and Musicians that fill the streets on our Theme Characters, Guilds and Musicians pages.”
CAYA Sprouts will be at the Faire on Saturday, October 11!
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Gatsby Summer Afternoon at Dunsmuir House
presented by the Art Deco Society
Sunday, September 14, 1:00-6:00PM
Dunsmuir Hellman Historic Estate, 2960 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland
$70
“Our annual, wonderful ‘five-hour time-travel vacation’: antique cars, dancing to the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, bathing beauties - and hundreds of vintage-attired, picnicking guests, including YOU! Tickets will go on sale in July.”
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The Curandera/o's Toolkit: Fall Series
a twelve week series
with Atava Garcia Swiecicki
Thursday, September 18, 6:30-9:00PM
and eleven more Thursdays through December 4
Ancestral Apothecary, 3798 Grand Avenue, Oakland
$550, $100 deposit due by September 1 to reserve space.
“Learn healing skills steeped in ancient wisdom to provide basic health care to yourself and your family.
This class will highlight herbal medicine, but we will also incorporate massage, meditation, and other aspects of curanderismo to learn how to care for our physical, emotional and spiritual health.
Class time will include hands-on experience learning how to make different herbal medicines and we will also learn and practice curanderismo techniques, such as the limpia (energetic cleansing ceremony).
In this class, each participant will assemble their own ‘toolkit’ of herbal remedies for home and family use including: herbal tinctures, salves, cordials, and more!”
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Fabulosa Fest
Thursday-Sunday, September 25-28
Spinning Wheel, Forest Route 1S30, Groveland (near Yosemite)
See website for registration details
“The Fabulosa Collective creates fund-raising parties where diverse groups of women and friends come together to celebrate Women-centered arts and raise money for LGBTQ-oriented causes. Fabulosa is an inclusive feminist fundraising gathering for women, their families and friends of all genders.
Fabulosa was initially the idea of Dawn Huston, who is the owner of the most diverse ‘dive bar’ on the planet, performance space and watering hole, El Rio in San Francisco. She formed the Fabulosa Collective with original members Judea Eden and Jenny Hoyston. Eden is a nutrition specialist and a San Francisco blues-folk singer. Hoyston is a West Coast promoter, DJ and the bandleader of the women’s experimental ensemble Erase Errata.
The Fabulosa Collective continues to grow and seek out new members who love to make beautiful things happen.
Fabulosa Proceeds
Our community is stunning, diverse and deserving of nurture. During financially tough times, many organizations that serve our LGBTQ community need additional help to ensure that their work remains possible. Fabulosa recycles much-needed funds back into the LGBTQ community by donating all proceeds to charities that serve the Bay Area and beyond.”
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Nature and Soul Retreat for Autumnal Equinox
with Jan Edl Stein, MFT
Friday, September 26, 9:30AM-4:00PM
Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center, 1601 Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach, 415-383-3134
see website for registration details
“Nature and Soul: A day of retreat where nature mirrors our inner landscape
This seasonally offered retreat is a day of renewal and rediscovery, as we open ourselves to the land around us in addition to the landscapes within us. This is a deeply experiential daylong retreat for restoration of health, psyche and spirit, offering a renewal of the soul's intention and a re-connection with the elements of nature that support us. We will slow down and take in the beauty that surrounds us and let nature reflect the shapes and patterns that are held in the psyche.
The day is a combination of indoor experiences that involves guided meditation and inner journey process and outdoor, land-based contemplative practices. The experience as a whole is an embodied example of eco-therapy. Each retreat day reflects themes of the season in the meditations, journeys and our approach to the elements we discover in nature.
No previous experience is necessary.
The retreat takes place in the beautiful setting of Green Gulch Farm and Zen Center, with its splendid coastal range flora, meandering gardens, Japanese architecture, and easy walk to the beach. An organic, vegetarian lunch (included in registration fee) is offered to the group in the dining hall. Retreat fees include lunch and refreshments.
Details on how to prepare for the day an a confirmation of registration will be sent one week before the event.
Retreat leader, Jan Edl Stein MFT, is the director of Holos Institute and a licensed psychotherapist with many years of experience in guiding people into deep explorations in their own psyche as they open to deeper levels of perception in the natural world.”
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KVMR Celtic Festival and Marketplace
Saturday-Sunday, September 27-28,
Saturday 10:00AM-10:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-8:00PM
Nevada County Fairgrounds, 11228 McCourtney Road, Grass Valley
See website for ticket details
Parking $5
“The 18th annual KVMR Celtic Festival and Marketplace mixes Celtic music and magic with world-class musicians, dance, pageantry, living history, falconry, athletics, storytelling, jam sessions and shopping. The outdoor event takes place Saturday and Sunday, September 27, and 28 in Grass Valley, California at the Nevada County Fairgrounds, a bucolic setting on 100 acres among giant ponderosa pines . There are eight stages and performance areas. Our main stage hosts many of the best Celtic musicians on the world stage.
As late summer begins to cool, the Nevada County Fairgrounds will be transformed into a Celtic village where world-famous Celtic musicians perform, shopping and dining opportunities abound and O'Dea's Irish Pub celebrates the change of season. Hundreds of regional performers, singers, bagpipers, actors, jugglers and storytellers roam the fairgrounds.
Musicians are encouraged to bring their instruments and join in with jam sessions and workshops scheduled throughout the weekend. Revelers make music into the night in the campgrounds complete with tall trees and a lake.
History buffs explore encampments of Guilds who re-create points and places in time. Royalty and their subjects demonstrate how peasants and gentry lived in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Exciting and educational, the Celtic Animals exhibit houses falcons, eagles, hawks, owls, sheep and ponies.
Amateur and professional athletes test their strength and skill in Scottish Games. Children are kept engaged with arts and crafts, story telling, and romping in a straw bale castle. Seniors are admitted an hour before the event opens on Sunday and treated to scones and tea. The festival is disabled accessible. Camping and RV hookups are available on-site.”
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Turlock Holistic Expo
Saturday, October 4, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Stanislaus County Fairgrounds, 900 N. Broadway, Building E-2, Turlock
Free
“FREE admission, FREE seminars, FREE entertainment!!
This is a fantastic day of fun! There's a large marketplace with over 50 vendors.
There will be Holistic healers, Reiki, intuitive readers, psychics, aura camera plus much more. There's also a market place with Native American jewelry and handcrafted items, crystals, sage, unique jewelry, art, candles, nutritional products and samples and more.”
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Mysteries of Samhain 2014: Eurydice and Orpheus a Wild Requiem
a Reclaiming Retreat
Friday-Monday, October 10-13
Mendocino Woodlands, Campsite 3, 39350 Little Lake Road, Mendocino
see website for registration details
“Share in four days of Reclaiming style, Earth-based spirituality, magic, and community!
Bay Area Reclaiming ritual planners invite you to join us in the redwoods at Mendocino Woodlands as we weave a web that crosses the generations.
2014 theme - Eurydice and Orpheus: a Wild Requiem
Mysteries of Samhain is a do-it-ourselves, community-style camp. This is a magical intensive, not a festival or a drop-in camp. We ask that people plan to attend the entire event (unless advance arrangements are made) and be committed to creating camp culture.
Reclaiming is an inclusive tradition. Folks new to Reclaiming are welcome. This is a community retreat, not a festival or a drop-in camp. We ask that people plan to attend the entire event (unless advance arrangements are made) and be committed to creating camp culture.
All adults, as well as teens with parent or guardian, are welcome! We also welcome younger kids with parent - however, this camp will not be offering separate kids' activities. You do not need prior magical classes or Reclaiming training. We ask that all participants agree to work within Reclaiming's Principles of Unity. Reclaiming events are drug- and alcohol-free except for legal and prescription medications.
The Mendocino Woodlands are a state park operated by a local non-profit. The site is located just far enough inland from the town of Mendocino to avoid coastal fog. The camp is set among a mature Redwood/Douglas Fir forest, creating a beautiful, peaceful setting. A small creek runs alongside the camp.”
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Folsom Renaissance Faire
Saturday-Sunday, October 18-19, Saturday 10:00AM-6:00PM, Sunday 10:00AM-5:00PM
Folsom City Lions Park, 50 Natoma Street, Folsom
$16 adults, $11 students, seniors (55+) and children 13-17, $8 ages 6-12, under six free
parking $4
“There is no better way to end the faire season than with a full our party at the Folsom Renaissance Faire. This year's theme for the event is Shakespeare's Muse. The rising young star of London's theatre scene, Will Shakespeare, faces a scourge like no other: a paralyzing bout of writer's block, while the great Elizabethan age of entertainment unfolds around him. What Will needs is a muse - and in an extraordinary town whilst on progress with Her Most Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, he finds himself surrounded by numerous quirky characters who draw him into an amazing, dramatic adventure of action and love. Their stories make their way into his plays and into our hearts.
Revel in the amazing antics of the Elizabethan town filled with myriad of characters and vignettes resembling from Shakespeare's most beloved plays, featuring re-enactment of the 1500s with theater, music, magic, swordplay, puppetry.
Mark your calendars and come and enjoy. Costumes are wonderful and can greatly enhance your faire experience, yet they are certainly not required for attendees.”
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The Emerald Cup
Saturday-Sunday, December 13-14
Sonoma County Fairgrounds, 1350 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa
see website for admission details
“The Emerald Cup is the longest running outdoor organic cannabis cup in the world.
Contests include: Medicinal Cannabis, Solvent-less Concentrates, Edibles, Topicals, and a Photo Contest.
The Emerald Cup is a community celebration honoring the year's finest sun grown medical cannabis harvest. Last year we solidified our reputation as the biggest, best, and most inspiring outdoor, medicinal organic cannabis competition in the world. From our small beginnings in Laytonville a decade ago, this event has proven itself to be the prominent celebration in the California outdoor cannabis scene. This will be our second year hosting the event at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds in Santa Rosa. and we have expanded to include more organic food, over 100 great vendors, contests, speaker panels, hands on workshops, tons of great music, PLUS some major laughs from cannabis comedians, the highly anticipated awards ceremony as well as many more attractions . At The Emerald Cup there's something for every cannabis enthusiast.”
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Crones in Training 2015
a 9 month training course
with Jan and Marystella of Vortex Journeys
one Saturday per month, January-September 2015,
Orientation Evening in November or December 2014 - date TBA
“Our Feminine Wisdom is needed NOW to Co-Create the New Paradigm.
We gather for 9 months, January through September 2015, 10:00AM-4:00PM on the fourth Saturday except in May (Memorial Day), we gather on the third Saturday.
10 Women Maximum, 55 Years or More
$70 per Circle includes Materials
Crones in Training is an interactive exploration through ritual, dialogue, guided meditation and more in Earth Vortex Energies for Women who are seriously ready to walk their path with Clarity and Creativity.
Crones in Training is an intimate circle of courageous women who remove their masks and grow into Crones in Action.
Crones in Training is a spiritual and therapeutic journey to Be the Change you yearn to see, to witness and be witnessed as you claim your Power and Wisdom.
Are you ready to:
Release Your Old Story
Reclaim and Embrace Your True Story
Gather Your Wisdom and Power
and Grow into a Crone in Action?
Crones in Training is, in the sacred sense, a pilgrimage into living your purpose. The final circle is your rite of passage, witnessed by family and friends.
Required Crones in Training Orientation Evening in November or early December. No fee.
This is your opportunity to meet other Crones who seek community and growth, to have questions answered and discuss commitments to be made.
Or, if you are not certain this is the right time to embark on this wise and inspiring journey, the orientation will assist you in reaching clarity.
To assure depth and intimacy, there will be a maximum of ten women in the Crones Circle. If you are seriously interested in participating, let us know right away. Your contact info will be added to our list and you will receive ample notice of the Orientation's date and time. Blessed Be!
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