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Coming Soon...
Friday, Mar 22
03:30 PM Bear Valley Adventure Company's Trailblazers Youth Ski Program
Saturday, Mar 23
All Day Saturday, March 23: Green Sand Molding & Foundry Practice Workshop at Knight Foundry
All Day Calaveras Gem & Mineral Society's Gem & Jewelry Show is March 23 & 24
10:00 AM Calaveras Gem and Mineral Show 2024
10:00 AM Calaveras Gem & Mineral Show 3/23 & 3/24
Sunday, Mar 24
All Day Calaveras Gem & Mineral Society's Gem & Jewelry Show is March 23 & 24
All Day Our Sunday Edition with Local Features, Local Specials & More Every Sunday All Day Long!
Until 05:00 AM Calaveras Gem and Mineral Show 2024
Until 05:00 PM Calaveras Gem & Mineral Show 3/23 & 3/24
Tuesday, Mar 26
01:30 PM Calaveras Community Blood Drive, Tuesday March 26
Friday, Mar 29
03:30 PM Bear Valley Adventure Company's Trailblazers Youth Ski Program
Sunday, Mar 31
All Day Our Sunday Edition with Local Features, Local Specials & More Every Sunday All Day Long!
03:30 PM Bear Valley Adventure Company's Trailblazers Youth Ski Program

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< Saturday, June 9, 2018 >


All Day Mother Lode Highland Games & Celtic Gathering
Plymouth, CA...Blaring bagpipes, astounding athletics and tons of tartans converge in Plymouth, the Gateway to the Shenandoah Valley Wine Region of Amador County. Along the “Royal Mile” tartans will be flown honoring our many clans who participate. The Mother Lode Highland Games and Celtic Gathering hearkens back to the rich cultural traditions of Scotland here in the Sierra Foothills.


The event begins Saturday morning, June 9th, with entertainment from a great lineup of bands. From the BlackEyed Dempseys an Irish Pub Band, to Stand Easy and their Celtic Rock music, to Golden Bought and their traditional Celtic tunes, to Michael Mullen a Trio of One. The bands will perform throughout the weekend on the various stages throughout the Amador County Fairgrounds.

There will be Scottish foods as well as other ethnic foods available in the food court. The Marketplace will host Celtic craft vendors along with Celtic goods imported from Scotland as well as other vendors.

Both Saturday and Sunday will be filled with competitions in traditional heavy weight Scottish athletic events; highland dancing competitions; bagpipe band parades, piping & drumming competitions, harp demonstrations and concerts featuring a wide array of Celtic music.

Some of the top Scottish athletes clash Saturday in traditional heavyweight events, such as tossing the caber and tossing the sheaf. In the caber toss, athletes flip a telephone pole-sized log end over end. The sheaf toss challenges athletes to loft a 16-pound sack of hay over a bar more than 20 feet high. Other ancient tests of strength await the contestants, including the hammer throw and various weight throws. Events are repeated Sunday for amateurs and athletes 40+.

If you plan to stay with us in the Amador County Fairgrounds camping area there will be a ceilidh Saturday evening featuring some of the pipe bands and high energy Celtic rock bands.

Throughout the weekend visitors can learn about their own Scottish history and genealogy in the Modern Clan Village. Each of the clans has a wealth of information, books, and knowledge they would love to pass along to help you in your search. Or, you can browse the Marketplace for Gaelic and tartan gift items, handcrafted works of art or jewelry, imported foods and other goods. While browsing the Marketplace one can eat traditional Scottish meat pies purchased in the food court.

For those who are interested in history you can visit the Living History Village. Each guild has researched the history they represent, whether it be Mary Queen of Scots and the St. Andrew's Noble Order of Royal Scots, or the Halberdiers. Throughout the weekend in the Living History Village one can see numerous aspects of Scottish culture through the many demonstrations such as blacksmithing, weaving, spinning, ancient athletic events and much more. At the 2017 Games Mary Queen of Scots and her court performed a wedding at the edge of “Loch Ness”. For the bride and groom it was a fairy-tail wedding come true.

The wee ones can participate in a number of activities in the Children's Glen or they can have tea with the Queen.

To purchase tickets online please visit www.MotherLodeGames.com. Tickets cover all activities within the Amador County Fairgrounds. Parking is available at the Games on a first come, first serve basis.

For more information about the Games, visit www.MotherLodeGames.com or call (209) 304-4926. For lodging and travel information you can find that on our website, we offer links to B&B's, hotels and more.
All Day Framed Art Sale at Arnold Ace Home Center!
Arnold, CA...Framed Art Sale at Arnold Ace Home Center! Arnold Ace Home Center is committed to being "the helpful place" by offering our customers knowledgeable advice, helpful service and quality products. We have a large selection of hardware, home goods, lumber, paint, and garden supplies. Arnold Ace Home Center has been serving the community for 30 years and the Hauer family has owned the business for the last 12 years. We are located on the beautiful Ebbetts Pass National Scenic Byway. Come by and visit us and enjoy free popcorn!


ACE HOME CENTER:
981 Blagen Road
Arnold, CA 95223
209-795-1331
M-F 7:00am-6:00pm
Sat 7:00am-6:00pm
Sun 8:30am-5:30pm

EBBETTS PASS LUMBER:
1485 Linebaugh Road
Arnold, CA 95223
209-795-1387
M-F 7:30am-5:00pm
Sat 9:00am-1:00pm
Sun Closed
All Day Exotic Bird Show
Starting Saturday, May 26th, 2018, repeats every week on Sunday and Saturday and holidays until Sunday, September 02, 2018 — repeats every hour, all day.

Weekends and holidays at Moaning Cavern Adventure Park, 11 AM to 4 PM, every hour. Beautiful exotic birds - they talk, sing, dance and do tricks, too. Learn about their environments, care in captivity, and conservation. Great family fun!
01:00 AM Town Tours of Columbia
Columbia, CA...Every Saturday and Sunday at 11am you can enjoy an hour-long walking tour of town led by a park staff member or docent. See the actual gold discovery site, learn about the buildings and early merchants of Columbia.  Sponsored by The Friends Of Columbia SHP. Visit their website here for more information. Check in at the Columbia Museum 209-532-3184

10:00 AM Farms of Tuolumne County Farm & Ranch Tour

Mark your calendars for the 2018 Farm and Ranch Tour set for Saturday, June 9! Locations this year are Rocking R Bar B Miniature Herefords, Blue Oak Farm, Summerland Farm and Indigeny Reserve.

As usual, this is a self-guided Tour and there will be a map to direct you.

Other participants in the Farm and Ranch Tour are Eric Davis of Industrial Food Works who will be cooking up yummy samples at Blue Oak Farm. Also at Blue Oak Farm - Bear Tent Brewery will be serving samples of their quality beer. Horses Heal Inc. will be at Indigeny Reserve to educate folks on how horses can positively affect one's psyche. Al's Bonsai will be at Summerland with their beautiful bonsai and tips on how to take care of them. You can buy a delicious meal at Indigeny Reserve where Chef Dave Ingram will be cooking up locally grown fare. Rocking R Bar B Miniature Herefords will have snacks.

Tour hours are 10AM to 4PM. Tickets will go on sale in late April: $10 in advance, $12 day of event and will be available at this website or at Community Thrift Shop, Stockton Road in Sonora, All That Matters in Twain Harte, Nature's Whole Food Depot in Standard, and at Columbia Nursery in Columbia.

Download Tour Brochure at www.TCFarms.org.

Thank you to our Tour Sponsors: Brooklyn Heights West Orchards, Community Thrift Shop, Downtown Shoes, Front Porch, Inc., and Tuolumne Market.

Special THANKS! to Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau.

For more information regarding the Farm and Ranch Tour, e-mail info@TCFarms.Org or call 209-928-3775.
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Old Timers Museum Walking Tours Are Every Saturday at 10am.
Murphys, CA...Each Saturday morning the Old Timers Museum in Murphys offers a historical walking tour of Murphys. No reservation necessary. Meet at the Museum, 470 Main St, Murphys, across from the Hotel 10 am. Walk is 1-1/12 hours.


A stroll down tree-lined Main Street transports visitors back to the mid-1800s with buildings bearing thick stone walls, iron shutters and pastoral gardens with white picket fences. Once you experience the charm and hospitality of Murphys, the historic “Queen of the Sierra”, you’ll want to come back again and again!

Rich in Gold Rush History, Murphys today is a vibrant, thriving community of over 2,000 residents. Many of the surrounding hillsides are rich with the fine wine grapes grown in our area. Murphys offers wineries, art galleries, live theater, eclectic shops, fine restaurants, charming hotels and B&B’s as well as a multitude of outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities.

Murphys’ colorful past came alive in 1848 when John and Daniel Murphy established a trading post and gold mining operation in the area that is now their namesake. True entrepreneurs with the luck of the Irish, they were a part of the very first immigrant party – the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy families – to successfully bring wagons over the Sierra in 1844, paving the way for westward migration. John and Daniel’s cries of “Gold!” were among the first heard in California. It is reported that the brothers took two million dollars in gold ore from the Murphys Diggins in one year’s time, making them millionaires before the age of 25. The sizzling Gold Rush camp of Murphys also played host to President Grant, Mark Twain and Black Bart. And in some circles, to an even more famous chap – a young, inquisitive lad who literally changed the scientific world, Dr. Albert Michelson.

Our friendly residents invite you to revisit the past while exploring the “new” upscale Murphys. Guided walking tours of the town’s many historic buildings including the home of Albert Michelson, the first American Nobel Prize winner, are conducted every Saturday at 10:00 a.m., starting in front of the Old Timers Museum on Main Street.
11:00 AM - 03:00 PM Mokelumne River Rafting Adventure
Mokelumne Hill, CA...The Calaveras Mentoring Foundation is raising funds by offering the Moke River Rafting Trip through OARS this year, June 9th. I have had such a fun time Rafting this river. It’s $75 a person, totally worth the cost. This trip is only offered once a year. Get your seats why you still can. All the proceeds go to Calaveras Mentoring.


Enjoy a fantastic family adventure while contributing to the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program! Don’t miss this rare opportunity to raft a local river with a top professional guide!

Calaveras’ own O.A.R.S. has secured a special use permit to raft a gorgeous, mostly gentle, six-mile stretch of the Mokelumne River that is not available for commercial use.

TWO TRIPS: 11am and 3pm TRIP TIME: ABOUT 2-3 HOURS

RIVER RATING: CLASS II-III MILES COVERED: 6 RIVER MILES

The Mokelumne River offers an excellent rafting experience to families, beginners, and anyone interested in witnessing some of Calaveras’ most beautiful scenery. The trip is appropriate for ages 7-87. Located near Jackson, the Electra stretch of river is considered Class II-III and features several long, peaceful pools with a bit of excitement near the end.

$75 donation per person. Seating is limited and available by advance reservation

BUY YOUR TICKET!
100% of proceeds go to benefit the Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program!
11:00 AM Town Tours of Columbia State Historic Park
Columbia, CA...Enjoy an hour-long walking tour of town led by a park staff member or docent. See the actual gold discovery site, learn about the buildings and early merchants of Columbia. Sponsored by The Friends Of Columbia SHP. Visit their website for more information. Town Tours are every Saturday & Sunday starting at 11 am. Meet at the office on Main Street & State St Columbia, CA 95310

12:00 PM - 04:00 PM Sierra Nevada Logging Museum Open Thurs - Sun
Sierra Nevada Logging Museum is open Thurs – Sun, 12pm – 4pm Learn More About Logging History in Sierra Nevada
01:00 PM - 04:00 PM Racquetball Clinics on June 9th at Big Trees Fitness
Arnold, CA...Racquetball Clinics on June 9th at Big Trees Fitness. 1:00-2:00 pm "Intro to playing safe, effective doubles" Clinic Q&A. 2:00-4:00 pm. Supervised round Robin play; Prizes! Refreshments will be served Sign up in advance please include your level of play (Beg/Int/Adv) Saturday June 9th 2018. (209) 795-9965 or Info@BigTreesFitness.com


We Are Big Trees
Our facility is a landmark in the Arnold, California area. After a period of inactivity for several years, we have recently refurbished the entire facility, purchased tons of new equipment, trained and certified staff, and have opened the most complete fitness facility in Calaveras County.

Come check us out. We feel you’ll see how reasonable our pricing is and want to join us. You are completely welcome to use the facility as a drop-in guest, and we welcome you just as much as any member. We hope to see you soon.
02:00 PM - 03:30 PM Fly Fishing Fly-Tying Class
June 3-10: Bill Brauner, Fly Fishing Fly-Tying Class—a 3-part workshop: Part I: Sunday, June 3, 2-3:30 pm, Part 2: Thursday, June 7, 6:30-8 pm; Part 3: Sunday, June 10, 2-3:30 pm. Adults $40 for the series; Children 12-17 $30. All materials provided. Classes at Manzanita Arts Emporium, 1211 S. Main Street, Angels Camp 95222. Reserve at manzapress.com or call 209-728-6171
05:00 PM Ten Dollar Pony at 5pm Today in the Garden at Camp Connell General Store
Camp Connell, CA...Ten Dollar Pony is Larry Nair and Liza Beth Oliveto. They met in the usual way. He asked her to sing, and people said they liked it. So they just kept singing and playing and now look what’s happened.
They’ve just released their latest album as a duo, and they certainly have a signature sound. Sure… they’ve got banjo mandolin and dobro on this one… so you might be thinking “Bluegrass??” But you’d be wrong. For starters, most of the songs on this CD are underlaid with strong rock drumming and bass, then there’s rock guitar and Reggae licks played on a banjitar, REM flavored mando, swamp soup dobro all mashed up into a country rock gumbo… maybe you better have a taste and you tell me what the genre is.





"I went into a General Store, they wouldn't let me buy anything specific..." Comedian Steven Wright

When Larry was in his 30’s someone told him he could sing. He’s been writing songs and playing them all over northern Nevada and eastern California ever since. He can claim writing or co-writing credit on four CD’s of original material recorded since 2001. He’s been playing guitar since he was a kid, developing excellent guitar chops from finger style acoustic to electric country blues. He recently added dobro, banjitar, and mandolin to the mix. Like Guy Clark, he builds guitars and prefers to play one of his own on stage. His strongest musical influences include Jackson Browne, John Hiatt, and Nancy Griffith. His thinking is informed by Farley Mowat, Ray Bradbury, and Homer Simpson.

Liza Beth cut her performing teeth in community theater groups from Minneapolis to South Lake Tahoe, as well as gigging with other artists in the Minneapolis area. Her delicate voicing of a lyric is a fan favorite and has brought many a smile or tear. She jumped at the chance to sing in Larry’s band Playa Papaya, and the pair have worked closely ever since, her co-writing contributing an ethereal spookiness to their repertoire. Her muses run from Brandi Carlile to the BoDeans and Casey Chambers.

Ten Dollar Pony often performs as a four piece band with their two favorite sidemen, who are featured on their most recent CD “Under the Plow”. Drummer Don Piletic formerly beat the skins for the Mutilators and currently plays with Moons of Venus. Bassist Tom Patton was previously with Playa Papaya. They really bring a strong groove to a live performance. They’re f***ing awesome.

Larry and Liza Beth’s music is firmly based in a “vocal-centric” and melody driven aesthetic. Their lively blend of original and cover tunes encompasses many styles…folk, pop, blues, and country rock to name a few. Whether delivering intimate and heart wrenching ballads with warm harmonies, or raucous blues, their music ranges from sweet to wryly observant, to perversely funny, all served up with intelligence and wit. They’ve spent a lot of time in the woodshed and on stage together… and it shows.

The story of Camp Connell Continues....

The Camp Connell of today was largely influenced by the surging popularity of auto travel through the mountains inspired when Dr. D. Sargent of Angels Camp became the first to drive an automobile over Ebbetts Pass in 1908. Family camping was destined to become an extremely popular recreational activity To meet those demands, Jack Connell began construction of a campground, cabins, general store and gas pumps in 1928. He and his wife named their endeavor "Camp Connell". Opened for business in 1929, the general store and gas station have been in operation ever since. The Connell's continued to expand the store and added a café to serve the increasing number of visitors. By 1934 the Post Office was moved to the store and became "Camp Connell Station". The store was a local gathering place where local residents and vacationers alike would come to share news and leave messages, much as it is today. Occasionally, Circuit Court was convened in the building. Monte Wolfe, Art and Harry Schimke, the Whittles, Hunts, Tryons, Lombardis, and Airolas were frequent visitors.

While the popularity of the general store and café continued, the campground was closed in 1949 and the property was subdivided into lots selling for $600 each. The cabins remained as part of Camp Connell until the 1960's, when the highway was realigned to accommodate the ski resort and village at Bear Valley, as well as the development of Big Trees Village. The old highway became the current two accesses to Camp Connell and the property has stayed much the same ever since.

Today the Camp Connell General Store is one of the oldest Chevron stations in California as well as the longest continuously operated retail business between Murphys and Markleeville. It is a popular stop for visitors and a cherished part of the local community."

Mark Twain Medical Center
Meadowmont Pharmacy
Angels & San Andreas Memorial Chapels
Bear Valley Real Estate
Gerard Insurance
Bank of Stockton
Fox Security
Bistro Espresso
Chatom Winery
Middleton's Furniture
Bear Valley Mountain Resort
Cave, Mine & Zip Lines
High Country Spa & Stove
Ebbetts Pass Scenic Byway
Sierra Logging Museum Calaveras Mentoriing
Jenny's Kitchen

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