The Benicia Yacht Club will celebrate Opening Day on the Strait for its 35th year with the theme "Honoring Tradition." This free, public event is filled with entertainment and fun on one of the few days each year the Benicia Yacht Club is open to the public.
http://swfsc.nmfs.onoaa.gov/PRD/ Picture by Michael Richlen
Published: May, 2014
Opening Day on the Strait
The Benicia Yacht Club will celebrate Opening Day on the Strait for its 35th year with the theme "Honoring Tradition." This free, public event is filled with entertainment and fun on one of the few days each year the Benicia Yacht Club is open to the public. There will be live music as well as a variety of arts and crafts booths and boardwalk games to play along the walkway behind the yacht club. Visitors can enjoy the Blessing of the Fleet and boat parade that typically starts around 2 p.m. near West Ninth Street, then heads east on the Carquinez Strait toward the Benicia Marina entrance. View the parade from many spots along the waterfront, including the marina. For information, contact the Benicia Yacht Club at (707) 746-0739.
Altered Book Show
The Marin Museum of Contemporary Art presents an exhibition showcasing unique book artworks of 150 Bay Area artists. Ordinary books are transformed and re-imagined in unique and inventive ways to produce this highly entertaining and remarkably varied exhibition. The Altered Book Show will run through May 24, when the exhibit will have a closing party and live auction. This fundraising event for MarinMOCA raises funds to help it fulfill its mission of connecting artist and the community. MarinMOCA is located at 500 Palm Drive, Novato and admission is free to the public. For more information, go to www.marinmoca.org or call (415) 506-0137.
Hot Chili and Cold Beer
Things are going to get hot in Sonoma County on May 10 from 1 to 5 p.m. when the Great Petaluma Chili Cook-Off, Salsa & Beer Tasting takes place at Fairgrounds in Petaluma. The 17th annual celebration of local chefs and amazing microbrews will feature more than 40 teams serving up their finest meat and vegetarian chili as well as traditional or fruit salsa, while 16 breweries share several varieties of suds.Tickets are free for kids under 5, $10 for ages 5-11, $25 for adults, or $40 with beer. The event is held in Herzog Hall at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, 100 Fairgrounds Drive in Petaluma.To purchase a ticket, or for more information, call (707) 763-8920 or visit GreatChiliCookOff.com.
Waterfront Yoga
Wanderlust, the fast-growing evolutionary yoga lifestyle brand, returns to San Francisco’s Little Marina Green for the Wanderlust Yoga in the City (YITC) series on May 17. This free event invites influential yoga teachers, live music from ambient Oakland musician Insightful and local yogis to match their bridge pose with the breathtaking Golden Gate panorama. The one-day party will also offer healthy food samplings and plenty of hang time for attendees to explore their inner workings while also celebrating with health conscious individuals—creating the liveliest springtime yoga bash to grace Northern California. Classes run from 12:30 to 5 p.m. For those who want to head to the event early, the Kula Market will open at noon, and attendees can sip, sample and browse through sponsors’ offerings and rejuvenate in between yoga sessions. Also, Health magazine will offer a Zen Lounge, allowing yogis to recharge, relax and pamper with great giveaways for the mind, body and soul. For more information and to register, visit sf.wanderlustfestival.com.
Open Art in Benicia
Open Studios by Arts Benicia and its artist members is a two-day event on May 3-4 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event takes place at more than 70 artist studios concentrated within the Benicia Arsenal arts district, as well as other studios throughout town. Visitors have a unique opportunity to meet the artists inside their studios and view and purchase a wide range of media. Represented will be the work of painters, sculptors, wood-turners, photographers, illustrators, metal smiths, jewelry designers and more. Visitors can pick up maps at Arts Benicia, 991 Tyler Street, Suite 114. For more information, visit www.artsbenicia.org.
Pinball Art Show
Pinball wizards may take little notice of the art surrounding the scoreboards, but "backglass" painting is part of the experience of playing. On Wednesday, May 14, Michael Schiess, founder and director of the Pacific Pinball Museum, will discuss this unique art form at the Frank Bette Centre for the Arts in Alameda. Schiess will present samples from the Pacific Pinball Museum’s extensive collection and review the art, the artists, the process of making backglasses and the companies that produced them. He will also discuss the museum’s mural program, which has enabled local artists to craft stunning hand-painted murals of selected backglasses. Frank Bette Center for the Arts is located at 1601 Paru Street in Alameda. The event runs from 7 to 9 p.m. and the gallery opens at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 for guests and $5 for Bette Art Center members. For more information, visit www.frankbettecenter.org or call (510) 523-6957.
Vintage Car & Truck Show
On Saturday, May 3, Jack London Square will showcase more than 60 vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles from the 1920s to 1960s. From car buffs to casual enthusiasts, the waterfront will transform into an auto mecca showcasing rare vehicles. Enjoy live music, delicious eats from Jack London Square’s fantastic restaurants and stroll along Oakland’s premiere waterfront. The show will take place throughout Jack London Square from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Killer Whale Trail Lecture
NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the Whale Trail will hold a public lecture at the Aquarium of the Bay on May 13 by international orca researcher Erich Hoyt. Hoyt will discuss his decades-long research on killer whales (orcas) in the north Pacific, including connections to orcas in California. An award-winning author, he has written or co-written 20 books and hundreds of magazine articles on whales and dolphins, as well as ants, insects, wild plants and other subjects. The lecture is at 7 p.m. with a reception at 6 p.m. and tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets.com.
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