For Immediate Release s317
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Autumn Delights in Mendocino County, Northern California
Fall Ushers in Turning Leaves, Colorful Events and Unique Food and Wine Festivals
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – (August 20, 2013) – Fall in Northern California’s Mendocino County offers up warm days, crisp nights, turning leaves, vibrant vineyards, and some of the most exciting festivals and events of the year – all in the relaxing atmosphere that prevails after peak season is over and the County settles back into a more mellow groove. Unwind in Mendocino County as the summer season comes to an end and the county shows its true “colors.”
Here’s a taste of what’s to come this fall season:
Paul Bunyan Days – Fort Bragg
August 30 – September 2
Paul Bunyan Days is the oldest small town event on the coast! Festival highlights include an Arts and Crafts fair, Babe the Blue Ox, Beer Tasting, Parades, Marching Bands, a BBQ, and the internationally renowned Ugly Dog Contest. Admission is FREE!
www.paulbunyandays.com or 707.964.1228
Harbor & Seafood Festival – Point Arena
September 1
Come celebrate the sea and its bounty with free boat rides, kids’ games, a flea market, live music and much more at the Harbor & Seafood Festival!
www.pointarena.com
Winesong – Fort Bragg
September 7, 11 AM – 2 PM
Stroll through the lush Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens while enjoying vintages poured by world-class wineries from Mendocino, Sonoma, Napa, and beyond, and food from 50 of Mendocino County’s finest food purveyors. Nine different music groups perform a variety of styles including jazz, classical, big band, calypso, and Celtic folk that accent the tasting. All ticket holders to Winesong can participate in both the tasting and the auction; General Admission tickets are $100 while VIP tickets are $200!
www.winesong.org or 707.961.4688
The Kinetic Carnivale and the Roots of Motive Power Festival – Willits
September 7 & 8
The Kinetic Carnivale tumbles onto the grounds of the Mendocino County Museum and nearby Recreation Grove Park and Skunk Depot in Willits. The Carnivale, produced by the Museum, joins the Roots of Motive Power Annual Steam Up Festival to offer a full weekend of participation and spectacle, including a hand car exhibit and time trials, a display of historical steam engines and machines, a daytime fair with roving entertainers, a BBQ, and a nighttime costume ball with live music. Tickets to the Carnivale are $5 per day; Grand Ball tickets are $30 for a General Ticket or $25 each if you buy them in pairs. VIP Tickets, which include entrance to both days of the festival plus the Grand Ball and VIP treatment are $125 and can be purchased online.
www.KineticCarnivale.com and www.MendocinoMuseum.org or 707.459.2736
86th Annual Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show – Boonville
September 13 – 15
This annual event is a real old-fashioned country fair with activities for the entire family, including a rodeo, petting zoo, carnival rides, apple & cider tastings, wine tastings, a hoedown, and a parade. $8 Adults/Seniors; $6 Juniors 13-18; $4 Children 7-12, Kids 6 and under FREE; Seniors $2 on Friday only.
www.mendocountyfair.com or 707.762.1593
Cowboy Poetry – Willits
September 14
Stretch out on the apple tree lawn for a spell to hear Cowboy Poetry and the Sons of the San Joaquin perform live for this family event held Saturday, September 14. The show kicks off at 3pm, but come early to enjoy a day on the farm—walk through the garden or picnic on the lawn. Participate in the “Apple Pie Throwdown” as a baker or just an enjoyer. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the gate. $125 VIP tickets include the event, snacks and drinks and a farm fresh dinner with artists following the show. Overnight stay packages begin at $200.
http://emandal.com/events/cowboy-poetry
American Craft Week – Mendocino County
October 4 – 13
Galleries, studios, and businesses throughout Mendocino County will open their doors with special shows, events, and demonstrations featuring a vast array of local handmade crafts. Pick up or download a map to find all of the treasures Mendocino County artists have to share with you. American Craft Week is a nationwide celebration of handmade American crafts and the people who make them.
http://americancraftweek.com/ or 707.895.2810
World Championship Abalone Cook-off & Festival – Fort Bragg
October 5
Mendocino County is one of the only places where divers can harvest delicious abalone for their own delectation, and this treasured mollusk is the focus of the annual Abalone Cook-off, held on the first Saturday in October at Noyo Harbor.This festival is one of the only places where you can taste (and judge) wild abalone dishes!There will be a silent auction, craft fair, live music, food, beer, wine, and of course, the all important abalone cook-off competition. Free admission to the festival; tickets to taste and judge are $60 per person.
www.mendoparks.org/Abalone or 707.937.4700
Beer, Bison and Bluegrass – Caspar
October 12
At the Beer, Bison and Bluegrass Festival, enjoy beer from regional breweries alongside an organic bison burger while boogying to some great bluegrass music.
www.parentsandfriends.org
Hopland Passport – Hopland
October 19 & 20, 11 AM – 5PM daily
Participating wineries will be pouring their best wines with incredible food pairings at each stop (like tri-tip with bordelaise sauce, shrimp ceviche, wood-fired pizzas and more). With opportunities to experience tours, art, and live music, this event is sure to please wine lovers. A Passport Weekend Pass is $45 online or $55 at the event. Receive a Passport logo glass, entry to all wine tastings, food pairings and entertainment at all wineries.
hoplandpassport.com or 800.564.2582
Ukiah Country PumpkinFest – Ukiah
October 19 & 20
The Ukiah Country PumpkinFest has something for everyone and features a parade, arts and craft fair, haunted house, scarecrow city, beer & wine tasting, live music and Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off! Bring the whole family to celebrate Fall.
www.cityofukiah.com
Mushroom, Wine & Beer Festival – Mendocino County
November 1 – 10
Go wild with Mendocino County during its annual Mushroom, Wine and Beer Festival. Festival attendees can enjoy a multitude of activities throughout Mendocino County for the duration of this festival, from foraging for mushrooms with local guides, attending mushroom-themed dinners paired with local wines and beers, mushroom walks and talks, and hopping aboard the Skunk Train’s special “Mushroom Train” excursion on Saturday, November 2nd. Compete for prizes in the Mushroom Recipe and Instagram Contests, size up against fellow mushroom lovers in the Mighty Mushroom Weigh Off, and take part in the Passport event. This year, look for mushrooms from your bike, kayak, horseback or your own two feet! But don’t fret if you can’t make it here during the festival, you can enjoy mushroom foraging walks and mushroom menus throughout the county for the entire mushroom season (October – January)!
www.visitmendocino.com, #MendocinoGoneWild or 866.466.3636
54th Annual Thanksgiving Arts and Crafts Fair – Mendocino Village
November 29 & 30, 10 AM – 5PM daily
In what has become a North Coast tradition, the Mendocino Art Center hosts this two-day showcase event, providing residents and visitors a pleasant alternative to hectic Thanksgiving holiday shopping while supporting local and regional artists. This year's fair showcases a wide array of unique, high quality artwork and gift items, including stained, fused and engraved glass; enameled, gold and mixed metal jewelry; original paintings and photographs; functional and decorative ceramics; sculptural work, wearable fiber art, and local art books. Live music, food, wine and dessert will also be on offer. Admission is FREE!
www.MendocinoArtCenter.org or 800.653.3328
Gualala Arts’ Festival of Trees - Gualala
November 29, 10 AM – 5 PM, & November 30, 10 AM – 4 PM
A fundraising event for Gualala Arts as well as a community celebration, the 10th Annual Festival of Trees takes attendees back in time by transforming the Gualala Arts Center into a 19th century mill town. Festival-goers will be greeted in the foyer with fresh-baked goods, hot coffee and hot chocolate, chilled apple juice, hot spiced cider, and (for the adults) the legendary “scrumpy.” This festival also features live music, a Gingerbread House Contest, and a Fantasy Forest filled with trees decorated by families throughout the community. Admission is FREE.
www.gualalaarts.org/Festivals/Festival-of-Trees2012.html or 707.884.1138
Fall Lodging Specials
Listed below are just a few of the premier lodging specials on offer in Mendocino County this fall.
MacCallum House Inn and Restaurant – Mendocino Village
Valid November 1, 2013 – November 10, 2013
Our luxury accommodations are in the heart of Mendocino Village. A stay at the MacCallum House is filled with extra touches to make your stay truly memorable. Ask for the Mushroom, Wine & Beer Festival discount to receive 25% off a two-night stay during the festival!
http://maccallumhouse.com or (707) 937-0289
Baechtel Creek Inn & Spa
Valid November 1, 2013 – November 10, 2013
Our “Fungi and Girl Package” includes two nights lodging, a choice of our “Hoppy” massage and/or our Grapefruit Facial, and tickets to the Festival’s signature event, the Mushroom, Wine & Beer Train. Call us for customized package prices! Rates/Dates vary.
http://baechtelcreekinn.com or 1 (800) 459-9911
Brewery Gulch Inn
Valid November 1, 2013 – November 10, 2013
Enjoy an additional 15% discount off the winter midweek rates when staying for two or more nights in this AAA Four-Diamond award inn. Wild mushrooms found on the Mendocino Coast will be featured in special dishes in the gourmet cooked-to-order breakfast and the light dinner buffet with local Mendocino County wines and beers. Both meals are included in all room rates. Excludes Friday and Saturday nights.
http://brewerygulchinn.com or 1 (800) 578-4454
Surf & Sand Lodge
Valid November 1, 2013 – November 30, 2013
Enjoy the magnificent Pacific Ocean, whale watching, and beautiful sunsets all from your own private balcony at the pet-friendly Surf & Sand Lodge. Mention the Beer, Wine & Mushroom Festival and receive a two-night stay for the price of one during the whole month of November (Sunday – Thursday only, excludes holidays and holiday weekends).
http://surfandlodge.com or (707) 964-9383
Elk Cove Inn & Spa
September – November 2013
To introduce newcomers to the treasure and magic that are the Elk Cove Inn &Spa, we're offering first-time visitors a complimentary, 1-level room upgrade based on space available at check-in (or a 5% discount if not available) and a $50 coupon toward a future visit when you book 2 nights or more. Offer is valid weekdays May – October and any day November – April. Not available on holidays. Cannot be combined with other specials. Cost from $100 - $395 per night.
http://www.elkcoveinn.com/ or (707) 877-3321
For further information on Mendocino County, please visit http://www.visitmendocino.com/ or call 866.466.3636.
About Mendocino County
Gourmet restaurants that feature locally-sourced ingredients, unique lodging establishments, picturesque villages, friendly wineries, majestic redwoods and the rugged seaside all await you in Mendocino County. The County boasts a longstanding tradition of coming together as a community and creating an environment where visitors will encounter friendly faces, tranquil surroundings and the delicious seafood and wine bounty of the region.
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Media Contact: Jen Filice | Visit Mendocino County, Inc. | 707-734-0177 |