Debbie Croft: Spring means plenty of fun in foothills
So much to do in so little time. Springtime in the foothills provides ample opportunities for enjoying the sights and sounds of the Sierra communities.
▪ Mountains of Minerals is the theme of Mariposa’s annual Mineral and Gem Show, taking place this weekend, April 11-12. It’s the only gem show in the state.
Demonstrations include stone cutting, jewelry making and gold panning.
The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is located at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds. The show is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Kids and parking are free; adult admission is only $3. Visit www.camineralmuseum.com or call (209) 742-7625 for details.
▪ For Civil War re-enactors, Las Mariposas Civil War Days has become one of the most popular events in the West. The re-enactment takes place on property that was originally part of the Las Mariposas land grant. The region resembles actual Civil War battlefields.
This year’s event will be held at Longs Ranch in Mariposa County on April 17-18. Visit www.thecivilwardays.com for complete schedules, directions, historic information and photos.
There may be space left for Education Day on April 16. Admission is free to elementary and middle school classes. Special demonstrations and activities will take place that day. Contact diannefritz@hotmail.com or call (209) 769-1451 for more information.
▪ The new season has opened at Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in Jamestown. Every Saturday and Sunday through October the locomotives run four times a day, giving passengers a tour of California’s scenic Mother Lode country.
Special excursion and holiday train rides are offered throughout the year. This month wildflower tours are on tap, including one Saturday at 3 p.m. and also on April 18. Tickets are available online during weekdays only. Call (209)984-3953 or check the website, www.railtown1897.org.
▪ An evening and an afternoon of beautiful orchestral music awaits Mariposa residents and visitors.
On April 25 and 26, renowned cellist Ira Lehn returns to perform with the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra. The spring concerts will feature the music of Camille Saint-Saëns, Jean Sibelius and Les Marsden.
“Yosemite!” is Marsden’s newest work: a 30-minute piece commemorating the 125th anniversary of Yosemite National Park. This is the third composition in a series of four honoring the anniversaries of the park.
At 7 p.m. April 25 the orchestra will perform in the Fiester Auditorium of Mariposa County High School. Tickets are reasonably priced and may be purchased from the Mariposa County Arts Council and the Mariposa County Visitors Center.
Admission to the April 26 matinee concert at 2 p.m. is free. The concert will be performed in the Great Lounge of the Ahwahnee in Yosemite Valley. Further information may be obtained by calling the arts council at (209) 966-3155 or by emailing MSO@sti.net or info@arts-mariposa.org.
▪ A rare opportunity for young musicians is offered by the Mariposa Symphony Orchestra each year. The 2015 Young Master Composers Celebration is open for student submissions. Prospective composers ages 8-18 in Mariposa County are invited to write their own works of classical music for this unique competition.
Winning compositions will be orchestrated by conductor Marsden and performed by the orchestra at a concert in July. The winners receive $50, a certificate and an audio recording of their composition. Detailed information is available at www.mariposaartscouncil.org or by calling (209) 966-3155.
▪ A cultural walking tour of Europe will be led by Columbia College music instructor Rod Harris in May 2016. The trip will include Paris, Belgium, Amsterdam, Germany, Austrian Alps and Venice.
Highlights of the trip will include the Eiffel Tower, Louvre and D’Orsay museums and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris; canal boats, windmills and Flemish museums in Bruges, Belgium; the Anne Frank House, a canal boat tour, Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam; Mad King Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Bavarian Castle; a luge ride in the Alps and night in Innsbruck, Austria; taking the beautiful Brenner Pass over the Tyrollean Alps, and enjoying gondolas, Vivaldi, the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.
The tour departs on May 12, 2016, and concludes on May 26. Now is the time to reserve a spot. For more information, contact harrisr@yosemite.edu.
Debbie Croft writes about life in the foothill communities. Follow her on Twitter @ghostowngal or email her at composed@tds.net.
This story was originally published April 10, 2015 at 10:00 AM with the headline "Debbie Croft: Spring means plenty of fun in foothills."