So, join us May 16th for the cookoff… if you just want to eat – well there’s plenty of people’s choice for you beginning at 1 p.m. It’s in the Old Town Plaza at Front/Mercedes/Moreno Streets across from the Post Office. We will also have pony rides at the same place … a really cool soda-mobile, and a few other surprises.

Western Days includes the HIGH NOON SHOOT OUT AT THE BANK, hourly shows at Fourth and Main Street, the Gourd Artists doing a demo and exhibhit, Jim Brooks teaching you how to rope calves, stagecoach rides, the CATTLE DRIVE .. oh yeah — the cattle drive – where you bring a sawhorse that looks like a cow, on May 15th, music and fun. Saturday Older than Dirt plays, Sunday it’s Judy Taylor and her String Trio.

Beginning in 1972 when Munde became a member of the Flying Burrito Brothers performing with Byron Berline, Munde made his mark. After a European tour, the Burritos split up and Munde joined Country Gazette, then consisting of Roger Bush on bass, Kenny Wertz on guitar, and on the fiddle, Byron Berline, who had formed Country Gazette earlier in the year. Later in 1977, Munde and mandolinist Sam Bush recorded “Together again for the first time” with Roland White, Curtis Burch and John Cowan (both members of legendary “Newgrass Revival” with Sam Bush).

An instructor and respected instrumentalist, Munde was featured on the 2001 IBMA Instrumental Album of the Year “Knee Deep in Bluegrass.”

Sligo Rags, (www.sligorags.com) a crowd pleaser at the Temecula Bluegrass Festival, with their overly energetic fiddler Michael Kelly, unique percussion, and solid vocals singing great renditions like “The Devil Went Down to Dublin.” An Irish Band by nature, Sligo Rags injects their Irish overtones to create a very unique brand of bluegrass.

Kelly is extremely versatile fiddler is well known in all musical circles in which fiddle is played. His career has spanned decades, and has also included forays into the country, newgrass, swing, and bebop realms. His exciting fiddle style and soaring tenor voice are sure to delight all.

Band leader David Burns has played guitar and banjo for a number of local Irish and bluegrass bands. Currently the banjo player in local bluegrassers Heart Of ‘Grass (headliners at the 2004 Topanga Bluegrass Festival), the guitar player in acoustic jazz band Timbreline (recent nominees for Best Instrumental Band at the 2006 Southern California Music Awards), he has also worked with The Mulligans, Ken O’Malley, Rob Williams of The Fenians, The Band of Rogues (Featuring Terry Casey, Rob Williams, and Chris Pierce of The Fenians) and many other local heavyweights in the Irish realm.
Andy Reilly, one of the finest percussionists in all of California, Dublin-born He spent eight years on the road with the original Dublin-based touring company of Riverdance. Now a Los Angeles resident, he can be found playing all manner of percussion in many different settings. Nobody can play a bodhrain solo quite like Andy Reilly.

Also performing at the 2010 event is: Bluegrass Etc., Lonesome Otis, Sligo Rags, Hunt Family Bluegrass, the Silverado Bluegrass Band, Older than Dirt, Old Haywire, and Highway 76 Bluegrass Band. More bands will be announced at a later date.

This is the 10th Anniversary for Temecula’s annual event known as the best free bluegrass festival on the West Coast. Bands will perform on two stages from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Weather is not an issue as two of the stages are indoors. The outdoor stage can be converted to another indoor venue should there be inclement weather. All daytime concerts, workshops and jam sessions are free. Saturday evening will feature a paid concert in the Old Town Temecula Community Theater, an intimate 350-seat theater known for outstanding acoustics. The concert will feature Al Munde Gazette, Bluegrass Etc and Silverado for $15 per person.

Sunday’s matinee features Al Munde Gazette and Sligo Rags in the theater. Tickets are $5 per person and all tickets are available at www.temeculatheater.org.

“Pickers” (Bluegrassers’ term for musicians) jam anywhere along the rustic streets of Old Town Temecula. Scheduled workshops on the mandolin, fiddle, guitar and banjo are held each day and are free. Organized jam sessions with host bands make it easy for pickers to find a group to join.

“It’s the greatest part about a bluegrass festival. Fans are also musicians, some of them quite good and notable in the music world,” stated Melody Brunsting, organizer of the event. “We’ve had Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek show up on our stage just to jam with Bluegrass Etc. before.”

The legendary Moonalice Band will perform in concert Friday, March 19 at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater at 8 p.m. Tickets are available at www.temeculatheater.org.
To visit the cultural district of Old Town Temecula take the 15 Freeway to Rancho California Road or Highway 79 south and follow the signs leading to Old Town Front Street. Public parking is free. RV parking is available in town for $30 for the weekend. Reservations are recommended at (951) 678-0831. For more information call (951) 693-3952 or visit www.temeculacalifornia.com.

Some of them are warm fuzzies, some heartbreaking. Yet, this time of the year always brings laughter out of the adventure.

One year, while working on the Community Christmas Dinner, I had a Christmas Eve scheduled pickup of pastries at Costco. I had my sister do the pick up as I and my husband were expected in Long Beach for his family Christmas.

We got home at midnight and my sister came out of the guest room to greet us. “Did you see your Suburban? It’s packed.”

Turns out Costco didn’t give us pastries that year but over 50 frozen turkeys. Christmas Dinner was already prepared. There are no giant freezers open Christmas Eve or Christmas morning to house 50 plus frozen turkeys. Thank God it was 28 degrees outside that night – the turkeys didn’t thaw … but we had to get rid of them fast.

So at 6:30 a.m. I started calling all my contacts, friends, churches, anyone who might know someone needing a turkey. By 10 a.m. all Turkeys were in homes – somewhere in the valley – being prepped for Christmas Dinner.

This year’s adventure is the search for GIANT PURPLE BALLS. Now I know what some of you are thinking – blue maybe – not purple. But this is for the great GRAPE DROP of 2010 – the first countdown at the new Temecula Town Square – New Years Eve at the Square and Ice Rink. And just like Santa Claus – I can’t let the folks down.

Preliminary quotes had grape designs exceeding the budget and these weren’t even illuminated. But I had the idea – and I had already promised folks a grape drop. So enter the floriculture side of Melody’s seven-year college degree. I thought “It can’t be that expensive.”

Friends have helped me find giant purple balls. For weeks I have had text messages and emails, phone calls and serendipitous drop offs of “test modules” for the GREAT GRAPE DROP.

We have settled on 40 purple spheres – with 25 led lights inside, connected and affixed to a triangular 3-dimensional trellis, plus 24 sequined purple balls – all 8-10 inches in diameter to create a 3 foot by 5 foot bunch of grapes.

SoCal Christmas Lighting will help us assemble it and oversee its GRAND DESCENT and Edge Development will provide the very cool crane.

Meanwhile I am spray painting giant purple balls in my garage and test-connecting to my trellis to make sure they look like a bunch of grapes.

If you want to see something just a little bit crazy this year … join us in Old Town for Melody’s Great Grape Drop of giant purple balls. It’s free – and Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz will be there for the countdown.

TAKE THAT BIG APPLE with your mirrored ball and millions of icicle people. We’ll have heaters on MAIN STREET.

You can find more info at www.temeculacalifornia.com or just about any store in Old Town Temecula. Hey – stop by and see Santa and tell him the one thing you want for Christmas is for Melody’s Purple Balls to descend with out a crash.

Old Town Temecula

Temecula Mayor Maryann Edwards will lead the opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony and the first skate.

“Ice skating on the town square will be a new holiday tradition for the community,” stated Mayor Edwards. “Like Times Square at New Years and Rockefeller Center, Old Town Temecula will take its place as the “place” to be this holiday season.”

Several nationally ranked figure skaters will help open the rink including Lindsay Davis, who skated as a pair in 2009 to win the Pacific Coast Sectionals 1st in 2009, also took first in the Novice Ladies and will compete in Nationals this year. She will be joined with other guest skaters.

The grand opening will include free refreshments, Mrs. Claus, a Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting, and an appearance from Storm Mascot “Thunder” and KATY morning deejay Bob Madden. Music will be provided by the Great Oak High School Jazz Combo group.

The rink will be open daily through January 3 and is operated by Studio 33. Private sessions can be reserved for businesses, churches, sports groups, and non-profit organizations. These sessions must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Groups can also request specific music. For additional information on pricing, general skate sessions and special sessions please call: 951.694.6.ICE (951.694.6423) or 951.506.5100.

December 19 the Franklin Haynes Marionettes perform two free shows, 1:30 and 3 p.m. at Front and Main Street. New Years Eve offers family fun from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a party jump, face painting and Dynamite Dave. At 8:30 p.m. Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz fires up for a New Year’s Eve free bash including two countdowns; one at New York time 9 p.m. and the other at midnight.

This is the last weekend for visiting Santa Claus in Old Town Temecula. That Jolly Ol’ Elf Santa Claus will listen to children’s wishes Friday from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at his workshop on the corner of Front and Main Streets. Temecula area Boy Scouts will take souvenir pictures for a $5 donation.

Old Town Temecula is the hub for cultural arts in the Temecula Valley, with the Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc at the OTTCT, Pennypickle’s Workshop/Temecula Children’s Museum and the Temecula Valley Museum. For holiday shows at the theater visit www.temeculatheater.org. For more information and a complete schedule of Old Town Temecula events contact the City of Temecula, (951) 693-3952 or visit www.temeculacalifornia.com or www.cityoftemecula.org. For children’s activities visit www.pennypickles.org.

Additional information and websites
www.cityoftemecula.org
www.temeculatheater.org
www.temeculatheaterfoundation.org
www.pennypickles.org
www.temeculacvb.org
www.auntkizzyzboyz.com
www.puppetshows.com (Franklin Haynes Marionettes)

Pennypickle’s Winter Wonderland is the highlight Friday, with s’mores, snow and kids activities. Main Street west of Old Town Front Street will be closed for the trackless holiday train and Spark of Love Toy Drive. Kids can visit with Santa at his workshop on Front and Main Street from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

That Jolly Ol’ Elf Santa Claus will listen to children’s wishes every weekend from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at his workshop on the corner of Front and Main Streets. He’ll also make another evening appearance Friday, December 18 from 4 to 8 p.m. Temecula area Boy Scouts will take souvenir pictures for a $5 donation. Don’t expect them in uniform. They will be dressed as living toy soldiers.

School bands and choirs will join in the holiday celebration on Saturday, December 12 at the Baily’s Courtyard for a day-long concert of holiday tunes. Temecula Middle School Bobcat Band opens the concert at 10 a.m. and is followed by Linfield School at 11 a.m., Vail Ranch Middle School at noon, Gardner Middle School at 1 p.m., the Valley Winds at 2 p.m. and closes with the vivacious Wings of Praise choir at 3 p.m. More music can be found with the Inland Valley Opera and Fine Arts Network “Dickens Carolers” from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The City of Temecula unwraps the coolest holiday gift of the year on Friday, December 18, with a 2,400 square foot Ice Skating Rink. This isn’t a synthetic replica. Installed and operated by Studio 33, this is the real thing, decorated and illuminated with a beautiful twinkling light canopy. Ice skating on the Square is open through January 3, including Christmas and New Years Day. A grand opening ceremony will be 4 p.m. on December 18 guest nationally ranked figure skaters and Temecula Mayor Maryann Edwards opening the rink with ribbon cutting ceremony.
Private sessions can be reserved for businesses, churches, sports groups, and non-profit organizations. These sessions must be booked at least 24 hours in advance. Groups can also request specific music. For additional information on pricing, general skate sessions and special sessions please call: 951.694.6.ICE (951.694.6423) or 951.506.5100.
December 19 the Franklin Haynes Marionettes perform two free shows, 1:30 and 3 p.m. at Front and Main Street. New Years Eve offers family fun from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a party jump, face painting and Dynamite Dave. At 8:30 p.m. Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz fires up for a New Year’s Eve free bash including two countdowns; one at New York time 9 p.m. and the other at midnight.
Old Town Temecula is the hub for cultural arts in the Temecula Valley, with the Old Town Temecula Community Theater, The Merc at the OTTCT, Pennypickle’s Workshop/Temecula Children’s Museum and the Temecula Valley Museum. For holiday shows at the theater visit www.temeculatheater.org. For more information and a complete schedule of Old Town Temecula events contact the City of Temecula, (951) 693-3952 or visit www.temeculacalifornia.com or www.cityoftemecula.org. For children’s activities visit www.pennypickles.org.

Additional information and websites
www.cityoftemecula.org
www.temeculatheater.org
www.temeculatheaterfoundation.org
www.pennypickles.org
www.temeculacvb.org
www.auntkizzyzboyz.com
www.puppetshows.com (Franklin Haynes Marionettes)

Welcome Santa at 6 p.m. as he rides down Old Town Front Street to his workshop at Front and Main, Friday, November 27.

Check out our website for details. www.Temeculacalifornia.com
Santa arrives, Friday, November 27th 6 p.m. on a horse drawn carriage, with Dickens Carolers serenading him. The John Hess Quartet Jazz Ensemble plays holiday tunes. Dynamite Dave on hand for crazy holiday balloon treats.

All kids receive honorary reindeer antlers. Santa visits with children from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Souvenir photos are taken by the local Boy Scouts of America.

Ice Skating begins December 18th – Plan to spend New Years Eve in Old Town Temecula with Aunt Kizzy’z Boyz, activities for the kids and two countdowns – 9 p.m. and midnight.

For Ice Skating info call 951-694-6423.