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Winery Happenings!

Bom Vinho Vineyards
Food: Street Tacos
Music: 11/2 - Ticket To Ride a Tribute to the Beatles & 11/3 - TriTones
Ativities: Wild Women Herbal, Kathy Smiley - Herbalist/Atist, Reclaimed Wood Specialties - Patrick Knost, Massage Therapist - Jackie Pence, Livedge Company (handmade furnishings) - Kevin Ramos.

Bumgarner Winery
Food: Expertly paired small bites by Chef Kara Taylor from The Farm Table Restaurant in Placerville
Music: Jaclyn Lovey, talented singer-songwriter, as seen on Season 14 of NBC’s The Voice, both days.
Ativities: Live art print-making demonstrations by Artist Oran Miller and flower crown making taught by Gavin Michael Sellers

Busby Cellars
Food: Gourmet menu includes marinated grilled French Dip sliders with a provolone, garlic, Chardonnay drizzle, and three-cheese tortellini salad. For dessert try our Port with decadent chocolate brownies.
Activities: Sample our unique Barbera Flight! Enjoy three different Barbera vintages: one in bottle, one in barrel, and one straight from the press, for a complete harvest experience!

Cantiga Wineworks
Food,: Zin Chili
Activites: Learn about harvest and the wine making process with demonstrations and hands-on activities. local artists featuring jewelry, paintings, and barrel stave art & furniture

E16
Food: Small bites from Creekside Cork & Brew
Music: 11/2 – Elizabeth Unpinco Jazz Trio & 11/3 – Singer Songwriter Morgan Wenter
Activities: Cave tastings, games

Element 79 Vineyards & Winery
Food: Sharon’s sloppy joe’s, cheese pairings
Music: Tom Power
Activities: Walking vineyard tours and lawn games

Fleur De Lys Winery
Food: Harvest themed dishes, soups and desserts with an emphasis on pairings.

Iverson Winery & Vineyard
Food: Chili and flavored champagne and award winning wines.
Music: Music daily

Kehret Vineyards
Food: Sauvignon Blanc and Roasted Red Pepper & Butternut Squash Soup, A Bruschetta Bar and Barbera Barrel tasting, Tortellini Mac N Cheese and Malbec Barrel tasting
Music: Will Hogan, both days.

Mediterranean Vineyards
Food: 2016 Albarino will be paired with a creamy Lemon, Corn, and Shrimp Chowder. 2016 Garnacha will be paired with Toasted Ravioli with Vodka Sauce and a Pesto Drizzle. 2016 Syrah will be paired with open-faced herbed focaccia, Turkey, Chestnut Stuffing, and Orange Cranberry Sauce
Music: 11/2 - One Leg Chuck
11/3 - Sierra Gypsies
Activities: Come make your own cider at the Cider Station

Mellowood Vineyard
Food: Enjoy a French picnic with owners Martine, Gui and baby Sophie. Visit our Fromagerie for cheese and charcuterie pairings with a selection of wines
Music: Enjoy the French Cafe music

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Downtown Sonora, California

Sonora, California - Founded by Mexican miners of the state of Sonora, in Mexico, this community during the California Gold Rush was once a booming center of industry and trade in California and come to be known as the Mother Lode.  Most of the gold that was removable with traditional mining techniques and was quickly extracted, leaving miners to use more complex and expensive mining techniques to reach deep pockets of quartz and gold.

The area economy was historically based on the mining and timber industries but now relies on tourism. Sonora is one of the closest cities to Yosemite National Park and provides services to some of Yosemite's visitors. The city also benefits from its proximity to Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in nearby Jamestown.

The newspaper of record for the Sonora area is the Union Democrat and this daily community newspaper is filled mostly with local news. Because of the cities historical past, the Tuolumne County Film Commission describes Sonora as "one of the country's most versatile locations", where more than "300 films and television series" has been made. Sonora is also home to the Tuolumne County Arts Alliance. In the heart of  Downtown Sonora

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An Annual October Event

Sierra County Annual Oktoberfest

It's time for the annual Oktoberfest in Sierra City!

Come to the mountains and enjoy the fall colors and some good old-fashioned fun Saturday October 12th.

Vendors offer an wonderful array of temptations up and down Sierra City's historic Main Street from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Don't miss the music, magic, crafts, brauts & sauerkraut along with fresh squeezed apple cider.

For more informationall, call 530-862-9009 or visit their website: Sierra County Chamber of Commerce  

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Bar at Jamestown Hotel

Historical Lodging

The Sierra Gold Country is an historic region in California. Lodging was need for the miners and many of the original hotels are still open today. This historic region in the northern California is primarily on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. The history of many of the hotels in in this region date back to the gold rush era.

Many of the famed mines produced rich mineral deposits and the gold mines attracted waves of immigrants, known as the Forty-Niners, during the 1849 California Gold Rush.

When gold was first discovered in 1848 many people came from all over the world to find gold. With all the people that flooded California came lots of diseases and violence. There were 500 mining camps which 300 are still unfound as of today. There was 400 million dollars in gold mined between 1849 and 1855.

The transportation in Gold Country grew rapidly due to the Gold Rush. The first railroad in California ran through Gold Country. There were 250 different stage coach companies formed by 1860.

Amador County - At the time of the Gold Rush the Kennedy Mine was the deepest in the world at 5,919 feet. Argonaut Mine was from 1850-1942. In 1922, there was a fire in the area and 47 men were trapped in the mine and died. This mine was shut down due to the war.

Calaveras County - This county was known for the biggest gold nugget found in the United States. The nugget weighed 195 lbs. The nugget was found in Carson Hill. In Copperopolis, 72 million dollars worth of copper was found. Many of the copper mines in this area supplied the Union armies needs in the Civil War.

El Dorado County - This county is the key to the Gold Country. This is where gold was discovered in 1848 by James Marshall at Sutter's Mill. Sutter's fort was destroyed by all the people that came here from the Gold Rush.

Mariposa County - Located in the southern portion of Hwy 49. This county is known for the Ghirardelli Factory dated all the way back 1855-1858. One of the mines that were in Mariposa County was the Princetown Mine which, pulled out 5 million in gold.

Nevada County - This county had the most gold out of all of Gold County pulled out of it totaling 440 million dollars worth. Holbrooke Hotel is one of the oldest hotels still run to this day in Gold Country. It was built in 1851. Empire Mine one of the most known mines in the area. (This mine is now a state park.) This mine runs 200 miles underground. This mine was still in operation after the war. A 100 million dollars was mined out of this mine. Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad was constructed in 1876. This railroad was made so that people can travel faster between Grass Valley to Nevada City.

Placer County - Colfax was known for a main station for supplies from the Central Pacific Railroad. Many of the area was known for Quartz. About 2 million dollars in quartz was found. Placer County was known for the robber " Rattlesnake Dick" in 1850.

Sierra County - Allegheny was known for a 163-pound gold nugget. The mine was shut down during the war but then was opened back up in 1965. This mine is still mined occasionally today. In 1992 seventy thousand dollars was mined out of it. In 1849 gold was first found in the Yuba river in Downieville. A 427-pound nugget was found there. Hydraulic mining happened at Howland Flat and Poker Flat in the 1850's. Seven hundred thousand dollars worth of gold came out of Poker Flat alone.

Tuolumne County - In Knights Ferry there was the largest covered bridge on the west coast dating back to 1862. In Jamestown they found a 75 lb. golden nugget. Sierra Railroad House was built in 1897. It was a very famous site for movie films. Eagle Shawmut Mine had $7.4 million mined out of it. Sonora is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county.

The Stone House

The Crown Jewel of the gold country is now available for weddings and special events!  This fully restored 1857 hot spot radiates nineteenth-century romance while delivering behind the scenes state-of-the-art technology in this charming historical building that will surprise you with its first class renovation. If you are looking for a unique venue to hold your upcoming wedding,

The Stone House is a full-service venue for your welcomed guests! They offer an enriched wedding package that will allow you and your entourage exclusive access to all of the 10,000 square foot facility. Relish in the cascading vines on the stone courtyard and a 3,000 square foot Granite Hall with top-shelf libations and cuisine. DJ's or your favorite band can perform on a premier stage while you take over the dance floor! This venue will transport you and your guest back in time on every level, creating an experience that will keep everyone reminiscing and memories for a lifetime.

For more information, contact them at [email protected] or call them at (530) 265-5050

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Yosemite National Park’s Bracebridge Dinner 

Yosemite National Park’s Bracebridge Dinner has become a true American tradition since its inception in 1927 in the magnificent Yosemite Valley. This spectacular Christmas pageant takes place in the Grand Dining Room of the Ahwahnee Hotel, which is transformed into the luxuriant Hall of American author Washington Irving’s legendary “Squire Bracebridge".

Each December, the world-famous Hotel takes on the air of eighteenth-century England. The Dining Room of The Majestic, its tables aglow with candlelight, is filled with the warmth and spirit of this special time of year. The evening abounds with a profusion of food and the ringing sound of voices. The cathedral windows look out onto the beauty of Yosemite Valley, and the spirit of all things beautiful cannot help but be felt, as one is enveloped in the joy of the season.

The original Ahwahnee Hotel was completed in 1927. Yosemite Park and Curry Company President Donald Tresidder envisioned a Yuletide celebration in the new Hotel’s Dining Room. He hired Garnet Holme, a California pageant director, to create an “event,” and The Bracebridge Dinner took its initial form, a performance loosely based on Washington Irving’s sketchbook “A Christmas at Bracebridge Hall.” Tresidder and his wife, Mary Curry Tresidder, played the parts of Squire and Lady Bracebridge.

Holmes' untimely death in 1929 left a void in the direction of this new festivity. A cast member of the first two seasons – a part-time Valley resident who had played the part of The Lord of Misrule – was asked by Tresidder to take on the task of reworking the event. This cast member was Ansel Adams, who was well on his way at that time to become one of the world’s finest photographers. Adams did a brilliant job of creating the basic form of the pageant as we know it today. His original script of the “new” Bracebridge Dinner has remained largely intact since the initial performance in 1929. A fine pianist, as well as a photographer, Adams’ knowledge of music, evidenced itself in the meter of the script, which was written with a feeling of four beats per line to reflect the music chosen for the male chorus processions.

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