Petaluma Perspective by Houston Porter - June 2017
Heritage Salvage celebrates World Environmental Day with a free-to-all “Big Mama Day” bash on Sunday, June 4, from noon – 6 PM, at its 1473 Petaluma Blvd S. location. Along with being able to meet the infamous Michael “Bug” Deakin, owner of HS, other environmental celebs will include Julia “Butterfly” Hill, Trathen Heckman, and Brock Dolman. Julia is environmental activist and author, best known for her living atop a 1,500 year old Redwood tree she named “Luna” in Humboldt County for 738 days in order to protest its impending harvest. Trathen “is the founder of Daily Acts, publisher ofRipples Journal, former director of Green Sangha, and Transition US board member.” Brock co-directs the WATER Institute, Permaculture Design Program and Wildlands Program and for over a decade has served as an appointed commissioner on the Sonoma County Fish & Wildlife Commission.
There will be live art by Ryan Petersen, music by the Highway Poets and Dorian Mode, and fun and games for the whole family, including Ag games, which I assume means games like those that we saw in Petaluma’s 2016 Farmer Olympics. Food trucks will be on scene, there will be live raffles throughout the day, and regular and adult libations will be available from101 North, Hopmonk Tavern, Kokomo Winery, Revive, and many others. The event benefits Daily Acts (dailyacts.org), a non-profit focused on sustainability, with the “core belief that every choice you make matters,” and is sponsored by Eventor, The Farmers Guild, Community Alliance with Family Farmers, and Green Mary Zero Waste Events.
Day on the River is a great way to enjoy Petaluma’s biggest park, whether you have your own human-powered watercraft, or want to try out the huge variety that will be available to try at the event. Held Sunday, June 4, 2017 from 10am - 2pm, at the downtown turning basin, proceeds benefit the Petaluma Small Craft Center’s Floathouse, which will give boaters easy access to the river, right at the downtown turning basin. Tickets are $10 for adults and free for kids 12 and under.
The North Bay Rowing Club (NBRC) offers an introductory camp for youth four times over the summer, with the first “Juniors Summer Camp (Session 1)” currently set for the week of Monday, June 12 – Friday, June 16, 2017. No experience is necessary for you budding youth athlete to learn rowing fundamentals from equipment to technique to fitness training, as well as experiencing “a positive, team-building environment with expert coaching.” Best of all, your kids will get to experience that the Petaluma River is more than just a waterway that runs through our city. Visit northbayrowing.org to sign up soon - registration closes June 11.
NBRC also offers three summer Adult-Learn-to-Row classes. The June class is already full so act quick in order to secure your spot in either their July (Sat-Sun, July 22-23, 2017) or August (Sat-Sun, Aug 5-6, 2017) classes before they too fill up. If you’ve ever wondered about all those folks rowing on the everyday, this is a great way to give it a try for yourself, under the expert tutelage of seasoned rowers. And if you find that it’s something you think you’d enjoy, graduates of this class can get further instruction in sculling through individual or group lessons, including NBRC’s “Novice Practices”, which meets 3 times a week. The cost is $150, with more info at northbayrowing.org
Petaluma Small Craft Center hosts “Small Craft Summer Camp Session I” from Monday, June 19 through Saturday, June 23, 2017. Campers will get to experience all the various modes of enjoyment on the river, including rowing, Hawaiian outrigger canoeing, kayaking and stand up paddle boarding. Visit www.northbayrowing.org to sign your kids up.
The HOTS is a band night fundraiser at the Petaluma Art Center on Saturday, June 3, from 6:30 – 10:30pm. The HOTS are well known for taking the songs that you know and love, and updating and reinvigorating them. The evening will also include dinner, raffle prizes, and plenty of music to dance by. Visit petalumaartcenter.org for more info.
The Petaluma Art & Garden Festival (Sun, July 10, 2017) is looking for volunteers to help with this great food, arts, and crafts event. Volunteers receive a discounted tasting package, an event T-shirt, and a Thank You Dinner/Party. Lunch is provided to those working more than one shift. Visitpetalumadowntown.com for more info.
