Big Bounce America
The Big Bounce America 2024 tour is bringing the bounciest experience of the year to Stockton from April 5 through April 7, at the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds.
Featuring The World’s Largest Bounce House, The Big Bounce America is the biggest touring inflatable event in the world and includes eight massive inflatable attractions: the newly expanded 24,000 sq. ft. World’s Largest Bounce House; the brand-new deep sea foam party inflatable OctoBlast; the incredible 900+ ft. long obstacle course The Giant; the customized sports arena Sport Slam; and the unique, three-piece, space-themed wonderland airSPACE.
All-Access Tickets are available online. These tickets include a three-hour pass to the event, including a timed session on The World’s Largest Bounce House, as well as unlimited access to OctoBlast, Sport Slam, The Giant, and airspace. Tickets start at just $22. For tickets and pricing, go to thebigbounceamerica.com/tour-dates.
Cultural Showcase in Merced
We Are Merced is a free admission community event, funded by the California Creative Corp.’s Heartland Grant.
This celebration of cultural artistry will take place at 7:30 p.m. on April at the historic Art Kamangar Center at The Merced Theater. Tickets are available at WeAreMerced.com and are on a first come, first serve basis. For more information about We Are Merced and other upcoming events, please visit the website at www.playhousemerced.com or contact the Box Office at 209-725-8587.
Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto
The Modesto Symphony Orchestra presents Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto on April 12 and 13, led by Music Director Nicholas Hersh. The weekend’s concerts will feature the MSO’s debut of the works of Argentinian-composer Astor Piazzolla’s Tangazo (Variations on Buenos Aires), and French-composer Louise Farrenc’s Symphony No. 3 in G minor. The program also includes an arrangement by Hersh of Johann Sebastian Bach’s Fugue in G minor, also known as the “Little Fugue.” The concert will conclude with Felix Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, featuring world-renowned violinist, Tai Murray as the soloist.
“The centerpiece of this concert is Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto, a masterful blending of virtuoso violin technique and enchanting musical beauty,” says Music Director Nicholas Hersh. “From the soaring melody of its first movement to the effervescent gallop of the finale, there isn’t a moment that won’t captivate and delight our Gallo Center audiences. With violinist Tai Murray bringing her indefatigable energy to the concerto, too, this is truly a musical event not to be missed.”
The concerts will be performed at the Gallo Center for the Arts in Modesto.
Tickets range from $20 to $94, along with $12 tickets for students. Tickets are available online through ModestoSymphony.org or through the Gallo Center for the Arts Ticket Office at (209) 338-2100.
Tuolumne County Art Week
The Fourth Annual Tuolumne County Art Week will be April 13-21.
The week will celebrate creative excellence with the 37th Annual InFocus Competition, Exhibition and Sale, the 69th Annual Mother Lode Art Association Juried Fine Art Show and Exhibit, and more than a dozen special artist showcases and offers throughout the county.
The 37th Annual InFocus Competition, Exhibition and Sale will take place April 7-21, at the Jamestown Community Hall. The juried show draws more than 50 amateur and professional photographers, competing in the subject categories of nighttime, landscape, manmade, people, plants, and animals.
The 69th Annual Mother Lode Art Association Juried Fine Art Show and Exhibition will showcase local and regional artists› works from April 12-20, at the Sonora Opera Hall. A silent auction and raffle will be held during the show. Artists’ work for sale can be purchased, with part of the proceeds going to support art in Tuolumne schools.
In addition to the juried art shows, there will be more than a dozen special showcases and offers featuring local artists and craftspeople. Visit Tuolumne County provides a list of participants and activities at www.visittuolumne.com/art-week.
Tuolumne County Art Week is held in conjunction with California Arts, Culture & Creativity Month, an annual awareness and advocacy event that recognizes the role of arts, culture, and creativity in the lives of Californians.
Splash of Color 5K Fun Run
The City of Livingston Parks Recreation and Arts Commission in collaboration with the Merced County Indian Chamber of Commerce will present the 4th annual Livingston Splash of Color Run 5k Fun Run on May 18.
This run directs its participant to run through showers of colored powder at six different color stops throughout the race course. With the Merced County Indian Chambers partnership they will bring a “Holi” color activity to Arakelian Park in the middle of the run.
This untimed family oriented event will be held in Livingston and is expected to attract over 1,000 participants of all ages. The race will be held May 18. Check in is at 9 a.m. at Memorial Park, 1339 Main St., Livingston and the race will start at 10 a.m. after the check-in party and color blast!
This event has attracted numerous sponsors. Because of the generous sponsorships the race entry fee is only $35 for adults and $25 for kids in advance. This includes the entry fee, a Color kit an event T-shirt and an extra color packet and water. There is also a no frills only entry that includes race ticket and color. Pre-registration is required for the color kit and can be done at City Hall, 1416 C Street in Livingston or online at www.runsignup.com. Registration deadline is 4:30 p.m. on April 15. Call 209-394-8830 for more information.
Watermelon Street Fair
The event will feature more than 40 food vendors, craft and commercial vendors, a beer garden, live music, a car show, kid activities and other attractions.
For more information visit Manteca.org/watermelonstreetfair.
2nd Annual Menagerie Oddities & Curiosities Market
On display will be 50 artisans, creators, and purveyors of strange and unusual craftings, baubles, trinkets, ornaments, novelties, knickknacks, ephemera, elegant jewelry, clothing, accessories, medical and scientific specimens, antiques, photography, home decor, taxidermy, works of fine art, and other collectible oddities and curiosities created from components, parts, pieces, bugs, bones, items and elements hand-made, foraged and found.
General admission includes live entertainment, interactive presentations and poison exhibits by Dr. R. Snick, performances from Stilt Boy, the many faces of Gus. and the Renegade Circus, tarot card readings, face painting and carnival games for the kids, ice cream, food trucks, full bars, and music. Guests can also add a self-guided tour of the famous Preston Castle, and a butterfly or moth pinning workshop.
Under 5 years of age get in free. There will be free parking with roundtrip shuttle service.
