Font ResizeThe good times will roll again for the 16th year down home at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont on Saturday, Aug. 11, when the park hosts its annual Cajun/Zydeco Music Festival.
Bands both nationally and locally known will entertain the crowd with lively music from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Performers will include Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, among many. Southern and Cajun food will be available for purchase. Visitors also can visit the farm animals, shop specialty vendors and take dance lessons.
Advance tickets are on sale online through Aug. 7. The cost is $18 for adults 16 and older, and $3 for children ages 4-15. Purchase tickets by visiting www.RegionalParksFoundation.org under "Events," or call 510-544-2202.
At-the-gate prices on Aug. 11 are $22 for adults, and $5 for children. Kids 3 and under are admitted free. Parking is free, too.
Ardenwood Historic Farm is located at 34600 Ardenwood Blvd., just north of Highway 84 in Fremont.
The Tuesday Twilight hike series continues on July 31, with a steep and vigorous hike from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. up Rocky Ridge at Las Trampas Regional Wilderness in San Ramon, led by naturalist "Trail Gail" Broesder.
The hike is free, best for ages 10 and older. The payoff for all the exertion is great views of Bollinger Canyon, Mount Diablo, and the
Meet inside the gate at the north end of Bollinger Canyon Road off Crow Canyon Road in San Ramon. Bring water, a flashlight and snacks to share. Wear layered clothing and good hiking shoes. For information, call 510-544-2233.
Naturalist Kevin Damstra will preside at another "First Friday Fires" program from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 3, at Bay Point Regional Shoreline in Bay Point.
Bring a lawn chair, relax by the campfire as the sun sets, and learn a bit about the area's natural history. The program is free of charge.
Bay Point Regional Shoreline is located at the north end of McAvoy Road next to McAvoy Harbor.
Snakes will be the timely topic during the Saturday evening campfire starting at 8:30 p.m. on July 28, at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. Naturalist "Trail Gail" will preside.
Noncampers are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. Please park by the campground store.
Del Valle Regional Park is located on Del Valle Road about nine miles south of Livermore. The campfire is free, but there's a $6 parking fee payable at the entrance kiosk. For more information, call 888-327-2757, ext. 3249.
Di Rosario, the supervisor at Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, has declared war on French broom -- an invasive, though pretty shrub -- that crowds out California native vegetation in the redwood forest.
Di's next broom pulling volunteer workday is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4. If you'd like to enlist, meet Di at 9 a.m. at the Skyline Gate staging area. It's on Skyline Boulevard a bit south of the intersection with Shepherd Canyon Road.
If you miss the Skyline Gate work day, there's another one at Redwood, starting at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 12. Meet at the Wayside picnic area inside the park's Redwood Gate on Redwood Road south of Skyline Boulevard.
Wear work clothes and bring gloves. Tools will be provided. For information on either workday, call 888-327-2757. Select option 3, then extension 4553.
And there's a broom-pulling workday starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Huckleberry Regional Botanic Preserve. Meet at the park trailhead on Skyline Boulevard about a mile south of the intersection with Grizzly Peak Boulevard. For information on that one, call 510-544-3111.
If you'd like to learn more about California native plants, there are docent-guided tours at 2 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sundays, at the Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley. The 10-acre garden has an extensive collection of native plants from every climate zone in the state.
And for home gardeners, the garden volunteers usually sell plants from 9 to 11 a.m. every Thursday at the garden's potting shed.
The weekend tours are free. The garden is located at the intersection of South Park Drive and Wildcat Canyon Road. For information, call 510-544-3169 or e-mail bgarden@ebparks.org.
Ned MacKay writes about East Bay Regional Park District sites and activities. Email him at nedmackay@comcast.net.
