Submitted by Charles Bednar OAKHURST – Preparations are now underway for the 14th Annual Fresno Flats Ragtime and Vintage Music Festival to be held April 11-13 in Oakhurst. With top notch performers, ready to raise the roof with toe tapping melodies, this is a weekend of such joyful celebration. You will not want to miss it.

OAKHURST – The Mountain Christian Center will play host to a free Community Band Concert on Sunday, Apr. 6 at 3 p.m. This special “Super Heroes” Spring Concert features themes from your favorite bigger-than-life heroes, including music from the Avengers, Superman, the Incredibles and Spiderman, as well as other music from Scherzo, Irish Tune from County Derry and many others. ...

SONORA – The Stanislaus National Forest is accepting applications for the 2014 Artist in the Woods program, where professional artists stay for two weeks in a historic cabin in the woods during the fall. With the goal of creating a sense of stewardship for the beauty of the natural and cultural resources of the Stanislaus National Forest, the Artist in ...

OAKHURST – The Sierra Nevada draws visitors for many reasons – its unparalleled scenery, geological features, flora and fauna, wilderness and cultural attributes, and superb recreational opportunities. Birders are drawn for reasons rooted in each of those values. Among the tools birders use to enjoy and find meaning in the pursuit of their passion are field guides and other publications ...

NORTH FORK – The North Fork Studio has been renovated, and it’s time to celebrate! On Friday, Feb. 28, from 4 to 7 p.m., the community is invited to come see the transformation of one of North Fork’s favorite meeting spaces. The Studio was envisioned in 2002 when local musician/teacher John Kilburn enlisted a group of friends with a mission ...

Written by Susan Moore and Barbara Ulman The beautiful and inspirational Sierra foothills are the perfect environment for artists of all kinds. Our community takes pride in a rich abundance of gallery art, theater, writers’ groups, and musical performances.

OAKHURST – The opera Carmen debuted in 1875 to a Paris audience reputed to have been both alarmed and aghast. French composer Georges Bizet’s startling opera went on to become an international hit, and now, the entire fiasco is the topic of the 19th annual opera series taking place at Evergreen Conference Center Oakhurst (ECCO). ECCO’s “Carmen and the Consequences” ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite Renaissance is celebrating its 29th year with an exhibit of 49 paintings, photographs, prints and sculptures by 45 artists. Drawn from over 700 entries, this year’s exhibit includes a broad range of works from the representational to the abstract, all interpreting the majesty of Yosemite and the Sierra.

FISH CAMP – The Oakhurst Community Park Committee wants everyone to know the annual Elegant Auction to benefit the park is slated for Saturday, Apr. 12. The event, now in its 29th year, is being held once again at Tenaya Lodge, starting at 5 p.m. Plans are for a lively crowd to gather, dine, sip champagne, bid on hundreds of ...

Park also Honors Galen Clark, the First Guardian of Yosemite YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park has restored the Yosemite Cemetery through a grant from Yosemite Conservancy. To commemorate the restoration, Yosemite National Park and California State Parks will conduct a dedication ceremony. The ceremony will also celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Galen Clark, the first Guardian of ...