At Prewett Family Park hillside beginning Aug. 8th with Club 90
By City of Antioch Recreation Department
Are you ready to experience the ultimate summer vibes this August?
As the sun sets, the real magic begins. Picture yourself surrounded by friends and family, a cool summer breeze, and the rhythmic beats of live music. All for FREE!
Hot August Thursdays prepare to be serenaded by a diverse range of artists and bands, covering genres from rock, pop, and country to Motown, R&B, today’s hits and much, much more. Our carefully curated lineup promises to keep you grooving all evening long.
Although they’re entitled “Rhythms by the River”, the concert series will not be held at Waldie Plaza in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. Instead, the performances will be at Prewett Family Park on the hillside outside the Antioch Water Park.
In addition, elevate your concert experience with a delicious array of culinary delights, brought to you by Foodie Crew. Indulge your taste buds each Thursday with food options from all around the Bay Area. From savory to sweet, there’s something for every palate. Want to know the food options ahead of time? Visit www.foodiecrew.com/.
Introducing Club 90, a dynamic 7-piece ensemble that delivers a high-powered musical experience. With three sensational vocalists- two beautiful ladies and one handsome male – alongside a four-piece ultra-talented rhythm section, our band brings unparalleled energy to every performance.
“925” is best described as a Rock & Roll Party Dance Band. Our band can play in a wide variety of events including corporate, festivals, private parties & night clubs. Our goal is to put our clients at ease when planning the musical aspect of their party. We have something for a variety of generations, playing musical genres to capture everyone’s interest. Our repertoire includes songs from the 70’s and 80’s as well as current hits. 925 Band offers a visual as well as an audio experience. The band will dress to accommodate formal events. We are available for your entertainment needs to provide excellence in customer service.
“Maya Latin Roots is a well-known Latin Tribute Band based in Northern California, celebrated for their energetic performances of crossover hits in both Spanish and English. They pay homage to iconic artists like Santana, La Sonora Dinamita, Mark Anthony, and Celia Cruz. The band’s repertoire includes tributes to movie soundtracks “Selena” and “La Bamba.” with a dynamic mix of Old School hits medleys, Maya Latin Roots has become a crowd favorite, performing across California and Nevada.” Read more about Maya when you click here.
Live entertainment, dunk tank and fireworks will happen
Activities begin at 6:00 p.m.
Watch the Dunk Tank Fundraiser Livestream on Instagram @antiochrec_ca
By City of Antioch
After announcing earlier Tuesday, July 2, 2024, that the annual July 4th “parade and festivities are moving forward as planned” as of 6:05 p.m., the City of Antioch changed course and issued cancelled the parade and issued the following announcement:
The remainder of the event will start at 6:00 p.m. in historic Rivertown. Families can enjoy rides and games along with our dunk tank fundraiser in the Kids Zone, music by Universal Soul and Foreverland, and Food Truck Thursdays by the Foodie Crew, followed by our spectacular fireworks show over the Delta at 9:15 p.m.
Thank you to our community for your patience. Please stay cool and be safe this 4th of July!”
“An Excessive Heat Warning and a Heat Advisory is in effect now until 11 PM NEXT Tuesday. San Francisco will be under a Heat Advisory now until 7 PM Thursday. High temperatures in the upper 90s to near 110 are expected in the Excessive Heat Warning, while highs from the lower 80s to mid-90s are expected within the Heat Advisory. In addition, limited overnight cooling is expected for areas away from the immediate coast and in higher terrain. Never leave people or pets in vehicles! Limit outdoor activities during the afternoon and evening. Stay hydrated and take cooling breaks.”
As previously reported, two cooling centers plus, hydrating and misting stations in Rivertown will be provided during the celebration.
·Cooling Centers: City Hall and the Nick Rodriguez Community Center will be open as cooling centers during the event.
·Misting Stations: Stay refreshed with misting stations located throughout festivity locations.
·Hydration Stations: Free water stations will be available to keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Source: Temperature from Apple Weather app and notice from City of Antioch.
4 PM “parade and festivities are moving forward as planned”
City will offer options to beat the heat
By Allen Payton
In a post on its Facebook page today, Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the City of Antioch wrote, “We’re excited to celebrate Independence Day with you this year. Despite the expected high temperatures, our July 4th parade and festivities are moving forward as planned.
That’s in spite of the temperature forecast of 104 degrees that day.
First of four on Fridays in July, passes include swimming
Get your tickets, get your tickets! Come one, come all to the first Antioch Water Park After Dark of the summer on Friday, July 5th for Carnival Night!
Enjoy an evening filled with fun and excitement featuring a clown, a mesmerizing magician and a variety of engaging games for all ages including a dunk tank!
Earn tickets and redeem them at our prize table.* Don’t miss this night of family-friendly entertainment, the first of four each Friday in July! (See related article)
Pre-Sale tickets are $11 per person and $13 at the door or purchase an After Dark Pass for all four nights for just $35 per person at AntiochWaterPark.com. Each pass includes swimming.
The Antioch Water Park is located inside Prewett Family Park at 4701 Lone Tree Way.
Live entertainment and the best seats for the fireworks show over the river
Come celebrate America’s Independence Day with us this Thursday, July 4th!! Monica’s Riverview will be open ALL DAY!!! Brunch and lunch menu ’til 5pm. Cuco’s Tacos on the river side from 4-9 pm!
Ariel Marin and band. Source: Ariel Marin Music
Entertainment starts at 2:30 pm Old School DJs 2:30-5:30 pm Ariel Marin Music with Full Motown Band 5:30-8:30 pm
Exclusive outdoor seating on the river to view the fireworks!!
Entry is $10 for adults $5 for kids, includes beverage ticket
Monica’s Riverview is located at 1 I (eye) Street on the pier in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown. For menu and more information see www.visitmonica’s.com.
Beat the heat this summer with our Family Movie Matinee at the Antioch Library! We will be showing popular new releases on Friday afternoons at 1:30 p.m. Come by and enjoy the air conditioning, some popcorn, and a great film.
Generously supported by the Friends of the Antioch Library.
The historic mural on the W. 4th Street side of the building on the corner of G Street that is being removed will be updated and repainted. Photo by waymarkings.com.
“We’re going to update it” – Sean McCauley
By Allen D. Payton
Good news for those concerned about the removal of the historic mural on the W. 4th Street side of the building on the corner of G Street in Antioch’s downtown Rivertown.
After reading the Herald article about the mural, Sean McCauley who, with his partner Ron Harrison, owns the building, shared that a new mural would be painted on the building.
“We’re going to update it,” he stated.
“We are working with (Acting City Manager) Kwame (Reed) and (Mayor) Lamar (Hernandez-Thorpe), to redo the mural and to depict a similar and more inclusive scene for the community,” McCauley shared. “Grant funds were secured for this mural and others.”
Asked about the funds for the other murals in Rivertown, specifically the Sesquicentennial mural on the side of the building at 505 W. 2nd Street he said, “The only mural that was in bad shape was the one on W. 4th Street.”
“It wasn’t just the paint. The stucco was failing on the building and has been for years,” McCauley explained. “The building was literally falling off and hitting people.”
“We aren’t going to take the easement off of it,” he continued. “We’re working with Kwame and Brad to get a good mural up there. This is a positive thing for downtown.”
“We tried to get in contact with the muralist (who lives out of state) but she isn’t interested in redoing it,” said McCauley. “We have a muralist we’re working with on our downtown Pittsburg buildings and trying to use the same muralist for this one.”
The design is not done yet but it “will be more inclusive”, he reiterated.
“It’s a $650,000 to $700,000 investment that we’re putting into that G Street block (between W. 3rd and 4th Streets),” McCauley stated. “We’re doing what we can to improve the downtown.”
That includes investments by the two partners purchasing and improving multiple other buildings in Rivertown, including the Salon Suites on W. 4th and I Streets, and bringing several restaurants to the Rivertown Dining District including Smith’s Landing Seafood Grill, Monica’s Riverview, Guadalajara Taqueria, Abuelita’s House Pastries and Peruvian Sandwiches, and Buford’s BBQ.
In addition, Sylvia’s Florist is returning to Antioch and will soon open in McCauley’s building at 101 H Street in the old Casino building next to Waldie Plaza.
Scene inside the phone company office shows two boys outside the window on W. 4th Street. Photo by waymarkings.com
UPDATE 1: Original Mural Leader Wants Replacement to be Historically Correct
After reading the article above, former Antioch Councilwoman Elizabeth Rimbault, who was instrumental in leading the effort for the W. 4th Street mural, offered additional information about who it depicted and wants to ensure the replacement is historically correct.
“The original Operators Telephone Office Mural was historically correct for the occupants of the corner office in the 1940’s and 1950’s of downtown Antioch. The people depicted were real and were prominent figures of the time with names and families some still in Antioch,” she shared.
“Bill Friedrickson was the telephone repairman leaning against the truck and in the late 1990’s cleared hundreds of pounds of abandoned phone wires in the attic of the Historical Society Museum when they acquired the Riverview Union High School,” Rimbault continued. “Bob Beswick was a driving force of the community without serving on the city council.”
“When it is stated, the new mural will be more ‘inclusive’, does that mean people will be painted in that were not an employee of the phone company? Or not a resident in 1950? That would constitute revised history which I am sad to say there has been too much of that in Antioch lately in these 2020’s being more politically driven,” she stated. “I suggest that as the Historical Society received all rights, obligations, and remaining funds from the Antioch Friends of the Arts, that the Society be given final say of correctness of all historical facts depicted in the new design of the mural.”
“The boys seen in the window were just children that Char Downs Siska, the artist, painted in. They don’t depict anyone specific,” Rimbault added.
“It should be noted the only murals granting a city easement are W. 4th and G Street and 505 2nd Street. All other murals on private buildings and walls are totally the property owners’ right to choose,” she stated.
UPDATE 2: Mural Leader Suggests Depicting Two Black Sisters to Make New Mural Inclusive While Maintaining Historical Accuracy
After a few days thinking about it, Rimbault shared additional historical information about a Black family who lived in Antioch during the time the mural depicted. She offered a suggestion of adding depictions of two of the sisters to make the new mural more inclusive and keeping it historically accurate, as McCauley mentioned.
“Hold the presses,” Rimbault requested after her memory was triggered. “The mural was for 1951. It’s possible that at that time the Blanton (sp) family lived on railroad property near Railroad Avenue and A Street. The two oldest girls were in Antioch schools until Vergy was told to attend Pittsburg High School as she was graduating from junior high to high school. Her sister Joyce was in my husband’s Class of ‘61 and Vergy would have been in the Class of ’62.”
“If you count backwards, both girls would have been six and seven years old in 1951 and the only Black children in Antioch at the time,” Rimbault stated. “So, if the mayor wants the mural to be inclusive, two children looking into the operators’ window need to be little girls and it could be a tribute to the two, as they had many friends in school and should have been allowed to stay. But due to the underlying, unwritten law of Antioch the superintendent of schools suggested to their parents they would be better off in Pittsburg where they would be able to date boys of their own race.”
“And little girls would be more appropriately curious about all the women operators,” she added.
“Years ago, Joyce attended my husband’s class reunion of 50 years and had always considered it her class even though she was made to transfer as a junior,” Rimbault shared. “Her sister had a much harder adjustment, dropping out later and died as a young woman.”
“It’s amazing what memories this situation has caused to flood back to me. Have not thought about this in years,” the former Antioch historian mused.
