Tuck & Roll perform for the audience in Waldie Plaza.

As part of the Free Antioch Summer Concert series, Tuck & Roll, made up of local musicians and singers, performed for hundreds of residents in downtown Antioch on Saturday night, July 13, 2013.

Rose Vargas, Eva Rizo and Paul Davis dance to the sounds of Tuck & Roll.

The concerts, presented by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, are held every Saturday night from 6-8 p.m. in Waldie Plaza hrough August 31, on W. Second Street in Antioch’s historic downtown Rivertown District.

The next concert will feature another local favorite, Vocal Ease & the Boogie Men, next Saturday night, July 20.

Be sure to bring your own chair or blanket to sit on. Enjoy food from local, downtown restaurants Nuce Nuce Deli serving barbeque ribs and chicken in Waldie Plaza, New Beer Garden serving great burgers, as well as Bases Loaded and Riverview Lodge, before, during or after the show.

For more information about the concert series including the list of bands, click here.

SpeCialRequest

Get ready for music in downtown Antioch every Saturday in July & August, from 6-8 PM, in Waldie Plaza. The Free Saturday Summer Concert Series produced by the Arts & Cultural Foundation of Antioch, will begin again on July 6th and features SpeCial Request. The series would not be possible without major funding from The Lesher Foundation. Additional sponsors are the City of Antioch, East County Times, Antioch Friendship Home, Clay Millias & Co, LLP and the Antioch Chamber of Commerce.

Tuck & Roll

The lineup for the remaining dates are: July 13th, Tuck & Roll (Best music from the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s); July 20th, Vocal Ease & The Boogie Men (Nostalgic Music of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s); July 27th, Rodeo House (Country Rock); August 3rd, Floorshakers (Funk Soul, Rock n Roll); August 10th: Project 4 (Top 40 & Pop); August 17th, Del Soul (R & B, Soul), August 24th, Against Leo (High Energy Rockn’Roll, Blues) and the final concert on August 31st features Harvey & the Wall Bangers (Motown Classic, Modern Rock).

For more information visit www.art4antioch.org/summer_concerts.asp or call Diane Gibson-Gray at (925) 325-9897.

After nine months of planning and fundraising, the Celebrate Antioch Foundation presents Antioch’s July 4th, 2013 Celebration this Thursday in historic downtown Rivertown.

The festivities begin at 4 p.m. with a Car Show in the City Hall parking lot on 3rd Street. Then at 5 p.m. the two food courts will open, as will the Kids Zone in the Waldie Plaza parking lot off I Street and the entertainment by Frank Rundall will begin.

At 7 p.m. the Annual Antioch July 4th Parade will take place on 2nd Street. Then around 9:30 p.m. the fireworks show will begin, on the river.

Be sure to bring your blankets and lawn chairs and come early to get a good spot for viewing.

For more information or to make a donation by giving $4 for the 4th, visit www.AntiochJuly4th.com or email info@antiochjuly4th.com.

Chuck Billy, courtesy of the Native American Encyclopedia

Sacramento, CA – On Thursday, June 6, 2013, Assemblyman Jim Frazier (D-Oakley) honored musician Chuck Billy of Antioch on the State Assembly floor for the positive influence he has made in the Native American community and on the general public.

On January 14, 2013, Chuck Billy earned the distinction as the first Native American entertainer to be permanently featured in the memorabilia display at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chuck was also among those recognized in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s exhibit, Up Where We Belong: Native Musicians in Popular Culture.

“The world of music is inhabited by creative and talented individuals whose work enhances the quality of life for all who are fortunate enough to have entered their sphere of influence,” said Jim Frazier. “Not only does Chuck Billy embody all of these admirable qualities, he also personifies the strength and enduring spirit of Native Americans.”

Chuck Billy, a descendent of the Pomo Native Americans, was born in Oakland and spent much of his youth on the Hopland Indian Reservation north of San Francisco. He is best known as the vocalist and guitarist for Testament, where he plays several songs including Trail of Tears, Allegiance, and Native Blood, in honor of his ancestral lineage.

To contact Assemblymember Jim Frazier please visit his website at http://www.asmdc.org/members/a11/ or call his District Office at 707-399-3011.

Follow Assemblymember Jim Frazier on Facebook and “Like” him for updates on events and happenings in the 11th AD.

Steve Limrite, President of the Contra Costa Fair Board, along with Antioch Mayor Wade Harper, other Board members and Antioch Chamber of Commerce representatives cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the 2013 Contra Costa County Fair on Thursday, May 30, 2013.

For information on this year’s fair, visit www.contracostafair.com.

Exciting arena events, a concert series, contests, carnival rides, livestock, exhibits and more

This week’s Contra Costa County Fair is happening Thursday through Sunday at the Contra Costa County Fairgrounds in Antioch. With four days of fun planned for Fair-goers of all ages, the Contra Costa County Fair is the perfect place to enjoy live entertainment, delicious food, carnival rides, animals, and hundreds of exhibits.

For entertainment, the Fair’s 2013 concert series features Tennessee River and the Chris Gardner Band on Thursday night; All-4-One and Big Bad Boogie Rock on Friday evening; and Aerorocks, Hot for Teacher (a salute to Van Halen), and Flock of 80z on Saturday evening. On Sunday afternoon, find musical entertainment at the Main Stage with FRESH, and on the Fiesta Stage, enjoy a Hispanic Musical Celebration. All concerts are free with admission to the Fair.

New this year is a Roller Derby, hosted by the Undead Bettys, on Friday and Saturday night at 8 pm at the Paradise Skate Rink on the Fairgrounds. This is sure to be one entertaining event! Admission to the Roller Derby is free with paid admission to the Fair.

Over at the Antioch Speedway, we’ve got the crashing and demolition at the Boat Trailer Races and the Roll Over Competition on Friday night. On Saturday, check out the Stock Car Racing, and on Sunday, we’ve got the always popular demolition derby! Cost to attend an arena event is $6, plus Fair admission, and tickets are available at the gate.

Battle of the Bands will be held on Saturday of the Fair. The event will serve as a fundraising event for East County Music Programs. Youth bands will be performing from 11 – 7, and will feature jazz bands, rock and roll bands, and worship bands.

While visiting the Fair, take time to see some of the many daily exhibits – Wild About Monkeys, Circus Imagination; Tyzen the Hypnotist, Jeremy the Juggler, and Skip Banks the Balloon Man. Or hop on a carnival ride, enjoy a delicious Fair treat, play a game on the mid-way, see the livestock exhibit, or stroll the Ag Museum.

Gates open at noon on Thursday and Friday, and at 11 am on Saturday and Sunday. Gates close each day at 11 pm. Admission is $8 for adults (13 and older), $5 for seniors, $5 for children 6 to 12, and children five and under receive free admission.

Want a great way to enjoy the Fair at some great prices? Special promotions include Thursday’s “Three for Free,” where you bring three cans of food to the Fair on Thursday, May 30, and you will receive free admission to the Fair on that day! All food collected will be donated to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. Also, on Thursday of the Fair, it’s buy 1 carnival wristband and get one free. All day long! On Friday, it’s “Fun Family Friday” – get one Fair admission and one unlimited ride wristband for only $20 (a $13 savings!). Also on Friday, kids 12 and under are admitted for free all day long.

The Contra Costa County Fairgrounds is located at 1201 West 10^th Street in Antioch. For directions, a schedule of events, or general information, visit www.ContraCostaFair.com or call the Fair Office at (925) 757-4400.

Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the 9th Annual Asian Heritage Street Celebration on Saturday, May 18th from 11a.m. to 6 p.m. in San Francisco’s Civic Center. The event is free and open to the public.

Enjoy the sounds of the SF Pinoy Jazz Revue in the Arts and Crafts World Market. The Revue includes the music of tenor saxophonist Jonathan Bautista Quintet featuring Winston Raval on piano and the sounds of Kulintronica with guitarist and kulintang player Ron Quesada.

Learn how to cook delicious Asian dishes at the cooking demonstration stage located at Ellis and Larkin Streets. You’ll see celebrity chef Martin Yan, along with Thomas Weibull of Velvet Room, Dennis Wong of Le Soleil, Mari Takahashi of Nombe Restaurant and Kyle Itani of Hopscotch. Luckily the food isn’t just for watching – the Celebration boasts a scrumptious collection of pan Asian delights and sweets to eat, along with some of the Bay Area’s most popular food trucks.

Watch colorful Asian ethnic attire parade through the streets in the Faces of Asia cultural procession at 11 a.m. Different ethnic groups come together to wear their cultural attire and share it with the public. In previous years, participants represented all types of Asian ethnic groups, including Burmese, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Singaporean, Thai and Vietnamese.
The Asian Art Museum has partnered with Target to offer free general admission to the museum on Saturday, though entrance to the special exhibition of China’s Terracotta Warriors will cost $10. In addition to the Asian Art Museum’s regular exhibits, there will be special programming taking place in the Samsung Hall, including the AHSC Cinema Showcase from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Watch a collection of short films and music videos as a nod to the vibrant Asian American media arts scene here in the Bay Area. (Presented by the Center for Asian American Media and 3rd i Film Festival)

You can also enjoy a vibrant the Arts and Crafts section with vendors specializing in Asian and Asian-influenced items, a Healthy Living Pavilion with free screenings, giveaways and health consultations, a Natural Medicine section where internationally renowned Qigong/Traditional Chinese Medicine and Natural Healing experts are available for consultation, and a children’s area with family-friendly carnival rides, community services, and games for children.

For more info visit: www.asianfairsf.com.

Take BART to the Asian Heritage Street Celebration!

Closest BART station: Civic Center