ojai blog - news and events in the Ojai community

Ojai Summer Fest - August 12 & 13 at Libbey Bowl

It's hot, I'm a little lazy today, so you just get the press release straight from Howard Freiberg's mouth...

The Rolling Stones, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Grateful Dead, and Steely Dan LIVE in Ojai!  Well, not quite.  But this is just a short list of the top names in rock and roll that will be covered by 14 tribute bands at the “Ojai Summer Fest – August 2006” on August 12 and 13 at Libbey Bowl in downtown Ojai.  This two-day music festival will benefit VINYL RECORD DAY, the first non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the cultural influence, the recordings, and the cover art of the vinyl record.               

Howard Freiberg Presents...A Benefit For Vinyl Record Day

                                                        Opening the weekend of festivities on Saturday August 12 will be San Diego favorites My Cuzzin’s Funk, a fun-time replica of 70’s funk band Parliament Funkadelic, followed by Rolling Stones clones Sticky Fingers, No Doubt twins No Duh (a band who caught the attention of the real band members of No Doubt, who recently join them on stage), Led Zeppelin by Led Zepland, Allman Brothers by Midnight Rider, and headlining the days events will be Grateful Dead tribute band Cubensis, marking their 20th anniversary as a musical group.

The line-up for Sunday August 13 features another full day of top-named rock, with some pop and reggae mixed in. Sunday evening will offer a rousing, crowd favorite tribute to Jim Morrison and The Doors by Peace Frog. Another crowd pleaser on the bill is Pretzel Logic, a 12-piece, dead-on re-creation of live Steely Dan. Rounding out the full day of family entertainment will be the reggae beats of Bob Marley by Willie Venant, 90’s super-pop group INXS by KICK, and the ladies of rock with Stevie Nicks by Bella Donna, Heart by Dreamboat Annie, and Blondie by In The Flesh.

Founded in 2002, August 12 was chosen as Vinyl Record Day to recognize the nationally established day 129 years ago when Thomas Edison invented the phonograph.  The organization hopes to increase awareness that economics prevent record companies from transferring everything recorded to compact disc. The groups mission statement reads, “..Educating the public on why and how to care for a record collection is seen as an important step toward preservation. Responsibility for preservation rests with the public, not record companies. It’s up to you and me to preserve and care for our record collections. We’ve kept them because they represent an important part of us, and now with time we have become the custodians of our recorded heritage.  It is up to us to assure future generations will not lose an important link to recorded history..”

The Ojai Summer Fest – August 2006 is a festival that features some of the most sought after tribute acts in California.  “People will be able to close their eyes and swear they are hearing the real deal” said concert promoter Howard Freiberg.  “The typical tribute band differs from a cover band that simply plays songs by other artists by striving to capture every nuance of the imitated artist’s appearance and actions for a perfect re-creation.’  I scout around to find the best.”

Happy 4th of July, Ojai

Click through for some photos and video of last year's 4th of July fireworks show...

Ojai Demo Garden Workshop

John Lamar hosts a FREE "Low-Flow Irrigation Workshop" this Saturday, June 24 at 9:30am.  Visit the Ojai Community Demonstration Garden (401 S. Ventura behind City Hall) for knowledge, hands-on experience and fun outdoors!

More cowbell!

Straight from the horse's mouth...Classic Rock Fest III is upon us...

Eleven of the top classic rock acts in history will be paid tribute to at the Ojai Classic Rock Festival III to be held at downtown Ojai's Libbey Bowl on Saturday July 15 and Sunday July 16.  This popular event is the third installment in a series of six festivals scheduled this year to benefit the RageJax Foundation, an organization that brings music and art programs to under-privileged children.
      
Headlining Saturday July 15 will be a tribute to the Jerry Garcia Band by JGB, featuring Jerry's original keyboardist Melvin Seals.  Also on for that day are tributes to Janis Joplin by Mama Pearl, Jimi Hendrix by Stone Free Experience, The Who by The Who Show, Grateful Dead by Cubensis, and Lynyrd Skynyrd by Nuthin' Fancy. 

Also of interest are two "after- show parties" on Saturday evening will feature an all-girl tribute to Led Zeppelin by Moby Chick, and a spirited tribute to Bob Marley by Willie Venant at neighboring sponsors - The Hub Lounge and Antonio's Mexican RestaurantLibbey Bowl.

Sunday July 16 will feature a line-up of the rockers of classic rock, with tributes to KISS by Gods of Thunder, Aerosmith by Pump, Led Zeppelin by Led Zepplica, AC/DC by Bonfire, and a very special tribute to early Van Halen by national touring tribute band The Atomic Punks.

Gates will open at 11:00 A.M.  Show starts at 12:00 NOON. Both days. Camping available at nearby Lake Casitas Recreation Area, Call Lake Casitas for more information at (805) 649-2233.

A vendor's faire featuring food and beverage, tie-dye's of every type imaginable, curios from around the world, coconut shell jewelry, and concert rock art is just a small sample of what can be found browsing through over 40 vendors in the "Vendors Village" at the Ojai Classic Rock Festival III.
Master of Ceremonies for this two-day event will be Grateful Grooves radio host Ardas from KOCP 95.9 The Octopus.  Tickets are $25.00 for one day, or $45.00 for a two-day pass, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster or the following local locations:  Ventura - Salzers Records & Wild Planet, Santa Barbara - Bags Plus, Ojai - Attitude Adjustment Shop & Ojai Creates.  

Formed after the tragic loss of her daughters, Ms. Carol Houck organized the RageJax Foundation to help third-world children enjoy music and arts they would normally never have the opportunity to be exposed to.  Check out this terrific organization at www.ragejaxfoundation.org 

Promoting concerts since 1992, Howard Freiberg offered his services to his co-worker and friend, Carol Houck, when the RageJax Foundation needed help in raising funds.  Find out what other shows are being presented by Howard Freiberg Presents at www.howardpresents.com.

Happy Birthday, Nan

Thanks to reader Marilyn for the tip on this community event:

Community Birthday Celebration and Appreciation Day for Nan Tolbert, Sunday, May 28

Nan will turn sixty on May 28, and you’re invited to be part of the celebration and to express your appreciation for someone who has given so much to the community as a pediatric nurse at Ojai Valley Hospital for many years, co-founder of the Ojai Valley Birth Resource and Family Center, promoter of breast feeding, as well as affecting a multitude of lives in this valley in so many other ways. Nan has brain cancer and has recently had surgery at UCLA to remove a tumor.

WHEN: Sunday, May 28, 2006 (Memorial Day weekend), from 12:30 to 5 p.m.
WHERE: Soule Park, area #4, the large picnic area near the entrance.  (Parking fee:  $4.)
WHAT: Lunch will be from 1-2 p.m.  It’s a vegetarian potluck. (OK to bring beverage, but no alcohol allowed).  Bring your own serving utensils and condiments if needed. We’ll provide plates, cups, plastic cutlery, napkins, and the birthday cake (supplemented by your desserts). There will be an oak fire in the fire pit for vegetarian barbecue if you want to bring it.

Contact Marilyn Ryan: 646-0368; marseed3@hotmail.com, Brooke Masters: 729-1015; or Marilyn Salas 640-7101, masalas@ojai.net

Cystic Fibrosis - Great Strides Ojai

This in from reader Debbie...check out this great event.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, with help from Cystic Fibrosis families in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, is sponsoring Great Strides Ojai, on May 20, 2006, at Lake Casitas Recreation Area in Ojai. This is a 10K (6.2 mile walk) for Cystic Fibrosis started by Steve and Cathie Knapp in memory of their son, Dan.  Kick off the summer by joining us for a day of fun with family and friends, prizes, barbecue, silent auction, and exercise in beautiful Ojai.

·         Registration at 9:00 a.m. at Lake Casitas Recreation Area
·         Walk starts at 10:00 a.m.
·         Santa Maria Style BBQ (Tritip, chicken, turkey dogs, beans, salad, garlic bread)
·         Trivia Prizes
·         Silent Auction

Our first Great Strides Ojai in 1999 raised $9,000, and Great Strides Ojai 2005 raised over $80,000. Wow!  This year’s goal is $90,000, and we can reach this goal with your help!  And remember, over $.90 of every $1.00 raised at Great Strides Ojai goes directly to CFF research and care!

Memorial Day in Ojai

Mark your calendars for Monday, May 29, and head on down to Libbey Park for a Memorial Day celebration.  I received the following writeup (thanks, Sanford Drucker and Shelly Bloom!), and the heads-up that a DVD will be produced from filming of the festivities.

It is May 29, 2006 Memorial Day, in the Ojai Valley, California.  It is a beautiful day, the sun is shining, and the clouds in a blue sky provide a picturesque backdrop to this city that remembers its past. The people of the Ojai Valley are gathering in Libbey Park, strolling beneath the Mission arches that frame the entrance to the park.  It is a spring day that seems like most spring days, but today is different. There are a surprising number of men and women wearing parts of uniforms of bygone American wars and current conflicts: khaki, Navy blue, some camos with the globe, anchor and eagle, others with U.S. Army patches; Coast Guard blue, Air Force blue; caps and hats that signify a combat zone as definitively as a theater of operations ribbon. 

These men and women are here to share the stories of a particular time of their lives, a time when fear was a dominant emotion, when duty was a stronger instinct than self preservation.  The people are here to listen to them, to honor them and their service, even if some still question the national policies that put these men and women in harm’s way. 

Along with the men and women are the memorabilia of past struggles; pictures of those who served as much younger men and women; pictures of those who served, but now rest, their duty done.  Overhead, airplanes decked in warbird colors fly over the gathering; from Libbey Bowl, students play songs that their grandparents remember and danced to; and at the end of the day, the soulful notes of Taps are heard.  The music is a book mark for the minds of grey haired men and women who suddenly recall old faces, forgotten names, and hidden events. 

What do we learn from the past?  What tocsins are sounded?  What pleasures are remembered?  It is not only the children who will take away an appreciation of what we did for our country, and our world. Our families are also a part of the stories to be shared and those who tell and those who listen will leave thinking of what went before. 

The pictures and sounds of this day will be recorded, saved not only in our memories, but in a way that we will be able to see again, and see what we missed.  We will be able to share the thoughts that we had at that moment with those who were not there, and we will be able to reflect in solitude in time to come.

Ojai Garden Touring

Today was the 12th Annual Ojai Garden Tour sponsored by the Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce, featuring six gardens, hundreds of plants, and smiles everywhere. Click on over to The Ojai Garden, Ojai's community garden blog, for a recap and lots of pictures.

2006 Ojai Valley Memorial Day

Ojai Valley Memorial Day is back, celebrated on May 29, 2006, at Libbey Park & Bowl, in a day-long celebration honoring our servicemen and women.  From the organizers:

We come together to honor our Veterans and Loved Ones who served our country so today’s and tomorrow’s children will live in peace.  Memorial Day is about All People and the future generation. It is a reminder of every person’s responsibility for our freedom.

Make this year’s celebration truly Memorable. Bring your whole family and friends. Share, one to one, with your Veteran neighbors.

Right now we especially need volunteers for: web site assistants, writers and photographers for local, regional and national releases for TV, Radio Newspapers and Magazines. Also documentary and film producers.

Tell us how you would like to help. Join our 2006 Memorial Day team! Make a difference with your action.

Contact us:
Sanford Drucker, Army veteran of WW II
(805) 646-9562  dragondruk@aol.com

Shelly Rhoades, Navy veteran of Bosnia and Iraq
(805) 646-8843  crzystpd@sbcglobal.net

Ojai Classic Rock Fest this Saturday!

Hello Cleveland Ojai!  Are you ready to rock? 

The Ojai Classic Rock Fest is coming this Saturday to Libbey Bowl, noon - 10pm, doors at 11.  Tons more information at Rage-Jax Foundation and a previous Ojai Blog post.  See you there!