The Opening Reception for Cloverdales’ Annual Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit  will be this weekend. There will be wine and music, and the Cloverdale Arts Alliance will judge the sculptures. Free admission

June 5, 2010 4:30 pm -7 pm
Cloverdale Plaza
(707) 894-4410

The Cloverdale History Center is having an open house Friday, June 4, at 5:30 pm.  Drop by for wine, nibbles, and historical photos. Thanks to the Cloverdale Blog on the Press Democrat’s Your Town section for calling this to our attention.

Magician Norman Ng performs free at several local libraries in June  2010. Here’s the  schedule: [Read more →]

Come meet Black Bart and Calamity Jane at this weekend’s Cloverdale Wild West Day. There will be a pancake breakfast ($6) and rummage sale at the Cloverdale Senior Center at 311 N. Main Street from 8-11 am.  Wild West Day will be celebrated in the Downtown and Plaza areas from 11 am to 5 pm. Pony rides, kid zone, mechanical bull, food,  and music.  Free admission.
May 22, 2010 11 am to 5 pm ( Breakfast 8- 11 am)

KOA’s Come Kamp & Care With Us Weekend is May 14 and 15, 2010. Pay for Friday, May 14 and camp Saturday May 15 at the same campground for FREE.

For the seventh year, KOA campgrounds will be collecting donations and holding fundraising events to benefit KOA Care Camps for children with cancer, the official charity of the KOA Owners Association. This network of 43 specialized summer camps gives children with cancer, and their siblings, a chance to experience the joys of camping while continuing their treatments.

The Cloverdale and the Petaluma KOAs are participating. Here’s a list of all the participating KOAs.

Looking for something to do during Spring Break? Learn all about the secret life of bees with Uncle Jer’s Traveling Bee Show. For ages 5 and older.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010 2 pm
Cloverdale Library

Apparently on Monday, Deb of KZST dissed Cloverdale (don’t ask me, I didn’t hear it, I have no idea what she said). But Budget Travel Magazine has nominated Cloverdale as one of “America’s Coolest Small Towns.” You can still cast your vote here. And don’t forget to vote for the most beautiful wine country in the world, here.

Sounds like it’s time for a Ten Free Things to Do in Cloverdale post. For samples of other Ten Free Things posts see:

• Bodega Bay
• Healdsburg
• Petaluma
• Santa Rosa
• Sebastopol
• Sonoma Valley
• Windsor

The problem is, I only have 4 free things  to do in Cloverdale so far.  So let me know:  what are your favorite free things to do in Cloverdale? Leave a comment below, or email me at lisa (at) sonomaonthecheap.com. I’ll even accept Geyserville, we can do a combo list.

Also, if you have any great photos of Cloverdale (or anywhere in Sonoma County) that you’d like to share, cruise over to our Facebook Fan page and upload them. (Link at the right).  Thanks!

The first of the local fair is coming: President’s Day Weekend, February 12- February 15th, is the 118th Cloverdale Citrus Fair.

Ticket Prices
General (ages 13 + up)………6.00
Seniors (62+)………………….4.00
Juniors (6-12 yrs)……………..4.00
5 + under………………………Free
General Season Pass………15.00
Senior/Jr. Season Pass……. 8.00

For last year’s fair  frugality tips, click here.

The AARP offers free tax preparation help thoughout Sonoma County starting today. For a free appointment, call the number listed below, or, if there is no number, drop by during the listed hours. If you are not retired, but you earned less than $50,000 last year, you are also eligible for free tax preparation help (but not at these sites). Check out details here.

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Call me a romantic, but there’s is something about a roaring fireplace on a rainy day…add in a splash of wine, and you’re not enduring a rainy day, you’re celebrating it.  Here are a few wineries with fireplaces:

[Read more →]