VIDEO: Janelle Wang NBC Bay Area Announces #Petaluma’s Butter & Egg Days

Provided By NBC’s website along with this video is the below:

Honor and enjoy all things Petaluma at this year’s 34th annual Butter and Egg Days Parade and Festival in historic downtown Petaluma. This year’s parade theme, PETALUMA: FERTILE GROUND, celebrates Petaluma’s remarkable fertile ground and will share the success stories of Petaluma’s culture, businesses, schools, legends, and non-profits, past and present.

Look for NBC Bay Area’s very own Janelle Wang, joined by Giants alumni Jeffrey Pacman Leonard in the parade on NBC Bay Area’s float. The festival begins at 10:00 AM, kicking off fun and family-friendly activities and bringing local food, arts and crafts vendors, local businesses, non-profit booths, and more together for this grand event. The main parade begins at 12:00 PM. Petaluma Transit will also be hosting a free ride day during Butter and Egg Days.

For more information and for a schedule of events, click here

When: April 25, 2015

Where: Downtown Petaluma

Time: 10:00 AM

via The 34th Annual Butter and Egg Days Parade and Festival | NBC Bay Area.

CLICK PAGE 2 TO SEE JANELLE WANG ON A GIANTS DECORATED CABLE CAR IN LAST YEARS PARADE WITH LEGENDARY PITCHER VIDA BLUE

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Attention #Petaluma Non-Profits! Can an Extra $10,000 Help Your Cause?

Petaluma: Apply Today for Playmaker Grants!

The 50 Fund was developed to make Super Bowl 50 the most philanthropic ever. San Francisco Bay Area non-profits will recieve 50 Playmaker grants – all you have to do is apply for them.

What is a Playmaker grant? the program provides $10,000 grants to community-based organizations with a passionate advocate and a specific, compelling need for funds to provide an immediate community impact. How many Petaluma grantees would you like to see chosen? Even if we got a few that’s $20,000 infused into our area’s programs. If you are a larger non-profit there are also Game Changer grants for $500,000.

The next round of applications will open May 5, 2015

Here is the information from their website:

The opportunity

Projects must help close the opportunity gap for low-income children, youth, and young adults (birth-24) and will be considered from any of the three of 50 Fund’s focus areas —Youth Development, Community Investment, and Sustainable Environment. In addition, each applicant must nominate an individual, affiliated with the organization, whose passion and service makes them a “playmaker” in their community. A video showcasing both the organization and advocate will be produced for each grantee. A total of 50 Playmaker grants will be awarded. Grantees will be announced, one grantee per week, every Tuesday, beginning March 3, 2015.

Click here for a list of non-profits on the Petaluma Downtown Association Website.

Click here to view the non-profits from the City of Petaluma’s website (unfortunately it appears that has not been updated for 3 years).

Category Definitions (Does your non-profit or someone you know that has a non-profit fit into these categories?):

Youth Development – Providing children, youth and young adults (ages 0-24) living in low-income communities with the educational, recreational and social-emotional supports they need to put them on the path to success.

Community Investment – Nurturing the health, well-being and livelihoods of young people and their families through investments in the economic, social and physical infrastructure of their communities.

Sustainable Environments – Building the resiliency of communities by enhancing the connectivity between residents and the natural environment that surrounds them.

CLICK ON PAGE 2 TO LEARN WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND WHEN AND HOW TO APPLY FOR THE GRANT

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Shedding Light On The Wine Industry: An Interview with #Petaluma Native Hoby Wedler

UPDATE: April 23, 2015 – I guess our article inspired the Press Democrat to shine the light on Hoby in Popular blind wine tasting an inspiration BY PEG MELNIK THE PRESS DEMOCRAT.

Petaluma native Hoby Wedler has always been blind. Born with microphthalmia, a rare eye abnormality, Wedler lives in a world not dominated by sight, allowing him to explore the world through his other senses.

Always curious about the world around him, Wedler enjoys and has become an expert at identifying and categorizing things by their scents and tastes. “I’ve always paid attention to my nose and what I smell around me,” said Wedler. “Whenever I come to Petaluma from anywhere that I’ve been … Petaluma always smells fresh and incredible. And I love the smell of grass. Of fresh blooming grass mixed with manure and mixed with the smell of farm and also the smell of fresh coastal influences … another aroma that I love is Petaluma just after the rain when you really get those fresh green smells, those almost wooded smells, it’s absolutely stellar. Can’t get enough of it.”

As a child, Wedler loved growing up in Petaluma, which always had a sense of truly being home for him. “There’s so much going on in the world around us, but we can always come back to this town and feel secure,” said Wedler. “I love the sense of ownership that everybody gets who’s grown up here. We own a little piece of this … you feel a sense of this town is mine.”

Wedler graduated from Petaluma High School in 2005 and now goes to UC Davis, where he is working on a Ph.D. in computational organic chemistry. His love for chemistry stems from his time at Petaluma High, where he took chemistry from Lee Boyes. Wedler recalls, “It was her constant love of chemistry that she brought to the class, talking about how amazing it was, how cool it was to work in the chemical field. Another thing about Ms. Boyes is that she just had an infectious desire to teach.”

CLICK ON PAGE 2 TO LEARN MORE ON WEDLER’S “TASTING IN THE DARK” CLASS AT COPPOLA WINERY

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Get Ready For The Great #Petaluma Chili Cook-Off

On Saturday May 9, 2015 over 1500 people will converge on Behrens Park, Herzog Hall at the Sonoma Marin Fairgrounds in Petaluma for the 18th annual Great Petaluma Cook-Off, Salsa and Beer Tasting event starts as usual at 1 pm.. Will you be there too? You will not only experience great food, beer, and entertainment, but you will also be supporting over 1200 kids in the Cinnabar Theater (a non-profit) Children’s Programs. Want to know how to double your donation? Ocean State Job Lot Foundation will match your donation made between now and May (a grant that they have been providing over the past 10 years each year raising the bar). Tickets are free for kids under 5, $10 for ages 5-11, $25 for adults, or $40 with beer. To purchase a ticket, or for more information, call 707-763-8920 or visit GreatChiliCookOff.com. You can also purchase your tickets at the gate on the day of the event.

Entertainment expected this year at the popular Stony Point band with opening act from Don’t Tip The Tweetster (Ska Band) followed by Sister Sirens and Zyphire Belly Dancers, then the Hip Hop Dancers from the Fierce Dance Company. Also The Amazing Caine will be walking around dazzling guests with his illusions and magic.

Annually 40 Chili Teams compete as well as 15 Salsa Teams and 15 Breweries (This year there are 16 breweries entered). The Cinnabar Theater is the non-profit regional theater supporting students in arts and entertainment whose organization’s primary means for funding is special events and ticket sales.

SOLD OUT! The competition is so fierce all challenger spots are taken. There is a short waiting list and every year there is a team or two that drops out – so there is still hope – you can call the theater to get a spot on the waiting list. There is room for more vendors so if you want to get exposure for your business, contact Laura Sunday at (707) 763-8920 or email her at [email protected].

There are some long time supporters re-entering this year’s event:

18 Years – Tree Huggin’ Hippies
17 Years – Trader Joes
14 Years – Petaluma Firefighters
13 Years – Santa Rosa Firefighters
9 Years – Beyond The Glory
7 Years – Petaluma Market, Wells Fargo Bank and Ring O’ Fire
6 Years – Rotoract and Taps

Also long time brewery supporters include Lagunitas, Moylans, Ruth McGowans, and Lost Coast.

CLICK PAGE 2 TO FIND OUT WHY THE STAKES JUST GOT HOTTER FOR THIS YEAR’S GRAND CHAMPION

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What’s Going On In #Petaluma? Through April 17th

(SOLD OUT) Cooking from the Garden at McEvoy Ranch – Sat., April 11, 9:30am: Join Head Gardener and Winemaker, Margaret Koski-Kent and Head Chef, Gerald Gass, for a garden to table experience. Walk through their kitchen gardens discussing planting, sowing and harvesting ideas and how the garden bounty makes its way to the table.

Sheep Shearing at Petaluma Adobe – Sat., April 11, 11am: Have fun learning how to card and spin wool as they would have done in the 1830’s. The Petaluma Adobe served as the headquarters for General Vallejo’s 66,000 acre cattle rancho from 1836 to 1846. Petaluma Adobe State Park, 3325 Adobe Rd. 762-4871.

Boating at the Barn – Sundays, 10am-1pm: Pick a rowboat, canoe, kayak or sailboat. River Heritage Center in Steamer Landing Park. Call 769-0910 for information.

Danish Community Celebration – Sun., April 12, 2:30pm: Learn about the Hansen House, Danish Soldier’s Club, Petaluma Danish Sisterhood and Brotherhood and more. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St. 778-4398

East-Side Farmers’ Market – Tuesdays, 10am-1:30pm: Year-round, rain or shine! In the Petaluma Community Center Parking Lot, 320 N. McDowell Blvd. For info call 415-999-5635.

Multicultural Poetry – Wed. April 15, 6:30pm: Join us in celebrating National Poetry Month. Several members of the Petaluma community will read poems in the language they were written and also in English. Petaluma Regional Library, 100 Fairgrounds Dr.

#Petaluma’s Kitsbow Chosen 1 of 15 Companies That Make Clothes You Can Feel Good About Wearing

Mountain Bikers In Petaluma Making Their Way Up Hurl Hill Photo By Tami Cramer

We thought it was appropriate considering this weekend there are thousands of high school mountain bike riders competing in Petaluma this weekend to highlight a Petaluma clothes manufacturer Kitsbow who makes mountain bike wear. They were featured in an article yesterday by Outside Online Magazine highlighting 15 companies they call progressive and making sustainable clothing that looks as great as it wears. We only feature the Kitsbow product below, but if you want to see the other 14 companies highlighted please click on the article link below.

From Outside Online by Will Palmer:

The 21st century seems like a mess so far. Gridlock in Washington. Rising seas. Corporate domination. Kardashians. But if you’ve been paying attention, you know that there are positive things happening all over the place as well, and with accelerating frequency. Consider the clothes you wear. While mass-produced, polluting sweatshop apparel isn’t going away overnight, there are people all over the world—from Portland to Brooklyn to Addis Ababa and, yes, China—who are trying to make style sustainable.

CLICK PAGE 2 BELOW TO SEE LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT OUTSIDE MAGAZINE HAS TO SAY ABOUT KITSBOW

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VIDEO: Smart Phone Captures SMART Train’s First Trek over the #Petaluma Bridge

This raw cell phone video shows the SMART Train crossing the Petaluma Bridge for the first time.

This video shows the entire journey including a segment through the downtown Petaluma train station.

You may also be interested in an article in this week’s Petaluma360.com about SMART called SMART offering to give away Haystack Landing bridge over Petaluma River.

#Petaluma Current Exhibits and Upcoming Events

Special Exhibits

“Showing on the River,” 5^th Annual Juried Photography Show, through May 3. Riverfront Art Gallery, 132 Petaluma Blvd. North. 775-4ART.
“Art Shapes the World: 4^th Annual Youth Arts Exhibition” through April 5. Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville St. See website for schedule of events & exhibits: Call 762-5600.
“The Many Faces of Petaluma” Exhibit, showcasing Petaluma’s Ethnic & Cultural Groups, through April 26. Petaluma Historical Library & Museum, 20 Fourth St. 778-4398.
“Focus on Nature” Exhibit through May 3. Four different views of Nature. Gallery One, 209 Western Ave. 778-8277.
“Systems of Constructing” Exhibit, Opening Reception Griffin Map Design & Gallery on Saturday April 11th from 6-10pm and runs through May 2. 405 East D Street Suites D&F.

Upcoming Events

Mark Your Calendar for these great upcoming events:

4/19: 11^th Annual Petaluma Footrace

4/25: 34th Annual Butter & Egg Days Parade

4/26: Spring Antique Faire

5/9: Great Petaluma Chili Cook-Off, Salsa & Beer Tasting

5/14-17: Salute to American Graffiti

5/23: Sonoma County Home Brewers Competition

5/31: Down Home Day at the Homestead

Petaluma Eats! And Drinks at Jamison’s Roaring Donkey

Jamisons Roaring Donkey Co-Owner Brian Tatko & Shot Counter — Jamison’s Roaring Donkey Co-Owner Brian Tatko and Shot Counter

My first foray into Jamison’s Roaring Donkey came one warm and sleepy August afternoon. Barkeep Justin knew his stuff and suggested a Petaluma Hills Porterluma…which scored huge points as it is one of my favorites. But what to call this place? …Jamison’s, JRD, The Roaring Donkey, or maybe just the Donkey? In time, it has become affectionately known as either Roaring Donkey…or to the regulars among my drinking crowd, simply as the Donkey, because nothing piques the curiosity of bystanders more than say, “Who wants to grab a drink at the Donkey?”

Jamison's Roaring Donkey Bling Box — Jamison’s Roaring Donkey “Bling Box”

Although pleasant and comfortable, when I first looked around I had trouble figuring out what kind of bar Roaring Donkey was trying to be. There are big screens, like a sports bar, but there is also a separate room for hosting bands, open mic nights, or a DJ, like a club. There is a booth in the back, like a lounge, but there are also darts and a pool table, like a pub or tavern. The dual-station bar has a massive list of hip cocktails, serves Jameson’s Whiskey on tap, and has a “shot” counter on the wall, kind of like a college bar, but is complemented by an impressive tap station, like a brewpub taproom, even sporting multiple nitrous taps…one of which is always pushing out Guinness. Topping it all off, the bar has a diverse list of libations, including a “Bling Box” for displaying a variety of top of the line elixirs that are not usually available by the glass, like a classy gin joint. “We will offer shots at our cost,” says co-owner Brian Tatko. “We want to make it easy for people to celebrate their special occasions with us.”

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5 Tips For Homebrewers Entering The Sonoma County Home Brewer’s Competition

We collected some of the best tips from top local breweries to help homebrewers prepare for the 2015 1st Annual Sonoma County Home Brewers Competition. Here are some tips for creating a winning brew.

1. Beer Hygiene

It is imperative that you always be neat and clean. Don’t use bleaches on your equipment because it can cause a chemical reaction with the maltose molecules and end in a nasty flavor. Even a slight drop of bleach can destroy an entire batch of a perfect brew. There are so many cleaners and sanitizers available in the market, but you can purchase an inexpensive vodka which does the job just fine as a sanitizer. You can also use vodka in your airlock instead of water. Keep some vodka handy in a spray mist bottle so you can also use it on your equipment on the fly.

To keep your bottles clean use a large cooler that can hold as many as 48 beer bottles. Fill it with 6 – 7 gallons of water with the plug near a drain or sink. Add some no-rinse sanitizer. Sink your bottles neck up until they fill with water to the point they stop floating. You may need to add more water and sanitizer to get larger sized bottles submerged. Leave them there until you are ready for bottling process. Pull the plug to discard the water.

Vinnie Cilurzo, Owner/Brewer for Russian River Brewing Company “At the end of the day sanitation is everything, without good sanitation a brewer cannot make good beer, clean, clean clean. For the advance brewer, don’t overlook how much hop bitterness you will pick up from late kettle and whirlpool hop additions as the wort potentially sits for a while before being cooled down.”

JJ Jay is the master brewer for Petaluma Hills Brewery. My advice is: “A solid recipe, reasonable brewing procedures, and clean and sanitary space and equipment will produce an awesome beer every time!”

Bonus tip on bottling from Bob Peak at The Beverage People Santa Rosa: When using a bottle filler without a spring in the tip, put a wooden spoon under your bottling bucket with the handle sticking out over the edge of the counter. Loop the hose over it, hanging the filler in the “off” position while capping a few bottles or getting a new case.

CLICK HERE or PAGE 2 TO SEE ADVICE FROM OTHER LOCAL MASTER BREWERS

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