There are many events this weekend first, the Oakdale Rodeo Queen Coronation is tonight, Thursday, April 9th at 6pm at the Oakdale Cowboy Museum, at 355 East F Street. The event is free, open to the public, and held along with an Oakdale Chamber of Commerce mixer. The young women will have competed in several events including speech, horsemanship, and ticket sales. Friday, is the Oakdale Rodeo’s Timed Event Slack with events including team roping, tie down-roping and steer wrestling and women’s breakaway roping. The timed events start at 8 AM following by Barrel Racing Slack both groups of events are held at the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds. Organizers share, “If speed is what you like, don’t miss the ladies of rodeo in their featured event.” Vendors and concessionaires will be setting up during Slack from 8am – 5pm and will be open for business.
Murphys Creek Theater is performing Eureka Day, a comedy for anyone who has ever sat through a meeting that went spectacularly off the rails. Set at a progressive private school in Berkeley, the performance follows the school’s executive committee, a group devoted to consensus, compassion, and making sure every voice is heard. Details are in the blog MCT opens season with Tony Winner. Ticket details and performance dates through May 3 are here.
Friday at the Aronos Club, join an evening of Bingo with Women Helping Other Women (WHOW), for $20. Additional BINGO cards may be purchased at the event for $2 each or 3 for $5. All proceeds will go toward 2026 WHOW Grants. RSVP with the link in our event listing here.
Also on Friday the Central Valley Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will be hosting Columbia College Campus “Out of the Darkness Walk” the event aims to raise money to “Save Lives and Bring Hope.” They have raised $9,735 of their $10,000 goal, sign up to join here.
Also of note there are teal ribbons in Downtown Sonora for the third “Paint the Town Teal” event as part of April being Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Additional April observances include Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. Tuolumne County Health Department officials state the free phone service 2-1-1, available since 2024, provides Tuolumne residents with a centralized way to connect to health and social services. 2-1-1 program details are here. This week, April 6 – 12, is National Public Health Week. In 2026 the focus is on coordination between government agencies and the public, partnering with communities, and scientific advancement because “good health doesn’t just happen — the knowledge gained through science makes it possible.”
Friday starting at 5 PM, is Wildflowers and Wine, and participation helps benefit Youth Education Programs at the RCD, supporting hands-on environmental learning for the next generation. The event is at Frog’s Tooth Winery featuring a guided painting and a short pollinator talk by Calaveras County Resource Conservation District staff.
The Oakdale Rodeo Parade is this Saturday at 9 AM and will feature many horses, local businesses, bands, classic cars. Parade staging begins at 8 AM at the intersection of West F St, N Oak Ave., and S Oak Ave. The PRCA Oakdale Rodeo will take place Saturday and Sunday. Saturday after the parade at the Oakdale Saddle Club Rodeo Grounds the Grand Entry will begin at 1:30 PM. Oakdale Rodeo Tickets are $25 at the gate. Saturday the Oakdale Rodeo Dance is for those 21 and over to party “till the cows come home.” The event starts at 8 PM, the gates open at 7:30 PM. The dance features live music, dancing, and adult beverages, admission is $10 and tickets are sold at the door only.
Go bowling at Black Oak Casino Resort Saturday at 9AM as part of an Omega Nu Fundraiser detailed here.
The annual Pondskim and Sip Fest begins at 11 AM Saturday at the Bear Valley Resort. The event features a costume contest, music, and beer.
Saturday is the Mariposa Gem and Mineral Show hosted by the Mariposa Gem & Mineral Club, who will be cutting geodes and doing demonstrations. Vendors will have a variety of gemstone jewelry, breathtaking mineral and rock specimens, fossils, crystals, beads, lapidary rough and slabs, and mineral-related crafts. The event also has silent auctions and a large raffle.
Update: Saturday is the Calaveras Children’s Fair. The event was moved from the Bret Harte High School’s track to Calaveras High School in San Andreas due to a scheduling conflict. There will be music, activities, free lunch, face painting, a car seat check, public health community resources, and fire and police officials coordinating outdoor activities.
The St. James’ Episcopal Church, or Red Church, is hosting an Art Exhibition Saturday. You can meet the artist, ordained Lutheran minister and church member Bill Szarowicz. The exhibition and sale of the artwork will be from 11 am – 4 pm.
Saturday in Vallecito is the sold out Chili Cook-Off with chili tasting and live music at Stevenot Winery. Ticket proceeds are donated to the Calaveras.
The Foothill Pregnancy Center’s Annual Fundraising Banquet is on Saturday starting at 5 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds in Sonora. The Theme is Timeless Grace: A Community Evening for Life, there will be live music and the guest speaker is Emily Turner as detailed here.
Community members are invited to meet the artists of the month-long April art exhibit, “Under the Sea Adventure,” at the Sonora Chamber of Commerce during 2nd Saturday Art Night from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The ocean-themed exhibit features artwork created by talented WATCH artists, including the organization’s well-known collectible ceramic fish along with a variety of handmade pieces. A special dedication honoring Carol Stephens will also be on display, recognizing her lasting impact on the WATCH community and the arts as detailed in the event listing here.
Also as part of 2nd Saturday Art Night, join the Mother Lode Art Association for a fun, hands-on creative evening in downtown Sonora. From 5-6 PM at the the Sonora Inn, Barbra MacNair, the Mixed Media Magician, will guide participants in creating their own free 8×10 mixed media canvas painting.
The Young Eagles flight planned for Saturday has been cancelled, preregistration was requested.
Saturday is the Whiskerino Dinner Dance at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds with silent and live auctions starting at 5 PM. Tickets are at friendsofthecalaverascountyfair.org Proceeds benefit friends of the Calaveras County Fair and Junior Livestock Committee.
The American Legion Smyth Bolter Post 58 will be serving breakfast Sunday morning April 12th from eight o’clock until eleven. This takes place at the Sonora Veterans Memorial Building on Washington Street in downtown Sonora. The reason for the change this month is because of Easter last Sunday. This breakfast is open to the public. Just $15 for adults. $5 for kids under 12.
Sunday wear pink to the Oakdale Rodeo in support of the “Tough Enough To Wear Pink” Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. The gates to the Rodeo Grounds open Sunday at 10 AM for the Cowboy Church and the 2nd day Rodeo Performance Grand Entry is at 1:30 PM. For more information, go to www.oakdalerodeo.com
Yosemite Rivers Alliance is looking for help replanting forests burned in the Rim Fire, which burned over 250,000 acres across Tuolumne and Mariposa counties in 2013. Help restore forests on the public lands by planting trees, details are here.
Visit Tuolumne County is hosting the sixth annual Tuolumne County Art Week, from April 11th through the 19th. The week plans to celebrate the arts and culture rooted in Tuolumne County with a multi-day celebration of artists of all kinds. Look for specials, deals, activities, and more Participation is open to all artists and art associated businesses or organizations. For information go to visittuolumne.com/art-week.
The restaurant of the month in our dining guide is Pinocchio’s. Check out movie times at local theaters, see the weather now on our local webcams here. Highway 108 Sonora Pass opened up to Kennedy Meadows as detailed here.
