Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration and Other Events
There are a few events planned for the weekend of January 18th, and 19th.
For the first time in 30 years, the Motherlode Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee is holding the annual celebration of Dr. King’s birthday on Saturday instead of Sunday. The public is invited to the free program at the Sonora High School Auditorium beginning at 2pm. The theme for 2025 is, “From Bias to Belonging: Nurturing Dr. King’s Vision of Community” explored by keynote speaker, Dr. Nikum Pon. Born in Cambodia during the time of the “killing fields,” Dr. Pon’s family defied incredible odds to escape to the U.S. when he was a child. He has since dedicated his life to empowering underserved communities, recently returning to Cambodia to establish schools for those in need.
The Saturday Birthday Celebration will also include performances by the Sierra Waldorf Community Choir directed by Carol Weston Crich, accompanied by pianist Mark Seiver. Community activist Jenn Salazar will receive The Laurie Bailey Social Justice award for her work advocating for the unhoused. The 90-minute program will be followed by a reception with refreshments in the Sonora High School Library.
The Columbia College Men’s Basketball team will host the West Hills team Lemoore at a home game that begins at Saturday at 6PM. Details about the season are in our events calendar here.
Aronos Research Club sponsors a monthly Barn Dance Saturday evening that is open to the public, families and all ages are welcome for a suggested $10 donation to support the upkeep of the historic clubhouse. A live band will play old time music, there is no need to bring a partner, dances will be taught and no prior experience is necessary. The smokefree and alcohol free event details are here.
Saturday at the Calaveras Fairgrounds in Angels Camp is the Courage for Connelly Cancer Benefit Dinner & Dance for those who got Pre-sale tickets before January 10th. If you are unable to make the event, but would like to donate to the Connelly’s, details on how you can make a tax deductible donation are here.
Monday is the Tuolumne County 4-H Drive Thru Dinner for those who got Pre-sale tickets before January 6th. The dinner is a fundraiser for Tuolumne County 4-H Council to support enrollment fees, events and programs for local youth.
Mondays practice is held for the Columbia Gold Diggers Granny Basketball® League. Details are here.
The passes are all closed for the season. The restaurant of the month in our dining guide is Mike’s Pizza of Sonora. Check out movie times at local theaters, skiers and snowboarders see our local webcams here and the Snow Report in the weather section here.
