What better way to welcome spring in northern California than with the hundreds of its sunniest flowers at the 42nd Annual Daffodils by the River Show in Fortuna, March 25-26, 2017, or four days of Jazz, blues, swing, and more at the 26th Annual Redwood Coast Music Festival in Eureka, March 30-April 2, 2017?
Fortuna Garden Club’s Daffodils by the River takes place right here in Fortuna on Saturday, March 25, from 1:00 – 5:00 pm and Sunday, March 26, from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm. View the dramatic daffodil arrangements and many show varieties of daffodils while you enjoy music and refreshments provided by the Garden Club. Admission to the show is free, and you can purchase a pot of blooming daffodils to take home! There will be plenty of time left during your weekend getaway to take a scenic drive or hike and explore the many wildflowers coming into bloom in the Redwoods.
The Redwood Coast Music Festival comes to six venues in Eureka’s Downtown and Old Town March 30 – April 2, 2017, with 25 bands, 10 guest artists, plus special headliner shows throughout the weekend. Venues range from Eureka’s historic Municipal Auditorium (the Muni), Eureka Theater, and the beautifully restored Morris Graves Museum of Art to the bayside Adorni Center, Sequoia Center with state-of-the art audio and visual technology, and the Red Lion Hotel. All venues have food, bars and room to dance on wood floors. Festival shuttles provide complimentary transportation between the venues. Tickets for entry into all venues Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are $90; single day tickets range from $30 -$55. Here are some of the Festival’s highlights. For additional information, the complete schedule and ticket prices, visit their website.
Thursday, March 30, 2017 – The Festival kicks off with A Taste of Main Street, featuring samples of foods from Eureka’s restaurants and food producers. Savor the local cuisine from 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm as you wander the streets of Old Town and Downtown, listening to the live music at many of the venues. (Ticket books for this event must be purchased separately – contact Eureka Main Street.) Then dance to Big Band sounds of Stompy Jones at the Festival’s Kick Off Dance from 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm at the Adorni Center. If you don’t feel like dancing, just enjoy the music and local dance club members in their period clothing.
Friday, March 31, 2017 – Performances begin at 1:30 pm at Adorni Center and at 4:30 pm at most other venues, and continue through the evening. Friday’s Blues Legends Night features:
Duke Robillard Band – Robillard has been nominated for 2 Grammy Awards, named Blues Music Awards Traditional male Blues Artist of the Year in 2010, and won the Blues Music Award for guitarist of the year 5 times. The Acoustic Blues and Roots of Duke Robillard, won a 2016 Blues Award for Acoustic Blues Album of the Year.
James Harman Band – This internationally known, Grammy nominated bluesman’s legendary talents include song writer, producer, musician, showman, and vocalist. His 2015 release BONETIME was nominated for five Blues Music Awards: Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Traditional album of the Year, Harmonica Player and Traditional Blues Male Artist of the Year.
Saturday, April 1, 2017 – Performances begin at 10:30 am at most venues and continue throughout the day and evening. Saturday night’s headliners are:
Michael Doucet, two time Grammy winner and 11 time nominee, is one of the world’s best Cajun fiddlers, appearing often on A Prairie Home Companion. He leads the band BeauSoleil, featured in documentary films and movies such as Belizaire the Cajun and The Big Easy.
Kenny Neal, “triple threat swamp boogie master”, Grammy nominee and winner of the 2015 Jus’ Blues Bobby Rush Blues Entertainer Award, is both an outstanding musician and actor. His role on Broadway in Mule Bone, with music by blues legend Taj Mahal won him a Theater World Award.
Rick Estrin & The Nightcats bring a touch of roadhouse rock n’ roll to their fresh, original blues tunes. Estrin, winner of the 2013 Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist–Harmonica, is “an amazing harmonica player, a soulful lead vocalist and a brilliant songwriter” ~ San Francisco Chronicle.
Sunday, April 2, 2017 – performances begin at 10:30 am at some venues, and continue through mid-afternoon, with an after party at the Red Lion Hotel beginning at 5:00 pm.
The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel in Fortuna is a relaxing choice for your Festival weekend – away from Eureka’s busy hotels and motels and only a half-hour’s drive south of Eureka on Route 101. Enjoy a leisurely complementary breakfast with us, spend the day at the Festival, then look forward to returning for a restful night’s sleep at Humboldt County’s first TripAdvisor-certified GreenLeader Hotel.
Redwood Coast Music Festival
523 Fifth St., PO Box 314, Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 445-3378
A Taste of Main Street (Advance purchase tickets required)
Eureka Main Street 525 Second St., Suite 105 Eureka, CA 95501
Phone: (707) 442-9054
