At Color Me Rad racers get hit with “color bombs” throughout the course and end up looking like a package of Skittles by the end. It’s a vibrant twist on 5Ks, a twist that’s made Color Me Rad quite popular. Spots for its Fresno debut, in September at Woodward Park, sold out largely in advance and were hard to come by on race day — with some people re-selling them like they were Justin Bieber concert tickets.
Sunday’s Two Cities Marathon & Half, by most accounts, is a great event for our city. But each year, there’s always a group of people who complain about how much of a pain it is for the people who live near Woodward Park because of the road closures and detours. You’ll probably see an angry letter to the editor on the Bee’s opinion pages soon. People, of course, turn to Twitter and Facebook to voice their frustrations too. One person even made it sound like they were braving Hurricane Sandy. Totally legit, right?
Here are five of our favorites — and one tweet at the end that made us chuckle.
1. PAINT THE TOWN RAD The event dominating chatter this week is the Color Me Rad 5K, happening Saturday at Woodward Park. This ain’t any ol’ 5K. Runners get splattered with “color bombs” of paint as they run and end up looking like a life-size bag of Skittles. Color Me Rad is so popular that advanced registration sold out (and people have actually been re-selling their entries — is it a Justin Bieber concert?). But what you can do, is go watch. It’ll be colorful show, no doubt. [More]
Yep, it’s that time of the year again, when the big “Spring” parties creep onto our calendar. Springtini is a long-time favorite and each year people always ask me when it is. This year has been no exception. Guess that’s a good sign for Springtini.
This year’s Springtini is April 28 — aka next weekend, but the date was just announced last week. So head’s up, Springtini lovers. For a rundown of what’s planned, head to Facebook.
It’s a battle of the “Fall” parties on Saturday, as Falltini and Fall Fling — two annual staples of the see-and-be-seen social event scene — collide on the calendar.
Each uses the same formula: booze, food, music and fashion to (they hope) attract a few thousand people. Word is organizers realized a few weeks ago they had similar events planned on the same day not too far away from each other. Oops. But neither wanted to budge.
There’s a whole lot to do on this Thursday night, whether you’re a country music lover, you’re looking to celebration Mexico’s independence right here in Fresno … or you’re just somewhere in between.
Have a look:
Kiss Country has its last $5 Concert of the summer at Woodward Park. [info]
Twilight Park in Woodlake hosts a big ho-down with Big & Rich and Gretchen Wilson. [tix]
Bassnectar with have Rainbow Ballroom rattling with bass for the EDM crowd. [info]
Bluegrass star Larry Stephenson brings his band to Unitarian Universalist Church. [info]
Local band Clouded Vision has its CD release party at Yosemite Ranch. It’s free and oughta be packed. [info]
Fresno’s El Grito celebration is tonight on the Fulton Mall. We hear the party’s already started. [info]
Mezcal hosts what looks to be a big Mexican Independence Day party. [info]
For its popular weekly music series, Eureka! Burger hosts blues guitar titan Rudy Parris Band. [info]
Reedley hosts its Taste of the Town tonight. [info]
Lots and lots of live music waiting for your eyes this evening. Let’s have a look:
DIEGO’S UMBRELLA: This SF-based band is at Audie’s Olympic. Should be a wild one, considering Diego’s Umbrella calls its style “gypsy pirate polka.” You had us at pirate … but polka is fun too.
ANGEL LEBRON: Live salsa at Starline, from the Starline Salsa Club and New York-bred Angel Lebron. Beehive High-Five to whoever asks Lebron to see his rings.
ROCK THE MALL: It’s another installment of Sierra Vista Mall’s free Rock the Mall concert series. It oughta be a big one, too, with popular local Journey tribute band Midnight Run playing. Did we mention free? Cuz, yeah, free.
Here’s one sorta exciting moment from my weekend …
THE SCENE: Saturday afternoon at Woodward Park’s dog park, about a dozen people and their dogs are there.
WHEN THINGS GOT ICKY: A youngish bulldog stops to relieve himself, lifting his leg on a green plastic chair. Problem is: A woman was sitting in that chair. In marking his territory, he also marked a nice portion of her sweats.
THE REACTION: “Oh, sorry,” the dog’s owner muttered, earbuds in ears, before turning and walking away to follow his dog. The woman, for what it’s worth, left. I’m assuming to go home and get cleaned up.
THE QUESTION: Is it just me, or does your dog full-on peeing on someone (not just a tinkle) warrant more than an sheepish “Oh, sorry?” But then I wondered: How exactly are you supposed to react in that situation? To some degree, since you’re at the dog park, owners have to be OK with getting a little dirty. But getting peed on? Umm. Luckily, my dog has never put me in a such a situation. But I hope I’d be able to muster up something better than “oh, sorry.” Suggestions? What would you do to apologize?
TECH N9NE + WOODWARD PARK? Rapper Tech N9ne is at playing at the Woodward Park Amphitheatre tomorrow night. So far we haven’t heard any upright North Fresnans complaining about a kinda-juggalo rapper playing the park, so that’s good. E-40, Krizz Kaliko and others are there too. More info here.
THE FAIR BEGINS; QUESTIONS ABOUND: The Big Fresno Fair starts on Wednesday. Sammy Hagar kicks off the concert series, making his first appearance in Fresno since the demise of Fresno Wabo. What will he say? Anything? Will he make fun of Milt Barbis again? Will Fresno still love him? Also, comic Carlos Mencia performs Thursday. Doesn’t the fair have a rule against act swearing? How is that going to work?
THE TREASURY DEBUTS: A cool-sounding spot opening for Thursday’s ArtHop is The Treasury, a downtown art gallery, office space, by-appointment fashion boutique. It’s on Van Ness, near Divisadero, not far from Iron Bird Cafe.
THE MASQUERADE OF THE RED DEATH:Woodward Park Regional Library is hosting a Edgar Allen Poe-themed masquerade party on Friday night, tied into Fresno Big Read, which is all about Poe this year. Get fancy!
1. PARTY AFTER AC/DC:Audie’s has electro-ish rockers Bullied by Strings tonight, and its being pegged as the place to be after the AC/DC show. There’s another post AC/DC bash downtown too.
It’s all the local news and stuff from the blogosphere that you need to Fres-know:
HATERS: Is shutting down the sno-cone man really necessary, City of Fresno? Why don’t you use some of that manpower to shut down the fools who water their streets and sidewalks grass during the hottest part of the day? I’ll give you a place to start: Woodward Park. I think you know where it is. [Edge of Town] SPEAKING OF WOODWARD PARK: Should those outside of Fresno pay $2 more to see its freshly watered grass than those who live in Fresno proper? Unrelated: How many people in Fresno would you consider to be proper? Maybe just the ones who follow watering guidelines? [Fresno Bee Opinion] INNOCENT. FOR NOW: A taco shop in Merced was robbed last night. How do I know it wasn’t notorious taco lover, Mike Oz? The thieves took the cash and left the carne asada. [The Fresno Bee] BUT DO THEY KNOW POPOZAO? Fresno: the band? Apparently so. [The Fresnan] BAR REVIEW: Wondering where to go on a Friday night? Unless you hate your cash and like getting verbally abused, you M-ight want to avoid this place in the Tower. [QueerFresno] HOPE MATTERS: We’re used to Fresnans on reality shows, but a fellow citizen appearing in a book? Thank Jebus. [Late Update] KICK THIS: Got a little energy to burn? The World Adult Kickball Association is coming to Fresno. Somebody sober up Vince Vaughn – I want a kickball movie in the works by September. [Fresno Famous]
