Photo by George Rose 
 

Museums

Grace Hudson Museum & Sun House. Located at 431 So. Main Street, this modern museum and historic home features the work of artist Grace Carpenter Hudson, Pomo Indian baskets, historic photographs and objects from the large collection of the Carpenter-Hudson family. The museum also mounts temporary exhibitions on a wide range of contemporary and historical themes. Open Wed-Sat, 10-4:30, and noon-4:30 on Sundays. 1-707-467-2836 gracehudson@pacific.net.

Held-Poage Memorial Home and Research Library. Located at the corner of Perkins and Dora Street, the library contains many valuable historical materials, including Civil War and early California literature. 1-707-462-6969.

Pomo Cultural Center. A 3,200 square foot structure on a bluff overlooking Lake Mendocino is designed to resemble an Indian round house. The Center features audio and video histories of the Pomo Indians, natural history exhibits and a unique indoor-outdoor amphitheater used for campfire ceremonies, tribal dances and other demonstrations. For information call 1-707-485-8285.

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Photo by Jim Tuso

Fairs, Festivals and Fun

Mendocino Crab & Wine Days - Held late January through early February. A county-wide celebration of two of Mendocino's products. Winemaker dinners, cooking classes, crab cruises, crabbing demonstrations, crab feeds, special winter lodging rates, and winery passports for the countywide "Crab Crawl".

The Redwood Empire Fair is held the second week-end in August at the Redwood Empire Fair and Event Center on North State Street. The fair features a carnival, country-western concerts, wheeled events, agricultural & livestock events and plenty of family fun. Year round activities at the fairgrounds include: Auto races (April - October), public dances and concerts. The fairgrounds has an overnight RV Park with full hook-ups. 1-707-462-3884. 1055 North State Street, Ukiah, CA 95482.

Cinco de Mayo - A fabulous all day Downtown festival on the Sunday of the week of May 5th. From Noon to 5:30 p.m., enjoy live bands performing in Alex R. Thomas Plaza, singing, dancing, great food and drink, activities for children, and arts and crafts booths lining beautiful tree lined School Street.

All American Fourth of July. Greater Ukiah Chamber to set fire to the skies every July 4th with the help of the experts from Boom Boom Productions. The day starts off with the All American Fourth of July Family Picnic at the Todd Grove Park from 12 to 6 p.m. The day's events includes entertainment, a variety of food booths, free children's activities, arts and crafts, games, races and contests. All park facilities including the swimming pool are available for patrons use at no charge. A fun family event with something to appeal for everyone so bring a picnic basket or get lunch from one of the onsite vendors and make a day of it. In the evening the festivities move down to the Redwood Empire Fairgrounds where the Chamber, with the support of a number of local businesses, present a concert to kick off the evening and followed by explosive, brilliant fireworks set to heart grabbing, toe tapping sounds at the peak of the evening. This family oriented event has been designed to offer something special to everyone whether it's the free parking, the flag from Uncle Sam, or popular and patriotic music serenading the crowd as streams of red, white & blue fill the sky. It is an Independence Day celebration that just shouldn't be missed.

Ukiah Triathlon Produced by the south Ukiah Rotary the Sunday following labor day weekend. Located in picturesque Mendocino County, the Ukiah Triathlon starts with a 1/2 mile open water swim in Lake Mendocino, followed by 21.7 mile safe bike ride in the countryside, and concludes with a 3 mile moderate run course at Mendocino College. Average raceday temperatures range from 89 high to 55 low. The average water temprature is 72. 1-707-463-7692

Fabulous Flashback Car Show, held in September, is sponsored by the Ukiah Main Street Program and the Downtown Merchants Association.

Comedy Alley - On the Third Saturday of each month (there are no shows during December, June, July and August) Ukiah Main Street Program presents three professional stand up comedians live from the Bay Area and Hollywood! Tickets are on sale at Mendocino Bounty for $12 in advance or for $15 the night of the show. The doors open at 7pm and the entertainment starts at 8pm.

Ukiah Country PumpkinFest. Sponsored by the Ukiah Main Street Program and local businesses. PumpkinFest is a two-day event held in October which celebrates Ukiah's rich agricultural tradition. The event includes a kid's carnival, arts & crafts fair, fiddle contest, scarecrow city, continuous live music and more. Contact the Main Street Program for more information.

Ukiah Farmer's Markets - Shop our fabulous farmer's markets for locally grown, certified and delicious fruits, vegetables, cheeses, honey, eggs, jams, flowers, spices and much more! Gather with friends to enjoy local artists displays and listen to live music. From June through October, the Markets are held every Tuesday from 3-7 p.m. in the Alex R. Thomas Plaza Pavilion, downtown on School Street and every Saturday from 8:30 to noon at Orchard Long's Plaza.

Annual Taste of Downtown - Join the fun, take a walking tour of Downtown Ukiah, and enjoy a taste of the bounty of Mendocino County. Taste dozens of world-renowned local wines, microbrews, brandies, root beer and more. Glasses are sold at strategic locations and our unique and quaint Downtown Ukiah shops host tasting. Enjoy this festive social event from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on a Friday in late June. After the tasting, until 10pm, sit back and relax, or get up and dance to great live music at the Alex R. Thomas Plaza.

Granite Construction Chili Cook off. - Grab your favorite stockpot, some chili peppers and your competitive spirit and join us for the Annual Chili Cook-Off to benefit local charities. Held in downtown Ukiah in early September.

Mendocino Wine and Mushroom Fest - Held in mid-November this is a county-wide celebration of two of Mendocino's products. Winemaker dinners, cooking classes, guided mushroom walking tours, demonstrations, exhibits, special winter lodging rates and featured cuisines.

Holiday Trolley - the Ukiah Main Street Program, Greater Ukiah Chamber of Commerce and the MTA are proud to present the Holiday Trolley! Get in the holiday spirit, and take a ride with the "Trolley Moma". From the day after Thanksgiving, until the day after Christmas, you'll enjoy riding our FREE antique Trolley from the Pear Tree Center, to Orchard Long's Plaza and on to the Ukiah Downtown District! Schedules are available at all sponsor locations.

Holiday Preview. Sponsored by the Ukiah Main Street Program. Kick off the holiday shopping season in late November with a delightful atmosphere with carolers, decorations, yummy treats, and more "preview" what the wonderful downtown merchants have to offer this holiday season through this open-house holiday event at 10 am -7 pm located on School St.

A Small Town Christmas. Santa flies into the local airport in early December to greet the children, travels around town on his fire truck, spreading holiday cheer at all the shopping centers. The evening kicks off with a musical program in the downtown Alex Thomas Plaza and is followed by the always popular and spectacular "Trucker's Light Parade"

Numerous local events and fairs are held throughout the year. For an up to date events list, see our Calendar of Events page, or contact the Chamber at 707-462-4705

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Casinos

Coyote Valley Shodakai Casino & Bingo, 7751 No. State St. Ukiah, 1-707-485-0700

Hopland Sho Ka Wah Casino, 13101 Nokomis Rd, Hopland, 1-707-744-1395

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Family Fun

Ukiah 6 Theater, 612 So. State St, Ukiah 707-462-6788.

Photo by Jim Tuso Mendocino County is a rural haven for outdoor recreation. The hills and mountains around Ukiah yield abundant opportunities for fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, camping and nature watching.

City of Ukiah Parks - The City of Ukiah supports and maintains 5 public parks. The largest is Todd Grove Park located on Park Blvd., It features a public swimming pool, playground and picnic areas amid tall redwoods. Oak Manor Park, located on Oak Manor Drive, features tennis courts, playground and picnic areas. Vinewood Park, a residential park located on Pine and Magnolia Streets, has a small playground and picnic area. A garden-like setting for picnics at the Sun House Park on Main Street is adjacent to the Grace Hudson Museum. Anton Stadium, near Todd Grove Park, provides playing facilities for school teams as well as summer baseball and softball leagues.

County of Mendocino Parks. Low Gap Park is located near Ukiah High School on Low Gap Road, covering 80 acres. There are hiking trails, a children's play area, volleyball and basketball courts, playing fields and a disc-golf course. Mill Creek County Park covers nearly 400 acres, mostly on the sides of a steep mountain canyon in the Mayacama Mountains east of Ukiah. There are two ponds nestled in the narrow valley that are used exclusively in the summer for swimming and fishing. There are also picnic, barbecue, group camping, horseshoe and basketball facilities available. McKee County Parkway, located along the road connecting Potter Valley with State Hwy. 20, is almost 2 miles long and lies between the road and the middle of the East Fork of the Russian River. Hiking, swimming and fishing are the main activities.

Cow Mountain Recreation Area - Located in the Mayacama Mountains between Ukiah and Lakeport, CA these 50,000 acres of public land offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities. The terrain is rugged with elevations ranging from 800 to 4000 feet. In the summer you can expect hot, dry days (90 - 110+ degrees) and cool nights (50 - 60 degrees). Winters are mild but rain is frequent, especially between October and May. Recreational opportunities include an Off-Highway Recreation Area, camping, picnicking, hiking, horseback ridding, hunting and fishing. For more information on Cow Mountain access, facilities, restrictions and directions contact the Bureau of Land Management, Ukiah Field Office at (707) 468-4000.

Lake Mendocino - Located five miles northeast of Ukiah, Lake Mendocino is the centerpiece for outdoor recreation in Ukiah. There are nearly 300 campsites, 4 group campsites, 100 family picnic sites, and 7 group picnic shelters. There is a protected swimming beach, hiking and interpretive trails and amphitheaters. Facilities are open on a first come basis. Groups may make reservations by calling the National Reservation service at (877) 444-6777 or the Park Manager's office, (707) 462-7581.

Lake Pillsbury Recreation Area - Lake Pillsbury is the largest lake in the Mendocino National Forest and has 31 miles of shoreline. Fishing. Boating, sailing and water-skiing are popular activities. PG&E and the Forest service manage several developed campgrounds around the lake, for campground information 1-916-386-5164 or the Upper Lake Ranger District Office at (707) 275-2361. Lake Pillsbury is accessed from Hwy 101 North of Ukiah to Hwy 20 East then through Potter Valley.

Ukiah Municipal Golf Course. The challenging 18 hole par 70 golf course is nestled along the western edge of Todd Grove Park and the southern edge of Low Gap Park. It is well maintained and accessible year-round. Pro shop, bar and snack shop. Call (707) 462-8857 for tee times and information. The Fairgrounds Driving Range is located at 239 Ford Street, next to the 12th District Fairgrounds. (707) 462-6238.

There are numerous other recreational activities for the entire family, including, bowling alley, health and fitness facilities, youth soccer, baseball, softball, basketball, swimming, football leagues, BMX track, and billiards.