community events
2025 Events
The Mendieta Sisters: Flamenco, Harp, Voice
You are cordially invited to an afternoon of Spanish Classical Harp, Flamenco, and Voice featuring the acclaimed Mendieta Sisters
Anna Maria Mendieta, Harp
Suzanne Mendieta, Flamenco
Gloria Mendieta Gazave, Soprano
Sunday, May 18th, 3-4:30 pm
5819 Sacramento Ave, Dunsmuir
$35/ticket or $60/couple
Kids 10 & under free!
A Fundraiser for Cedar Grove’s Children & Youth Arts Education Programs, Sponsored by:
Cedar Grove, Music by the Mountain, Seeds of Ancestral Renewal, Dunsmuir Chamber of Commerce
About the Artists
Global Music Award winner Anna Maria Mendieta proved the impossible and made history offering her harp as a new voice for Argentine Tango. Her recent album Tango Del Cielo featuring Tango & Flamenco with harp and orchestra won several international awards and reached #2 on Billboard’s Classical Crossover Chart. Ms. Mendieta is the winner of four Global Music Awards, three Clouzine International Music Awards, two Fox Music USA Latin Music Awards, two LIT International Music Awards, among others. She continues to gain international attention with her groundbreaking vision. Anna Maria enjoys a busy career as a soloist, orchestral musician, recording artist and teacher. She is the principal harpist with the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera and has performed with many symphony orchestras and chamber music groups in the United States and abroad including the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera & Ballet, Russian National Orchestra, and Russian State Ballet.
A classically trained dancer in both ballet and flamenco, Suzanne Mendieta has been a member of many dance companies, including: Theatre Flamenco, Rosa Montoya’s Bailes Flamenco, San Francisco Dance Theater, and the Arabesque Dance Company. She has been a featured flamenco dancer for the San Francisco Opera’s productions of “La Traviata” since 1991. Additional appearances include soloist with the Santa Clara Ballet, Pacific Dance Theater, and Michael Smuin’s Ballet/SF; as well as a featured dancer performing in China, St. Martin, the Dutch Antilles, and in Seville, Spain for the 1992 World Expo. Suzanne appeared in the film “A Walk in the Clouds” and in the television series “Nash Bridges“.
Gloria Mendieta Gazave is a classically trained soprano from San Francisco with a background in Musical Theater, where she has performed such roles as Chava in Fiddler on the Roof and Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, and Maria in West Side Story in Bay Area theaters. Ms. Gazave is an alum of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, whence she began her lifelong love of Opera and Classical music. Gloria sings in Italian, French, German, and Spanish. Her repertoire spans Opera, Oratorio, Art Songs, Broadway, and Popular Ballads. Experienced in singing Sacred Music, including Latin Chant, she has cantored for many events for the San Francisco Archdiocese. Gloria has the honor of being the youngest member selected to perform in the choir for Pope John-Paul II at a Mass celebrated during his visit to San Francisco. She performs as a soloist with orchestras and ensembles and has represented the Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera for various recitals and outreach programs in the Sacramento area. Ms. Gazave enjoys singing for special events and was chosen as the featured Opera singer for the Kettle Chips Company for the promotion of their new product.
Martinmas Lantern Walk
When: Sunday, November 10th, 4:30p-5:30pm
Where: Elsa Rupp Trail off of Old Stage Road in Mount Shasta, a lovely little trail which winds through the woods.
What to bring: Please bring a lantern with a candle inside for each person in your party to carry, and a lighter or matches to keep your candle aflame! (Each child who attends Cedar Grove & Acorn House will make their own lantern.) Here's a tutorial on how to make a simple lantern with a mason jar & tissue paper.
Order of events: We will gather at 4:30pm in the parking lot at Elsa Rupp Trail. We'll light our lanterns, practice singing our "lantern songs" a few times together, and then take a little walk through the woods. After the walk we will enjoy some cookies and warm cider together, then say goodbye.
Lantern songs to practice singing at home: Glimmer Lantern Glimmer and I Go With My Bright Little Lantern.
What is Martinmas?
Martinmas, or the festival of St. Martin, is celebrated around November 11 with a nighttime lantern walk. This festival is celebrated at Waldorf schools around the world and in many homes every year. It is a wonderful way to reflect on the changing season as fall's bounty gives way to snow.
Traditionally Martinmas coincided with the many busy activities around farms in late fall. This would be the time a farmer would harvest crops before the first snow as well as time to plant winter wheat for flour for the new year. These farm traditions often resulted in feast days, which marks Martinmas as a precursor to what we know today as Thanksgiving.
Who Was St. Martin?
Martinmas dates back to the Middle Ages and the veneration of St. Martin, a 4th-century bishop who founded an abbey in Tours, France. According to legend, one wintry day he encountered a shivering beggar and cut his cloak in half to give the poor man warmth. That night, Martin had a vision of Jesus wearing Martin’s divided red cloak. Martin is now the patron saint of tailors, as well as that of France.
Today in many European countries, the Martinmas festival culminates in a lantern walk at night, followed by a bonfire and songs. Traditionally the lanterns were carved out of harvested turnips or gourds, and illuminated with a candle—some speculate this is the origin of our jack-o-lantern—but can also be made of paper or jars. The lanterns and the bonfire symbolize light in the darkness of winter.
This is such a special event, a magical evening that children will hold in their hearts for the rest of their lives. We hope you will join us!
Trunk-or-treat!
Join Us For Our Annual Trunk-or-Treat!
Decorate Your Trunks!
Bring Organic or Handmade Treats to Share!
Non-Horrifying Costumes Only!
Fun crafts & group games from 2-3pm with trunk-or-treating starting at 3pm!
Lantern Walk
Lantern Walk, Sunday, November 10th, 4:30pm
Where: Elsa Rupp Trail off of Old Stage Road in Mount Shasta, a lovely little trail which winds through the woods.
What to bring: Please bring a lantern with a candle inside for each person in your party to carry, and a lighter or matches to keep your candle aflame! (Each child who attends Cedar Grove & Acorn House will make their own lantern.) Here's a tutorial on how to make a simple lantern with a mason jar & tissue paper.
Order of events: We will gather at 4:30pm in the parking lot at Elsa Rupp Trail. We'll light our lanterns, practice singing our "lantern songs" a few times together, and then take a little walk through the woods. After the walk we will enjoy some cookies and warm cider together, then say goodbye.
Lantern songs to practice singing at home: Glimmer Lantern Glimmer and I Go With My Bright Little Lantern.
Exploring Leathercraft
EXPLORING LEATHERCRAFT
Join leather artist Matthew Villaneuva in this three workshop introductory series to the fundamentals of leathercraft! Students will come to understand leather types and purposes, tools of the trade, how to manipulate leather, stitching, cutting, coloring, and embellishing pieces. Students will create their own personalized leather projects.
Course Details:
Open to students 13-18 years
Three Saturdays in July: July 13th, 20th, and 27th, 2–3:30pm
Students will learn about creativity and resourcefulness using various leather types, stitching styles, and associated equipment.
Students will have hands-on experience fabricating keepsake and usable items they can take home with them.
Students will learn fundamental knowledge of leathercraft including: terminology, tools and their purposes, and basic fabrication techniques.
$75 per student for the full 3-class session
Register for Exploring Leathercraft!
About Matthew Villanueva
Matthew Villanueva is a craftsman, bee keeper, musician, and jack-of-all-trades living in Dunsmuir, CA with his wife and young son. His diverse interests and talents have led him to careers in the entertainment industry, non-profits, health and wellness, and agriculture. Throughout all of his endeavors, Matthew’s servant’s heart and passion for people take the forefront, firmly believing that what we do together is much greater than what we can do alone.
Zines 101: An Introduction to Zines + DIY Culture
Zines 101: An Introduction to Zines + DIY Culture
Join Brenda Montaño, local Dunsmuir resident and long-time zine maker, for this inclusive introductory workshop on zines and do-it-yourself culture. Zines are DIY books made by the people for the people! Zines are meant to be accessible forms of art and tools for sharing stories not often seen or heard. Learn about DIY history and explore an extensive zine library; Learn how to create analog (not digital) zines utilizing your favorite type of art form (collage art, drawing, photography, creative writing, etc.); Build community throughout the weeks as we create collectively and plan for our Zine Release Party where you will get the chance to show and sell your work.
Course Details
For Youth Ages 8-14
Course Dates + Times:
Four Sessions: July 9, 10, 11, 12, 9am–12pm
+ Zine Release Party on Saturday July 13, 3-6pm
Course Outline:
July 9th: How to Be in Community: Intros + Zine Exploration // DIY History + How to Make a Mini-Zine
July 10th: How to Use Your Voice: Collective Zine Creation
July 11th: How to Use a Copy Machine: Field Trip Day!
July 12th: How to Plan a Party
July 13th: Zine Release Party!
Cost:
$120-$150 sliding scale + printing costs of students work for Zine Release Party. All other supplies included.
Discounts available for youth from the same household. Reach out to zineswithsol@gmail.com for inquiries!
Register for Zines 101!
About Brenda Montaño
Brenda Montaño is a Xicana Indigena born and raised in California. She is a traditional birth worker and artist rooted in tradition and DIY culture, grounded by Reproductive Justice, Indigenous wisdom and grassroots organizing. The written word, radical histories and collage art are her favorite mediums for creation. She carries 10+years of experience in creating Zines, and 5+ years in facilitating zine workshops and collaborative zine projects. She holds skills in filling the role of educator in various settings- elementary classrooms, on Zoom, with big audiences and in one-on-one settings with her birth clients. Brenda is bilingual (Español), skilled in digital and analogue design, and is mother to two beautiful children. Outside of media making and birth work, Brenda loves spending time with her plantitas and ancestor trees, laughing with her community, and learning new, necessary, self sustaining skills in preparation for the (r)evolution. Check out her work at www.zineswithsol.com and follow her on the socials @zineswithsol.
SMUDGE!
SMUDGE! Playful Art ExperienceS for Kids Ages 4-10
with teaching artist Cate Clother
Course Details
Young artists will experiment with a variety of mediums and will create two- and three-dimensional art pieces, including drawing, painting, collage, clay, printmaking, eco-arts and more!
Fridays, June 28-August 2, 10am–12pm
$30 per class
About Cate Clother
Cate Clother is is an artist and educator living on unceded land of the Winnemum Wintu and Okwanuchu (Dunsmuir, CA) with her husband and three children. She received her Bachelors in Fine Art from Westmont College and her Masters in Sustainability Education from Portland State. In her early career she worked as an assistant teacher at a Waldorf early childhood center, an art teacher at Portland Children’s Museum, a forest guide at Tryon Creek State Park, and a garden educator at Portland State’s Learning Gardens where she worked alongside low-income and refugee families. She also worked as a camp counselor at Lake Retreat Camp in Seattle, and at Kokrine Hills Camp in central Alaska with Athabascan and Yupik youth. For ten years, Cate lived and worked at Camphill Soltane, an intentional community on Lenape land (southeastern Pennsylvania) where she supported young adults with developmental disabilities. In 2018, Cate returned to her hometown of Dunsmuir, where Cate founded Cedar Grove in 2020. Along with her work for Cedar Grove, she is Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Cordella Press and one half of Clother Creative, a studio offering photography, design, illustration, and more. Cate was born in Mt. Shasta and raised in Dunsmuir by her grandparents, and is glad to have finally returned to the people and place she holds most dear.
Open House
Join us for our spring Open House!
Take a tour of our school, meet our teachers, see student work, and learn more about our offerings! Light refreshments will be served. All are welcome!
The Adventures of Huon of Bordeaux: NEW DATES TBA!
NEW DATES:
🌟 Monday, May 20th, 7pm
🌟 Tuesday, May 21st, 10am
You are warmly invited to our play:
"The Adventures of Huon of Bordeaux"
A collaboration of 6th-8th grade students of Cedar Grove School & Child Culture
At the American Eurythmy Studio:
5957 Dunsmuir Ave, Dunsmuir
Who was Huon of Bordeaux? Click here to learn more.
May Faire
Please join us for our May Faire!
NEW DATE: Sunday, May 12th, 3–5pm, 4403 Oak Street, Dunsmuir
We'll make flower crowns and dance around the Maypole together. We'll also have facepainting, live music, and a potluck! Please bring a bunch (or a basket!) of flowers for our flower crowns, a dish to share, and plates/cups/utensils for your family. And feel free to bring friends!
What is a May Faire?
May Day is celebrated in Waldorf schools around the world with a May Faire on/around May 1st, which is halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Historically, this day was widely observed throughout Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man as Beltane, one of the four major Celtic seasonal festivals. May Day was also celebrated by other ancient European cultures, including the Romans who celebrated the goddess Flora on the same day.
We hope to see you there!