PAST EVENTS

2009

Seventh Annual Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
Sunday, September 6, 2009

The 2009 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was a great success!

The Ventura Hillsides Music Festival had another successful year due to widespread community support. Thank You, Ventura!

A big thanks also goes to:

The Neville Brothers
Dave Mason
Keb' Mo'
Jay Nash

Watershed Revolution film
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Elks Lodge, Ventura 
&
Wednesday, June 24, 7 PM
Chaparral Auditorium, Ojai

Ventura Hillsides Conservancy presented this fun, family-friendly, free and educational scenic bike ride along the Ventura River from City Parking Lot in Ventura to Foster Park. The fun ride featured stops along the way at key sites such as land donated to the Conservancy and the Ventura River Watershed. The stops educated riders about how watersheds function, the importance of estuaries, and provided an opportunity to visit the land trust's recent riverside land acquisition, the Waldo Trust property. The end-point for the ride was Foster Park, where refreshments were waiting. The riders then returned back to the start in Ventura. The total length of the roundtrip ride was 12 miles.




Earth Day Expo in Ventura
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Promenade Park, Ventura
The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy participated in this family-centered community environmental celebration and green products expo. Hosted by the City of Ventura.

Annual Meeting
Friday, April 17, 2009
Patagonia's Firehouse Meeting Hall, Ventura
The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy promoted land conservation and its achievements at this event generously hosted by Patagonia. In addition to wine tasting by Walker Wines, there were status reports and two unique presentations: a talk by Vanessa Hernandez, of Congresswoman Lois Capp's office and a screening of a trailer of Rich Reid's upcoming documentary, Watershed Revolution.


2008


Aloha Turkey Roundup 8K/4K Run/Walk
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Arroyo Verde Park , Ventura


We ran for the hills! And, supported the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy while having a great time with the whole family in Arroyo Verde Park. The Aloha Steakhouse generously sponsored this cross-country run/walk and pancake aloha breakfast produced by local N'Step Events. Race registration was online and at Inside Track, Ventura.

Annual VHC Volunteer Celebration & Recognition
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Arroyo Verde Park, Redwood Glen BBQ area

All VHC volunteers were invited for an afternoon of music, food and friendship as we celebrate the many contributions of VHC volunteers with recognition and awards for their commitment to volunteering with the land trust. The Dog and Pony Show provided Texas Soul and Roots music, while the crowd enjoyed a wonderful tamale lunch.

The 2008 Volunteer Awards were presented to Kate Larramendy and Ken Merideth for their tireless devotion over the past six years.  Kate was honored for her many creative contributions and Ken was recognized for his commitment to serving as Treasurer for the organization. 

The 2008 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was a great success! The Ventura Hillsides Music Festival had another successful year due to widespread community support. Once again our bucolic festival of music, food and fun was packed with people and families of all ages. A big thanks also goes to: Little Feat Taj Mahal Mason Jennings Todd Hannigan & the Heavy 29's Rey Fresco and our generous 2008 Music Festival sponsors>

Photo: Amanda Peacock	Photo: Amanda Peacock	Photo: Amanda Peacock

The sold out 2007 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was a big success! The Festival raised community awareness of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy and over $150,000 in funds for the Conservancy’s open space conservation projects.

The artistic lineup offered a mix of musical sounds that provided something for everyone. Toots & the Maytals, the headliner act for the festival, had the audience on their feet dancing, shouting and grooving to Jamaican soul classic reggae sound until the sun set. The all-star lineup included the hugely popular and talented Jack Johnson, the amazing Robert Cray Band and began with the tour de force vocals of Chris Pierce. All in all, it was a great afternoon of world-class music in a beautiful outdoor setting.

The 2007 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was sponsored in part by a host of community partners. Kipp, Brandt, and Drummond signed on as Title Sponsor for 2007, and Chipotle was the Festival's first Diamond-level sponsor. They were joined by the City of Ventura, the Ventura County Star, Gold Coast Broadcasting, Patagonia, Inc., Inc., Crowne Plaza, Ventura Toyota, Castoro Cellars, Firestone Walker Fine Ales, Horny Toad, L'Acoustics, and Rat Sound. Check out more photos of the 2007 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival >

Photo: Monica White
Photo: Amanda Peacock	Photo: Amanda Peacock

"Our Big Backyard" Local Wildlife Appearance in Arroyo Verde Park
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

This fun outdoor education event featured live introductions to various wild animals that inhabit Ventura's hillsides by professional wildlife naturalists from Wildlife Experience, a wildlife conservation and education organization based in Oak View. The naturalists provided tips on how to deal with wild animals that end up in backyards, information about their survival strategies and behavior as well as how to deal them when encountered. An opossum, skunk, skunk kitten and hawk impressed youth and adults alike at this free community outreach event in Arroyo Verde Park park. This event was sponsored by Mid-State Bank Foundation.



2006

Turkey Roundup 10K & 2 Mile Gobbler's Run/Walk
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

Aloha Steakhouse presented a benefit for the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy that featured a morning of aloha and athletic outdoor fun. The scenic 10K along Arroyo Verde Park's hilly trails challenged runners from all over. There were also a 2 Mile fun run/walk, a Kid's Half Mile Roundup Run, 'Ohana breakfast, flower leis, prizes and free therapeutic sports massages for runners and turkeys donated by Cisco Food.

2006 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The fourth annual Ventura Hillsides Music Festival can only be called a success. Over 2,700 people escaped inland heat and attended the hazy and cool summer afternoon concert on Sept. 30, 2006. The concert event raised over $100,000 for the land conservancy's mission of acquiring open space to preserve the landmark Two Trees and surrounding hillsides.

Five-time Grammy-winner Michael McDonald led an all-star lineup of musical talent. The lineup was rounded out by long-time VHC supporter Jackson Browne with Fred Martin & the Levite Camp, Crosby Loggins and the Lead Birds, and Brett Dennen. Suprise guest Kenny Loggins, an aclaimed singer-songwriter and guitarist and father of Crosby Loggins, made an appearance and performed to the delight of the audience.

This year's Festival featured expanded family fun with food, drinks, educational displays from environmental non-profit groups, and a children's area with the City of Ventura's popular climbing wall and other youth activities. The Festival afforded a rare opportunity to enjoy superb live music in one of Ventura’s most beautiful outdoor settings, Arroyo Verde Park.

The Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was again sponsored, in part, by a host of community partners. Ventura Toyota signed on as a Title Sponsor for the second year in a row. They were joined by the Ventura County Star, the City of Ventura, Patagonia, Inc., Castoro Cellars, The Octopus 95.9 FM, Newstalk KVTA 1520 AM, and Firestone Walker Fine Ales.  See more photos of the 2006 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival>

Photo: Amanda Peacock		Photo: Amanda Peacock

Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, July 16, 2006 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is an official partner with the City of Ventura's Partners in Progress Adopt-A-Park program and welcomed volunteers to help keep Arroyo Verde Park litter-free. Volunteers were rewarded with delicious snacks and cool beverages - juice, water and sodas. Gloves, bags and pickup tools were provided by the City of Ventura.


Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, June 11, 2006 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is an official partner with the City of Ventura's Partners in Progress Adopt-A-Park program and welcomed volunteers to help keep Arroyo Verde Park litter-free. Volunteers were rewarded with delicious snacks and cool beverages - juice, water and sodas. Gloves, bags and pickup tools were provided by the City of Ventura.


Wildflower Walkabout, Too!
Sunday, May 21, 2006 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

Wildflower Walkabout , Too! spring flower event was organized for all ages with special activities for youth and adults. It was the the seventh in the VHC's series of educational outreach programs about Ventura's open spaces that took place Sunday, May 21st, 2006. Festivities centered on Arroyo Verde Park's Arroyo Corto barbeque area.

The centerpiece for Wildflower Walkabout , Too! was guided hikes by botanists. Participants viewed the latest wildflowers along the trails while learning about our local botanical community the Venturan Coastal Sage Scrub.  Back in the park, there was an edible plants art project led by the Green Cure. The Dance With Aloha Hula School started the celebration with a Hawaiian dance demonstration. 

Wildflower Walkabout , Too! was sponsored by a generous grant from the Mid-State Bank & Trust Foundation.  The event marks the third consecutive year of support for the Ventura Hillside Conservancy's educational outreach programs by this local business partner.


Annual Membership Meeting
Sunday, March 26, 2006 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Ventura City Hall, Atrium Room, 501 Poli St.

We reviewed the VHC's achievements in 2005 and its plans for the future. Following the presenation we got outside and enjoyed the hillsides' gifts by hiking to the top of Grant Park led by Councilman Brian Brennan. Current members and those interested in our hillsides were invited.


Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, March 19, 2006 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is an official partner with the City of Ventura's Partners in Progress Adopt-A-Park program and welcomed volunteers to help keep Arroyo Verde Park litter-free. Volunteers were rewarded with delicious snacks and cool beverages - juice, water and sodas. Gloves, bags and pickup tools were provided by the City of Ventura.


Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, January 22, 2006 from 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

As an official partner with the City of Ventura's Partners in Progress Adopt-A-Park program the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is helped to keep Arroyo Verde Park litter-free. Volunteers enjoyed great snacks and beverages while they cleaned up the trails and play areas and helped preserve the beauty of this great community park. Gloves, bags and pickup tools were provided by the City of Ventura.

2005

Saxipak'a – A Day of Chumash Tradition
Sunday, November 20, 2005 from 2:00 PM– 4:00 PM
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

This sixth event, in an ongoing series of educational outreach pertaining to Ventura’s open space environment, was an exploration of the culture and lore of the native peoples of the Ventura County. A Chumash elder told stories, sang, and lead an art project in Ventura’s Arroyo Verde Park. The free event took take place near the Park’s Arroyo Corto barbeque area.

Saxipak'a means "once upon a time," and signals the telling of stories that hand down Chumash tradition. Traditional Chumash songs and a Chumash art project rounded out the afternoon.

The Ventura Hillside Conservancy’s 2005 Educational Outreach events are underwritten by our community business partner Mid-State Bank & Trust.  Saxipak'a – A Day of Chumash Tradition was also made possible by the support from the City of Ventura’s Community Services Department Recreation Division.


Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, November 20, 2005 from 4:00pm - 5:30pm
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is an official partner with the City of Ventura's Partners in Progress Adopt-A-Park program. We hosted a raffle and provided refreshments for volunteers. The city supplied gloves, trash bags and pickup tools. There were raffle tickets and a chance to win prizes from local Ventura businesses, as well as refreshments and snacks for the volunteers.


2005 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
Sunday, September 11, 2005 from 2 PM to 6 PM
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura


The Conservancy was proud to host the 2005 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival, a day of music and entertainment, in Arroyo Verde Park to raise funds and awareness of VHC’s land preservation efforts.  This year, the festival featured Grammy-award winning Los Lobos, the local swing phenoms with the global following Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and surfer/singer/songwriter Donavon Frankenreiter and country music duo Hanna-McEuen.

The Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was sponsored in part by a host of generous Ventura and Central Coast business and government partners which include:

The 2005 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was sponsored in part by a host of Ventura and Central Coast business and government partners, including, Title Sponsor Ventura Toyota, Gold Coast Broadcasting, Ventura County Star, Trader Joe's, Castoro Cellars, Firestone Walker Fine Ales, Patagonia, Inc. and the City of Ventura.

Adopt-A-Park Cleanup & Fun
Sunday, July 17, 2005 from 2PM– 6PM
Near the entrance, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy continues to assist with the Partners in Progress for a Beautiful Ventura Adopt-A-Park program throughout the year. Local residents volunteered to help beautify Arroyo Verde Park playfields and hillside trails. Gloves, trash bags, pickup tools were provided by the City of Ventura. Raffle tickets and a chance to win prizes from local Ventura businesses, refreshments and snacks were given to all volunteers.

Ventura Rocks!
Sunday, May 1, 2005 from 2PM to 4PM
Arroyo Corto barbeque area, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

This was the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy fifth educational outreach event pertaining to Ventura’s open space environment. Ventura Rocks! is an exploration of the geology and soils that comprise the earth beneath our feet.

Ventura’s history as an oil and ranching town is a direct result of the minerals and geologic structure that supported petroleum deposits and for the soils that supported good quality grazing lands for ranching. Registered geologists explained how this unique mix of minerals and geological processes combine in the soil and mineral patterns that make up the hillsides. Members of local rock and gem clubs were on hand displaying earth’s mineral curiosities. On the action-side of the geology theme, a rock-climbing wall was there so that participants can try their hand at a popular sport that has its own connections to our community.

Ventura Rocks! was made possible by support from the City of Ventura’s Community Services Department Recreation Division, who provided the climbing wall and professional activity staffing. It was Free event took place near the Arroyo Verde Park’s Arroyo Corto barbeque area.

2006

Living on the Edge
Sunday, November 21, 2004 from 2PM to 4PM
Arroyo Corto barbeque area, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

Living on the Edge was the fourth in the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy's ongoing series of educational events pertaining to Ventura's opens space. Numerous live animals (a 7 month old mountain lion, skunk, raccoon, etc.) were presented by professional handlers in this event that was targeted to all ages. Wildlife biologists and naturalists gave species-specific talks related to how the animals use the environment. Wildlife experts provided tips on how to deal with wild animals that end up in backyards, as well as how to deal with wildlife we encounter in their own habitat. Information about mountain lion safety, a relevant topic for many Californians, was presented. Living on the Edge was made possible by support from the California Wildlife Center, the Mountain Lion Foundation, the Mountains Restoration Trust, the Santa Monica Mountains Wildlands Project and the Nature of Wildworks.


2004 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
Sunday, September 12, 2004 from 2 PM to 6 PM
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The 2004 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was held Sunday, September 12, 2004 in Arroyo Verde Park. It was a day of music, conservation, and community with held in Arroyo Verde Park to raise funds and awareness of our land preservation efforts. Featured artists were singer/songwriter Jackson Browne, alternative country/rock artist Lucinda Williams, singer/ songwriter Glen Phillips from Toad the Wet Sprocket, and the vocal harmonic rock band Venice. The event reached over 2,500 audience members and was a resounding success both from a fundraising and a consciousness-raising perspective. Our sincere thanks to all of the artists, volunteers, and the audience who combined to make our second Festival a memorable one!

The Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was sponsored in part by a host of Ventura and Central Coast business and government partners, including Gold Coast Broadcasting, Trader Joes, Castoro Cellars, Firestone Brewery, Patagonia and the City of Ventura Public Works Department Water Division.


Wildflower Walkabout
Sunday, April 18, 2004 from 2 PM to 4 PM
Arroyo Corto barbeque area, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy partnered with the California Native Plant Society-Channel Islands Chapter to feature special activities and guided hikes lead by botanists for kids and for adults. A group mural was created by participants and live music was provided by Ventura singer-songwriter J. Peter Bowles who performed his blend of folk, country and bluegrass.

Click here for photos and details from the event.

Annual Membership Meeting
Wednesday, February 18, 2004, 6 PM
Elizabeth Topping Room, E. P. Foster Libary, Ventura

The Annual Meeting with the Board of Trustees and members of the Ventura Hillsides Conservancy was a success. Trustees presented a review of achievements in 2003 and a preview of the Conservancy's current goals and events planned for 2004. It was standing room only with attendance by local city representatives and concerned citizens filling the venue to capacity.

2003


Walk on the Wild Side
Sunday, November 9, 2003 from 2 PM to 4 PM
Arroyo Corto barbeque area, Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy presented the second in its series of educational outreach events about Ventura's open spaces. Take a Walk on the Wild Side  was organized for all ages, with a biologist-guided hike through the park's hillside trails, displays of local indigenous plants and wild life, a presentation by the Ojai Raptor Center, craft projects, visual and tactile displays about the local habitat and special guest actor Jon Cypher.

Click here for photos and details from the event.


2003 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival
Saturday, September 13th, 2003 from 2 PM to dusk
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The 2003 Ventura Hillsides Music Festival was the inaugural benefit concert to support the non-profit Ventura Hillsides Conservancy's mission. The sold out concert ended up raising over $180,000 with more than 4,000 people attending the outdoor afternoon event.

People of all ages enjoyed the festival atmosphere and well-known musical artists Jackson Browne, Jack Johnson, and Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen, along with special guest Keb' 'Mo. These artists donated their talents in support of our efforts to preserve Ventura's hillsides, canyons and open space.

"We are delighted at the phenomenal response to our first major fundraising effort. Venturans are clearly dedicated to our open space preservation mission " said Brooke Ashworth, the land trust's President.

Support for the event was demonstrated by a number of local businesses, including Patagonia, Inc., Gold Coast Broadcasting, Holiday Inn Ventura, Creative Sales, The Sign Place, Trader Joe's, VC Reporter, Ventura Harbor Boatyard, Roll's Scaffold & Equipment, Gary Hughes Security, Apex Construction, Franky's, J. Wolf Catering, Danny's Deli, The Ojai Vineyard, Tulocay Winery and John Robert Powers.


Ventura Hillsides Conservancy is Announced
Friday, April 25, 2003, 11:00 AM
Arroyo Verde Park, Ventura

The Ventura Hillsides Conservancy, a 501(c)(3) public benefit land trust, publicly announced its formation and intent to acquire hillside and open space property surrounding Ventura. The announcement was attended by members of the local community and city council.

Click here for details and photos from this exciting day.




Stephen Svete
Email: press@venturahillsides.org