Tick, tick, tick. One hour to madness. Here we go into the three-day weekend with more things to do than firecrackers have fuses. The Dalles Downtown is kicking things off in an hour with First Friday. More than 30 businesses are staying open late with all sorts of activities happening including live music, specials, drinks, treats and more.

Check out all the latest entertainment and music news including Ruins, Granada, Columbia Center for Arts, Goldendale, Fort Dalles Riders Club, Bargeway Pub, River City Saloon, Double Mountain, Zim’s, Working Hands Beer, Stave and Stone, White Salmon Library, Kickstand Coffee, HR Library, Jacob Williams, Route 30, Skamania Lodge, Maupin.

Too Slim & The Taildraggers will be on tap tonight at the opening of the Stevenson’s Gorge, Blues and Brews Festival. There are a ton of options in days to come for live music and entertainment venues including Bargeway Pub, Ruins, TD Library, HR Library, Working Hands Beer, Double Mountain, The Pines, TD Arts Center, Grateful Vineyard, The Pines, Jacob Williams HR Elks, Route 30, Skamania Lodge, Last Stop Saloon, Maupin, Kickstand Coffee, Stevenson.

We bring a 9-foot Steinway grand piano on a flatbed trailer to National Parks, urban greenspaces, working ranches, farms, and historical sites for classical music concerts that connect people with each landscape.

Read In Memory of Fifty Ghosts a poem by Cole Goodwin honoring the memory of the Pulse LGBTQ+ Night Club Shooting in Orlando, FL on June 12th, 2016.

Check out Maiden NW and this week’s roundup of shows and entertainment, including Zim’s, Granada, Route 30, Working Hands Beer, River City Saloon, Taphouse 64, Tabby’s Hole, Ruins, TD Arts Center, St. Peter’s Landmark, White Salmon Library, Grateful Vineyard, Jackson Park, The Dalles Library.

Fourth-graders hit the trail Tuesday morning, June 7, at Dry Hollow Elementary as the classes re-enacted the Oregon Trail historical journey from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City.

Top Gun: Maverick is a little silly on the surface, but at its heart it is about jaw-dropping aerial maneuvers, which left me feeling like a little kid excited to go home and pretend to be a death-defying pilot myself.

On May 21st the pro anglers hosted local community members as they took part in a Fish with a Pro Competition. First place went to Dr. Lorelle Davies from Columbia Gorge Community College, second place went to Todd Carpenter from the Last Stop Saloon, and third place went to Deborah Tattershall from Shilo Inn.

Mid-Columbia Senior Center has announced a road trip, parking lot sale and the return of Saturday Night Bingo! Keep reading to learn more about these exciting events.

June is a time for communities to come together to celebrate LGBTQIA+ love, excellence, and the freedom to be yourself. Keep reading to find out about Pride events happening in the Gorge and the Mid-Columbia Region!

Activities include a color run/walk, pronoun button-making and “Let’s taco ‘bout it,” which will feature tacos, an informational discussion of LGBTQ+ issues and a viewing of the documentary Texas Strong. Interested people may RSVP for the events, request accessibility accommodations, and get the Zoom links by emailing EQUAL@cgcc.edu.

Over 30 businesses will be open late Friday, June 3 as a grassroots movement is fueling some really fun times in downtown The Dalles. Businesses will feature their favorite things about summer. From sidewalk chalk art, live music, special treats, grand openings and more it will be an amazing night to kick off the summer. Hours 5 to 8 p.m.

Richard Murrow is just one of the dozens of shows to see during the weekend as warm weather has venues popping like bubble wrap. Venues include Bargeway Pub, Maupin, Ruins, Granada, MoCo, Route 30, Double Mountain, Everybody’s Brewing, Grateful Vineyard, St. Peter’s Landmark, Zim’s, TD Library, Thunder Island, HR Library, The Pines, Jackson Park, 64 Taphouse, TD Eagles, White Salmon, Red Carpet Karaoke and Tabby’s Hole.

”This is going to be a fun, free and family-friendly event for all,” said Mural Fest Committee member Rachel Carter. “We will have appetizers from Bargeway Pub, music by Brian Greeley, live art being created by Denae Manion and a historical scavenger hunt for visitors to engage in The Dalles history.”

Summer Solstice Celebration at Goldendale Observatory State Park will be on Tuesday, June 21, from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. This unique fundraiser combines art and astronomy and will feature solar viewing through the Observatory telescope, a presentation on the history of the Observatory, food, beverages, raffles, and a display of prize-winning solar-themed artworks from the Chamber’s recent art contest.

Poet Lydia Valentine is the 2021-2023 City of Tacoma Poet Laureate and author of Brief Black Candles. Poet Christina Vega is the publisher at Blue Cactus Press and author of a poetry collection, Still Clutching Maps. Christina believes we have the power to reshape our communities with principles of Emergent Strategy, transformative justice, and collective laboring of love.

The Cemetery Tales video was one of two videos to win the silver award in the category “non-broadcast biography.” Director/ producer Joe Garoutte said, “The gold award in that category went to a series about Randy Travis, funded by Warner Music Nashville. It’s pretty tough to outdo that kind of money!”

A gravel route was added this year, leaving riders to choose between four unique and scenic rides. Join us for a fun day of riding - topped off with poker, a whiskey tasting, raffle & silent auction!

Find out what is happening at the libraries in Wasco County with this newsletter, which is packed full of events and activities.