Green grass, wild flowers and nature is at
its finest in Calaveras County. Time for day drives and family fun
at all the local events. May is around the corner and that can only
mean one thing here in Valley Springs! Snyder’s Valley Springs Pow
Wow is May 2, 3 and 4, 2008 and Calaveras County Jumping Frog
Jubilee during the third weekend.
The pow wow will be
celebrating its 34th year with rock hounds coming from all over the
world! This wonderful gathering of friends meet out in the meadow
of a working cattle ranch off Paloma Road just outside of town.
John and Betty Snyder awoke one morning with a loud knock on their
door. A fellow rock hound asked if they could look for rocks on
their ranch when other field trip plans fell through.
All they asked of the
group was to treat the livestock with respect and leave the land as
they found it. The event started to grow and became a bit of work
to put on. When the family took a vote as to whether or not have
the pow wow again the next year, it was odds 'against', 7 to 1. The
one was Betty. Now you know how democracy works on the ranch – did
I mention this would be their 34th year? The pow wow has grown to
over 200 vendors selling, buying and trading rocks, gems, minerals
and select homemade crafts. The pow wow also gives numerous local
charitable groups and community organizations a chance to
fundraise.
Wednesday evening the pow wow welcomes everyone
out to the old red barn for a Chili Cook-off. Bring your best batch
and compete for the trophy or bring a bowl and $5 to try a bit of
everyone else’s! Friday jumpstarts the pow wow with Children’s Day.
Local elementary schools bus in several classes to listen to Native
American stories, the mountain men teaching survival skills in
front of their teepee and new this year an authentic Chuck Wagon
and Cowboy Brian Jones. Several area Gem and Mineral Societies have
booths for the children and those wanting to spin the prize wheels,
or learn lapidary or gold panning skills. Early Friday and Saturday
mornings are also the only days where you can join a group of rock
hounds for field trips out back to the ranch where you can find
moss or opal agate, serpentine and jasper.
The public is welcome to
join the Tri Dam Lions Clubs and Tri Lakes Moose Lodge who both
offer dinners during the pow wow in the old red barn. Everywhere
you look, booths offer a wide variety of products. You can shop or
learn soap carving, wire wrapping and rock identification or come
see all the new booths this year! No one passes up the homemade
straw-berry shortcake offered by our local Optimist Club or all the
delicious fresh baked pies sold by the Community United Methodist
Church Ladies!
Saturday morning local
Remote Control Airplane hobbyists fly their models high over the
green fields and folks usually bring a blanket or their lawn chair
so they can sit back and enjoy the show. Next to the creek you’ll
find Antique Steam Engines, chugging and wheezing and down the line
a great collection of old Model T’s and Model A’s. We have great
spots for camping whether you are in an RV, trailer or tent!
Sunday is church-also in the old red barn
and the last day of the event. Filled with lots of performances
from local talent, the pow wow promises lots of family fun for
everyone! As always, parking for the pow wow is FREE and admission
is FREE! For more information and camping reservations, call (209)
772-1265 or visit us online at:
www.valleyspringspowwow.com.
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