Discover Solano: Fall/Winter 2022

wine-tastingexperience Wagner family lets

in the windflit

BY TODD R. HANSEN

The oracle of Suisun Valley has arrived.

The Caymus-Suisun Winery was so proclaimed on Aug. 3, 2017, when the Solano County Planning Com mission approved the project for 4991 Suisun Valley Road.

The Board of Supervisors would affirm that decision soon after op ponents had appealed it.

The winery, carrying from Napa County the pedigree of the Wagner Family of Wines and the potency of the Caymus label, also has been described as the centerpiece to Solano County’s agricultural tourism; the piper to the valley of petite sirah.

The winery, with about 60,000 square feet of building space and a permitted capacity to produce 200,000 gallons of wine annually, is now open.

“We had a design for this, but Covid set us back two years, so it turned out to be a 4 1/2 year project,” said Charlie Wagner, the son of Caymus patriarch, Chuck Wagner, and the latest generation in a winemaking tradition the family says dates back at least 165 years.

Chuck Wagner found ed the Wagner Family of Wines with his parents –Charlie and Lorna Belle Glos Wagner – in 1972. Charlie Wagner Sr. began as a home winemaker in the 1960s.

Now Charlie Wagner, the third generation by name, and his sister, Jenny Wagner, are carry ing on the legacy.

Charley Wagner and Jenny Wagner, of the Wagner family, are seen here at CaymusSuisun Winery in Suisun Valley, Aug. 4.

PHOTOS BY ROBINSON KUNTZ

More than 700 people wandered through the winery showcase on the an nual Passport Sunday event held April 24 – the first look into the modern glass and steel architectural style that, as Chuck Wagner said during a recent in terview, was meant to be different than anything else in the valley.

The winery was closed again for a week or so, then reopened in its full gust.

“It kind of has an Apple store feel to it,” said Charlie Wagner, adding that was the early inspiration.

“We really wanted to show off the wind . . . to use it as a tool to keep (cus tomers) comfortable,” he added.

It has a kind of colored-glass, mapstyled sculpture depicting the valley and its stewards, standing in a room that pro vides a temperature buffer between the heat of nature, which helps the grapes grow, and the cool of the retail space, which preserves the wine.

An area of the tasting building, which can be divided into a private hideaway, has a rug with the design of Suisun Creek meandering through the weave and a light fixture with an eclectic vineyard burn pile backstory, and the irony that it is treated so it cannot catch fire.

Just before the gateway to that private room stands a 27-year-old desert rose, a

great source of pride.

Add the 2,000 trees and plants that supplement the vineyard landscape –most especially the rows-plus of the symbolic palm tree that was also planted on the winery logo and brand, but also the fruit trees and vegetable gardens –and it is fairly safe to say that CaymusSuisun has the look and feel of no other winery in California.

The glass walls of the tasting building open to those winds, and the outdoor spaces are breezy and show off how the wind caresses the trees and foliage. The winery has already held events during which long tables were placed on a walk way lined by palms on either side.

That pathway leads to the fruit trees and gardens, and links to an other path that leads to the neighbor ing Village 360 winery.

And when fall and winter chills the valley ambient, the walls can still be opened as the floors are heated for guest comfort.

Once the guests enjoy a flight of dif ferent wines, or a glass of wine if pre ferred, they are not rushed out the door.

“We encourage people to go out and fill a basket (with seasonal fruits and vegetables) they can take or eat here,” Charlie Wagner said.

But the journey into the winery begins with a staff greeting – staff that includes thoroughly trained managers and wine educators and, of course, support staff.

The Wagners deflect the expecta tions of their arrival – if not their own ambitions – of what the Caymus-Suisun Winery means to the valley and Solano in general.

It is a work in progress, they say, with all possibilities alive and well, including restaurants and hotels and imagination’s limits.

Jenny Wagner gestures while speaking at the Caymus-Suisun Winery in Suisun Valley, Aug. 4.

‘We really wanted to show off windthe . to use it as a tool to keep (customers) comfortable.’ CHUCK

But the family emphasizes that vi sion is less its own business plan as it is the strategic master plan for the entire valley, a vision that realistically began with the Lanza winemaking family and the designation of the valley as an American Viticultural Area in 1982.

“You are going to make my father’s vision a reality,” Ron Lanza told Chuck Wagner during the Planning Commis sion meeting.

Put aside the environment and atmosphere of the newest of more than a dozen wineries now operating in the valley, Caymus-Suisun is still about the wines. That heritage is on full exhibit in the retail room, where not only are the two Suisun-specific wines – the original Grand Durif from 2015 and now The Walking Fool, a red wine blend first available in 2019 – can be purchased.

That includes wines from Napa, Monterey, San Benito, Australia and Argentina, all because Solano County did not place restrictions of locally grown or regionally grown wines on the Wagners.

The Walking Fool label continues the Wagners’ affinity for its family his tory.

Taken from a family photo, it depicts Johannes Glos – Chuck Wagner’s greatgrandfather and his children’s greatgreat grandfather – carrying what appears to be two canvas bags of spring water at each end of a wooden yolk on his shoulders. He is carrying the water from his family homestead on Howl Mountain above St. Helena, down to his business below.

That yolk still makes appearances at family gatherings.

Another label uses the name, Em

molo, the maiden name of Charlie’s and Jenny’s mother. Their greatgrandfather, Salvatore Emmolo, and later their grandfather, Frank Emmolo, owned and operated a nursery out of Rutherford that provided vineyard stock throughout the region, some of which can be found at Village 360.

That particular 2021 Sauvignon blanc has 72% of the grapes com ing from Suisun Valley. Similarly, the 2020 Sea Sun Chardonnay is made from 71% local fruit.

Jenny Wagner remembers compar ing the wines to those made from Napa grapes and was unable to distinguish the two by quality, and so the Suisun wine menu expanded.

It is Jenny Wagner who seems to take the greatest joy in finding new flavors from the vineyards planted –with 500 acres owned or leased by the Wagners. She is currently working on some Italian varieties.

Charlie Wagner describes Suisun Valley as Napa Valley compressed into six miles.

One end of the valley has tempera tures and soils that favors some grape varieties, while other pockets favor completely different varieties. So petite sirah – or grand durif –may ultimately be the wine the valley becomes most famous for, the valley diversity means the wine offerings also will be diverse.

Which takes the Wagner siblings up the hillside to what they describe as their fa vorite vineyard, where the vines grow in tough rocky soil by design, and fashion their unte

thered branches to meet the challenges of the stronger winds.

It is from this vineyard the Wagners will produce a grenache and a mataro.

The Wagners expect to see more young winemakers find their way into Suisun Valley, if only because the costs are far more inviting than Napa and other more established growing areas. But the diversity is an attraction, too.

That noted, the Wagners have actu ally been in Suisun Valley for a decade, recognizing the grapes grown there were of high quality, too, and what was grown was sent back to the Caymus home in Rutherford.

The family also operates the 160,600-square-foot production and bottling facility, Caymus Cordelia, on Cordelia Road, which is permitted for up to 5 million gallons per year. It is there the wines created in Suisun Valley go to be bottled. The facility also is permitted for 500,000 gallons of distilled liquor per year.

The Wagners do not reveal what their current production level is, nor do they say what their investment into the valley has been – except to say it is the largest investment of any of its operations.

And the Wagners – and the valley –are just beginning.

“All options are on the table,” Charlie Wagner said. DS

Charlie Wagner gestures while speaking at the Caymus-Suisun Winery in Suisun Valley, Aug. 4.

Solano College student receives diploma posthumously

Anekka Thomas received a special delivery in early August when her daughter Janon’s diploma arrived from Solano Community College.

Janon Marie Thomas died April 27 from a fluke aspira tion pneumonia. Janon had completed enough of her studies to be awarded an associate of arts degree in liberal studies. Her family participated in the drive-thru ceremony at the college in May.

“It was a really proud mo ment,” Anekka Thomas said. “She was always working hard on her education, even on days when she was hospital ized. I have pictures of it. All I could think was, ‘Baby girl, you did it.’ ”

Celia Esposito-Noy, president and superinten dent at Solano College, said that in her seven years at the Rockville campus she couldn’t recall having a student die just days before graduation.

“I’ve always said that we’ve wanted to go above and beyond to reach our students,” Esposito-Noy said. “We were very happy for the family. Her mother was quite touched by it.”

Janon couldn’t complete her finals in the spring and missed a few weeks of school. But she was still able to com plete her task of graduating from the college. She had accrued enough cred its for her degree to be moved from

an associate of science in biology to the associate of arts in liberal studies.

“Thankfully there was something we could do for the student and parents,” said Kristin Conner of Counseling Services. “We hope it can bring some closure for loved ones.”

Janon had only 30% lung volume at the time of her death and was unable to fight any harder than she did for 22 years, her mother said. Her body sim ply had had enough. She spent her life in and out of the hospital from the age

of six weeks and underwent 43 surgeries.

Anekka Thomas said through all of that, becoming a nurse was so important to Janon and had she not died “she would’ve been the best pediatric surgical nurse ever.”

“She would have been outstanding,” Thomas said. “At Stanford, she had execu tives and administrators give her their information because they knew she would be a great nurse.”

With the hand life dealt her, Janon always persevered and never gave up, her mother said. She told her mother many times she could feel sor ry for herself or make the best with the “cards I was dealt” because she “woke up today” and felt blessed.

“She was a very sweet, sweet person,” Anneka Thomas said. “She would always tell you like it was. She would give you the shirt off her back if you needed it. That’s why she wanted to go into nursing.”

Janon loved to help children. She would often encourage children to help learn how to advocate for them selves. She also helped children tran sition from children’s medical care to adult care.

A month after she died, she received a stipend in the mail for her work. DS

Anekka Thomas holds a photograph of her daughter, Janon, in downtown Suisun City.

ARTPROJECTSSUISUN DRESS UP PUBLIC SPACES IN

STORY BY SUSAN HILAND BY ROBINSON KUNTZ

A new public art piece is seen in front of the Solano Transportation Authority building in Suisun City.

Apublic art campaign in the city has gained steam this year with plans for a child-focused mural project at the community center to compliment new artwork downtown and existing 21st century projects that include the 9/11 memorial in front of the fire station.

The campaign is an offshoot of an awareness at the city that public art transforms spaces and gives com munities an opportunity to engage visitors and residents with a flavor of the community.

Suisun City created its Public Art Policy, which is managed by the staff of the Recreation, Parks and Marina De partment with the Recreation, Parks, Marina and Arts Commission provid ing oversight and recommendations to the City Council for the beautification of the city.

The latest project that was complet ed in January with art pieces was the new Solano Transportation Authority building at 423 Main St. The art is a spectacular transportation-themed

construct with pieces outside and inside the building.

“Passage & Flow” was created by Roger W. Stroller. It is a stainless steel flame created with an eye toward geometry metaphor and abstraction in the pursuit of an enduring work of art with the intent to become an iconic symbol of the Solano Transportation Authority.

“Until Then” is a waving figure that simulates the farewells wished to those who are leaving on a trip. The piece was created by Terrence Martin. It has a stainless steel mirror finish.

The last piece is called “Protect Restore Regenerate” and was created by Sara Corbett and Aaron Haldiman.

The piece is a map of Solano County incorporating the old and the new with a vision of the future. The materials to create the artwork include reclaimed wood, stainless steel, aluminum, acrylic, paint and other materials.

In addition to the art pieces at the new Solano Transportation Author ity building, across the street at the marina are several beautified utility boxes painted by Gail Byrdsong and

Solano Community College students

Emily Carcamo, Sidney Laws, Shanelle Parker, Melauka Turner, Katie Mulen burg, Christian Metivier and Jordier McCallister.

This project is called “Out of the Box” and was completed in 2018.

“Out of the Box” was a way to cel ebrate the talent of local artists. The program also helped to beautify the city, specifically the downtown utility boxes.

Take a walk around the waterfront to view all the utility boxes from Mc Callister's creation next to the city’s lighthouse near Mike Day Memorial Park to Carcamo’s box near the Athe nian Grill.

Byrdsong hand-painted her utility box while the Solano College students created artistic vinyl wraps specifically for each of their utility boxes.

The student artists participated in the art program through their graphic design and illustration class, which was taught by Sarah Wasley-Smith. Wasley-Smith organized the students’ applications and volunteered time to work on the templates with Sequoia Signs & Graphics Inc.

The “Out of the Box” program is part the Keep Suisun City Clean Pro gram, which is aimed at improving the maintenance, upkeep and beautifica tion of the city.

Suisun City Fire Department helped to bring a piece of history to the city in 2011 with a moving piece of artwork.

Retired Suisun City Fire Chief Mike O’Brien came across an ad in the Fire Chief magazine offering fire depart ments pieces from the World Trade Center. O’Brien got the idea to create a memorial in front of the main fire station to remind people of what hap pened on 9/11 and to memorialize the people who died that day.

It took some work.

O’Brien along with Suisun City fire fighters and their supporters worked

A painted utility box near the Suisun City waterfront.

through New York Port Authority bureaucratic red tape, specifically the insurance required by the Port Authority, which almost kept the two 10-foot-long steel beams from arriv ing here in time to be part of the com munity’s 10th anniversary memorial of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The beams were greeted with sirens, flashing lights and waving flags on Sept. 8, 2011. Also on the truck was a 4-foot-long I-beam from the World Trade Center, which Rio Vista fire fighters turned into artwork at their station.

For a year, the beams stayed in a trailer behind Suisun City Hall while supports raised money for an installa tion. A tall steel 9/11 sculpture cre ated by a Suisun City welder is still on display inside City Hall for those who would like to view it.

The memorial was finished by volunteer firefighters just before the

attack’s anniversary in 2013. It now consists of two 10-foot sections of a steel beam from the World Trade Center in a display designed by Suisun Fire Department driver/operator Steve Gunther. It is located in front of the main fire station building.

Each year on Sept. 11, the fire sta tion hosts a dawn ceremony by ringing a bell for when the Twin Towers fell, when the Pentagon was struck and when another highjacked passenger jet crashed in Pennsylvania.

Looking toward the future, the Recreation, Parks, Marina and Arts Commission has been talking about incorporating murals into the public art inventory of the city. They received approval in July to start a new project that will incorporate a mural on the outside sound wall, facing inward to ward the preschool playground, at the Joseph A. Nelson Community Center.

The estimated cost is $3,000.

The goal is to create a fun and func tional area where children can draw and express themselves. They can use normal chalk, which can be wiped away. There are three surface areas that will be utilized. The far left and far right surface areas will serve as a blank chalkboard canvas while the middle area will contain stenciled shapes that can be colored in.

Along with labor and cost of mate rials, the wall will need to be stripped and primed. The location of this project will be safe from vandalization as it is within an enclosed playground predominately used by the recreation department and should incur no fur ther maintenance, according to a city staff report.

Funding for this project was gener ated via sponsorship/donations for the “I Art Suisun” exhibition that oc curred Sept. 17 in partnership with the Friends of Suisun City Recreation. DS

BENICIA Discover

Its status as a former state capital is part of California lore, but Benicia was also once destined to be called Francisca until Yerba Buena changed its name to San Francisco and the similarity spurred the town’s founder to select another name.

Robert Semple had wanted in 1847 to name the town after Gen. Mariano Vallejo’s wife, Francisca Maria Felipa Benicia Carrillo de Vallejo, and he still did. Semple just chose another of her many names.

The town’s residential and busi ness districts are on its west side with a vibrant waterfront as well as the Benicia State Recreation Area along South hampton Bay.

Benicia is home to events that range from Arts Benicia and the Benicia Ped dlers Fair to The Holy Ghost Parade and the July 3 Torchlight Parade.

Its industrial side includes the Port of Benicia and the town’s largest employer, the Valero Oil Refinery, with its tanks,

pipes and stacks that sprawl across a large area alongside Interstate 680.

The town could have been the center of California politics when the state in 1853 declared Benicia as its capital after deciding they were dissatisfied with Vallejo in that role. Lawmakers took over the Benicia City Hall, with its Doric col umns and appearance of a Greek temple.

“So Benicia, the memorable ‘city of the Straits,’ ‘the rival emporium of the Pacific wealth and commerce,’ is to be vested with new dignities . . .” the Feb. 5, 1853, Daily Alta Californian reported.

The state Legislature met again in Benicia in 1854. It voted to make Benicia the permanent state capital. Then lawmakers quickly changed their minds when 100 people coming to the session couldn’t find lodgings and had to sleep in saloons. They moved the capital to Sacramento.

Another historical site is the Benicia Arsenal, built in 1849 as an ordnance supply depot. William Tecumseh Sher

man and Ulysses S. Grant spent time there prior to going on to Civil War fame. Sherman became an admirer of the town.

“That Benicia has the best natural site for a commercial city, I am satisfied, and had half the money and half the labor since bestowed upon San Francisco been expended at Benicia, we should have at this day a city of palaces along the Car quinez Strait,” he wrote in his memoirs.

The arsenal also stabled the U.S. Army’s only Camel Corps that was disbanded in 1863. The Camel Barns, built in 1855, now house the Benicia Historical Museum. Union troops from the West gathered at the arsenal during the Civil War.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 125 truck convoys were loaded at the arsenal. A total of 250 Italian and 400 German prisoners of war once resided at the arsenal.

Benicia was almost economically shattered in the 1960s when the arsenal

Contact: Benicia Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, 707-745-2120, www.beniciachamber.com

closed, removing its economic foundation, but re-creation of the arsenal land as a successful industrial park that now con tains the Valero refinery helped save the town’s economy.

The city is home to a thriving art community, many who live in the historic arsenal area, which dates back to 1849. The Clock Tower Fortress, also in the arsenal, built in 1859, is open for many community functions.

DOWNTOWN BENICIA

Downtown Benicia offers myriad festivals and events for all ages. The spring and summer seasons offer plenty of seasonal activities, from a farmers market to wineand food-tasting activities to various community celebrations and more.

MORE INFORMATION: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamainstreet.org

BENICIA CAPITOL STATE HISTORIC PARK

Benicia briefly served as California’s capital 150 years ago. Benicia Capitol State Historic Park commemorates the era of 1853 to 1854. The old capitol building remains and is open to visitors. Vallejo was the state capital before Benicia, but Gen. Mariano Vallejo failed to provide the promised buildings and lawmakers moved it. Benicia has a Greek temple-style capitol building, but this too failed to convince state lawmakers to stay in Solano County. Sacramento became the capital in March 1854. The Benicia Capitol building over the years served as a fire station, police station and even a dance hall. The Benicia Capitol is the only pre-Sacramento capitol building that remains.

BENICIA STATE RECREATION AREA

The shores of Southampton Bay are home to one of Solano County’s few state parks. People come to Benicia State Recreation Area to walk, run, cycle, birdwatch and fish. The state lists the Dillon’s Point marsh as an area in the park particularly favored by anglers. A few motorhome campsites are available, though no tent campsites. It has 2.5 miles of roads and paths. Benicia State Park is also home to the Forrest Deaner Native Plant Botanic Garden. The only other Solano County state park is Benicia Capitol State Historic Park, though the county does have state wildlife refuges.

LOCATION: Columbus Parkway exit from Interstate 780 in Benicia

MORE INFORMATION: 707-648-1911, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=476

LOCATION: 115 W. G St., Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-745-3385, www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=475

BENICIA MARINA

Located between the Sacramento River Delta and San Francisco Bay, the Benicia Marina is a jewel located on the north side of the Carquinez Strait, with spectacular views from every slip in the harbor. It offers guest berthing, power, water and a safe environment. It is also only a short walk away from downtown Benicia’s charming First Street and its shops as well as walking and bike trails. Guest boats must check in at the marina office for berth assignments. Call in advance for the availability of either transient or overnight berthing.

LOCATION: 266 E. B St., Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-745-2628, www.benicia marina.net

Spend the day, see some sights STATE RECREATION AREA More Information Visit Website (707)

Make Benicia Main Street your first stop when exploring the scenic town of Benicia. The Downtown visitor center is located in the historic train depot at the foot of First Street. You’ll find lots of information, gifts, and souvenirs. Then explore the shops, restaurants, spas, historical sites and artful whimsy that line the 12 blocks of First Street. We’re located at 90 First Street, on the waterfront.

Spend the day, see some sights

BENICIA ARSENAL POST CEMETERY

The Benicia Army Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in the Pacific states. It was the post cemetery for the Benicia Barracks, which from 1849 to 1857 served as the headquarters for the U.S. Army’s Pacific Division. The cemetery contains 212 interments dating from 1849 to 1958. These interments include U.S. military personnel, civilians, unknowns, foreign personnel (German and Italian POWs) and three military service dogs. The cemetery is on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Benicia Arsenal-Benicia Barracks Historic District.

LOCATION: Birch Road, Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-693-2460, https://www. cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/BeniciaArsenal.asp.

BENICIA FIRE MUSEUM

Lovers of antique fire equipment can see what is believed to be the first fire engine to arrive in California – the Phoenix Engine – at the Benicia Fire Museum. The engine dates back to the 1820s and is owned by the Benicia Volunteer Firemen. The museum is also home to the Solano Engine, the first engine owned by the volunteer firemen. The Benicia Fire Museum houses many treasures of fire service equipment and hundreds of related items. Admission is free. Donations are accepted.

LOCATION: 900 E. Second St., Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-745-1688, www.beniciafiremuseum.org

BENICIA PLEIN AIR GALLERY

The Benicia Plein Air Gallery specializes in the work of local artists who capture the outdoor scenes in and around Benicia, the Carquinez Straits and the San Francisco Bay Area. Each month, the open-air gallery showcases the works of one of its many artists, with creations that range from classical landscapes to saturated pastels. The 5th Annual Paint Out event planned in August 2020 was canceled due to the pandemic and has not yet returned. The gallery responded by producing a brief video called “Painting en plein air in the time of Covid,” which may be viewed at the gallery’s website.

LOCATION: 307 First St., Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-297-5903, www.beniciapleinair.com

SEPAY GROVES OLIVE OIL IN BENICIA

Sepay Groves Olive Oil, the oldest olive oil store in Solano County, offers an expansive variety of award-winning extra virgin and flavored olive oils and serves as an outlet store for the oldest operating olive oil producer in Suisun Valley, who arguably produces the best Tuscan extra virgin olive oil in Northern California. All oils and vinegars are bottled by hand in small batches to maintain their integrity, with the oils sold in their first year of life.

LOCATION: 364 First St., Benicia MORE INFORMATION: 707-434-8222, www.sepayoliveoil.com

BENICIA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Farmers Market: Benicia Main Street draws many people to its popular farmers market, now in its 30th year. The market offers fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods, gourmet food, delicious hot foods, arts and crafts, live entertainment and face painting from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursdays through Oct. 27.

Ghoulish Wine Walk: Ghouls descend upon downtown from 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 to sample wine and tasty bites at participating businesses. Dare to join them? Costumes are welcome. Info: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamainstreet.org.

Halloween Contest and Stroll: Children of all ages are invited to the community’s popular Halloween

costume contest and sidewalk stroll at 10 a.m. Oct. 29. Merchants on First Street get into the spirit of the holiday for all to shop and enjoy. A Canine & Critter Costume Contest starts at noon on the First Street Green, with awards and treats. Info: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamainstreet.org.

Wine Walk and Shop Local: Shop downtown while tasting fine wines at participating businesses during Small Business Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. Nov. 26. Info: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamainstreet.org.

Holiday Open House: First Street merchants along with Benicia Main Street host this ever-popular open house at the beginning of the Christmas season. Merchants offer beverages and treats and show off

their holiday goods while carolers in costumes sing traditional Christmas tunes. Live entertainment and a Christmas tree lighting add a festive atmosphere to this family event, scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. Dec. 2. Info: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamain street.org.

Christmas Parade and Holiday Market: The parade starts at 10 a.m. Dec. 10 at First and D Street and ends at H Street. The parade features local marching bands, dancers and the much-anticipated Santa Claus. The Holiday Market continues until 3 p.m. and features handcrafted arts and crafts, gourmet items and delicious foods. Info: 707-745-9791, www.beniciamainstreet.org.

BENICIA FIRE MUSEUM

DIXON Discover

The city was going to be called Dicksonville after pioneer Thomas Dickson, who do nated 10 acres of his property for a railroad depot, but a merchandise shipment in 1872 misspelled the name as Dixon.

Almost two years of trying to have the town formally named Dicksonville ended in 1874 when the county recorder filed the name Dixon on new maps. Dixon was a simpler name, he said.

The dairy cows that once gave Dixon the nickname The Dairy City are for the most part gone, though the Heritage Dairy is located a few miles from town. But Dixon is located amid the Dixon Ridge farming area of the Central Valley.

The town’s agricultural heritage draws from some of Solano County’s most fer tile soil where farmers grow everything from tomatoes to alfalfa, ranchers run cattle and sheep, and orchardists grow almonds and walnuts.

The annual May Fair, which began in the late 1800s and is the longest contin ually running agriculture fair in Califor nia, helps keep Dixon’s farming heritage alive. Fall brings such attractions as the Cool Pumpkin Patch corn maze. The Dixon Fairgrounds hosts year-round events.

Solano County has a 548-acre area zoned for agricultural services next to Dixon. This area is to be home to pro cessing plants and other businesses that help the farming economy.

Dixon has become more suburban in recent decades, with subdivisions swelling its population of commuters who travel to Davis and the Sacramento area to work.

The city was incorporated in 1878.

Dixon almost became home to a ma jor horse-racing center, but residents voted that down on the grounds they liked their town the way it was. The city also courted the idea of trying to land a

movie studio that would have been built on the south side of town and produce family films, but the studio never came about.

But agriculture still looms large. Just look at the city seal, which portrays an orchard and rows of crops in the fore ground and buildings in the distance.

Dixon was born in 1851 when pioneer Elija Silvey founded the town of Sil veyville, which was located a few miles from present-day Dixon. He set up a hotel and saloon for mule teams travel ing between San Francisco and the gold fields in the Sierra Nevada and put up a red lantern to make certain people could find it.

By 1865, Silveyville had about 150 residents and boasted a store, black smith shop and a post office, with Silvey serving as postmaster. But the Central Pacific railroad came through in 1868 several miles away and Silveyville died. A new town sprung up along the railroad

Contact: Dixon Chamber of Commerce, 707-678-2650, www.dixonchamber.org.

tracks, with people moving many of the Silveyville buildings there on rollers.

In a twist of irony, one of the few buildings to survive from Silveyville was a church that was too large to be hauled over the railroad tracks. When a massive fire burned down much of Dixon, the church survived quite literally because it was on the wrong side of the tracks.

The Nov. 19, 1883, fire started in the kitchen of the Centen nial Hotel, where the Moose Lodge is now located, and almost completely destroyed the town. Winds up to 60 mph spread the fire and the town’s saloons and six churches were de stroyed within hours.

A city ordinance that followed set brick or tin as the build ing material of choice.

The city is a true Central Valley town amid a county that is considered part of the Bay Area, with more in common geo graphically with Sacramento than San Francisco. It has the flat expanses of land and hot summer temperatures of the valley.

And, of course, it has the vast expanses of farmland at its borders.

DIXON

Spend the day, see some sights

SACRAMENTO VALLEY NATIONAL CEMETERY

The Sacramento Valley National Cemetery is the seventh national cemetery built in California and the 124th in the nation. It opened to burials in 2006. It is located on Midway Road between Vacaville and Dixon. The cemetery should serve the needs of the area for the next 50 years. It opened with 14 acres for interment of local veterans and their loved ones, and has steadily expanded.

LOCATION: 5810 Midway Road

MORE INFORMATION: 707-693-2460, www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ sacramento.asp.

DIXON CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Dia de los Muertos-Day of the Dead: 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 30, Silveyville Cemetery District, 800 S. First St. Seasonal event is free and open to the community and includes traditional offrenda, live music, food trucks and vendors. 707-678-2650.

Apublic art event in 1995 asked “Where is Fairfield?” and a plane flew over the city with that question on a banner. At NorthBay Medical Center, babies were given T-shirts that posed the same question.

Halfway between San Francisco and Sacramento is the easy answer –although residents might note that description overlooks the rich history of Fairfield.

The city is the Solano County seat and home to Travis Air Force Base –along with attractions that include Jelly Belly, Solano Town Center mall and the Rancho Solano and Paradise Valley golf courses.

Fairfield began in 1856 when nearby Suisun City had waterfront shipping access crucial for pioneer-era commu nities. A treeless plain is how one writer described Fairfield.

But an offer to the county of land to build a government center was too good a deal for voters to pass up and in 1858 they approved moving the county

FAIRFIELD Discover

seat from Benicia to Fairfield. The city’s population doubled between the late 1850s and 1880. A century later, more than 44,000 people lived in the city – a number that more than doubled by 2000.

Buildings constructed for gov ernment are among Fairfield’s most impressive structures. Renovation of the 1911 county courthouse was recently completed while the modern six-story county Government Center dominates downtown.

By World War II, after decades of playing second fiddle to Suisun City, Fairfield was on its way to becoming the second largest city in Solano County. The U.S. Air Force decision in 1942 to build a major base installation on land east of Fairfield boosted the area economy. Travis Air Force Base was annexed to Fairfield in 1966.

The city now is targeting develop ment on two fronts. The FairfieldVacaville train station for Amtrak and bus riders, located about a mile from Travis Air Force Base, is seen as a boon

for residents and the economy and is the site of current development. A project to help the city’s central business district to grow and match the downtown turn arounds that other Bay Area cities is in its formative stages. Recent projects to support the effort include ongoing work to update Allan Witt Park on West Texas Street and a project completed in Spring 2022 to modernize and update the streetscape at the downtown’s entrance on the west end of West Texas Street at Interstate 80.

Fairfield at nearly 40 square miles is almost the physical size of San Fran cisco, if not a match in population or cable cars that climb halfway to the stars. Its location along Interstate 80, Inter state 680 and Highway 12 between the Bay Area and Central Valley makes it a regional crossroads.

The rich past of Fairfield may be ri valed only by its future. In 2003, as Fair field celebrated its 100th anniversary as a city, officials buried a time capsule at City Hall, with an opening date of 2103.

Spend the day, see some sights

DOWNTOWN THEATRE

Playing host to hundreds of community events each year including concerts, festivals and seminars and performances, the Downtown Theatre is the cultural hub of the Fairfield area. Also home to an art gallery, new works are shown each month at the center. Admission to the gallery is free during hours of operation. The award-winning, 360-seat theater received an exterior facelift in August 2018 with the addition of a state-of-the-art lighted marquee. The theater and other facilities can be rented out to host your special event as well.

LOCATION: 1035 Texas St., Fairfield

MORE INFORMATION: 707-940-0700, www.downtowntheatre.com.

JELLY BELLY VISITOR CENTER

From being a local secret to world-famous, the pint-sized jelly bean offers a variety of flavors and colors at the Jelly Belly Candy Co. Starting in the lobby filled with jelly bean art and eclectic decorations, guests can tour the factory daily. Tours leave every 10 to 15 minutes and last about 40 minutes. Free samples of Jelly Belly products are available. During the 40-minute walking tour, Jelly Belly guides will show guests

DOWNTOWN THEATRE

a working factory where more than 150 different sweet treats are made. The factory, however, is not in operation during the weekends and on major holidays. Learn the secrets to how they create the legendary Jelly Belly jelly bean and discover why it takes more than a week to make a single bean. Jelly Belly added a museum and related tour to its offerings in 2022. Upcoming events include the the 9th Annual Candy Palooza on Sept. 25, the Munchkin Masquerade Halloween parade on Oct. 29, the 22nd annual Christmas tree-lighting celebration Nov. 26, and photos with Santa each day during the week prior to Christmas.

LOCATION: One Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield MORE INFORMATION: https://www.jellybelly.com.

SOLANO TOWN CENTER

Solano Town Center mall is one of Solano

JELLY BELLY VISITOR CENTER

County’s major shopping and restaurant areas. The two-story mall has about 130 storefronts, ranging from department stores to recruiting offices to movie theaters. It is also a destination for various walking clubs that want to escape the weather. Children can climb and explore the bright, colorful play area filled with animal characters, large puzzles and plenty of space to stretch their legs. Developed in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the mall has gone through various renovations through the years. The latest brought an $8.5 million, 33,000-squarefoot dining court to the mall in April 2011. The mall was renovated end-to-end in 2006 at a cost of $20 million.

LOCATION: 1350 Travis Blvd., Fairfield MORE INFORMATION: 707-425-1164, www.solanotowncenter.com.

Spend the day, see some sights

FAIRFIELD AQUATICS COMPLEX

Whether it’s exercise, a birthday party or swim lessons, the Fairfield Aquatics Complex offers a lane or slide for all occasions. The center features a natatorium with retractable roof, a zero-depth entry play area, a lazy river current for fun and a six-lane activity pool with a slide and diving board. The outside shallow play area for kids includes slides, climbing structures, water-dumping toys and water-spray toys adjacent to a grass area for families to lounge and enjoy the sunshine. There is also a picnic area for large groups to use for the day or rent the entire facility after hours for company parties, school field trips or special occasions. There is an indoor meeting room and party rooms for smaller groups to enjoy the facilities and catered to in a private setting. A concession stand provides hot and cold drinks and food.

LOCATION: Allan Witt Park, 1741 W. Texas St., Fairfield

MORE INFORMATION: 707-428-7428, www.fairfield.ca.gov

TRAVIS HERITAGE CENTER

The Travis Heritage Center holds an extensive collection of aircraft and artifacts detailing the history of Travis Air Force Base, airlift, space

exploration and military air power. Founded in 1983, the center is surrounded by an impressive collection of restored historic military aircraft that includes the B-29 Superfortress, a Vietnam-era B-52 Stratofortress, an F-4C Phantom Fighter, a C-124 Globemaster II, a C-47 Skytrain and an F-86 Sabre fighter. Inside, there are exhibits containing artifacts, documents, aircraft models, uniforms, aircraft nose art and photos from the dawn of military air power in World War I to present-day military and humanitarian operations around the world. Due

to post-9/11 security concerns, aviation lovers will need a base visitor’s pass to see the Travis Heritage Center.

Travis Heritage Center, 400 Brennan Circle, Travis Air Force Base

MORE INFORMATION: 707-424-5605, www.travisheritagecenter.org

SONOMA HARVEST OLIVE OIL & WINERY

Sonoma Harvest Olive Oil & Winery’s stylish tasting room offers complimentary tastings of almost all of the available Sonoma Harvest food products, including its gourmet olive oils, vinegars, mustards, honey, tapanades, jams, sauces and more. A wine tasting includes the full flight and features four varietals. The tasting room features a well-equipped kids’ club so the little ones can be entertained by puzzles, games, and movies while the adults sip some wine, sample yummy bites and shop among wine country merchandise. Sonoma Harvest’s tasting room is open from noon to 4 p.m. daily except Tuesday and Wednesday.

LOCATION: 770 Chadbourne Road in Fairfield

MORE INFORMATION: 707-389-4815, www.tastesonomaharvest.com

Advantages of Senior Living

Growing older doesn’t mean closing the book on adventures. At Rockville Terrace, we offer ample amenities to ensure your loved one’s needs are always met. Our amenities include a luxury dining experience, extensive library room, theater room, daily activities, full-service salon and spa, and much more.

TRAVIS HERIGAGE CENTER

Fairfield Certified Farmers Market: 3 to 7 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct. 6. Webster and Texas streets. Info.: https://www.pcfma.org.

9th Annual Candy Palooza: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 25, Jelly Belly Candy Company, One Jelly Belly Lane, Fairfield. Event features candy sampling, arts and crafts vendors, carnival rides, Jelly Belly’s Wine and Chocolate Experience, pony rides and more. Free parking. Info: https://www.jellybelly.com.

Vine to Table: 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 8, downtown Fairfield. The inaugural Vine to Table event highlights the best restaurants and wines that Fairfield has to offer. Enjoy gourmet dishes paired with selected Suisun Valley wine in a lovely outdoor setting under the historic downtown Fairfield arch. Info: https://visitfairfield. com/event/vine-to-table.

CANDY PALOOZA

SUISUN VALLEY Discover

Suisun Valley offers city dwellers a place to escape crowded streets and see the country, buy fresh produce and taste wines.

It is located just west of Fairfield. It has fertile soils with a Mediterranean climate good enough to grow grapes for fine wines, just as in the neighboring, world-famous Napa Valley.

The valley has its scenic attractions, framed as it is by oak-covered hills, with acres of vineyards, orchards and other farming areas. It has buildings such as the 1900, one-room Gomer School, complete with bell tower. It has small commercial areas such as Manka’s Corner with restaurants and other busi nesses.

Wine is a big part of the valley. Suisun Valley in 1982 won federal recognition as the Suisun Valley Appellation, making the valley an American Viticultural Area. Grape varieties ranging from Sauvignon Blanc to Chardonnay to Gamay to Pinot Noir to Riesling are grown in the valley.

Several small wineries have tasting rooms. In addition, other wineries have grouped together to run a cooperative tasting room on Suisun Valley Road.

A big winery has come to Suisun Valley. The Wagner family, owner of Caymus Vineyards in Napa Valley, is building a winery at the very southern end of the Suisun Valley appellation capable of producing 5 million gallons of wine annually. It plans to bring grapes

More information: www.suisunvalley.com

and wines from other locations to the Cordelia Road site for bottling, as well as grow grapes there.

But Suisun Valley is more than grapes. People can go there to buy corn, strawberries, dried fruit and nuts and other produce from small, family run produce stands. They can buy olive oil made from olives grown and processed in the valley.

Solano County wants to get the word out. It has designated Suisun Valley to become an agritourism area. Goals include creating several more small cen ters with businesses that cater to valley visitors.

AMERICAN ARMORY MUSEUM

The American Armory Museum strives to educate future generations about, and impress upon them, the sacrifice, bravery and enduring significance of the U.S. military. Numerous vehicles are on display, with some available for rides. Various static displays are also set up to illustrate life in the field while in the armed forces. The museum features such military vehicles as the 1955 Larc amphibious cargo hauler, the M35A2 cargo truck, the 1944 M5A4 artillery tractor, the M936A1 wrecker and recovery truck, the FV433 Abbot self-propelled artillery vehicle, the HET 1070 heavy equipment transport, an Israeli M-5 half track armored personnel carrier, a Ford GWP jeep, the M561 Gama Goat amphibious vehicle and the Super Mack heavy-duty truck. Ask in advance about ride fees. The museum opened in May 2016. Admission is free, although donations are accepted. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and by appointment. Ride fees for vehicles are to be determined and are subject to change without notice.

LOCATION: 4144 Abernathy Road, rural Fairfield in Suisun Valley

MORE INFORMATION: 707-389-6846, info@ AmericanArmoryMuseum.org, www. americanarmorymuseum.org.

MANKA'S CORNER

Manka's Corner is a small commercial area amid the farmlands of Suisun Valley. Solano County is promoting Suisun Valley as an agricultural tourist draw and Manka's Corner is a key part of the plan, given that it has restaurants and shops

where valley visitors can stop. People can eat at the Mankas Steakhouse, see artwork at The Little Art Shop or buy used items at John's Hauling, among other things. The area's name comes from Christley Manka, a pioneer to Suisun Valley around 1850. He established a tavern at

Mankas Corner Road and Clayton Road www.suisunvalley.com

IL FIORELLO OLIVE OIL COMPANY

Nestled in the gentle, rolling hills of rustic Suisun Valley, you’ll find Il Fiorello Olive Oil Company, home of international award-winning Extra Virgin Olive Oils, rich Balsamic Vinegar Reductions and savory treats from Il Fiorello’s expansive culinary kitchen. The farm is certified organic and Il Fiorello is dedicated to sustainable agriculture, embracing the fundamental principles of biodiversity. Il Fiorello grows olives, citrus and a dizzying assortment of fruits, vegetables and herbs. Guests are invited to enjoy the peaceful farm and elegant gathering spaces, learn the secrets of great olive oils, savor a glass of wine or beer, indulge in charcuterie and small-bite appetizers and relax in the soothing charm of the unhurried countryside.

LOCATION: 2625 Mankas Corner Road, Fairfield

MORE INFORMATION: 707-864-1529, www.ilfiorello. com

GLASHOFF’S STUDIO

Home to an eclectic array of art and sculptures, Phil Glashoff's farm in Suisun Valley also shows off the agricultural side, with a seasonal fruit stand and pumpkin patch. One of the area's most prominent artists, Glashoff's works can be toured by appointment. Those in the area can visit for produce in October. Much of the art is made up of salvaged rusty machinery, fire extinguishers, compressor covers, motorcycle tanks and other items that had been abandoned and scattered around the farm. The sculptures have brought Glashoff attention from around the world. Those who appreciate art find there is goodwill and humor in each piece.

LOCATION: 2489 Rockville Road, Suisun Valley MORE INFORMATION: 707-427-8060, glashoffgallery@aol.com

SUISUN VALLEY-GREEN VALLEY WINE TASTING

Solano County has its own wine country in the Suisun and Green valley areas, where vintners offer plenty of tasting opportunities. Visitors may try locally produced wines at several locations:

BackRoad Vines at Village 360: tasting room at Village360, 4949 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. 707-759-0185, http://backroadvines.com.

Blacksmith Cellars: 4495 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. Info: 510-917-0537, www.blacksmithcellars.com.

Blue Victorian Winery: 5071 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. Info: 707-422-8025, www.vezerfamilyvineyard.com.

Caymus-Suisun Winery: 4991 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. 707-286-1776, https:// www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/.

GV Cellars: 1635 Mason Road, Fairfield. 707-864-2089, www.gvcellars.com.

King Andrews Vineyard: 2546 Mankas Corner Road, Fairfield. Info: 707-425-9076, http://kingandrewsvineyards.com.

Mangels Vineyards: 4529 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. www.mangelsvineyards.com.

Rock Creek: 4610 Green Valley Road, Fairfield. 707-864-2471, rockcreekvineyard.com.

Sonoma Harvest Wine and Olive Oil Tasting Room: 770 Chadbourne Road, Fairfield. 707-389-4815, www.tastesonomaharvest.com.

Suisun Creek Winery: 2350 Morrison Lane, Fairfield. 707-864-1818, www.suisuncreekwinery.com.

Suisun Valley Wine Cooperative: 4495 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. 707-864-3135, www.svwinecoop.com.

Sunset Cellars: 4495 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. Info: 415-566-2910. sunsetcellars.com.

Tenbrink Vineyards: 4185 Chadbourne Road, Fairfield. 480-7334, www.tenbrinkvineyards.com.

Tolenas Winery: 4185 Chadbourne Road, Fairfield. 707-372-1434. www.tolenaswinery.com.

Vezer Family Vineyard: Mankas Corner Winery, 2522 Mankas Corner Road, Fairfield. 707-429-3958, www.vezerfamilyvineyard.com.

Village 360: 4949 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield, 707-863-0646, https://village-360.com.

Wooden Valley Winery: 4756 Suisun Valley Road, Fairfield. 707-864-0730, www.woodenvalley.com. the day, see some sights

AMERICAN ARMORY MUSEUM

Gateway to the Delta

RIO VISTA Discover

Water helped give life to this Solano County community and, in 1862, helped to destroy it.

That was when the Sacramento River rose and 12 feet of water covered Rio Vista.

The community was re-established on higher ground about 2 miles from its original location where the Cache Slough meets the Sacramento River.

A wharf was built and the first church, for Catholics, was erected 1862. A Congregational Church was also built the same year.

A salmon cannery was among busi nesses of the river town, which has seen rapid growth recently. Its population nearly doubled between 2000 and 2010 and California State Department of Finance projections foresee continued growth.

The Sacramento River often doubled in films as the Mississippi River – most

notably playing a starring role in numer ous Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn films dating back to the early 1900s. Dozens of other notable movies – from silent to talkies – brought in famous stars and directors such as William Desmond, John Ford, Cecil B. DeMille, Jackie Coogen and perhaps even John Wayne, when “The Big Trail” was filmed there in 1930.

Along with human visitors, wayward Humpback whales occasionally make their way to Rio Vista, attracting enough attention to gridlock the tiny hamlet. The most recent were in 2007 –a mother and calf named Delta and Dawn. Humphrey’s 1985 visit, however, is immortalized on a plaque at the foot of Main Street by City Hall.

The Chamber of Commerce likes to note that Joseph Strauss, architect of the Golden Gate Bridge, designed the community’s largest landmark, the Helen Madere Memorial Bridge, or the

Rio Vista Bridge as its known, “situated on the historic Sacramento River with a silhouette of the rolling Montezuma Hills to the south.”

Madere was a former Rio Vista city councilwoman.

The business group also boasts how Rio Vista “still maintains an easy-going small-town attitude even though it is central to the two largest popula tion centers in Northern California.” Moreover, the community is known to have some of the best sport fishing in the state and is host to the West Coast’s oldest striped bass derby each October –the Rio Vista Bass Derby and Festival.

The Rio Vista Airport on the outskirts of town makes flying in for a day of busi ness, lunch or just to explore the area easily accessible. The community is also home to home to “world-class” Perche ron horses, buffalo and the only endive producer in the United States.

Whatever you’re looking for, you will

Chamber of Commerce: 37 N. Second St., Rio Vista. 374-2700, riovista.org

find Rio Vista a friendly, fun place to visit, right in the heart of the California Delta.

Rio Vista is trying to stay ahead of the pace by upgrading the town’s infrastruc ture and modernizing downtown. The community is counting on its location to continue growth, as Rio Vista did during the days when being next to the Sacra

mento River allowed the town to capital ize on trade between San Francisco and Sacramento.

Now Fairfield and Lodi, each about 20 minutes away on Highway 12, are the larger nearby cities. Stockton and Sacramento are only half an hour away on nearby Interstate 5.

The town is home to a number of

highly popular events in addition to the venerable Bass Derby and Festival. The city offers shopping downtown, several restaurants and the Rio Vista Museum where people can learn some Rio Vista and Delta history.

Nearly 6% of the city exists within neighboring waterways – and the com munity’s future may match its river past.

FOSTER’S BIGHORN BAR

If you’re looking for big horns – literally – look no further than Foster’s Bighorn Bar in Rio Vista. Along with an extensive menu of barbecue, steak, seafood and a fully stocked bar, the restaurant boasts a private collection of more than 250 big-game hunting specimens from Africa and North America. The collection was put together by Bill Foster in the 1930s and ’40s. Several exotic and prized animals from his travels to Africa, Canada and Alaska hang on the wall, including heads of an African elephant and giraffe. Foster, a native of Hayward, was involved in bootlegging. Running from the law, he moved his wildlife collection to Rio Vista, where it has remained for more nearly 100 years.

LOCATION: 143 Main St. Rio Vista

MORE INFORMATION: 707-374-2511, www.fostersbighorn.com

SANDY BEACH

Located on the Sacramento River near Rio Vista, the half-mile-long Sandy Beach is a great Solano County location to cool off during the spring, summer and fall and enjoy some time outdoors throughout the year. It’s open the entire year and has a 24-hour boat launch, campsites and areas

to picnic that include tables, barbecue pits, volleyball courts and a horseshoe pit.

LOCATION: 2333 Beach Drive, Rio Vista

Spend the day, see some sights RIO VISTA CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MORE INFORMATION: 374-2097 (maps and reservation information available), https://www.solanocounty. com/depts/rm/countypark/sandybeach.asp.

RIO VISION GALLERY

Rio Vision Gallery offers art of the Delta region by local artists. The gallery features monthly artist receptions.

LOCATION: 116 Main St., Rio Vista

MORE INFORMATION: 707-360-5244, www.riovisiongallery.com

RIO VISTA MUSEUM

Step back into history when you enter the Rio Vista Museum. ocal mementos from years gone by range among a wide array of artifacts – from photos and newspaper headlines to vehicles, farm equipment to clothing, books to kitchen items. Opened in 1975, it is in a converted blacksmith shop. Friendly and knowledgeable docents are available to answer any questions.

LOCATION: 16 N. Front St., Rio Vista

MORE INFORMATION: 707-374-5169, www.riovistamuseum.com

74th Annual Bass Derby & Festival: Thousands of anglers will descend on Solano County’s Delta community for the 74th Annual Bass Derby & Festival, scheduled Oct. 7-9. The Rio Vista Bass Festival is open to anyone who loves to fish. The Rio Vista Bass Festival offers everyone a chance to get in on the fun and offers a full midway with carnival rides, games, food, drinks and live entertainment. Derby and festival access and parking are free to the public. A community parade starts at noon Oct. 9. Info: Various locations, 707-374-2700, www.bassfestival.com.

SANDY BEACH

RIO VISION GALLERY

FOSTER’S BIGHORN BAR

SUISUN CITY Discover

Possibly the most mispro nounced city in the county, Suisun City’s roots date back to the 1850s.

Things have changed in those 170-years plus. Yet, there’s still plenty of history.

The city dates back to 1850 when Josiah Wing, a schooner captain, found an island in the Suisun Marsh and built a wharf and warehouse there. It soon became the major agriculture shipping point for the farms and orchards in the Suisun Valley and Green Valley areas.

A train depot was built. Suisun City was bustling with several hotels along Main Street.

Fairfield was the smaller of the two towns, but that changed with World War II and with construction of what’s now Travis Air Force Base and Interstate 80. After that, Suisun City’s growth tapered off.

The train station on Main Street opened in 1914. Historic homes line the old part of town. The Lawler House, home to an art gallery, is one of them. It was built in 1857 as a ranch house on the land now occupied by Dover Terrace South. It was moved to its present loca tion by a truck and barge in 1979.

Suisun City has weathered some tough years. In the early 1980s, a survey of San Francisco Bay Area communities called the town the least attractive place to live in the area, which spurred thenMayor Jim Spering to take on an ambi tious redevelopment effort.

Waterfront properties were redevel oped and a crime-ridden neighborhood was razed and replaced with a Victorianstyle development. Improvements con tinued with the construction of a senior center, community center and library.

Suisun City’s new face earned it accolades such as Sactown magazine’s

description of it as “a sweet and delight fully surprising vacation spot.”

The city now includes the modern Kroc Center near the library. The old and the new merge in both locations as the Kroc Center has come to serve as a community center.

The downtown area hosts the city’s events such as an annual Waterfront Festival and Christmas celebration. Downtown is also home to many popular restaurants. A state-of-the-art Blue Devils Bingo Center operates in the Marina Shopping Center.

An alliance of local and regional performing arts groups now offer performances at the Harbor Theatre on Main Street and the historic train depot wrapped up its facelift recently.

One of the city’s best-kept secrets may be the Suisun Wildlife Center, which is home to a variety of wildlife. Some residents will call it home forever.

Chamber of Commerce: Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce, 1111 Webster St., Fairfield; 707-425-4625, www.fairfieldsuisunchamber.com; Suisun City Historic Waterfront Business Improvement District: 707-631-5029, www.suisunwaterfront.com

Others are there with hopes of being released back into their native habitat.

Those who have a paranormal bent can take part in a ghost walk, to poten tially hear from any number of spirits that “haunt” the downtown area.

There’s Victoria, who reportedly died

in 1923 when she was 7 and is often found at the Lawler House. Michael was reportedly murdered by drowning in 1924 after he got involved in rum-run ning operation that resulted in him los ing some of the illicit booze and paying for that mistake with his life. The spirits

Spend the day, see some sights

SUISUN CITY WATERFRONT

A bevy of festivals, Independence Day fireworks, shops, restaurants and cafés beckon local residents and visitors to the Suisun City waterfront. Fishermen, dog walkers and people just taking a stroll can be seen at the waterfront almost daily.

Much of the activity is centered around the Harbor Plaza at Main and Solano streets, which has hosted concerts and plenty of community activities. The waterfront is often referred to as “a jewel.”

LOCATION: Main Street, Suisun City

MORE INFORMATION: www.suisun waterfront.com

of a series of prostitutes identified by paranormal experts as Iris, Hillary, Eleanor, Sweet Marie and Frances can be found at various spots along Main Street near the hotels and pool halls where they plied their trade in the decades before World War II.

SUISUN WILDLIFE CENTER

The Suisun Wildlife Center serves as a sanctuary for injured birds and wildlife and a place where people can learn about the natural world of the Suisun Marsh. It is located at the foot of Kellogg Street next to the Suisun City boat ramp. The center’s predecessor, the Wildlife Rescue and Release Services, began in 1977. The center relies heavily on volunteers who do presentations and guide field trips. It is also home to about a dozen nonreleasable raptors, raccoons, coyotes and other animals that help with the staff’s wildlife education program.

LOCATION: 1171 Kellogg St., Suisun City

MORE INFORMATION: 707-429-4295, www.suisunwildlife.org

SUISUN WILDLIFE CENTER

18th Annual Waterfront Festival: Suisun City celebrates the fall season from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 1 at Harbor Plaza at Main and Solano streets with a festival along the waterfront with art, live entertainment and vendors. Info: https:// www.suisunwaterfront.com/ events.

Cruisin' Suisun Car Cruise and Car Show: Event features a car show with multicultural food, music and entertainment from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 8 at Harbor Plaza at Main and Solano streets on the Suisun Waterfront. Info: https://www.suisunwaterfront.com/events.

Pumpkin Patch Festival: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 15-16, 22-23 and 29-30. Come have some family fun with a train ride down to the grove, and spend the day at the Pumpkin Patch. Activities at the pumpkin patch such as tractor rides, a hay fort, pumpkin chucking and a petting zoo add to the fun. Last train leaves each day at 3:30 p.m. Museum located at 5848 Highway 12. Info.: https://www.wrm. org/events/item/29-pumpkin-patch-festival.

SUISUN WATERFRONT FESTIVAL

Bring your ghouls, mini-goblins and superheros to historic Downtown on Halloween to kick o your evening of trickor treating. 4pm-6pm

This annual craft faire is celebrating its 16th year downtown. Shoppers have an opportunity to nd unique, one-of-a-kind gif ts just in time for the holidays. 10am-3pm

Downtown Vacaville and Festival of Trees will host the 2nd Annual Winter Wonder Walk bene ting Opportunity House with live music and enter tainment. 5pm-8pm

Small Business Saturday is a day to celebrate and support our local business owners. Downtown Vacaville is home to many shops and restaurants who are here to welcome you this holiday season.

Downtown businesses will be competing to earn your vote in the 15th Annual Holiday Window Decorating Contest. The contest will run for 2 weeks giving you plenty of time to vote for your favorite window.

of Trees, which raises money for the town’s homeless shelter, and Merri ment on Main, which packed the down town every year prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sprinkled between these offerings are myriad events that draw the com munity together and attract others to the city to experience the city’s charm.

The city has a welcoming downtown with a host of small businesses, includ ing stores and restaurants, with an active town square that hosts entertainment events on many weekends. The adjacent Creekwalk and Andrews Park are also often entertainment venues.

A thriving downtown and large, popular shopping areas – including Vacaville Premium Outlets and the Nut Tree shopping center – make Vacaville a popular shopping destination.

The city has always prided itself on being a forward-looking town, as evidenced by its biotech industry, the

neer William McDaniel, when he bought part of an 1843 Mexican land grant held by Manuel Cabeza Vaca with the promise that McDaniel would name the town Vacaville. The city was incorporated in 1892.

Vacaville’s most famous restaurant, the Nut Tree, opened in the 1920s as a produce stand located under a large oak next to the main road that linked Sacra mento with the San Francisco Bay Area. While the Nut Tree closed in 1996, its legacy continues in the Nut Tree shop ping center, which opened in 2009.

Vacaville is not a city stuck in the past, but many residents are sweet on the old Nut Tree and what it represents.

When a sign along Interstate 80 marking the former business was taken down in March 2015, devotees of the old Nut Tree were there to mourn and memorialize the moment of cement and glass that took two years to build – and a day to take down.

said – erroneously he insisted – to have met with the Mafia, were preserved.

Vacaville, like much of California, boomed after World War II. Population now puts the municipality at third in Solano County, behind Vallejo and Fair field, although many Vacaville residents would say that’s a contest they’re not entering.

Rather than look at numbers, Vacav ille’s boosters say its benefits include a thriving downtown and a quality of life unmatched in Solano County.

For the sizable population of com muters, Vacaville is equidistant from the Sacramento area and the San Francisco Bay Area, connected to both by Inter state 80, which cuts the town in half.

The hills west of town shelter Va caville, giving it warm summers with average highs in the upper 90s and mild winters with lows that can drop into the mid-30s.

Spend the day, see some sights

NUT TREE PLAZA

Nut Tree Plaza, next to Interstate 80 in northeast Vacaville, is an entertaining blend of the old and new, with a wide host of retail businesses sharing the land with a family oriented town plaza that features the restored Nut Tree train and a carousel. The plaza inherited the legacy of the original Nut Tree, which was founded in 1921 when the Power family set up a small fruit stand under a large oak tree beside the road that is now I-80. It grew into the most popular road stop between Sacramento and San Francisco, offering a restaurant, dried fruits, toys, children’s rides, aviation books, souvenirs, gemstones and a post office. The original Nut Tree closed in 1996, only to be reborn as the Nut Tree Plaza, which offers a mix of more than 40 restaurants and businesses that includes Fenton’s Creamery, See’s Candy and major businesses such as Best Buy. Nut Tree’s town plaza offers special events

such as the Vacaville Jazz Festival.

LOCATION: East Monte Vista Avenue at Nut Tree Road

MORE INFORMATION: www.nuttreeusa.com

DOWNTOWN VACAVILLE

Clustered around the intersection of Merchant and Main streets, Vacaville’s downtown is an active and entertaining neighborhood with activities that range from summertime farmers markets and town square concerts to major events such as Merriment on Main and the Art, Wine and Brew Festival. It is a historically well-preserved town center with more than two dozen restaurants, cafes and bars sharing the sidewalks with a healthy selection of small shops and businesses that run the gamut from bicycle stores and travel agencies to photo studios and fitness centers. The downtown’s business-supported activities include the very popular Fiesta Days festival, the mid-spring to mid-fall Certified Farmers Market, the SingerSongwriter Competition, the community’s Fourth of July celebration, the Merriment on Main Christmas spectacular, the Creekwalk Concert series and a host of smaller music and food events.

LOCATION: Area surrounding Merchant and Main streets

MORE INFORMATION: 707-451-2100; www.downtownvacaville.com

VACAVILLE PREMIUM OUTLETS

It’s easy to spend an entire day shopping at the impressive collection of more than 120 retail outlets in the Vacaville Premium Outlets. The retail campus is one of the largest shopping destinations in the Sacramento/San Francisco Bay area. Reviews by shoppers laud its wide selection of stores that includes major names such as Calvin Klein, Nike and Polo Ralph Lauren, as well as some really good deals for those who are willing to hunt. Reviewers’ only downside is the sheer size and its popularity for everyone from local shoppers to tour buses, which can make finding weekend parking an adventure of its own. For those who want a break from all the bargain hunting, there is a good selection of sit-down restaurants such as The Olive Garden and fast food joints such as In-N-Out Burger within walking distance.

LOCATION: 321 Nut Tree Road, Vacaville

MORE INFORMATION: 707-447-5755; www.premiumoutlets.com

NUT TREE PLAZA

FREE IN HOME ESTIMATE!

Spend the day, see some sights

VACAVILLE MUSEUM

Since it was established in 1984, the Vacaville Museum has prided itself on preserving and educating the public about all of Solano County’s cultural and historical heritage. The museum has produced more than 40 exhibits on the area’s history, from American Indian artifacts found in and around Vacaville to the region’s famous fruit industry. It does not offer any permanent exhibits and produces two temporary exhibits every year. It also hosts public events such as Sallie Fox Day, which teaches local schoolchildren about the life and times of California pioneer girl Sallie Fox.

LOCATION: 213 Buck Ave., Vacaville MORE INFORMATION: 707-447-4513; www.vacavillemuseum.org

ROWLAND FREEDOM CENTER

The Rowland Freedom Center is dedicated to honoring those who defend our nation’s freedom, education future generations about why we are a free nation and promoting patriotism. Museum includes such aircraft as the 1912 Gonzalez Brothers Biplane, the 1937 Ryan STA, the North American P-51H Mustang and  the 1966 Bell Helicopters UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter. Vehicles on display include the World War II-era Willy’s Jeep, a replica of the Mercedes W31 command car used by German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, an M-16 halftrack and anti-aircraft vehicle.

LOCATION: Nut Tree Airport, 300 County Airport Road, Suite C4, Vacaville MORE INFORMATION: 707-449-3402; http://rowlandfreedomcenter.org.

VACAVILLE CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Vacaville Farmers Market: 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays through Oct. 15 at Andrews Park, 614 E. Monte Vista Ave. Features local and regional farmers, prepackaged food vendors and sellers of handmade products. The public is invited to shop at a more diversified market featuring food sampling and music. Admission is free with plenty of free street parking available on East Main Street and at the George E. Duke parking lot. Info.: www.visitvacaville.com.

Town Square Music Series: 5 p.m. Thursdays, through Oct. 13 at the Town Square Plaza downtown. Remaining calendar: Sept. 29, Smokehouse Reunion; Oct. 6, Val Starr; Oct. 13, Duo Sonics. Info.: https://www.visitvacaville.com/events/ creekwalk-concert-series.

Vacaville Arts Week: Final day of free 10-day event Sept. 25. Event established in 2019 to celebrate the diversity and wealth of creative talent Vacaville has to offer. Creekwalk Plaza at Andrews Park. Info.: www.visitvacaville.com.

Sweet Pea's Harvest Market & Pumpkin Patch: Enjoy fall festivities from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 1 at Sweet Pea's Boutique, 891 Alamo Drive. Find your perfect pumpkins for your autumn decorations and Halloween creations. Shop for succulent topped pumpkins and visit with local artisans, makers and bakers. Free entry and parking. Info: 707-474-9807, sweetpeasvendor@gmail.com.

Nut Tree World Championship Giant Pumpkin Weigh-off: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 8, Nut Tree Plaza, Event festivities include a petting zoo, pumpkin carver, balloon twister, face painters, princess photoshoots and more. Free admission. Info.: www.nuttreevacaville.com/pumpkin-weigh-off. Be.Love.Farm Fall Festival: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 9, 7071 Bucktown Lane. Event includes food, hay rides, heritage apple tasting and more. Info.: www.belovefarm.com.

Solano County Home and Garden Show and Fall Festival: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 23 to the Harbison Event Center, 1681 E. Monte Vista Ave. Meet with home improvement specialists to see the latest products and services for those finishing touches or for unfinished projects and more. Free parking. Children 12 and younger admitted free. Info.: www.solanohomeshow.com.

VALLEJO Discover

Solano County’s largest city is classic Bay Area.

For one thing, Vallejo is located along the Mare Island Strait and San Pablo Bay, so water dominates its views. On days when such county cities as Dixon are broiling under 90-degree heat, Vallejo might have gray skies from the coastal overcast.

Also, the older parts of Vallejo have more of an urban than suburban atmo sphere found in many of the county’s cities.

One of the county’s biggest tourist attractions is located in Vallejo: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom. The amusement park features such theme rides as The Joker, Wonder Woman Lasso of Truth, Harley Quinn Crazy Coaster and Bat man: The Ride. The Tsunami Soaker is a tea cup-type ride that allows riders to squirt each other using large water guns.

Animal shows and attractions at Dis covery Kingdom feature giraffes, seals, sharks, butterflies and other creatures.

The 149-acre Solano County fair grounds is located nearby. It is home to the county fair each summer, but also hosts events year-round and has a golf course.

Vallejo is home to a ferry that links it with San Francisco. Riders can take catamaran ferries that reach almost 40 mph and make the trip to the San Francisco Ferry Building in about an hour. Ferries are also available to Pier 41, Angel Island and Oracle Park.

Mare Island gives people the chance to see a former naval shipyard that was founded prior to the Civil War and closed in 1996. Buildings from various eras are visible, from the 19th-century brick buildings and Victorian homes to massive, World War II-era industrial buildings.

The excellent Mare Island Strait led the Navy in 1852 to buy land for Mare Island Naval Shipyard. The first com mander was David Glasgow Farragut, who later gained fame during the Civil War for capturing Mobile, Alabama, and for operations along the lower Missis sippi River.

The shipyard was a mainstay of the Pacific Fleet’s presence through World War II and the Cold War prior to its closure. Vallejo has since redeveloped Mare Island as an industrial area work in progress as well as home to institu tions such as Touro University, which

occupies the old hospital building, and residential subdivisions.

Mare Island also plays host to a por tion of the San Francisco Pacific Flyway Festival each February, with hikes along the picturesque shoreline and viewing of the various migratory birds.

Visitors can hike in Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve. Among the features there are a 284-foot-high hill overlooking San Pablo Bay, the Mare Island cemetery and century-old stone buildings at the old ammunition depot.

Gen. Mariano Vallejo, a powerful civil and military leader when Mexico ruled California, lends his name to the city.

Vallejo in 1850 wanted to establish a city that would become the capital of the newly formed state of California. He saw the location as “the true center of the state, the true center of commerce and the true center of travel,” according to Frank Keegan’s book “Solano: The Crossroads County.”

Modestly, Vallejo wanted to name his city “Eureka.” Others insisted it be called “Vallejo” in his honor and their viewpoint won out.

Vallejo is among the nation’s most diverse cities.

Vallejo Convention & Visitors Bureau: 800-4-Vallejo, 642-3653, www.visitvallejo.com Vallejo Chamber of Commerce: 644-5551, www.vallejochamber.com

MARE ISLAND MUSEUM

The former Mare Island Naval Shipyard was the first permanent naval installation on the West Coast when founded in 1854. It built more than 500 ships in its 142-year service to the United States before closing in 1996. Today, much of Mare Island's historical artifacts are carefully being preserved by the Mare Island Historic Park Foundation. It's housed in Building 46, a 50,000-square-foot space built in 1855.

LOCATION: 8th Street and 1100 Railroad Ave., Vallejo

MORE INFORMATION: 707-644-4746 or 707-280-5742; www.mareislandmuseum.org

EMPRESS THEATRE

Vallejo's Empress Theatre opened in February 1912, hosting a vaudeville act. It was re-opened in 2008 after nearly 20 years of non-use due to damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The one-room movie house has undergone complete renovation and seismic retrofit. Operated as a nonprofit, it now shows movies, hosts live performances and is rented for private events. Tours and sales of old movie posters also are offered.

LOCATION: 330 Virginia St., Vallejo

MORE INFORMATION: 707-552-2400, www.empresstheatre.org

SIX FLAGS DISCOVERY KINGDOM

Known years ago as Marine World/ Africa USA for its ocean and continental wildlife, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is now known more for its rides. Take a topsy, turvy spin on the thriller coaster, Superman, or one of the many other thrill, family or children’s rides – to include this year’s new attraction, Sidewinder Safari. See cougars and dolphins, walruses and penguins, among other animals. Take in a wildlife show, eat some food and take in an exhibit. The park also transforms during some holidays, adding special attractions for Halloween and Christmas and a Fourth of July celebration that includes fireworks. Season passes are available.

LOCATION: 1001 Fairgrounds Drive, Vallejo (From Fairfield: Take Interstate 80 westbound. From Interstate 80, take the Discovery Kingdom exit)

MORE INFORMATION: 707-643-6722 for recorded information; 707-644-4000 for administrative office, www.sixflags.com/discoverykingdom

CHILDREN’S WONDERLAND PARK

Acres of pure childhood joy await at this Vallejo park, with castles, a giant teapot, fire truck and other play structures as well as Cinderella's carriage and modern play structures. A fully fenced park with plenty of highimagination play areas, picnic facilities, open space, a craft area and an outdoor theater, Children's Wonderland provides plenty of fun for the youngsters. Birthday party packages are available as well as multiple-visit passes.

LOCATION: 360 Glenn St., Vallejo

MORE INFORMATION: 707-980-8004, www.gvrd.org/?page=Childrens_ Wonderland

Spend the day, see some sights

SIX FLAGS DISCOVER KINGDOM

VALLEJO NAVAL AND HISTORICAL MUSEUM

The Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum is a required stop for fans of local history and the Navy. The museum, which is located in Vallejo's historic old City Hall, features five galleries devoted to the history and cultures of Vallejo and the U.S. Navy at Mare Island. It also sponsors educational and cultural programs. It is a lot of history to cover, because Vallejo traces its roots to 1844 with the arrival of Gen. Mariano Vallejo, and Mare Island Naval Shipyard traces its own history to 1852, when Congress bought the island. While three of the galleries are devoted to permanent exhibits, the other two offer a constantly changing menu of visiting exhibits pulled from other museums and private collections. One of its more unusual features is the working submarine periscope that can be found at the top of the museum's grand staircase, where visitors can get a sub's-eye view of surrounding Vallejo.

LOCATION: 734 Marin St., Vallejo

www.vallejomuseum.org

SAN FRANCISCO BAY FERRY

Used by both commuters and tourists headed from Solano County to San Francisco, the San Francisco Bay Ferry, formerly the Vallejo Bay Ferry, offers another option to traveling to the interior Bay Area. The San Francisco Bay Ferry leaves the Vallejo waterfront several times daily to bring travelers across San Pablo Bay to the San Francisco Ferry Building. Ferry commuters avoid the traffic and get stunning views of the region. The trip takes about an hour. Some ferries also stop at Pier 41. In addition to the daily trips, the ferry offers special service to San

VALLEJO CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Vallejo Art Walk: 5 to 9 p.m. second Friday each month in the city’s downtown centered at 300 Georgia St. The downtown area is lit up for the Vallejo Art Walk featuring vendors, music and plenty of art. Info: https://www.visitvallejo.com.

Mare Island PedalFest: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 25 at Mare Island Waterfront, 850 Nimitz Ave. Family friendly bike event in support of the Mare Island Historic Foundation and the Napa Valley Vine Trail Coalition. A multifaceted event with activities for a diverse audience that takes place on the Mare Island Waterfront in front of Mare Island Brewing Co. Coal Sheds. Info: https://www.visitvallejo.com.

Vallejo Waterfront Weekend: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 1-2 along the Vallejo waterfront, 289 Mare Island Way. Activities include the Lucky Ducky Derby, the Vallejo Whaleboat Regatta, the Hot Rod & Classic Car Show, the Touch a Truck & Trades Fair, the Glo Run and 5k Run, a cornhole tournament, guided bus and ferry tours of the Vallejo waterfront and Mare Island, guided kayak and paddle board tours, performance by Verismo Opera, live music, food and crafts vendors, beer and wine gardens, and a children’s zone. Info: https://www.visitvallejo.com. Mad Hatter Holiday Festival & Parade: Dec. 3 at various locations in the city’s downtown. Wonderland Festival Activities – including dancing horses, craft and food vendors and children’s rides -- begin at 2 p.m. in Unity Plaza at the John F. Kennedy Library, 505 Santa Clara St. The Mad Hatter Parade starts at 4:30 p.m. at Georgia Street and Sonoma Boulevard. A Christmas tree-lighting ceremony starts at 6 p.m. at the JFK Library. The Lighted Boat Parade starts at 6:30 p.m. Info.: www.hattervallejo.com.

28th Annual San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival: Feb. 10-11. Birds and people will flock to Mare Island each winter to celebrate what has become an annual ritual: the San Francisco Bay Flyway Festival. Info: www.sfbayflywayfestival.com.

Francisco Giants games. There is a fee to park.

LOCATION: 289 Mare Island Way

MORE INFORMATION: 877-643-3779, www.sanfranciscobayferry.com

VALLEJO SYMPHONY

The Vallejo Symphony continues its run as one of the oldest in the state. The symphony, which performs at various venues, was formed when a group of community leaders determined that local musicians needed a showcase for their talents. At the same time, community members could be enriched by attending live performances. On Feb. 21, 1931, a 60-piece orchestra, under the direction of Julius Weyand, made its debut in the auditorium of the city's newly dedicated Veterans Memorial Building. For several years, the concerts took place at the Hogan High School auditorium. The symphony moved to the Empress Theatre for the 2017-18 season. Performances of this, the symphony’s 90th season, include "Game of Cards" at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 and 3 p.m. Nov. 13; "Fairy Tales" at 8 p.m. Feb. 25 and 3 p.m. Feb. 26; and "The River" at 8 p.m. May 20 and 3 p.m. May 21. Performances are at the Empress Theatre, 330 Virginia St. More information: 707-643-4441, www.vallejosymphony.org

Vallejo Farmers Market: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays, year-round. Georgia and Marin streets. Info.: www.pcfma.com.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY FERRY