Are you
thinking about moving to Shasta County and want to know what there is to do
here? In this episode of Hometown USA, I’m going to show you why Redding, California
is a great place to live, work, and play. We’ll learn about some local events to
give you a good idea of what this awesome city is all about.
There are
tons of reasons to love living in Shasta County in springtime, summertime, and
beyond. In addition to the Redding Rodeo, we have a variety of seasonal events.
These include Kool April Nights, Concerts In The Park, food trucks, Mosquito
Serenade, the Strawberry Festival, and so much more.
If you love
having a good time, enjoying the outdoors, and hanging out with nice people,
this is the place to be.
Kool April
Nights
One of the
best events in Redding is Kool April Nights, a time when we invite people from
all over the country to bring their fanciest cars to town. Whether they have
muscle cars, drag racing cars, or classic cars, drivers and spectators come
down to enjoy all the events that Redding has to offer. The streets are closed
down for a parade, and there’s also an after-party with plenty of activities.
Kool April
Nights kicks off with a big Show And Shine. This is where people shine up their
cars and present them for community members to judge. The judges will pick out their
favorites while meeting and talking with the car owners, the ones who spend so
much time and energy putting their awesome vehicles together.
Coming from many
different areas, the drivers are supported by several companies, businesses,
and community members in Redding. They also put together fundraisers to support
the car owners, the community, and those in need. With open streets, restaurants
playing music, and a variety of guests strolling through, it’s a really fun
time.
Parades,
Parties, And Drag Races
At the end of
the week, the city shuts down one of Redding’s main thoroughfares for a car
cruise and parade. Drivers show off their shiniest colors, rev up their
engines, play their music, and enjoy the community. Then, at the end of the
night, there is an after-party. The community comes together in one of our
local hotels and has a great time enjoying each other's company.
After most of
the Show And Shines are done, it’s time to move on to the drag races. These drag
races are some of the biggest races with the fastest cars, drawing people from
all over the to show off their engines. Everyone comes together, screaming and
cheering as cars reach speeds of over 200 miles per hour. From the smell of the
exhaust and the sound of squealing tires, this is one event you don’t want to
miss.
Food
Trucks
Kool April
Nights is just one of the many wonderful things that we do here in Shasta
County. As we leave April behind and step into May, there are many exciting
events to enjoy. For example, we have food trucks in The Park in downtown
Redding, where every week there's a band playing. Locals can go out, grab some grub
from one of the local food trucks, listen to music, and dance the night away.
You can also
visit the local bars, shopping centers, and other cool spots that are all
within walking distance of the downtown area. It’s a great place time have a
fun time with friends and get to know some of the best business owners in town.
So come check out this weekly event held on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays
in downtown Redding.
Spring
Concert And The Redding Rodeo
Another great
May activity is catching a spring concert at the Civic Center. Brett Young entertained
crowds on May 8th, the perfect Mother’s Day activity to share with
friends and family. Now it's time to head into my favorite time of the year:
the Redding Rodeo.
The weather
is usually beautiful, the people are amazing, and the week is full of awesome
events. We close down the streets, have a pancake breakfast, drink coffee, and
visit with our closest thousand friends. There’s also a street dance, a big
barbecue, and a fun family night. The actual rodeo includes plenty of bull
riding, horse racing, bale racing, and more.
Everything
that goes with rodeo goes with Redding, California in May. We absolutely love
it. The music is loud, the stands are roaring, and it’s an amazing time to come
together and enjoy everything that the American rodeo is.
Mosquito
Serenade
The next
event you’ll want to check out is the Mosquito Serenade, located in Anderson
River Park. Anderson is one of the most beautiful areas that you can visit,
especially when you're sitting down by the river. With green grass and beautiful
green trees, this area includes a kids’ playground, soccer area, baseball area,
beautiful walking trails, and more.
The Mosquito
Serenade is held every Wednesday night. Hundreds and hundreds of people bring
their chairs, blankets, drinks, and anything that makes them feel marvelous to enjoy
free concerts and tasty food trucks. This event offers guests a great
opportunity to hang out with friends and family and meet new people. The beautiful
area of Anderson is always working to welcome people and businesses to enjoy
their beautiful outdoor spaces.
Outdoor
Recreation
My favorite
thing to do—and the reason that I live and play in this area—is outdoor
recreation. Here in Shasta County, we have it all, and summertime just kicks it
off. If you love the water, we have Shasta Lake and Whiskeytown Lake. Shasta
Lake is 365 miles of shoreline with beautiful mountains surrounding the lake.
It's a great
place to go camping, wakeboarding, waterskiing, or take out your boat. I like
to spend my time on the lake and I think that you will, too. If you don't want
to be around the water but still want to go camping and get away, you can catch
a bit of the cooler climates in surrounding areas such as Lakehead and
Shingletown. With beautiful trees ad beautiful surroundings, you can park an
RV, pull out your tent, go fishing, or just relax. We have it all when it comes
to summertime and the outdoors.
If you want
to keep traveling and make it a little bit cooler, you can head up to Dunsmuir
or Mount Shasta for a week and get away. There’s no reason not to enjoy the
beautiful area, get outside, kick your shoes off, take a dip in the water, go
fishing, or just enjoy a campfire and have some s'mores.
Enjoy
Redding Living
I hope this gives
you a good idea of everything you can enjoy here in Redding, California. If you
would like to find out more about other events here in Redding, Shasta County,
and surrounding areas, feel free to reach out to me. I'd be happy to tell you why
I love it here and why this is a great place to live, work, and play.
Thank you for
visiting my channel, Hometown USA. Remember, I'm your American homegirl, so
please subscribe so you never miss an episode all about living here in Redding.
Stay tuned to see what I feature next!