LOCAL PLACES & EVENTS OF INTEREST
ENTERTAINMENT
THE ONYX THEATRE
Nevada City
From the moment you enter the warm and sophisticated ambiance of the theatre's small lobby, you know you are in a special place. The Onyx offers a selection of locally sourced treats, savory snacks, select wine, and locally brewed beers. State-of-the-art picture and sound, ultra-comfortable seating, and two snug (twenty-nine seats each) custom-designed screening rooms offer an intimate setting for taking in quality entertainment. Every facet of a visit to The Onyx aims for an elevated experience that's about more than simply watching a great movie.
As a genuine arthouse cinema, they're unabashedly committed to bringing to the Sierra foothills the finest independent first-run films from Hollywood and around the world.
Quality film defines The Onyx experience. Their hope is that the people sitting in their theatre will connect with the dramas, comedies, and documentaries in a cozy, authentic environment that offers the opportunity to share the experience of discovery, feeling, and learning. LEARN MORE...
THE NEVADA THEATRE
Nevada City
The Nevada Theatre is the oldest continuously operated theatre venue on the West Coast of the United states. It recently celebrated 152 years of history, live performances, music, films, and art. It has the distinguished honor of having hosted Mark Twain on its stage, once upon a time.
Take a peek at their event listings for something special -- and stay in the know about what's playing every Sunday night at 7pm for the The Nevada City Sunday Film Series.
Located on Broad Street in Downtown Nevada City, it's a charming place to spend an evening. LEARN MORE..
OFF BROADSTREET
Nevada City
FUN is the key word at Off Broadstreet. Their goal is to bring you an unforgettable evening of entertainment. They call themselves Nevada City's 'Most Unique Live Theatre Experience.'
They produce only comedies, and most of these are musicals with a slant toward familiar hit songs of the 1950's and 60's. Intimate cabaret seating and a relaxed and friendly atmosphere add to the uniqueness of the experience.
They provide a selection of refreshments, including locally produced wines, desserts, coffee, and other beverages, served at your table before the show and during intermission. LEARN MORE...
GROCERIES AND SUCH
CALIFORNIA ORGANICS
Nevada City
California Organics is a lovely little Health Food store about 1/4 mile from Downtown Nevada City.
Their mission statement says it all: "Not so long ago all food was ‘organic’, with real color, real flavor and preservative-free. Things have changed. We reject this change and are committed to bringing real food back to your meal table using real food with Organic, GMO free & sustainably-produced ingredients, showcasing honest flavors made from scratch to your preferences."
They offer all-organic produce, meats, seafood, and more -- and even have a juice/coffee bar and all-organic restaurant to boot. Yes, you can also pick up shampoo, deodorant, and various sundries there as well! LEARN MORE...
SPRING STREET MARKET
NEVADA CITY
The Spring Street Market is a small market and deli 1/2 a block off Broad Street in Downtown Nevada City. If you're committed to walking as much as possible during your stay in Nevada City, this is an easy place to pop by to pick up those odds and ends that you need. LEARN MORE...
THE BRIARPATCH FOOD COOP
Grass Valley
BriarPatch Food Co-op is a community-owned cooperative business. They provide our community with quality food and products, strengthen the local economy, and support local/regional businesses that are committed to regenerative agriculture, sustainability, humane practices, and organic farming.
This large and lovely store is well cared for and well stocked with everything your heart desires -- including a salad bar and a deli. LEARN MORE...
SHOPPING
KITKITDIZZI
Nevada City
Kitkitdizzi is a unique, artisan retail store in downtown Nevada City, best summed up by this Yelp review:
"Kitkitdizzi is a MUST VISIT in Nevada City! I especially love its spacious new location. Whoever is doing the merchandising is an aesthetic genius - every time I go in it looks different yet familiar. They sell some of my favorite California-made goodies like Juniper Ridge incense, Urb Apothecary, Debbie Bean stained glass, Bathing Culture liquid soap, those incredible handmade knives by that local teenager (oops I forgot your name), and are basically the Fat & The Moon showroom (love my Sage & Rose Face Mist). Even if you don't intend on buying something you will walk out with something awesome! Go support these awesome ladies." LEARN MORE...
INNER PATH
Nevada City
Inner Path provides, among other things, a beautiful boutique. See their listing on our 'Yoga' page for their class offerings. This is a nonprofit, donation based center serving and honoring all spiritual pathways.
They offer free daily meditation from 9 AM to 10 AM., and many products and resources for yoga, meditation and a spiritual life. LEARN MORE...
REMEDY GARDEN APOTHECARY
Nevada City
This is a truly lovely herbal apothecary in downtown Nevada City, offering a wide range of high quality, organic, and sustainably wildcrafted herbs and remedies for health and wellness -- staffed by qualified clinical herbalists. LEARN MORE...
MOUNTAIN RECREATION
Grass Valley
Mountain Recreation offers a year-round selection of quality outdoor gear and apparel. Paddleboard and Kayak rentals are available at Mountain Recreation every day.
Scott’s Flat Lake Rentals are available Saturday and Sunday through Labor Day 10:30 until 6pm.
The staff at Mountain Recreation is happy to assist with all of your outdoor needs. LEARN MORE...
RECREATION
EMPIRE MINE STATE PARK
Grass Valley
Empire Mine State Historic Park is the site of one of the oldest, deepest, and richest gold mines in California. The park is in Grass Valley at 10791 East Empire Street.
In operation for more than 100 years, the mine extracted 5.8 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956. The park contains many of the mine’s buildings, the owner’s home and restored gardens, as well as the entrance to 367 miles of abandoned and flooded mine shafts.
The park encompasses 856 acres of forested backcountry and fourteen miles of trails - including easy hikes (for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding) - in the park.
To keep track of the mine's 367 underground workings, a place called "The Secret Room" (named for its blacked-out windows) was built. In it, the entire room was filled with a scale model of the mine's below the surface workings. Few people knew the room existed while the mine was in operation. Today, visitors to the park can see it in the Visitor Center. The model represents five square miles of an underground network system of tunnels. When the visitors go down the actual shaft in the park, they have journeyed only "one inch" on the model. Anything past "two inches" on the model is underwater in the actual mine. LEARN MORE...
SCOTT'S FLAT LAKE
Nevada City
Scotts Flat is situated among the tall pines at a 3100-foot elevation nine miles east of Nevada City via Highway 20 and Scotts Flat Road.
It offers 169 campsites at two large campgrounds, plus a group camp.
Across the lake, accessible via Red Dog and Quaker Hill Roads from Nevada City, is the Cascade Shores Day Use Area.
Camping, fishing, swimming, sunning, boating, water skiing, sailing, kayaking and other activities are popular at the Scotts Flat reservoir in the Sierra foothills. LEARN MORE...
EVENTS
Nevada City Farmer's Market
(YEAR ROUND)
Celebrate local food Nevada City style! Share in the bounty of community. Enjoy live music, local farmers, vendors, and artists, freshly baked treats and more. Shop for healthy food, locally grown with care and pride.
Each Saturday from Father’s Day to Thanksgiving, more than 30 vendors join a group of loyal volunteers to create a vibrant community event on Union Street in downtown Nevada City.
Vendors you will find include Buckeye Ranch, Soil Sisters Farm, Pearson Family Orchard, Fable Coffee, Frontier Angel Soap, and Mama Sattva Ghee. LEARN MORE...
The Gardens at Ananda
(YEAR ROUND)
About 20 miles North of Nevada City, you'll find the Ananda Ashram of the Paramhansa Yogananda/Self Realization Fellowship Lineage. This lovely place is a retreat from the world, hosting a community of people committed to peace and developing their spiritual understanding of life.
Visit for an afternoon. Hike their trails, join in on a yoga class, visit the gift shop, or stop for lunch in their cafeteria or market.
The gardens at the Crystal Hermitage are particularly beautiful. The Crystal Hermitage itself is a point of interest, and both it and the gardens are placed on a ridge that overlooks the Yuba River with a long view of the Sierras.
SPRING: Throughout the month of April (sometimes starting in late March), enjoy the glorious color and serenity
of 17,000 tulips in bloom for Springtime.
Springtime at Ananda features 111 dutch tulip varieties, and draws over 13,000 visitors annually.
SUMMER: the summer garden transitions after Springtime. July - August, you will see an array of roses, begonias, impatiens, zinnia, geraniums, petunias, marigolds, and much more!
FALL: As the weather cools the garden transitions from perennials to pansies and dahlias, with roses still prominent. The fall foliage radiates its brilliance with bright burgundies of Japanese maple, and the reds, yellows, purples and oranges of our other trees, all against the striking backdrop of the Sierra evergreens. LEARN MORE...
The Wild & Scenic Film Festival
(JANUARY)
A Film Festival by Activists for Activists, SYRCL’s (South Yuba River Citizen's League) Wild & Scenic Film Festival inspires environmental activism and a love for nature–through film. Wild & Scenic shares an urgent call to action, encouraging festival-goers to learn more about what they can do to save our threatened planet.
This 5-day flagship festival is held annually in Nevada City and Grass Valley, California. Featuring 100+ films, workshops, visiting filmmaker and activist talks, family-friendly programs, art exhibitions, parties, and more–you won’t want to miss this festival!
Wild & Scenic Film Festival is the largest annual fundraiser for the South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL). Locally, SYRCL raises funds and awareness to recover California’s wild salmon and protect the Yuba River watershed.
The festival goes On Tour to more than 250 events each year, partnering with groups who are working to protect and restore the important places in their communities. Globally, Wild & Scenic On Tour generates critical funds and increases awareness for grassroots environmental causes. LEARN MORE...
First Friday Art Walk
The First Friday Art Walk is a celebration of Nevada City’s diverse mix of galleries, artisan boutiques, retail shops, wine tasting rooms, restaurants, as well as our wonderfully artistic and creative community. Participating downtown businesses open from 5pm to 9pm -- and many will host “receptions” with local artists, trunk shows, and/or performances. Many shops offer snacks and beverages, as well as sales and specials only valid for the event.
First Fridays bring a celebratory energy to Downtown Nevada City while encouraging townfolk and visitors to visit businesses and enjoy the art and culture that makes Nevada City unique.
There are live music and theatrical performances at various locations throughout the downtown area. Explore a Youth Arts Showcase featuring Artists between the ages of 4-18 with some fantastic prizes donated by local businesses, as well as a “Kids Zone” on York Street with some fun activities and art projects for kids of all ages. LEARN MORE...
Pioneer Park “Picnic Pops” Concert Series
(JUNE, JULY, AUGUST, SEPTEMBER)
Every year, the Nevada County Concert Band (NCCBand) brings back to life an era in American history when the local Sunday Band Concert was a grand social occasion. Located in the Sierra Nevada foothills' gold country of Grass Valley and Nevada City, the NCCBand performs free concerts at public parks and local events.
In the summer, enjoy the 4-part Picnic Pops Concert Series, wave a flag at the curbside with the band at the Independence Day Parade, catch their performance at the Nevada County Fair, or join them at Constitution Day's street concert.
These local volunteer musicians will entertain you with a fine selection of family-friendly music. Once you experience the music and fun with the Nevada County Concert Band, you’ll discover another reason to believe that the Gold Country is special. LEARN MORE...
Sierra Storytelling Festival
(JULY)
One festival, three days, and a world of stories reaching the very heart of our human experience.
For one magical weekend in July, settle back and hear stories unfold beneath the big trees and nighttime stars of California’s Sierra foothills.
See renowned storytellers spin tales spanning the centuries and connecting generations - guaranteeing laughter, tears, and moments of wonder.
The festival takes place 20 minutes North of Nevada City at the North Columbia Cultural Center. The Center continues to keep the art, joy, and tradition of storytelling alive in a historic Schoolhouse and its pine-shaded amphitheater - the first and maybe only one in America built specifically for storytelling. LEARN MORE...
Nevada City Summer Nights
(JULY)
The Summer Nights in Nevada City celebration, a street festival of art and music, have been an annual tradition in this quaint, scenic, and historic community for close to thirty years, taking place on three Wednesday evenings in July.
During Summer Nights, Nevada City’s landmark historic district is closed to motorized traffic and filled with arts, crafts, classic cars, food, drink and music.
Leading Sierra foothills musicians and more perform on outdoor stages throughout the downtown area. Hours are 6-9:30 p.m. There is no admission charge. LEARN MORE...
Movies Under the Pines
(JUNE, JULY, AUGUST)
The Nevada City Film Festival (NCFF) presents Movies Under the Pines -- an outdoor cinema experience for the entire family at the Pioneer Park Bandshell in Nevada City. NCFF carefully selects films that both kids and parents will enjoy.
The film festival brings in state of the art projection and sound to create an outdoor movie theatre on the grass at each venue. Before each screening NCFF curates a special pre-show that includes screening local filmmakers works, movie trivia with fun festival prizes, and other events specific to each screening.
Food and drink are available for purchase. Outside food and non-alcoholic drinks are allowed. Outside alcoholic beverages prohibited. Blankets and low back chairs are suggested. LEARN MORE...
Fall Colors of Nevada City
(OCTOBER - NOVEMBER)
Nevada City has been recognized for having some of the best fall colors in California.
Victorian neighborhoods surrounding the downtown historic district have some of the best and brightest displays, with century-old maples turning vibrant shades of gold, orange, and fiery red. Many of the town's most colorful trees were introduced to the area by pioneers from the New England states more than a century ago.
These towering maples, liquidambars, and other deciduous trees stand out from the surrounding deep green forests, providing breathtaking beauty and great photo opportunities.
The fall colors of Nevada City's trees are complemented by vines, shrubs, and bushes that also paint the town. Through the years, Nevada City residents have landscaped yards and gardens to accentuate the town's autumnal beauty - which gets more colorful by the year.
Visitors are largely on their own. Nevada City is historic, artsy, and laid back. Many leaf peepers choose to walk or bicycle around town. The Nevada City Chamber of Commerce offers a Fall Colors tour guide. Visitors may also pick up a Nevada City tree tour brochure.
Autumn is a comfortable time of year in Nevada City and the Sierra foothills. Enjoy warm afternoons and cool nights, - perfect for hiking, biking, or exploring unique shops and galleries amid the beauty of the season.
Depending upon the year, the best fall colors can be seen from mid-October through Thanksgiving - sometimes earlier, sometimes later. Call the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce for a recommendation on peak color weeks. LEARN MORE...
Victorian Christmas
(DECEMBER)
Enticing aromas of roasted chestnuts and hearty holiday foods fill the air alongside cries of street vendors hawking their wares. Lamp-lit streets are filled to overflowing with authentic Christmas treasures — hand-crafted candy, jewelry, pottery, perfume, dolls, candles, clothing, art, and more. It’s the one & only Victorian Christmas --full of warm and spirited shows, sights, sounds, and attractions.
Welcome the holiday season in style in historic Nevada City. Each year the town’s picturesque downtown transforms into a genuine Christmas card come to life. It’s a magical setting of hilly streets lined with twinkling white lights, authentic gas lamps, wandering minstrels, carolers dressed in Victorian attire, and a myriad of visitors sharing holiday cheer and good tidings.
This annual, family tradition takes place 2 Wednesday evenings and 3 Sunday afternoons in December and features holiday activities for all ages: live entertainment, savory yuletide treats and libations, chestnuts roasted over an open fire, and - of course - Father Christmas! LEARN MORE...