San Diego's Top Weekend Events: Fairy Tales, Fiddles And Folklorico

This is Kate PBS midday edition. I'm Maureen Cavanaugh. Lots of music on and off stage in Vista this weekend. Plus ballet in Balboa Park and mariachis at the Civic Theatre. Joining me for our weekend preview is Nina Guerin PBS arts calendar editor Nina welcome back. Kyllo we know about other three day music festivals in the area. There's good cello. Kabu. But this weekend there's a three day festival happening in Vista with camping and jam sessions. What's happening there. It's a festival called Summer grass. It's three days of bluegrass at the antique gas and steam engine museum. And because there are so many musicians who come to this event camping is encouraged. And it's a big draw because after the concerts there are all these jam sessions. Well let's talk about the music first but I do have questions about the camping part too. This is a bluegrass festival so I assume the lineup is all bluegrass bluegrass and folk but there are so many styles within bluegrass. We have the traditional created in the 1930s by Bill Monroe and The Bluegrass Boys and that was just acoustic instruments and harmonies. And then there's also different kinds now that include Gospel Jazz Celtic and even rock n roll. What are some of the bands people will say at this festival. You can check out some up and coming talent like the Gilli girls. I like them because there are two sets of twins from the same family. They play bluegrass southern gospel and old time music. And then there's the more established Joe Mullins On The Radio Ramblers and he's considered one of the best five string banjo players in bluegrass right now. Let's listen to Joe Mullins And the radio Ramblers this is if I'd have wrote that song. So let's get back to the camping angle. How does that work. There are several ways to do it. You can camp in their main area and you can have a tent or a car. There's hookups and it's near the festival site and there's food there. If you are more adventurous and you know how to camp there are sections there that are quiet and more spacious. Do you have to camp to go to this festival or just. No. I don't know how to camp. You can show up each day starting this afternoon and then it's happening Saturday and Sunday 2:00 AM kids aged 10 and under are free with paid admission summer grass happens this weekend at the antique gas and steam engine museum. Investa. Now you're also a big fan of fairytales and the park in Balboa Park. Tell us what that is. It's a fundraiser for San Diego civic Youth Ballet which is a school in Balboa Park that offers affordable ballet class to kids around the county. This particular event they showcase snippets from popular story ballets in a way that's accessible and fun for young kids and even for people who have never seen ballet before. So what will people see at this year's event. You'll see parts from Sleeping Beauty Hansel and Gretel and A Midsummer Night's Dream and they're also performing parts of Cinderella which is the youth Ballet's spring show. And this one will be narrated by a professional storyteller. You brought us some music from Cinderella's waltz which was composed by Sergei Prokofiev. I understand there's also a fairytale village. What is that. Yes you can do all things princess before after this show. There's crafts and games and foods and this year's village is sustainability themed so you won't feel guilty about it. Why is this one of your favorite events. I think you know I love ballet and this is a great way to show the fun of ballet and because it's made for young audiences. They can see that ballet isn't just something fancy. It's a storytelling art form and it's in a way that they can understand it. It's also just 12 dollars a ticket which is very well priced. I've paid a lot more money to see ballet fairytales in the park happens Friday and Saturday at Casa del Prado in Balboa Park. Now finally there's another thing that you love. Here's a mariachi concert and you want to highlight. Tell us about it. It's all the things I love the international mariachi Summit Gala Concert is a night that features music and ballet for Glaudi. This is an event that benefits mariachi music education in San Diego and it features San Diego's very popular mariachi Banya Naveen and also one of the most esteemed groups from Mexico mariachi Rodriguez that got flattened. I understand that they have been around for quite some time. We can say just Mariachi Vargas. Yes they were founded in 1898 and just as has members that have just kind of grown with them and there have members who have been in this group for 40 50 years and they're together with younger musicians who will one day inherit this group. Let's hear some of Mariachi Vargas. This is last Alesana. The International mariachi Summit Gala Concert happens tonight at the Civic Theatre. And I've been speaking with PBS arts calendar editor Nina Gerin. You can see more events at PBS dot org slash arts. Nina thank you. Thank you. Have a good weekend.