Mar. 7—You don't need to be Irish but you'll want some of their storied luck to get the most out of this Second Saturday in downtown Bakersfield.
Among the activities for this month's event, which is organized by The Hub of Bakersfield, is a special scavenger hunt downtown. Visitors are encouraged to check out participating businesses in search of something green and then take a photo of the item.
Local "leprechauns" will also be out and about downtown. If you spot one, catch it with your camera and submit the photo for a prize.
Photos can be shared on Instagram with @bakersfieldsecondsaturday tagged or saved on your camera roll.
Visit bakersfieldsecondsaturday.com or @bakersfieldsecondsaturday for a full list of participating locations and additional information.
This event, meant to bring the community out to socialize, shop and utilize the city's urban core, has a lot of other fun on tap.
Tiki-Ko (1919 K St.) will host the second annual Central California Tiki Marketplace in the parking lot across the street from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
More than 30 vendors selling original carvings, jewelry, mugs, clothing and collectibles will be on hand for the event that will also include a performance by Par Avion.
The bar and its sister location The Sinking Ship (1927 K St.) will also open at 1 p.m.
The Bakersfield Museum of Art (1930 R St.) will again host retired art educator Chalita Robinson who will lead the discussion "The Art of Seeing Art" from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Admission for the lecture is $20, $10 for museum members and $5 for students. Visit bmoa.org/second-saturday for tickets.
Guests can enjoy the current exhibitions, which include "Rotem Reshef: Vista," a large-scale installation of scrolls and stretched canvases painted using imprints of native flowers, trees and shrubs; "Of Rope and Chain Her Bones Are Made," featuring the work of nine Los Angeles-based female artists; "Dynamic, Surreal, Vibrant: Marion Osborn Cunningham," featuring the work of the museum's namesake; and "Color and Abstraction: Select Works From BMoA's Permanent Collection."
For those who want further insight, the museum will offer guided tours at noon and 3 p.m. Make reservations on the webiste.
Open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the museum will also have a children's book reading with Kern County Library staff from 10:30 to 11 a.m. and an all-ages pastel art project, inspired by Marion Cunningham's "Loose Poppies," offered all day.
Purveyor Branding Co. (1219 18th St.) is both a "pot of gold" location, where scavenger hunters can show their photos for a sweet treat, but it will also host a special St. Patrick's Day craft for children from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Moderngigi Gallery (900 18th St.) will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with gallery owner and artist Johnny Ramos' limited-edition art prints for sale ($80 or two for $150).
Ramos will also take part in the All-Bako-All-The-Time Pop-up, happening in the parking lot of Cafe Smitten (909 18th St.) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other participating artists include photographer Felix Adamo, who will have his Bakersfield Twang T-shirts, Bakersfield notecards and Bakersfield fine art posters for sale; painters Ashley Peony and Ensley Davis; and Heather West of Tule Supply Co. with locally themed stickers and patches.
Adamo's son Zane, who is also a photographer as well as a musician, will be there with his band The Soda Crackers for a visit before they head to Buck Owens' Crystal Palace for a show that night.
Vogue-ish, also in the Cafe Smitten parking lot, will also be a "pot of gold" location as well as offering the latest apparel and accessories.
Charlotte White will again offer free art classes at the Bakersfield Art Association Art Center (1607 19th St.) for children and adults.
The children's class will be held at 1 p.m. and a class for adults will be held at 2:30 p.m.
Materials will be provided by the instructor but students are welcome to bring their own supplies. Contact Charlotte White at 661-330-2676 or charlottewhiteartist@icloud.com for more information.
The art center is also displaying a group show of miniature works featuring artists Norma Eaton, R. M. Aylors, Jim Bates, Mark Engelien, Stacy Wingate and Chrissy Rogers.
There is also the YAM (Youth Art Month) show with work by Kern High School District students and an additional student show featuring artwork from Highland and Liberty high schools.
Oleander + Palm (1022 Truxtun Ave.): The downtown shop will have matcha lattes and pot of gold shortbread for shoppers and the latest in quality collected goods and curated vintage.
Over at 2nd Phase Brewing (1004 19th St.), Bakersfield Cheesesteak Co. will be selling sandwiches to be enjoyed with the brewery's beers and selzter drinks, which will be discounted ($2.50 off all 16-ounce seltzers, selzter cocktails, and seltzer slushies).
Imbibe Wine & Spirits (4140 Truxtun Ave.) will offer a discount on its Irish whiskey flight with the purchase of a special pizza from Tommy's Pizza.
Locale Farm to Table Eatery (1727 18th St.) will serve its lunch and brunch menus as well as special deviled eggs, including a bloody mary-inspired one and a habanero sweet potato deviled egg with chèvre; bottomless champagne spritzers; and a DIY paint station ($20 includes materials) in the art gallery. Music will be provided by Crimson Skye.
Vendors inside In Your Wildest Dreams Consignment & Antiques (2819 F St.) will hold sales and the store will host pop-up vendors and the F Street Farmers Market in its parking lot. Participants include It's a Sweet Thing Bakery and Big Al's BBQ.
Those who head to the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History and Science (2018 Chester Ave.) for the scavenger hunt will receive a coupon for free admission.
Off the Rails (1517 18th St.) will serve green beer as well as the special St. Paddy's cider seltzer Luck of the Buck.
New restaurant Mango Haus (700 Truxtun Ave.) will serve a festively green mint mojito during its breakfast and lunch service.
The Hens Roost (1916 G St.) will host its farmers market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with vendors such as Blue Magnolia Bread Co., French Delice, Heayyn's Treats, Vida Juicery and Howie's Micheladas.
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.
