Valley of the Moon community to celebrate Rancho Los Guilicos Day

A day under the oaks in Kenwood Aug. 8 will bring residents of the upper Sonoma Valley together in honor of the community’s heritage and to spur involvement in its present and future.

“Rancho Los Guilicos Day” at Kenwood Plaza Park will be a big community party and feed, with smoked brisket from the Vineyard’s Inn, grilled chorizo from the Sonoma County Meat Company, El Molino Central’s tamales and salas, 3 Sisters vegan stew, green salad and dessert by The Garden Court Cafe.

Local historians Dee Sand, Jim Shere and Arthur Dawson, will be on hand with stories and lore about Rancho Los Guilicos, the name for the area of Kenwood, Glen Ellen and down through Sonoma into Marin back in the mid 19th century. There will also be books and maps for sale.

Long tables set out in the park will be brightened by bouquets of sunflowers from Glen Ellen’s Oak Hill Farm and the Mariachi Nueva Leyenda, whose members are all under 18, will be in the newly constructed gazebo in the park.

The event is what the organizing Valley of the Moon Alliance is calling a “friend-raiser.” The alliance is a grass roots citizens organization that takes an active interest and involvement in issues that effect the Sonoma Valley, with the mission of preserving the rural character and agricultural heritage of the Sonoma Valley.

Party hours are from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Kenwood Plaza Park, a community green at 200 Warm Springs Road. Tickets are $25 in advance for $35 at the door. Kids under $12 are $10. Brownpapertickets.com/event/1875862.

You can reach Staff Writer Meg McConahey at meg.mcconahey@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5204. On Twitter @megmcconahey.