The inaugural Riverfront Arts Fest in April was voted a success by vendors, participants, and guests who enjoyed the pleasant weather. Well-attended, it offered a craft booth for young people which was always busy, a wonderful variety of music to uplift spirits, a fun place for chalk art, and, of course, the impressive art display and floral design raffle. In May, the Sheepdog Trial competition and demonstration returned to McCormack Ranch! Despite the rainy, chilly Saturday, Sunday’s weather was beautiful and the turn out was good! The dogs and their handlers are always a wonder to see. Thank you to all our sponsors and volunteers who assisted with these events. We are planning for a 2025 return!
Anniversary! RioVision will be celebrating 10 years of using the ideas, creativity, and energy of Rio Vista residents to implement actions, projects, programs and events that improve lives and the physical and social environment of our community. We work with service clubs, other nonprofits, businesses and the City of Rio Vista to make a positive difference for our residents and visitors. Watch for more information about a late June event!
Our May 13th Community Forum welcomed the Solano Master Plan for Aging for a listening session. Rio Vista residents had the opportunity to provide input on topics like safety, access to services and support, mental and physical health, healthcare, affordable housing and transportation options for all stages of life. About 20 people were in attendance. For more info, go do mpasolano.com. Our June Community Forum, on June 10th, will focus on Agribusiness and Tourism in Rio Vista. We meet at 45 Main St.
The Riverview Middle School Garden held an Open House and Plant Giveaway on May 18th at the school before a short hiatus while construction crews work on renovation at the school. The vegetable beds will remain during construction, but the rest of the garden (flower beds, fruit trees, and onion/squash bed) will need to be restored once reno is complete. Volunteers would be appreciated! (Contact Kathy @ khillclimin@gmail.com) The twelve vegetable beds, fruit trees, and self-seeding flower bed have been continuously cultivated by volunteers for nine years! Fresh food is provided to the RV Food Pantry.
The School District maintains the turf areas and provided the tool sheds. Picnic tables are available on site.
Rio Vista Litter Pickers had a great Earth Day Cleanup in April with twenty bags of trash & other debris collected in a little over an hour for a total of 205 pounds. A special thanks to our volunteers, members of the Lions Club, staff from Sandy Beach & Cleanup Solano who made this a success! We met again on May 25th to pick up trash along Highway 12 Business District east from Rio Vista Ford. The Promenade and Church Road areas have now been “adopted” by volunteers for regular clean up. Thank you, Heidi Quaas, for taking on Church Road. If you want to adopt an area of town for clean up, contact us at riovistalitterpickers@gmail.com. In the last three years, we have removed 12,000 pounds of litter from our community!
The City Art Program, working with the City of Rio Vista, has been actively bringing vitality and identity to our community through public art. Five Rock the Spot Phase I fire hydrant paintings are finished! Local artists cleaned, primed and painted hydrants located on various corners near Main St. Rio Vista. See if you can “spot” them! Thanks to Artists Jim Pezzaglia, Ellen LaVaccare, Pat Puryear, Harvey Steinhaus, Rel Rogers and Marianne Biner for volunteering their time and talent.
Phase 2 of Rock the Spot would like to have more painters to continue with colorful designs on other hydrants. Supplies are provided. Please leave your name at the RioVision Gallery at 116 Main St. if interested or email us at info@riovision.net. Phase 2 of Rock the Flock (whimsically painted downtown sculptures) was presented to the Rio Vista City Council on May 21. Pending the council’s investigation of city branding, they have chosen to put the project on hold. The City Art Program members will continue to research ways to bring more art into the community. We’ll share developments as they arise.
The Western Entrance to our City around our “Welcome to Rio Vista” sign could use your help!
The whimsical kite on the one utility box for which we could get permission to paint was completed by artist Marilyn Nelson. But we could use volunteers to continue to remove weeds and trash from that triangular area between Hwy. 12 and Main St, Perhaps you’d like to adopt it for trash clean-up through Litter Pickers! If you can help, contact us at info@riovision.net
Our June Artist of the month at the RioVision Gallery will be Dorie Solomon. Thank you to Garen Patterson, our May featured artist. For 50 years, Dorie shared her original art until illness sent her to the sidelines. Now she is beautifully back , working in oils and watercolor. . “Be faithful, courageous, and strong” she says. Meet with this remarkable woman on June 15th from 3-5pm at the Gallery.
Our Tenth Annual HOG AUGUST BITES is coming August 24th in downtown Rio Vista. Applications are now being accepted for vendors, BBQ rib cooks, chili cooks, and car show entries. Forms and information are available at: https://hogaugustbites.com/. And mark your calendar!!