Monte Rio, Calif. – The Bohemian Club will hold its 100th annual “Monte Rio Variety Show” on Thursday, July 28, offering an evening of music, comedy and theater to celebrate the friendship and connection with the Monte Rio and Russian River communities and to raise funds for local charities.

This year’s Monte Rio Variety Show will begin at 7 p.m. at the Monte Rio Amphitheater. A pre-show barbeque, hosted by the Monte Rio Volunteer Firefighter’s Association, begins at 4:30 p.m.

Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. These items can be placed in advance at the amphitheater after 7 a.m. on the day of the show.

The entrance to the show is behind The Pink Elephant on Main Street in Monte Rio. Admission is available at the gate, by reservation or by purchasing tickets at several local outlets.

As is the tradition, this year’s Variety Show will feature special guests, Grammy Award winning musicians, rock bands, jazz, and special acts that are guaranteed to delight spectators of all ages

Tickets purchased in advance are $25 for adults and $5 for children ages 13 to 17. Children 12 and under are free with paid adult admission. There is an additional fee for the Firefighter’s pre-show barbecue.

Ticket reservations can be made by sending a check to Monte Rio Variety Show, c/o P.O. Box 218, Monte Rio, CA 95462. For any questions, call 707-865-2234. For more information, visit the website: http://www.monterioshow.org

All proceeds will benefit St. Catherine’s Church, the Monte Rio School Foundation, and the Monte Rio Fire Services Foundation.

Last year’s 99th annual show raised more than $50,000 for local charities. In recent years the event has featured Bohemians such as music stars as Zac Brown, Clint Black, Steve Miller, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Big Al Anderson and many others.

The Bohemian Grove, the club’s rustic retreat near Monte Rio, provides 600 jobs for adults, college and high school students each summer. The Club also participates in charitable causes that benefit local schools and athletic programs, food banks and has partnered with the Sequoia Trust, which helps fund many programs that serve the Monte Rio and Russian River communities.

The Monte Rio Community Variety Show began in 1911 as a way for Bohemian Club members camping at the Bohemian Grove to share their talents and love for the Russian River communities and to raise money for local causes. The Bohemians originally performed at St. Catherine Church and today the annual event is held on the banks of the Russian River at the beautiful Monte Rio Amphitheater. The event is organized by Community volunteers, who sell tickets and refreshments. The Bohemians contribute their best performers, many of them stars of stage and screen, to entertain and make possible this very important local fundraising event. It is a world class show, performed by the banks of the Russian River in Monte Rio, population 1,104, in the heart of the California Vacation Wonderland.

The Bohemian Club of San Francisco was founded in 1872 by a group of men dedicated to the enjoyment of art, music, literature and drama. To escape the cares of the City, they started holding an annual retreat along the Russian River in 1878. In 1901 the club purchased its first parcel of what today is the Grove. It has often been said by local residents that the acquisition of the Grove lands by the club saved the area from being over-encroached by real estate development.

Media Links and News Stories:

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http://www.protectbohemiangrove.org/

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