UPCOMING EVENTS

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• Stewardship Saturday with City of Chico: History of Bidwell Park

  • When
    Sat, September 12, 2026
  •  
    9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Chico History Museum

  
  

  Presented by Dave Nopel & Paul Belz
  Hosted by Lindsay Amundson with the City of Chico

  Stewardship Saturday is a City of Chico volunteer program designed to connect the community with the natural resources and history of our region. Each event is led by a local expert in fields such as ecology, botany, wildlife, and regional history, offering participants an opportunity to deepen their appreciation for the places that make Chico so special.

  Join local Chico author and poet Paul Belz and longtime Bidwell Park historian Dave Nopel for a fascinating journey through the history of Bidwell Park—Chico’s crown jewel. Belz, author of Bidwell Park: Personal Reflections and Casual Conversations About Chico’s Crown Jewel, has spent years researching, teaching, and sharing the park’s stories through his writing. Nopel has dedicated decades to researching and preserving the history of Bidwell Park and the Chico area, drawing on extensive archival research and a lifelong passion for local history.

  Together, Paul and Dave will explore the park’s origins, its cultural and ecological significance, and the people, places, and events that have shaped Bidwell Park into the treasured landscape it is today. Whether you’re a longtime park enthusiast or discovering Bidwell Park for the first time, this is a unique opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of Chico’s most iconic park and strengthen your connection to the landscape we all help steward.

  Come learn, ask questions, and experience Bidwell Park through the eyes of two of Chico’s most knowledgeable storytellers.

  This is a free event but donations to the museum are much appreciated.

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• Backyard Circus: The Life and Times of Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread

  • When
    Sat, November 14, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Chico History Museum

  Register

  
  

  Discover life under the Big Top in the 1940s–50s! Join our presenter Terry Allread as he recounts his unique childhood. Terry’s parents, Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread, introduced their children to such circus luminaries as Clyde Beatty, Big John Strong, and Victor Robbins. Terry recounts waking up on Saturday mornings to the melodious tones of his father Arvel playing “Entry of the Gladiators” on his baritone horn, finishing his chores like mucking out animal cages, and then playing hide-n-seek in his family’s “Backyard Circus.”

  Terry Allread will be signing and selling copies of his latest book; Backyard Circus: The Life and Times of Grace Jr. and Arvel Victor Allread after the lecture.

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• The Maidu: Myths, Magic, and Archaeology

  • When
    Sat, December 05, 2026
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    Chico History Museum

  Register

  
  

  Presenter: Paul Bowman

  Join us for an engaging lecture with Paul Bowman as he explores The Maidu: Myths, Magic, and Archaeology. Beginning with an overview of prehistoric archaeology, Paul will examine the archaeological record before delving into the rich mythology, spiritual beliefs, and traditions of the Maidu people, offering a fascinating look at the cultural history of Northern California's first inhabitants.

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