The Wuksachi Resort in Sequoia National Park is one of two venues managed by Delaware North in the Eastern Sierras.
Located on the edge of California’s border with Nevada lies the Sierra Nevada mountain range — a naturally beautiful collection of forests and small towns dotted with venues, resorts and National Parks that draw millions of visitors each year. Below we look at four regions in the area that are seeing an uptick in interest from event planners.
Meetings — Yosemite Valley
For 15 years, Delaware North Companies has maintained the exclusive contract for food, lodging and other services inside the Yosemite National Park. The company operates five hotels in and around the park, including its newest resort Tenaya.
Tenaya’s conference center boasts 15,000 sq. ft. of meeting space including a 10,000-sq.-ft ballroom that can seat 850. It also has an outdoor function space, including a 3,000-sq.-ft. pavilion and a new 3,000-sq.-ft. Grand Terrace. The hotel has 297 rooms and suites, along with a spa and group activities for corporate events.
“We offer a green meetings package for meeting planners who are interested in disposal-free services and recycling,” said Linda Woods, the building’s director of Conference Services. “We even have an Eco-Service option where delegates are given environmentally friendly in-room welcome amenities and information on local trails.”
Contact: (559) 683-6555
Concerts — Mammoth Lakes
Known for its world-class skiing and high-end real estate, Mammoth Lakes is also home to a thriving concert scene. For New Year’s Eve, clothing provider Vestal hosted a concert by indie upstarts Imagine Dragon, with tickets selling at $100 in advance and $150 day of show.
“We hosted the concert inside Mammoth Lake’s Canyon Lodge and that allowed us to activate a large outdoor area, giving the event a festival like feel,” said Bobby Calabo, a Los Angeles-based nightclub promoter who helped organize the concert’s VIP sales. “And the resort will sell tickets to the event at any of their lift ticket windows, which really broadens your sales opportunities.”
Contact: (760) 934-2571
Performing Arts — Auburn
First opened in 1930, the 1,300-seat Auburn Place Performing Arts Center has changed hands several times until being purchased by the Auburn Place Performing Arts Center Commission in 2006 with the goal of restoring the theater as a medium-sized performing arts center. In 2008, under the supervision of architect Richard Wyatt, the building facade was restored to its 1937 likeness, including a neon-lit marquee and vertical blade sign. Also refurbished was an adjacent movie house, converted into a 130-seat multiuse theatre. Today, APPAC operates the small venue, which offers live music and theatre and film.
Contact: (530) 885-0156
Fairs — Mariposa
The Mariposa County Fairgrounds are home to the annual Mariposa County Fair, a four-day event over Labor Day weekend each summer. The annual event drew 30,000 attendees in 2011 and includes a small independent midway and carnival.
The fairgrounds are available for rental — with seven bookable exhibit buildings, ranging in size from 5,000 sq. ft. to 1,100 sq. ft. The largest building has a permanent stage and commercial kitchen, while the smaller facilities have portable stage access. Also available is the Gold Bowl Arena and Grandstand surrounded by a one-fourth mile dirt track. The grandstand seats 3,000 and can be increased with portable bleachers.
Contact: (209) 966-2432