MENDOCINO COUNTY FAIR

You ride the bronc, I'll taste the wine

The fall season is when the festival scene really gets going in Mendocino County. Scheduled through the close of November are wine-tastings, wine and food pairings, harvest parties, arts and crafts fairs, an abalone cookoff, and wine, beer and mushroom festivals. Find all the details at www.visitmendocino.com.

Part of the upcoming action will be the 85th annual Mendocino County Fair and Apple Show in Boonville, in the Anderson Valley. The old-fashioned fair will include a rodeo, petting zoo, carnival rides, apple and cider tastings, wine-tastings, hoedown, parade and sheepdog trials.

The fair runs Friday through next Sunday.

Information: (707) 762-1593, www.mendocountyfair.com.

AVIAN FESTIVAL

Field trips and more

The Monterey Bay Birding Festival is for veteran and novice birders, yes, but also for anyone who enjoys being outdoors. The eighth annual event will be Wednesday through next Sunday at the Watsonville Civic Plaza, 275 Main St., Watsonville; (831) 724-3900.

Field trips will take explorers to the world-class bird habitats of Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Elkhorn Slough National Marine Estuary, and Big Sur to see the return of the California condors.

Registration for each birding event is at www.montereybaybirding.org. Information: (831) 726-8052.

CHILI CON CAR SHOW

Wilton's classic cook-off

Relax and unwind on 6 1/2 acres of bucolic land at Fog Willow Farms, along the Cosumnes River. The occasion? The 12th annual Wilton Chili Cook-off and Classic Car Show, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Check out 100 classic cars, arts and crafts, and, of course, the offerings from 25 chili- cooking teams. Plus, live music and an events area for children.

The chili and the cars both will be judged by the public and a team of experts. A "chili tasting kit" is $5. The event will benefit local schools and charities. Parking is free. The farm is at 11011 Cecatra Drive.

More information: (916) 206-6304, www.wilton-firer.org.

SWEAT FOR A CAUSE

Rim Trail workdays

Building the 165-mile-long Tahoe Rim Trail, which circumnavigates the Tahoe Basin, was a labor of love for the volunteers who toiled over it for more than two decades.

To help with follow-up maintenance, the Tahoe Rim Trail Association sponsors the Backcountry Trails Camp program for volunteers. The next one will be Saturday and next Sunday, and offers an opportunity to work up a sweat in the outdoors, meet new people and sleep under the stars – all for a good cause.

For more information or to register, go to www. tahoerimtrail.org or call Morgan Fessler at (775) 298-0232.

SEE SANTA CLARA

Online travel planner

If your travel plans will take you to Silicon Valley and you're at a loss for what to do, check out the new online tour-building tool at www.yourtour.com/SantaClara before you go. Fill in a few blanks at the site and receive an itinerary of popular attractions, special events and more.

– Allen Pierleoni

TO REACH CALIFORNIA TRAVELER

• To submit events or news about travel and recreation activities, travel talks as well as organized day trips with costs up to $100, please send information at least three weeks in advance to Traveler, The Sacramento Bee, P.O. Box 15779, Sacramento, CA 95852, fax (916) 556-5625 or email: travel@sacbee.com. Priority will be given to events free to the public.

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