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Porchfest Benicia VIP tickets & “Sip Stops” Keep the Music Playing

Written on August 19, 2025.

media contact: David Perry & Associates, Inc / (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com

Porchfest Benicia VIP tickets & “Sip Stops” Keep the Music Playing

“He was a wise man who invented wine.” – Plato

Porchfest Benicia VIP tickets & “Sip Stops” Keep the Music Playing

Raise a Glass to Music, Community, and Sustainability
“Sip, Savor and Support”: Saturday, September 13

Over 10,000 Music Lovers Expected for Second Annual Music Fest

19 August 2025 – Benicia, CA: The good folks at Benicia Magazine built it, and indeed, the people came, saw, and danced in the streets. Following the overwhelming success of last year’s Porchfest Benicia (www.porchfest-benicia.com), this year’s event on Saturday, September 13 (12pm – 5pm) features expanded VIP ticket packages and Sip Stops—two essential ways the public can support the free community festival while also enjoying premium perks.

“Porchfest Benicia is free to attend, but it isn’t free to produce,” said Mary Hand, Publisher of Benicia Magazine and creative force behind the festival. “Our VIP tickets and Sip Stops are how we keep the music playing. Every glass poured and every ticket purchased directly supports the artists and makes this magical day possible. Plus, it’s fun! Who doesn’t love a refreshing sip between songs?”

VIP tickets include access to exclusive performances, reserved seating at select venues, and special opportunities to meet headline artists, including the historic Sly & the Family Stone tribute at Lucca Beer Garden.

For those who prefer to roam, Porchfest’s Sip Stops will once again dot downtown Benicia, offering craft beer, and wine tastings in partnership with local businesses and community sponsors.

Last year, Porchfest attracted more than 10,000 visitors, packing the waterfront streets of historic downtown Benicia. Organizers emphasize that VIP ticket sales and Sip Stop revenues are critical to paying artists fairly, expanding kid-friendly programming, and sustaining Porchfest as an annual tradition. VIP tickets are available at the link below: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/porchfest-benicia-2025-vip-tickets-tickets-1439949861799

“This is the model of a true community festival,” said Benicia Mayor Steve Young. “Porchfest is free and open to all, but its sustainability depends on people stepping up and supporting it through VIP tickets and Sip Stops. It’s how we make sure the music and joy continue, not just this year, but for years to come.”

In addition to exclusive seating and access, VIP ticket holders will enjoy three glasses of beer or wine plus a Tequila tasting at First Street Green VIP area, light bites, and special programming leading into the day’s headliner sets.

“Every dollar from VIPs and Sip Stops goes straight back into the music,” said Hand. “It’s how we can afford top-tier artists while also keeping Porchfest open and inclusive for everyone.”

Porchfest is an annual celebration that began in Ithaca, New York, in 2007, and has since spread across the United States and Canada. It brings together local musicians and community members to showcase talents on front porches, storefronts, and driveways, promoting a sense of community pride and inclusion. Nestled on the Carquinez Strait, Benicia is a city rich in history and culture, known for its vibrant arts scene, historic architecture, and warm, welcoming community.

“Sip, savor, and support—that’s our motto for this year’s Porchfest,” Hand sums up. “Raise a glass with us, and you’re helping raise the festival itself.”

Bill Miller “Mr. Ocean Liner” with a Rare Magazine “SS United States” Cover

Written on August 19, 2025.

Bill Miller “Mr. Ocean Liner” with a Rare Magazine “SS United States” Cover

SCRIBBLINGS
From Bill Miller

C:\Users\bill\Pictures\Tony117\Aug 01 2021\Ships Color Done\CARINTHIA in Montreal (2).jpg

The Carinthia at Montreal

Sat Jun 21^st At Home: Memories Soviet Style! Back in the mid 1960s, Graham Lees served aboard Cunard’s Carinthia and on the Liverpool-Montreal route. Our recent posting on the Alexandr Pushkin/Marco Polo prompted memories of that ship. “Whilst in Montreal on one of my scheduled 3 night stays each 3rd week of the Carinthia season, some of junior officers went on board the Pushkin [seen below at Sydney] to have a look around,” he wrote. “It was very basic in most of the accommodation – a lot of cabins not having a bathroom, merely a sink which had to be filled and emptied using a supplied pitcher from somewhere along the alleyway. Posh cabins were more appropriately supplied with bathrooms which, I seem to remember, had a bath but no shower. Some vodka was consumed! We invited some of the Russian officers back on board the Carinthia and they were impressed with the passenger and especially the officer accommodation.”

He added, “Some years later, a former student of mine served as electro-technical officer on board the Marco Polo and he was pleased to inform me that the ship was no longer in the condition it had formerly been. He enjoyed the years he spent there and I actually went to the pier head in Liverpool to see her. CMV used Liverpool as a turn-around port in those days.”

Above: The Marco Polo at St Petersburg in May 2015

Red, White & Blue! Richard Weiss wrote: “Sorting through some miscellaneous ship stuff the other day [Jun 5^th], I came across this issue of Science Illustrated from May 1949. It shows the unmistakable profile of the United States and with a short article on the pros and cons of operating a big liner and comparing the statistics of passenger loads etc. of the new American liner vs the already successful Cunard Queens. The first page shows a picture of the new ship with William Francis Gibbs looking it over. What is odd is that in this model as well as the cover picture shows the funnels silver for the lower half and above that the traditional colors of United States Lines RW&B. Apparently a name for the new super liner had not been chosen at this time as the author suggested calling her the SS American Engineer due to Mr. Gibbs extraordinary record as a naval architect. This is the earliest publication I have ever seen on the ship and brings up the question of when exactly did she receive the name United States?”

Recordando a Lorca

Written on August 19, 2025.

Recordando a Lorca

Hoy, en el aniversario de su asesinato a manos de los fascistas españoles, celebramos la vida y el legado del homenajeado del Rainbow Honor Walk Federico García Lorca (5 de junio de 1898 – 19 de agosto de 1936). Poeta, dramaturgo y director de teatro, las obras de Lorca —incluyendo Bodas de sangre, Yerma y La casa de Bernarda Alba— revolucionaron la literatura española y dieron reconocimiento mundial a la cultura de Andalucía.

Abiertamente homosexual en una época de represión, su voz fue silenciada al estallar la Guerra Civil Española, pero su arte y su valentía siguen inspirando a generaciones en la lucha por la justicia y la libertad de expresión. Su cuerpo nunca ha sido hallado, pero su coraje, su integridad y su inspiración permanecen vivos.

Lorca es un personaje en la nueva novela, Las Espinas de las 15 Rosas, actualmente en proceso de escritura por David Eugene Perry, quien este verano trabaja en la localidad andaluza de Grazalema, en la provincia de Cádiz, España. El libro es la secuela del premiado thriller de misterio de Perry, Sobre Estate Piedra. Perry es también el fundador del Rainbow Honor Walk en San Francisco, el primer paseo de la fama LGBT del mundo. Actualmente, el paseo está compuesto por 44 placas de bronce en las aceras, con 20 más previstas para instalarse en el próximo año. La placa de Lorca formó parte del conjunto inaugural instalado en 2014.

Remembering Lorca

Written on August 19, 2025.

Remembering Lorca

Today, on the anniversary of his murder by Spanish Fascists, we celebrate the life and legacy of Rainbow Honor Walk honoree Federico García Lorca (June 5, 1898 – August 19, 1936). A poet, playwright, and theatre director, Lorca’s works, including Blood Wedding, Yerma, andThe House of Bernarda Alba, revolutionized Spanish literature and brought global recognition to the culture of Andalucía.

Openly gay in a time of repression, his voice was silenced at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, yet his art and courage continue to inspire generations in the fight for justice and freedom of expression. His body has never been found, but his courage and integrity and inspiration live on.

Lorca is a character in the new novel Thorns of the 15 Roses, currently underway by David Eugene Perry who is writing this summer in the Andalucían town of Grazalema, in the province of Cádiz, Spain. The book is the sequel to Perry’s award winning mystery thriller, Upon This Rock. Perry is also the founder of The Rainbow Honor Walk in San Francisco, the world’s first LGBT walk of fame. The walk is currently comprised of 44 bronze sidewalk plaques, with 20 more slated for installation in the next year. Lorca’s plaque was one of the inaugural set installed in 2014.

www.rainbowhonorwalk.org

San Francisco’s “Real Summer” starts at the Presidio including picnics at Outpost Meadow, “World Arts West” & Korean Festival

Written on August 18, 2025.

San Francisco’s “Real Summer” starts at the Presidio including picnics at Outpost Meadow, “World Arts West” & Korean Festival

San Francisco’s “Real Summer” starts at the Presidio including picnics at Outpost Meadow, “World Arts West” and Korean Festival

As the fog lifts and San Francisco’s true summer arrives in September and October, the Presidio becomes the city’s ultimate staycation escape. Think cocktails at the Glass Pavilion or Dalida, golden-hour strolls with your dog at Crissy Field, or one last weekend of camping under the stars at Rob Hill before the season closes. For those looking to linger longer, the award-winning Lodge and Inn at the Presidio offer the perfect Labor Day, or Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day 3-Day Weekend (or anytime) retreat—steps from trails, history, and some of the best views in the Bay Area. And of course, with the recent opening of Outpost Meadow, a 1.5-acre expansion of the beloved Presidio Tunnel Tops, there’s now even more space for kids to run, climb, explore—and for parents to relax and picnic with Golden Gate Bridge views. Below: links to the full schedule of events at the Presidio – including two especial highlights: the return of World Arts West on September 7 and the Chuseok Festival of Korean Culture on September 27.

Below: links to learn more about Presidio Lodging and all the upcoming events at the Presidio:

https://presidio.gov/explore/events

https://presidiolodging.com

Late August and September events at the Presidio:

Thursday, August 21: Walt Disney’s Trains: A Grand Circle Through His Life and Legacy with Author Michael Campbell

Friday, August 29: Monthly Coyote Table Talk with Presidio Wildlife Ecologists\

Sunday, September 7 – World Arts West Dance Festival: A global tour of dance in one afternoon at Tunnel Tops. The 2025 World Arts West Dance Festival wraps up its third and final weekend at Presidio Tunnel Tops! This year’s festival features dance workshops, artist dialogues, communal activities and more in venues across the city emphasizing the theme of “Dance as Health and Healing.”

Saturday, September 20: Access to Adventure DayA family fun day of inclusive programs!

Saturday, September 27: Chuseok Festival 2025, the Presidio’s 7th annual celebration of Korean culture, a vibrant mix of traditional music, dance, and community spirit right in the heart of the Presidio. Check it out via the event calendar below.

Daily: Park Overview Talks offered four times daily at the Presidio Visitor Center
Daily: Park Ranger Campfire Talks at the Presidio Tunnel Tops Campfire Circle
Every Saturday & Sunday: Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center
Every Friday through Sunday: Free history exhibitions at the Presidio Officers’ Club
Every Friday through Sunday: Fort Point History Talk & Exhibition – Black Gold: Stories Untold

New Space to Picnic & Play: Outpost Meadow
Directly next to the Outpost nature play space and Field Station, this new open lawn area is designed with families in mind: bring a blanket, celebrate a birthday, or enjoy a post-hike snack. Think of it as your new go-to outdoor living room—no reservation required.

Hands-On Discovery at the Field Station
Located just steps away, the Field Station is the place where curiosity turns into adventure. Kids can borrow Explorer Backpacks, complete the Adventure Passport, and take part in rotating crafts and nature activities with friendly park staff and volunteers. StoryWalks—picture books placed page-by-page along short trails—add a dose of literacy to the outdoor fun. Link here to all Self-Guided Adventures: https://presidio.gov/explore/self-guided-adventures

Presidio Pop Up: Family-Friendly Food Trucks
Whether you’re craving tacos, wood-fired pizza, or a sweet treat, Presidio Pop Up food trucks are a delicious way to fuel up during your park day. Trucks are located steps from Outpost Meadow and also up at the historic Main Post, with shaded seating and open space to sprawl.

This is the perfect moment to cover the Presidio as a must-visit destination. We’d love to connect you with images, spokespeople, or a guided visit so please reach out.

Best,

David Perry
(415) 676-7007 | news@davidperry.com