Weekend spotlight: Olive Festival in Paso Robles

August 17, 2011

By KARLEE PRAZAK

The Central Coast will see more than just cars, good food and family-friendly events this weekend. One Grammy Award-winning band will steal the spotlight as it rocks the night away to a fan-filled audience.

The iconic band Stone Temple Pilots is expected to wow concert-goers with its 90s, hard rock-grunge music at Avila Beach Golf Resort on Sunday. The band’s stop in Avila is part of its Reunion Tour to promote its newest self-titled album, released in May 2010.

Ranked No. 40 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Rock and racking up 15 singles on the Billboard Top Ten, the Stone Temple Pilots might play hit songs such as “Plush,” “Creep” and “Interstate Love Song.” Tickets are available online.

Also this weekend, Paso Robles plays host to its 8th Annual Olive Festival.

On Friday, the Pre-Olive Festival Social Mixer provides olive and wine tasting mixed with fine arts, such as sculptors of bronze and granite, of Sculpterra Winery and Scuplture Garden. Hosted by comic Mark De Carlo, the event is $25 for two hours of wine complimented by olives from 6 to 8 p.m.

The next day is when “olive” the excitement will commence. With fun for kids and adults alike, Saturday’s Olive Festival will feature everything from olive branch wreath making and Native American sand painting, to cooking contests, art galleries and, of course, wine and beer tasting. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is free and open to the public; wine tasting is $15.

A few miles down the road, the Mid-State Cruizers Car Club will host its 19th Annual Hot El Camino Cruise Nite in Atascadero. The closed, controlled cruise invites car enthusiasts, old and new, with a nice set of wheels to come join in on “crusin’ the nite away.”

The cruising course runs on El Camino Real from Curbaril to Traffic Way from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event plans on bringing spectators from neighboring cities to admire the parade of fine vehicles. After the event, there will be tailgating and a Street Dance from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. hosted by Atascadero Main Street. Registration for the event is available on the night of for $30 or $20 for pre-registration.

After all the freshly polished cars roll out, Saturday morning will see the “dog days” of summer at Elm Park Street Dog Park in Arroyo Grande. The Five Cities Dog Park Association will host its own dog show with “Puttin’ on the Dog” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Puttin’ on the Dog” will feature a pooch parade followed by four contests to find the cutest and best dressed dogs at the park — both will have a small and large dog category — and finally, the “Best in Show” pooch. Attendees can also enjoy a barbecue and several demonstrations by sponsors.