Bars/Clubs: Whether you want a down-home saloon or something a little more upscale, the Gold Country offers a wide variety of nightlife venues. Kick up your heels at an authentic country line-dance club, or sit back with a martini as you listen to a jazz trio play late into the night. Offering the trappings of the big city with small town charm, there is plenty to keep you busy and entertained here long after the sun has gone down.

Concerts: Music hits a high note year-round in the Gold Country as many concerts and musical festivals are presented throughout the Mother Lode to showcase local and international talent. There are a wide array of musical events, including the Bach Festival in the Fall, an outstanding Jazz Festival and the well-known Strawberry Music Festival. You'll hear everything here from the blues, rock, jazz and classical, to big band sounds and Caribbean steel drums. Enjoy listening to celebrated artists from around the world in a variety of venues, including wineries, State Parks, historic concert halls, and outdoor garden amphitheaters. There is no end to the musical styles and genres that are represented in The Gold Country, making it a destination for both music lovers and performers alike

Festivals: Celebrate the abundance and diversity of The Gold Country at one of the many fairs, festivals, and community gatherings held year round throughout the Mother Lode. Join the locals as they showcase all that is wonderful and unique about the Golden State. Everything eventually gets its day in the spotlight. A pick-ax throwing contest, a beard contest, and festivals dedicated to frogs, poison oak, daffodils, old cars and mosquitoes are some of the more outrageous and quirky gatherings you might attend. Or perhaps the annual Fireman's Muster or Lumberjack Jubilee is more to your taste. Spend a day of fun at the Miwuk Acorn Festival and Inter-Tribal Powwow, or enjoy the Celtic Faire, the Mother Lode Art Jubilee, Living History Day, or the Twain Harte Christmas Faire. With year round cultural and art events, there is always something happening in The Gold Country that you'll want to take part in.

Rodeo: Nothing screams Wild West more than a good old-fashioned rodeo. Put your cowboy hat and jeans on, get your "yee hah" voice ready, and prepare to have more fun than you should at one of the many annual Gold Country rodeos. Offering a variety of sightseeing sports including barrel-racing, bull-riding, and calf-roping, you'll see some of the last genuine cowboys round-em-up, tie-em-down, and move-em-out. Enjoy the excitement of the rodeo and some good old-fashioned cooking as you take in the action while trying some homemade barbecue and sweet potato pie.

Gambling: You no longer have to drive all the way to Nevada to try your hand at a lucky roll of the dice. Strike it rich in the Gold Country! Offering some of the largest Indian Gaming Casinos in North America, the Mother Lode is the perfect place to cut loose, have fun, and win some money. Whether you want to play some high stakes poker or just gamble a few dollars on a slot machine, The Gold Country Casinos have something to entertain everyone.

Theatre: The natural beauty of the Sierra Nevada inspires the artist, and many award-winning stage actors from around the world have decided to make this area there home. Consequently, The Gold Country has become a vibrant performing arts center, with critical acclaim from audiences and critics alike throughout California. Take your pick of new works, classics, Broadway and off-Broadway favorites, melodrama, and more, as well as a great number of indoor and outdoor venues.