October is magic in so many ways. The moon is magic as it brings out our fun fall weather and an especially spooky Halloween. Halloween is a National holiday at our house and the spooky spirit and shouts of “Trick or Treat” are in the air. Many of our favorite events have returned and there are so many spooky things to do this month. Check out our BigView and check out the Haunted Happenings.
The evenings are magic as the cool breezes bring some much needed natural air conditioning to our porches and patios and the taste of fall flavors is bold and exciting as our local restaurants, like Burley’s that we are featuring, turn to their fall menus. The sound of live music wafts through the air. From Jazz, to blues to rock to indie, there is something for everyone in Modesto.
This month we Vote for MAMA and celebrate our Modesto area music scene and our musicians. I would say that Modesto earning a C+ on our live music scene this year. We have lost some of our music houses that regularly brought in touring bands, some due to COVID and some due to regulations and operating cost. We need to focus and turn this around. The MAMA Association has been supporting Music in the Plaza, Blue Monday, Rockin Holiday, Rockabilly at the Speakeasy and projects with Patty Castillo Davis to help keep our community rockin’. Middagh Goodwin is at the helm, making sure our local bands are networked, recognized and so much more. MAMA would not happen without him. Please take a minute to vote at www.modestoareamusic.com and try to get out to an open mic, jam, blues or country session and support our local bands. Creative cities are the vibrant cities of the future and love music is a big part of this.
Modesto, we have some choices to make. Just the basic fact that you are reading ModestoView, you have already made the choice to celebrate the best of Modesto by enjoying the positive things about our community and I am sure you already lend a hand. There are two basic paths forward in challenging economic times. One, we cut everything to the bone and whither slowly. Or we put our foot on the gas and invest in our arts, culture, and our people to build our city and attract new business and people. I choose the latter, and that is why I am supporting Measure H. As you know, we don’t do politics or hard news here in ModestoView, but this is a chance to decide our cultural direction. A community is so much more than police and fire, which are both important and necessary, but it is who we are and what makes us different that we need to focus on. Let’s push the positive, invest in our local economy and help build up our local businesses that make Modesto come to life. I know we can do it and it will cost us ONE cent per dollar. We can do it, and the businesses that advertise here in ModestoView will appreciate it. Let’s invest and live local.
I hope to see you out and about at one of our local restaurants, shows or at our parks and events. It is so great to connect with you all and learn about what you like or want to see here in the pages of ModestoView.
Thank you all
Chris Murphy
Publisher & Founder, ModestoView
chrism@modestoview.com<mailto:chrism@modestoview.com>
