Down Home Mendonoma

“Down Home Mendonoma: Local Eyes,” a concert created by locals, for locals, will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the Gualala Arts Center.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. They are available at the Dolphin Gallery, Gualala Arts and online at GualalaArts.org. Sponsor tickets, which include select seating, are $100 and available online only. Admission is free for ages 7–17.

The performance showcases local musicians in a musical tribute to the extraordinary, sometimes quirky and always remarkable community that calls Mendonoma home. Many residents say living here fuels their creativity — a sentiment echoed by longtime local Frank Bell, who is known for saying, “If you are lucky enough to live here, you are lucky enough.”

The concert is also a salute to the people who keep this remote coastal region running. Behind the dramatic coastline, redwoods, fog, sunsets and winding roads are the first responders, medical professionals, law enforcement officers, park personnel, contractors, builders, tradespeople, teachers, artists, musicians, restaurateurs, grocers, gallery owners, animal caretakers, hospitality workers, independent professionals and countless volunteers who make daily life possible.

Rather than attempting to name every individual — and inevitably leaving someone out — the show will honor the professions, personalities, iconic places, traditions and peculiarities that define Mendonoma. Through music and photography, the event will highlight the character of a community at the end of a long road, where deliveries may arrive “next Tuesday,” but neighbors always show up for one another.

Jerry Seinfeld once joked about creating a “show about nothing.” This, organizers say, is a show about locals –  and the place they proudly call home.