Utica is a gem of a community park in Angels Camp, CA. It's built on the site of the Utica Quartz…read moreGold Mine that operated from 1850s to WW I. In the early 1930s, the townsfolk got together to turn the old site into a community park. It's a lively gathering spot hosting the seasonal farmers market and special events. Local folks can rent the pavilion picnic are and kitchen. I love this park. But there is even more to love about this park after the recent major renovations. The entire park was closed for a few years. It opened up again last summer. It's all spiffed up. The bathrooms are now ADA compliant and the newer paved walkways are as well. The children's play area has a newer modern, safer equipment with bounce play mat and playground chips. The play area is gated which is helpful to corral the kiddos. Even adults get a play area, well it's a covered area with exercise equipment for circuit training. There is a new covered pavilion with picnic tables and bbq grills, this area can be used by reservation only. Right next to the pavilion is a new commercial grade kitchen that can be reserved along with the pavilion. In the other side of the parking lot is a basketball court (which is not new) but the three pickleball court lines are new. Next to the basketball court is an outdoor covered amphitheater stage with a natural grassy sloped lawn. This is where they have live music every Friday evening during the farmers market season. Along the far end of the park are gravel walking paths. The path has a incline and elevated at a higher level than the rest of the park. Along the path are the old mining equipment dating back to the 1800s. Neat. Also there is a memorial from the high school class of 1961 dedicated to local soldiers fallen in the Vietnam War. The machinery and memorial were previous items before the recent renovation. Another memorial is located near the playground. That memorial i no s dedicated to the 17 men that lost their lives in the 1889 Utica mining disaster. An internal avalanche occurred within the mine. As tragic as it was, more men were not hurt due to the fact they were not working full staff at the time due to doing internal structural timber improvements. The old growth sequoia trees in the middle of the grassy lawn area are a site to behold. Classic old growth beauties well maintained providing cool shade. Don't forget to check out the Mark Twain statue on the grassy lawn. If you didn't know, Mark Twain lived in the area in the late 1800s for a brief period and heard bar stories that help him create the short story of the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. The statue is life size and was dedicated in 1944 by the Warner brothers film studio for the film premiere of the Adventures of Mark Twain. In 1957, the statue was vandalized with three frogs removed. Rumor has it that it was removed by a biker (motorcycle) gang. But recently the statue was refurbished, adding back the frogs.

Really pleasant, recently renovated neighborhood park! We walked here but there seems to be plenty…read moreof parking, updated restroom facilities, picnic tables, play structures, as well as grassy fields for sitting or playing. Loved the variety of play structures for kids (and adults) of all ages, including chime-based structures to hit with a mallet, a carousel, swings, slides and exercise activities for adults too. Everything seemed in good condition, clean, and safe.

California Historic Landmark 287 is for the city of Angels Camp. The marker, is on historic Main…read moreStreet, topped with a metal statue of a frog. The town was established by George Angel in 1849. He created a mining camp and general store. The general store across the street and about 200 feet from the marker. The area is known for its rich quartz. It had the richest quartz production within the Motherlode, yielding over $100 million. Many folks traveled to these parts in the hey day of the mid to late 1800s. One of those was Mark Twain. From the tale tales he heard from the local prospectors, he wrote the story of The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County. Which was his first published piece and many say jump started his writing career. Fast forward to preset day, the Main Street is filled with shops, eateries... touristy. They even have the Jumping Frog walk of fame. The winner of the annual Jumping Frog contest (frog and human) gets their names engraved on plaques on the Main Street.

There is always a rainbow after the storm Motivational Monday~ search for your rainbow always…read more Angels camp is a nice little town. I enjoyed the drive. I love finding this beautiful rainbow on the way.

Kids have been coming to this camp for years! They look forward to it every year! The staff is…read morealways so amazing!! Highly recommend!!

We recently moved to the area and was looking or a summer camp for my Kinder. We heard great…read morethings about Refuge from one of the local moms group so we decided to sign him up. We met with Lisa and did a tour of the church/campus. Oh my goodness, this place was huge! (got a lot of steps that day lol) We signed my son up for 3-4 days a week for a couple of months. I love that it's a secured campus, each parent sign their kid in through an app, as well as have a designated code for the gate for drop off and pick up. The classrooms are separated by age groups, which I love! My son got to spend his days there interacting with other kids his exact school age. During recess, I believe they get to interact with a few other grade kids. Everyday there is a planned event like movie day, on site field trip day where local vendors come on site and do activities with them, water day, tech day, etc. They do not provide lunch, so you'll have to pack a cold lunch daily. WATER is a MUST! It gets soooo hot, so don't forget! A few months ago, my son asked for us to sign him up again. He really loved the environment, and his teachers! I believe her name is Lindsay?? Not 100% sure but he really liked her energy. Anyway, we're signing him up again this year!

We had the absolute best experience with Sam at my son's birthday party! He put on a wonderful…read morepuppet show mixed with a few magic tricks, and the kids were completely captivated from start to finish. What really stood out was how engaged all the children were--lots of laughter, wide eyes, and full attention the entire time (which is no small feat with a group of energetic kids!). He was also great at interacting with the audience and making each child feel included. Everything was smooth and professional, from communication beforehand to setup and the performance itself. As a parent, it made the party so much easier and more enjoyable knowing the kids were having such a great time. I would highly recommend him for any kids' party or event. Truly a highlight of the day!

California Kids fun puppet/magic show was amazing as a special visitor at our after-school program…read more I forgot his name, but he has curly hair and was absolutely fantastic! The kids loved every moment of the show, and even the teachers were entertained. He kept everyone engaged, excited, and on their toes from start to finish. I would definitely recommend him for schools, after-school programs, or children's parties. We had a wonderful experience!

I was in the wedding party and can honestly say that the business name speaks for itself. The…read morevenue was absolutely amazing!!! I saw the hall before the decorations and the after the magical transformation and was completely impressed!!! I would totally recommend Theo to plan your event!!! You will not be disappointed!! My special day is next and looking forward to working with Theo and have my day be a Stress Less Event!! GREAT JOB!!!

Best out here ! Definitely will use this business again!! I…read moream pleased and completely satisfied. I would recommend this company to everyone!

We called day of to see if we could visit private property (they usually do events) and we were…read morehappily welcomed even with such short notice! My 14 month old got to ride Paloma the horse, pet other horses, a donkey, a duck and bunnies! I just recommend wearing boots if you did what I did since the farm was muddy from the rain (the city girl in me wore sandals hehe) We had an amazing time

On time, professional and great communication. I hired them for my daughter's birthday and she was…read moreso excited.

We had been DIY-ing a renewal-of-vows ceremony for my parents and with about a month to go realized…read morewe really needed a coordinator. Lina stepped up for us and helped put together a FANTASTIC party. She transformed a businesslike boardroom into a magical place for a ceremony. She provided the tables, chairs, curtains, most of the decorations, and did the floral pieces as well. She coordinated with our vendors and helped make the ceremony and luncheon one that my parents and their guests will remember forever. In addition to all the setup and coordination, she suggested a photo booth that would print out photos right there that all our guests enjoyed. We could not have done it without her and would gladly recommend her to anyone.

DO NOT USE LINA. TERRIBLE SERVICE!! Many many things went wrong throughout the coarse of our…read morewedding after spending over $10k with Lina and a year planning... Once we eventually got our photos back we could see just how badly she had done. She used fake flowers when we paid for real, used the literal cheapest decor everywhere possible. We were sold a dream and were left with unlit tacky candles, plastic walls, exposed sand bags and BARE minimum decor. Practically everything she did for us was CHEAP and TACKY. She lied to us about having "a team" when it was just her husband and son that evening. When we reached out for a refund she agreed (clearly she knew she didn't do a good job) but when it was time to pay us she ghosted us for a year despite multiple efforts. Stay far away!!!