Festivals – The Fresnan

Things I Might Do In Fresno This Weekend

February 28, 2026February 28, 2026 The Fresnan Leave a comment

I am going to try out a new segment for the site/nesletter, and cross my fingers that I stick with it so you can check back here on The Fresnan or Fresno!Fresno! on Fridays or Saturday mornings for this (someone hold me to it, please).

These are literal things I might do this weekend. Like, if I have enough money, or time, or energy, I would do one or all of these things. Hopefully, it helps you figure out something for yourself.

Hike around the San Joaquin River. Wildflowers are coming out. Things won’t be greener. The weather will only get hotter. There is snow to look at on the Sierra. Choice. Checking an almond orchard before the blossoms are gone can be a related activity.
Record swap in River Park at Barrelhouse – Saturday from 12 to 5.
Play pinball at Summer Fox (Santa Fe) – they have a Star Wars pinball I really want to try.
Eat a Me & Ed’s pizza (it’s been, like, three long weeks since I’ve had some).
Buy a discounted puffy jacket at Eddie Bauer’s in Fig Garden, since they are all closing.
Have a colab beer at Out Of The Barrel, all day on Saturday (they’re having a ‘colab fest’).
Rogue Festival. It is an important, annual cultural event for Fresno. Check out the schedule.

Rogue Fest goes through to next weekend, so I might push that back. Hell, I might push all of it back, it’s how I operate.

Even if I do one of these things, I’ll be happy.

-Mike

5 Things I Will Do at Fresyes Fest [2023]

March 22, 2023November 10, 2023 The Fresnan

We can debate what our biggest festivals are some other time. But it might be Fresyes Fest. Biggest or not, I PLAN on going (I don’t get out much, so I am cautious with my optimism of leaving the house for something).

Fresyes Fes is this Saturday. It is centered around the Brewery District. Streets will be blocked. Beer will be drank. Music will be played. Tacos will be eaten.

Here are five things I plan to do, maybe you can to:

FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

March 22, 2022March 23, 2022 The Fresnan

If you are on ‘Fresno Internet’, I’m sure you have seen that FresYes Fest is Saturday.

If you haven’t been before, my number one tip is to go early. It starts at 1:00 so go at 1:00! (Unless you are not broken like me and enjoy large crowds then go whenever)

322e0f91-8101-4350-9b7c-f0c444957fb5 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always — This is an all ages event and free to get it, fyi.

I plan to stick around for Bill Clifton & The Chicken & Whiskey Band’s set there in the 3-4 mid-afternoon sweet spot, then I will have one foot out the door – time to hit the road.

Reason being, that is the time (4:30ish) when the lines really start forming. The mess starts happening. The youth begin to takeover. People from weird places like Clovis start showing up.

And that’s totally cool and stuff – I just don’t want to be there for it. My curmudgeon self won’t endure.

The only thing that might get me to stay is Joshua Tehee hosting a stage:

b5a64b3b-b839-44da-b724-026254bf0384 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

I can’t say I have heard of any of those bands which is totally cool because I am ready to be impressed or whatever – it has been too damn long since I’ve seen some local talent live.

I also might stay for beer – if there are no lines. Also can stay for taco variants:

06f41928-95e0-4db1-b7b5-b80adc96428e FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

But again, you gotta be there early, even for tacos.

“Where the fuck do I park!?” Like, dude, wherever. Look at the map:

9b3b3e44-f39d-42d5-b768-79154d238cc6 FresYES Fest 2022: Show Up Early, Like Always

Alrighty, well, it doesn’t exactly hold your hand and show you where to park but just act like you’re going to a Grizzlies game or jury duty and you’ll be fine.

But also, maybe get your Uncle to give you a ride down there and just wing it for a ride home – make an adventure out of it. One year I walked over to The Raddison and got an Uber home from there.

Anyway, it will be fun, even for grumpy dudes like me. See ya out there EARLY. ✌️?

THE Bands You Will Regret Missing At Grizzly Fest

April 24, 2017April 25, 2017 The Fresnan 2 Comments

I won’t be at Grizzly Fest on Saturday. Probably. But YOU should totally go because you are way cooler than me and deserve to treat yourself to the best music festival in Fresno. Well, best since F.U.S.E. Fest went on hiatus.

Yeah, I probably won’t make it because it’s Saturday and that means I’ll be making one worthless trip to the hardware store and a second trip to get the thing forgotten on the first trip.

I’m going to miss a lot of badassness. Fresno’s own Fashawn will be there, along with plenty of other national acts. I kinda don’t give a shit about those. I like the Fresno bands.

Some of the Fresno music will include Slow Season, Amoret, White Glove Service and one of the biggest Fresno bands of all time: 40 Watt Hype. They have a new video out, btw:

There are more Fresno acts but the two I will miss out on the most are Sagey and Wee Beasties:

Make sure you go and report back to me on social media (@thefresnan on Twitter and Instagram. trenchrun22 on Snap) and tell me all the badass sets I missed. I think I’ll be busy getting drunk while watching house paint dry.

Now please watch the most genius use of Fresno landmarks ever:

Who The Hell Were All Those Damn People At Fresyes Fest?

March 29, 2016March 29, 2016 The Fresnan 1 Comment

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A post shared by Tioga-Sequoia Brewing Company (@tiogasequoia)

Like many of you, I was at Fresyes Fest at Tigoa Sequoia on Saturday. But I came really close to not being there. You saw that line waiting to get in, right? Yeah I saw it too. Forget that noise.

But wait. I gotta blog about something. I guess I will go stand in line and all that crap.

Plus I really like good beer. And it was THE event in Fresno this past weekend.

No it wasn’t the last two nights at Audie’s (although it was pretty epic, I hear). And it wasn’t even Easter. It was Fresyes Fest. Sorry, Jesus, it’s true.

So the main thing I noticed while in there? It wasn’t the food trucks taking up Fulton Street. Or the fine beer TS pours. Or the pro stage. It wasn’t even Swear Bear emptying cups:

File-Mar-28-11-15-10-PM Who The Hell Were All Those Damn People At Fresyes Fest? — Photo by Craig Kohlruss (@ck_foto)

It was all the weird, unfamiliar people. Where did all these random Valley folks come from and who are they!?

Seriously though: Who the fuck were they?! And I use fuck in the sweetest way. Like, when a friend tells you their Great Uncle died last week. “Fuck. I’m sorry man.” That’s how I’m using it. Fuck can still be sweet and pack a punch. It’s versatile like that.

If you looked real close Saturday, you would have seen a few OG bloggers huddled in a shaded corner wondering where the time went. And yes, also still wondering who the fuck these people are.

File-Mar-28-10-57-01-PM-1024x1024 Who The Hell Were All Those Damn People At Fresyes Fest? — FresYes Fest crowd at Tioga’s Beer Garden

Old Man Fresno rant!: “Back in my day, the only festival we had was the Fig Gig and that’s the way we liked it! No fancy hipster food trucks. No cute picnic tables inside a nice big Beer Garden. Our “beer garden” was a 50×50 foot taped-off piece of blacktop behind the Applebee’s, and that’s the way we liked it and we were happy to get it!”

That’s right, children. Fig Gig. It… it was something to go to. Technically. And we didn’t have to worry about lines or choices of beer. ~~Sanger Light~~ Bud Light and Bud Ice anyone?

Now you have FresYes Fest. And Grizzly Fest and Whatever Is Happening This Weekend Fest. I think Fresno is doing pretty damn good in the festival department now. Even if I don’t know WHO THE FUCK anybody is at these things.

You don’t know how good you have it, you Fresno Millennials. You have a downtown to be pumped about and a thriving festival scene. There used to be just Bud Light and caution tape.

FUSE Fest 2012: It’s The Moments That Count

September 10, 2012September 10, 2012 The Fresnan 2 Comments

It's probably a good sign when you are tired after a music festival. Nobody is ever tired after having a boring time. Such is the case the day after FUSE Fest 2012. We're very tired.

There were a lot of cool moments this year: Being moved by the rock of Sparklejet. Discovering Alana Hill has an amazing voice. Seeing Kat Jones reconnect with her Fresno fans. People tripping out on the robot that is Collecto. Light Thieves wowing F55:

Werebear tearing it up the Lampost:

People on Iron Bird Loft balconies enjoying Blake Jones: