One of America’s top college towns, Claremont lies just 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. Foodies can walk to nearly 60 international eateries in the Claremont Village and Claremont Packing House, or find additional dining and shopping along Historic Route 66. The James Turrell Skyspace at Pomona College, Folk Music Center, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, and Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater are among the local music and arts attractions. And guests seeking locally made craft beer and spirits will find Claremont Craft Ales, Ironbark Ciderworks and Citrus Grove Distillers appealing stops.

Claremont visitor events that can be part of a weekend getaway to the “City of Trees” in 2019 include these favorites:

April 13-21 – Wildflower Week at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden: The 86-acre garden hosts a bonanza of color, fragrance and beauty at this week-long celebration of California’s wildflowers featuring wild-collected species, annual displays, and an art exhibition. Admission: $10 adults, $6 seniors, $4 children.

April 27 – A Taste of Claremont: Enjoy Claremont’s finest cuisine, wine, and spirits at this fundraiser as local establishments dish up their very best. Tickets: $75.

May 13 – 11th Annual Claremont Film Festival: A curated presentation of shorts from around the world. Visit ClaremontFilmFest.com for information. Tickets: $15-40.

June 8 – Claremont Village Craft Beer Walk: Claremont Village businesses will serve as craft beer tasting and food sampling sites while entertainment rocks the Village at this 10^th annual event.

July 11-21 – Midsummer Shakespeare Festival: Ophelia’s Jump Productions presents its fifth annual evening festival with “Pericles” and “Taming of the Shrew” performed in repertoire under the stars at the Sontag Greek Theatre at Pomona College. Picnicking with beer and wine is permitted at this outdoor venue. The festival includes pre-show entertainment, arts and crafts by Claremont businesses and organizations on Saturdays, and food and spirits options. Discover Claremont will once again offer a “Room and Bard” package for visitors that includes festival tickets, lawn chairs, and $50 in Claremont Chamber gift cards to secure a picnic meal for a memorable outdoor evening in Claremont. Visit DiscoverClaremont.com/specials for more information on the hotel specials; find festival tickets at OpheliasJump.org.

September 14 – Claremont Village Wine Walk: Claremont Village businesses will be serving wine and offering food tastings at more than 40 sites. Live music performances will be held throughout the Village.

October 26 – Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire: The region’s largest annual Arts & Crafts Fair. Get your holiday shopping done early as you walk the streets of the Claremont Village lined with over 400 booths selling unique art, original crafts, and apparel. This 38^th annual street fair also features a food court, beer and wine garden, and local entertainment.

Claremont’s five hotel choices range from economy to upscale. Full-service options include the 14-acre DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont on Historic Route 66, and the boutique Hotel Casa 425 in the Claremont Village. Budget-minded tourists will find Claremont Lodge, Knights Inn Claremont, and Motel 6 Claremont along Interstate 10, each featuring outdoor pools. Pets are welcome at Motel 6 and Hotel Casa 425 with advance reservations.

Inviting nighttime entertainment for adult travelers includes dueling pianos at Piano Piano (at DoubleTree), dinner theater at the Candlelight Pavilion, local bands at various restaurants, and popular and arthouse movies at Laemmle’s Claremont 5.

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The fifth annual Midsummer Shakespeare Festival presented by Ophelia’s Jump Productions runs July 12-22, 2018, Thursday to Sunday evenings at the Sontag Greek Theatre at Pomona College. This year’s shows, performed in repertory, are Romeo and Juliet, performed in English and American Sign Language (July 13-15-19-21), and As You Like It (July 12-14-20-22).

The Discover Claremont “Room and Bard” package includes a comfortable guest room; two tickets to one performance; a selection of gourmet treats and a split of wine, packed in an insulated tote; and padded seats to borrow for the evening. The value of the two tickets, two chair rentals, picnic with split of wine, and take-home tote is $136. 

Reservations must be made by phoning the participating properties directly and requesting the “Room and Bard” package. The package is subject to availability at the following Claremont hotels:

• DoubleTree by Hilton Claremont (909-626-2411), package rate begins at $190
• Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272), package rate begins at $199
• Claremont Lodge (909-626-5654)
• Knights Inn Claremont (909-626-2431)
• Motel 6 Claremont (909-621-4831), package rate begins at $100

Guests at DoubleTree will enjoy a picnic specially prepared by the hotel’s chef. Packing House Wines will provide wine and picnic options for guests of Hotel Casa 425, Claremont Lodge, Knights Inn and Motel 6.

For tickets and additional information about the Midsummer Shakespeare Festival, visit https://www.opheliasjump.org/

Claremont, located just 30 miles east of Los Angeles, is one of America’s top college towns. Visitor attractions include Grammy-winner Ben Harper’s Folk Music Center and Museum; the 86-acre Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden; restaurants and boutiques in the walkable Claremont Village; museums and public art at the Claremont Colleges; Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater; Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology; and the refurbished Claremont Packing House food and entertainment center. Find specials and visitor information here on DiscoverClaremont.com.

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Claremont hotels will offer a special “Room and Bard” package that includes festival tickets, a picnic-for-two, and other benefits. Visit DiscoverClaremont.com/specials for hotel specials; find festival tickets at OpheliasJump.org or by calling 909-734-6565.

This year’s Midsummer Shakespeare Festival celebrates diversity and inclusion with an adaptation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece, ROMEO & JULIET. First produced as a 45 minute version for LA Fringe Festival, the piece has been expanded to its full length and scope for the festival. Juliet and other members of her family are deaf. The rift that divides the lovers is cultural and linguistic, but their love transcends their families’ prejudices. The production will be double cast with both deaf and hearing actors. The aim is to make this timeless story accessible to all and to create a shared understanding and communal experience for all audience members. AS YOU LIKE IT incorporates the world of wrestling with humor and high energy. Both productions will take place under the stars at the beautiful Sontag Greek Theatre, an outdoor amphitheater renovated in 1997. The productions will be performed in repertory, alternating each night.

ABOUT ROMEO & JULIET
Capulet. Montague. Deaf. Hearing. Our identities tell the world who we are and shape how we interact with others. This modern production of Romeo and Juliet examines what can hap-pen when we choose to see certain groups as “other” or as our enemies, instead of finding commonality and community. Accessible to Deaf and hearing audiences in American Sign Lan-guage (ASL) and Shakespeare’s spoken English.

ABOUT AS YOU LIKE IT
Freedom to create is air to an artist – without it they would perish. But when every poet, musi-cian, comedian, and philosopher is exiled to the wilderness, and a vicious media baron re-places them with bloodsport, is art enough to survive on? Rosalind and her cousin Celia navi-gate the crazed world of wrestling, cross-dressing, and ennui-plagued men to find true love and true expression in this modern production of As You Like It.

In it’s fifth year, Ophelia’s Jump’s Midsummer Shakespeare Festival artfully presents tragedy and comedy under the stars in a beautiful outdoor setting. We invite you to bring your own picnic and don’t forget a small blanket or cushion for added comfort.

Weekend Festival

On Saturdays, arrive early and enjoy local musicians, artists, and crafts before settling in for an evening of timeless Shakespearean classics. Enjoy festival booths, crafts, and vendors starting at 5:30 p.m. Local restaurants and businesses will be offering special in-restaurant dining menus and selected take-out options to enjoy prior to all performances.

• Title: ROMEO & JULIET: AN ASL LOVE STORY and AS YOU LIKE IT
• Directors: Ophelia’s Jump Company Member Alexandra Easton (ROMEO & JULIET) and Founding Associate Artistic Director Caitlin Lopez (AS YOU LIKE IT)
• Location: Sontag Greek Theatre, Pomona College, 300 East Bonita Ave., Claremont
  (located behind Seaver Theatre)
• Opening: Thursday, July 12 (AS YOU LIKE IT) & Friday, July 13 (ROMEO & JULIET)
• Regular Run: July 12-July 22, 2018

 Specific Show Schedule:

                        AS YOU LIKE IT – July 12, 14, 20, 22

                        ROMEO & JULIET – July 13, 15, 19, 21

Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays at 8 p.m

Ticket prices: $25 General Admission. Group tickets available, contact info@opheliasjump.org or call 909-734-6565 for info.

About Ophelia’s Jump

Ophelia’s Jump is a non-profit regional theatre company based in Claremont and performing in Claremont and Upland.  Ophelia’s Jump Productions was founded by artists and educators who believe that the purpose of theatre is to create unending conversations, spark imagination, incite conscience, and elicit a visceral response. Ophelia’s Jump aims to invigorate the creativity and intellect of the community by working with local emerging artists. Additional information available at opheliasjump.org

About Pomona College

Located in Claremont, California, Pomona College is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges. Established in 1887, Pomona is known for its quality academic programs, a challenging curriculum, close relationships between students and faculty, a range of student research and leadership opportunities, and a strong commitment to the arts.

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The special #Claremont100Reasons promotion shared on Discover Claremont’s social media channels will highlight the many visitor amenities the “City of Trees” has to offer, including inviting guest rooms, more than 80 pubs and eateries, bicycle-friendly streets and trails, and locally owned boutiques featuring Fair Trade and hand-curated merchandise.

For guests seeking overnight stays, special #Claremont100Reasons packages at participating Claremont hotels will include a comfortable guest room and $100 in Discover Claremont gift cards, redeemable for hotel dining or at more than 140 Claremont restaurants, boutiques, day spas and entertainment venues. A limited number of #Claremont100Reasons getaway packages are available through May 31, 2015, to guests who book directly through participating Claremont hotels, including DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411), Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272), Motel 6 Claremont (909-621-4831) and Claremont Lodge (909-626-5654). The hotel package, underwritten by the Claremont tourism board, is subject to availability at each hotel.

Claremont’s visitor attractions include the Folk Music Center, owned by musician Ben Harper and family; the 86-acre Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, the largest botanic garden dedicated to California’s native plants; galleries and libraries at the Claremont Colleges; and the Raymond M. Alf Museum of Paleontology at the Webb Schools. Visitors will also find a “food neighborhood” of more than 80 eateries, and regional craft beers at Claremont Craft Ales and local restaurants. Nighttime entertainment options include lively dueling pianos at PianoPiano; musicals at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theater; stand-up at Flappers Comedy Club; and live music at The Press Restaurant and other venues.

Claremont offers free parking throughout the city, or visitors can take Metrolink directly to the Claremont Village for an eco-friendly or bicycle getaway.

Follow Discover Claremont’s social media channels on Facebook (DiscoverClaremont), Twitter (@visitclaremont), Instagram (visitclaremont), Pinterest (visitclaremont), FourSquare (visitclaremont) and YouTube (DiscoverClaremont). A list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards.

About Discover Claremont

Discover Claremont is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Claremont, California. Known for its seven nationally renowned colleges, Claremont is a hidden gem in greater Los Angeles – an ideal destination for intimate, relaxing days and nights. Visitors will discover inviting guest rooms, relaxing day spas, more than 80 restaurants and pubs, dozens of locally owned boutiques, and bicycle-friendly streets and trails, all under Claremont’s beautiful urban canopy. The nearby San Gabriel Mountains offer outdoor activities including hiking, road cycling, skiing and golf. Claremont is also the first Fair Trade Town in Southern California, reflecting the community’s commitment to using ethically sourced products; many businesses carry Fair Trade Certified merchandise and foods. Whether by car or Metrolink, come find out why Claremont is “the best-kept secret in L.A.”

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Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden’s annual Butterfly Pavilion runs from May 10 through

July 27, 2014. The pavilion unites science education and hands-on fun for visitors of all ages as hundreds of butterflies call the temporary enclosure home this spring and summer. Visitors can walk among the butterflies and caterpillars as well as explore the 86-acre botanic garden, the largest botanic garden dedicated exclusively to California’s native plants.

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, May 23, and continuing until the butterflies are set free on July 27, Southern Californians looking for a local escape will find Discover Claremont’s “Flitter and Frolic” getaway package to be an attractive “stay and relax” option. The package includes a minimum one-night stay, separate Botanic Garden and Butterfly Pavilion admissions for up to four guests, and $50 in Discover Claremont gift cards redeemable at participating hotels and more than 130 other locally owned establishments.

A limited number of “Flitter and Frolic in Claremont” packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis to guests who book directly through participating Claremont hotels, including Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272), DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411), and Hotel Claremont and Tennis Club (909-621-4831).

Claremont’s visitor attractions also include the world-renowned Folk Music Center museum and store, owned by musician Ben Harper’s family; Fair Trade Shopping at dozens of independently owned boutiques; live entertainment at PianoPiano, Hip Kitty Jazz, Flappers Comedy Club, Candlelight Pavilion and other spots; and local and regional craft beers at Claremont Craft Ales, The Back Abbey and other pubs and eateries.

A complete list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards.

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Claremont made history in April 2012 when its city council approved a resolution to become a Fair Trade Town. The designation means Claremont encourages its merchants to support small producers locally and worldwide that adhere to environmental standards to protect the planet, safe working conditions, fair prices and no forced child labor.

Claremont visitors will find dozens of locally owned boutiques that carry Fair Trade Certified merchandise and products, including The Bath Workshop, Buddhamouse Emporium, Cloud Nine, Colors 91711, Folk Music Center, Heirloom, On A Mission, Phebie’s Needle Art, Rio de Ojas, Studio Claremont and Tintura Salon. Eateries serving Fair Trade coffee or tea include Espiau’s, Euro Café, The Motley, Pit Stop Café, The Press Restaurant, Sage Hen Café, Some Crust Bakery, The Spot and Wolfe’s Market.

The “Discover Claremont” package includes a one-night stay and $100 in Claremont gift cards redeemable at more than 100 participating retailers, including locally owned shops, day spas and salons, and restaurants and pubs. A limited number of “Discover Claremont” packages are available on a first-come, first-served basis through April 30, 2013, to guests who book directly through participating Claremont hotels, including Hotel Casa 425 (909-624-2272) and DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Claremont (909-626-2411).

A complete list of Claremont merchants participating in the gift card promotion can be found at http://discoverclaremont.com/giftcards/.

About Discover Claremont

Discover Claremont is the official destination marketing organization for the city of Claremont, California. Known for its seven nationally renowned colleges, Claremont is a hidden gem in greater Los Angeles – an ideal destination for intimate, relaxing days and nights. Visitors who “Take Time to Exhale” under Claremont’s urban canopy will discover inviting guest rooms, relaxing day spas, more than 80 restaurants and pubs, dozens of locally owned boutiques, and an abundance of outdoor activities from bicycling to skiing to golf. Claremont is also the first Fair Trade Town in Southern California, reflecting the community’s commitment to using ethically sourced products; many local retailers and eateries carry Fair Trade Certified merchandise and foods. Whether by car or Metrolink, Claremont is “the getaway that’s only a few miles away.” 

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