No visit to the Almond Festival is complete without stopping in the big town of Rumsey for some great music and the "soon to be world famous" Rumsey Ribs. This year Catfish and the Crawdaddies will be performing on the main stage. This band hails from the River City and are one of the main attractions at the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.

This year we have upgraded the ribs and are proud to feature the very best - Harris Ranch. Every nickel earned at the Almond Festival helps to renovate the historic Rumsey Town Hall and Opera House. Show time is noon to 4:00pm, rain or shine. In addition, the best of the Capay Valley crafts and produce will be available.

2/23/2003 -- The Rumsey Improvement Association netted $6,200 from sales of ribs, raffle tickets, refreshments, bumper stickers, and "Rumsey Ditch" water at the Almond Festival this year.

Julie Kalones of Guinda won the truckload of gravel from Ricker Materials and Bill Thompson of Sacramento won the gift certificate from Glendeven Inn, a B & B in Mendocino.

Restoration on the Hall is now about 80% completed.

Begun over 90 years ago, the Rumsey Improvement Club is the active voice and organizing focus for the Rumsey community.  Whether dealing with bridge flooding, fire threats, the health of the local environment, or restoration of its historic hall, the Club functions as a community center to foster social, musical and cultural events.

The Club was granted land, which it now owns, and built the Rumsey Hall around 1903, where we still host potlucks the first Monday of every  Month from October to May.  Currently underway is a major renovation of the Hall: to stabilize walls, replace foundation and roof, and add a kitchen.  Restoration money comes from contributions, receipts from our annual Almond Festival proceeds, and $20,000 or rural grant funding arranged by the county's Community Development Agency.

Over the years, the Club has organized a wide variety of community actions and events from musical concerts (as it was originally called The Rumsey "Opera House") to meetings for planning, flooding, political discussion, and local concerns.  Our presentation at the annual Almond Festival includes crafts, food, live music, and the "Not Yet World-Famous Rumsey Ribs".

Current Club President is Frances Burke, who may be contacted at cachecreeknursery@cal.net