There are few things more enjoyable than a leisurely weekend breakfast, am I right?

I’m pleased to report that I’ve recently been able to check out one of Fresno’s newer breakfast spots and the news is all good! If you’ve not yet heard of The Brioche Lady and her new brick and mortar bakery, you’ll be glad you clicked on this article.

Background

The Brioche Lady has been a staple at local farmers markets for the last two years, even taking People’s Choice and Best New Product Awards in recent Fresno Food Expos. This spring, the opportunity presented itself for The Brioche Lady to secure a restaurant location in the former Le Parisian spot located next to TGI Fridays in the shopping center on the southeast corner of Herndon and First.

Nubchi Thao (the woman behind the brioches) was born and raised in France before moving to California twenty years ago, and one food she was unable to find here was her beloved favorite, authentic French-style brioches. A brioche is a braided type of bread that is light, tender and mildly sweet. Made with eggs, butter and varying liquids, including sometimes rum and vanilla.

For years, Nubchi’s family would send brioche from France, or her husband Leng would bring it home in his luggage when he came back from visiting his grandparents; however brioches carefully frozen and rationed were just not the same as being able to enjoy them fresh, so Nubchi set out to make truly authentic French-style brioche herself – and as it turns out, she’s extremely good at it.

The Restaurant

The Brioche Lady Bakery has been open for a little over four months, and inside, customers can purchase prepared brioches of a variety of flavors including original, cinnamon, blueberry cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, almond, chocolate, taro, and the award-winning purple yam flavor. Purple yam is a food frequently seen in Asian desserts, and the Thaos wanted to try adding it to a brioche to create a Euro-Asian fusion specialty item. It worked incredibly well and even won Best New Product at the 2017 Food Expo!

In addition to the brioches that are baked fresh and packaged to go each day, Nubchi also serves fresh crepes, French toast, Croque Madames, fruit tartes and beautiful macarons. Specialty drinks and lattes are also available. I recently enjoyed breakfast with a friend in the bakery, and was greeted with excellent service, a friendly and welcoming environment and a short wait for the best piece of French toast I’d ever eaten.

The restaurant’s café area features comfortable tables with board games available for guests who’d like to hang out and enjoy a leisurely morning. The interior of the entire place carries the Parisian theme – even the restrooms are adorned with pretty, French décor.

Where and When to Go

The Brioche Lady is located at 1085 E Herndon Ave Suite 101 and is open six days a week from 8am to 6pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, 8am -8pm Fridays and Saturdays, and is closed on Wednesdays.

If you’re into technology, software, computer programming, frequently drive around Downtown Fresno or simply keep up on local news – Bitwise is likely a familiar name to you. However, if the name is familiar but you don’t truly know exactly what’s happening at Bitwise – it’s time to change that, right away.

Bitwise 101: What is Bitwise All About?

Six years ago, Irma Olguin and Jake A. Soberal founded Bitwise as a hub for incubating careers in the booming industry of technology. Olguin and Soberal believed Fresno could be the next Silicon Valley (or even better!). At Bitwise, Valley residents can:

• Learn how to code (write in computer programming languages), gain skills to prepare for jobs in technology fields that are currently in high demand and growing rapidly (the school part of Bitwise is called “Geekwise Academy”)
• Start their own business and house it in Bitwise’s buildings, amongst other, growing tech-based businesses (business incubator)
• Work with Shift3 Technologies, which is a company that pairs senior professionals with entry-level programmers to develop solutions for global companies

Their model not only worked, it EXPLODED. Since its founding just six years ago Bitwise

• produced more than 1,000 new software developers
• attracted over 200 technology companies to its facilities
• contributed to the creation of thousands of jobs in the region
• and, turned 250,000 sq. ft of previously blighted downtown buildings into desirable commercial real estate! (Including Bitwise 41, which will become FresYes’s second location!)

What’s The Latest Bitwise News?

On Wednesday, June 19^th, Bitwise announced they successfully secured $27 million dollars as part of its Series A financing led by Kapor Capital and New Voices Fund. The funding also includes a major investment by the Quality Jobs Fund, a project of the New World Foundation seeded by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.

This represents one of the largest Series A ever raised by a Latinx female-led company. “Fundraising milestones like these are monumental for women of the Latinx community, and I hope the size of what we’ve done is soon eclipsed by the next female or person of color. This country is filled with stories similar to mine – people from underserved communities, who never thought these kinds of opportunities would be accessible to them,” said Irma L. Olguin Jr., CEO and co-founder, Bitwise Industries.

If you are like me and not familiar with the term “Series A” I learned from Startup.com it’s a type of funding that businesses receive from larger scale investors after the have created a start up that has shown promise. Typically, Series A funding ranges from between $2 million to $15 million, so a Series A of $27 million is astounding and very exciting!

The funders behind this surge of investment shared the following about their views on the Bitwise model. “Bitwise has significantly improved economic and community outcomes in Fresno,” said Colin Greer, president of the New World Foundation. “Through the resources made available to us through the generosity and commitment of the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco, the Quality Jobs Fund is excited to invest in Bitwise so they can create similar results in new communities.”

“The company’s approach of weaving together training and education with software development and commercial activity in a common physical space has proven to revitalize communities while also successfully addressing the growing skills gap in the tech industry,” said Mitchell Kapor, Partner at Kapor Capital. “Our investment in Bitwise is based on our shared belief that genius can be found anywhere, but until opportunity has the same reach, we need companies like Bitwise that will take action to close that gap.”

What will Bitwise use the $27 million to do?

Expand! “This investment will further Bitwise’s ability to make what was serendipity in my life far more common. By connecting people from marginalized places to the skills they need to enter the technology industry, and by surrounding them with vibrant and inclusive spaces, we will transform communities,” said Olguin.

Bitwise is currently housed in three large buildings in Downtown Fresno, and soon to be 4. Up next? Bakersfield!

We at FresYes can’t wait to see how Bitwise continues to create one of the biggest and brightest tech hubs in the country, right here in our backyard. Huge congrats to Olguin, Soberal and the Bitwise team!

How to Get Involved

• Want to take courses at Geekwise Academy? Check them out here.
• Want to house your startup at Bitwise? Click here.
• Want to work for Shift3 of hire them to fulfill your development need? Click here.

To Fresno’s best and brighest!

Natali

Have you ever shopped at Madewell in Fig Garden Village? If you’re a woman, love a great pair of jeans and casual items to wear with them and you haven’t been in — it’s time to remedy that!

Madewell has become my favorite clothing store in recent years, as their jeans and tops fit incredibly well and the quality of their pieces and fabrics is so high compared to most items that have previously taken up residence in my closet.

My love for Madewell’s clothing, along with the frequency at which I hear fellow Fresnans say they have either never heard of Madewell or assume it’s too pricey for their budgets made me realize an article like this could help others like me finally find the clothing they’ve been hoping for at a price they can afford.

What’s Great at Madewell?

Madewell is known for making “great jeans and everything you wear with them”. Each pair of jeans is hand cut and sewn and uses premium fabrics, though the price of Madewell jeans at full retail is still significantly lower than other premium denim brands ($135 vs. $230+ for brands like AG, Joe’s, Frame, and Citizens of Humanity).

Madewell’s jeans come in multiple rises (from mid-rise at 8” all the way to very high rises at 12.5”) and in sizes from waist size 23 (triple zero) to 37 (size 24) and in three lengths (petite, regular and tall). They are also made with “magic pockets” – shaping pockets that smooth the silhouette while remaining completely comfortable.

When I tried on Madewell jeans, it was as through the clouds in the heavens parted and the angels were singing. As a person who once swore up and down that the skinny jean trend was purely evil and out to personally harm me – I found myself looking in the mirror in Madewell skinnies seeing my hips visually slimmed, my legs looking longer and yet I was completely comfortable and able to bend and move without stiffness or restriction. Of the seven friends I’ve taken on first trips to Madewell, every single one of them found jeans that fit them better than anything else in their closets, and they too fell in love.  

Beyond jeans, Madewell also makes great casual dresses, cotton blouses, denim skirts, soft cotton and rayon pull on shorts, perfectly cut t-shirts and tanks, comfortable, high-quality wear-with-everything leather shoes and purses, and beautiful statement and minimalist jewelry pieces.

How Madewell Supports Local Entrepreneurs

Each Madewell store has an events manager who is responsible for hosting regular events in store that highlight local entrepreneurs. These “Hometown Hero” events take place at a designated day and time and feature a local pop-up shop hosted within the store. Madewell provides free refreshments and a 20% discount on purchases during these events, so it’s a great way to support local small businesses and get Madewell clothing at a discounted price!

This Saturday, June 15^th from 1-4pm our local Madewell store is hosting a Hometown Heroes event featuring esteemed jewelry genius Alana Little of Make Pie Not War

Our Fresno store’s Event Manager, Marielle, is fantastic and has held previous events with some of the coolest local artists and crafters including Foliage Potted Plants, Brooke Creative Co., Flora Flower Cart and Art by Elowyn.

How You Can Save $ at Madewell

If you’re itching for the perfect pair of jeans or some new summer clothing, but you’re also on a budget here are a few of my favorite ways to keep costs down at Madewell.

• If you’re a teacher or student – show your ID for 15% off!
• Shop during Hometown Hero events (like the one this Saturday) and get 20% off
• Sign up for emails from Madewell and watch for sale alerts – which come frequently and range from 20-30% off
• Recycle your old jeans (ANY pair – even your kids’ old pairs, of any brand!) for $20 off a new pair of jeans any time (Madewell uses recycled denim to provide housing insulation in low-income areas around the world!)
• Shop the clearance section in the back of the store (often marked down for an additional % off)

So, if you’ve never shopped at Madewell before, I hope you found this article helpful. And, if you’re looking for a new pair of jeans or some gorgeous jewelry, I highly recommend you grab an old pair to recycle and head over to Madewell this Saturday between 1 and 4pm for the Make Pie Not War Hometown Heroes Event!

Madewell is located at 706 W. Shaw Ave. Fresno in Figarden Village Shopping Center on Shaw and Palm. The store is open from 10am to 7pm daily except Sundays, when it’s open from 11am to 6pm.

Note: This article is not sponsored in any way, nor did Madewell ask me to write it. I just genuinely love their clothing and how they support local small businesses and think other Fresno women who may have a hard time finding well-fitting clothing might benefit from this info, so I shared it! 😊

Happy Shopping,

Natali

There’s something exciting and new coming to our wonderful Fresno Chaffee Zoo! For a limited the Zoo will be home to Zoorassic Park presented by The Kirkland Foundation, a self-guided exhibit featuring 21 lifelike and life-size dinosaurs that move and make sounds.

The exhibit will open to the public starting this Saturday, June 8, at 8:30 a.m. As part of the grand opening celebration, the first 100 children to enter at the Zoo admissions booth starting at 8:30 a.m. with paid entry will receive a free ticket to the Zoorassic Park exhibit. (Children must be accompanied by an adult with paid entry to the Zoo and the exhibit.) The morning’s festivities will include additional opportunities to learn about paleontology and interact with the exhibit through special photo opportunities and appearances by mascots and puppets.

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Other limited-time programs for dinosaur enthusiasts throughout the exhibit’s time at the Zoo will include dinosaur-themed birthday party packages, paleontology summer camps, and a T. Rex adopt-an-animal.

In addition to presenting sponsor The Kirkland Foundation, wonderful local sponsors Haron Jaguar Land Rover and Fresno State are also to thank for this exciting, kid-tastic exhibit.

Zoorassic Park tickets can be purchased starting June 8 at the Zoo admissions booth or online at www.fresnochaffeezoo.org. Advance purchase is recommended for ease of access and to reduce wait time at the booth. The exhibit will run through October 31, 2019.

Zoorassic Park Exhibit Ticket prices are as follows:

• Adults (12 and up): $4
• Children (2-11): $3
• Babies 1 and under: Free
• Zoorassic Park Season Pass for Fresno Chaffee Zoo Members: $20. This provides all individuals covered on the membership will have unlimited entry to Zoorassic Park through the end of the exhibit.

Regular Zoo admission prices are currently:

• $12.95 for adults
• $7.95 for children and seniors

The Zoo is located within Fresno’s Roeding Park at 894 W. Belmont in Fresno, 93728. Parking at Roeding Park is $5/vehicle.

Have a ZOO-tastic time! Oh, and please tag us when you do! #FresYesInsider, @FresYes.

Wishing you nothing but fun,
–Natali

That time of year has come around once again, the final days of the school year are dwindling, the weather is beginning to warm up and kids are counting down the days until summer break. Even with all this excitement, most of us parents are out searching for end of year gifts for the beloved teachers in their children’s lives. How do you express gratitude for such a thing, anyway?

Some of my favorite people on earth are teachers, and I thought it would be helpful to do a little investigating as to what makes the perfect (and not-so-perfect) year end gift, should you be a parent in search of ideas.

I went straight to the source, surveying local teachers about the best gifts they’d received in the past and what would love to receive as this year comes to a close.

Here’s what the teachers had to say:

They DO want…Gift cards!

Almost everyone who responded to my survey mentioned gift cards as a great choice. If you’re buying a very specific type of gift card, it’s important to have an idea of the teacher’s tastes and interests. For example, first grade teacher, Stephanie Huffman, said a gift card to Sephora was one of her favorite gifts received, and high school teacher, Michelle Mercier, loved receiving a gift certificate for wine tasting.

If you’re unsure as to your teacher’s interest. Purchasing a gift card for the movies, Starbucks, pedicures and local restaurants seemed to ring through as great choices regardless of the recipient.

“One time, I got a gift card tree with all kinds of small and big gift cards and that was so fun to start the summer with!” said Maria Bezerra, a first grade teacher.

4^th grade teacher, Kelly Haupt said, “One year a student gave me a journal with about six different gift cards of fun things I could do during the summer. That was very sweet.”

Similarly, if you know the teacher’s interests in sports and attractions, tickets to watch their favorite team play a game or for a day at Disneyland (a great, class/group gift) were also very memorable gifts mentioned.

One thing’s for sure – it was pretty clear that the teachers would greatly prefer gift cards they can enjoy personally vs. those to use for the classroom when it comes to an end of year gift.

Also, a favorite gift is as simple as a Hand-written or student made thank yous

Many of the teachers responded in agreement with one another, stating that by far their favorite gifts to receive are heartfelt, handmade thank yous from their students.

High school teacher Amanda Valle states, “A genuine thanks from a student sustains me in my choice to teach”

Former high school teacher turned administrator Ralph Vasquez agreed. “Thank you letters, written by the kid themselves, no matter how long – those are the best.”

Marceen Farsakian, a first grade teacher, shared “one of my all time favorite gifts was a collection of personal ‘treasures’ from around the home and a handwritten note!”

Debbie Scott shared, “The best gift I ever got was a booklet created by a student of 21 ways I made her year the best year.”

Another great give: A class memory gift

A few teachers spoke of gifts they’d been given by a former class, to serve as a reminder of their time with the teacher – especially things that could be displayed in the classroom.

Carlanda Williams, Fresno Unified’s 2018 Teacher of the Year, received and loved a framed painting of a tree, on which all of the students made colorful thumbprint leaves on the branches next to their names.

Kelly Haupt said, “I love when students have given me something I can put up in my classroom. It makes me think of them the next year, too.”

Ultimately, teachers just appreciate being thought of!

Holly Rodriguez, Madera County Superintendent of Schools 2019 Distinguished Teacher says, “I love everything!”

Kindergarten teacher Crystal Holmes said, “I love ALL the gifts I get from my students and their families! Sometimes they don’t have a lot to give so just the thought behind it means so much.”

Want to know what teachers would rather not receive?

SKIP THE COFFEE MUGS. Really. Like, really skip them forever.

I’m not going to name names, but in regards to mugs I received the following comments (note: do not confuse mugs with Yeti tumblers – I’m told Yetis are still great/desirable gifts):

“Coffee mugs are getting old.”

“I love Star Wars, but if I receive another Star Wars mug, I will have to use them for target practice.”

“No mugs! I have 37 mugs!”

“Teachers are people too? Gift cards NOT coffee mugs. Go figure. 😉”

They also would rather not receive Candles and Scented Body Products (unless you specifically know the exact scent the teacher likes)

“I don’t really want any more candles, just because everyone has such a different taste in scents.”

Just for fun, want to know some of the most unexpected (both good and not-so-good) gifts teachers I spoke with received? In no particular order, here they are:

• A gift certificate for adult beverages (It was well-received) “You know, we need to decompress!”
• A gift certificate to Ruth’s Chris (Wow! A big surprise!)
• A fleece blanket with Elvis’ face
• Assorted plastic figurines from the dollar store
• A Sex in the City perfume set

So there you have it folks – as the school year comes to an end, be sure to show your appreciation to the hard-working teachers who have spent the last nine months lovingly educating the next generation. Whether you have a bit to spend, or money is tight there are options on the most wanted gift list for any budget that are sure to please. Now go forth and love on your teachers everyone! They deserve it!

Tag us when you get your fave teacher her gift! @FresYes or #FresYesInsider.

Was this helpful? Do you want more blogs like this? We want to KNOW! Email our editor, Gabi@FresYes.com and share with her your thoughts.

Now, go make someone’s day!

–Natali

At FresYes, we love supporting local small business owners and learning more about what’s helped them to become successful in their field. I (along with many, many other women in Fresno!) recently fell in love with the gorgeous, lightweight and minimalistic earrings of Brooke Creative Co., a local, artisan jewelry business founded and operated by Brooke Matthews. I had the pleasure of learning more about how Brooke got started and what inspires her this past week, after meeting her at the Old Town Flea in Clovis.

FresYes: Tell us a little about yourself – where are you from, what brought you to this point in your life and makes you who you are?

Brooke: Since I was a child, I’ve always enjoyed art, DIY projects and design. I took lots of art classes in school, and I was first introduced to graphic design my sophomore year when a teacher asked me to join the yearbook team. I was hooked and ended up graduating from Fresno State with BA in Graphic Design.

After college I moved to San Francisco to work as a Project Manager and Creative Director for wikiHow. I also worked for a Healthcare Marketing Agency and after grinding away for 6 years in the Bay, I felt creatively stifled.

My partner was able to work for his company remotely from anywhere and I was ready to quit my job. In the summer of 2018 we left San Francisco and moved back to my hometown of Fresno. My goal was to take some time off to be creative, work on side projects, and possibly start a business, although I had no idea what that business would be exactly at the time.

FY: What made you decide to make clay earrings?

Brooke: I was playing around with a lot of different mediums at the time – painting a lot with watercolor, designing patterns on the iPad, and doing some freelance graphic design. I’d been wanting to get reacquainted with ceramics when I was at the craft store and saw polymer clay. I’d never really used it but remembered seeing blog posts about DIY polymer clay projects, one of them being earrings.

I’d always been a necklace person, but not so much a statement earring wearer due to them often being so heavy on the ear. I began making the clay earrings as a cure for my frustration. I soon started really liking what I was making and loved how lightweight they were! I thought that if I loved them, maybe others would too! I took some photos, made a website, posted about it and it all took off from there.

FY: What inspired you to create the aesthetic that has become your signature style?

Brooke: I’ve always love mid-century modern architecture, vintage graphic design and abstract art. I think that, coupled with my love of the outdoors is what has helped inspire the earring designs. I’m continually drawn to simple shapes, clean lines, and natural elements. I didn’t think about in the early stages, but someone once pointed out that my earring designs remind them of the watercolor paintings I was working on a few months before – and now I can’t unsee it! 🙂

FY: Is there a single style that tends to be most popular amongst your shoppers? Do you have a favorite style to wear, personally?

Brooke: The Alara (a two-piece statement earring that features an upside-down U shape) has been a constant favorite since the beginning! It’s also been my personal favorite as well, in addition to a pair of simple grey circles that were one of the very first styles I ever made.

FY: What can shoppers look forward to from you in the future? Are there new styles and colorways on the horizon?

Brooke: Yes and yes! Coming down from the wave of busyness of all the spring events like ArtHop/Grizzly Fest/The Old Town Flea, I’ve had some time recently to think about what I want the next (and future) collections to look like. Spring was full of pastels: peaches, lilac, periwinkle, etc. which was super fun and I’m so happy everyone loved it.

I’ve started thinking about the designs and colorways that I have been continually gravitating towards in my personal collection and realized that they were often neutrals. I plan to focus on adding texture, integrating natural elements (sand/dried flowers/natural dyes/shells) and shapes that mimic nature. I’m hoping to refine this collection over the next few weeks and will also be showcasing it at my booth for Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco in July.

FY: What do you attribute to the rapid growth your business has experienced – how did you get yourself out there so well, and what advice would you have to other entrepreneurs in this area?

Brooke: I attribute a lot of it to my years working in the marketing/advertising industry and having a degree in design. These skills have been the backbone to my brand and my aesthetic. Branding, photography, and social media are more important than ever and I’m so thankful that I can do a lot of what’s needed for growing my business on my own.

I’m still learning A LOT of it as I’m going. That being said, you have to know when to enlist help of ‘the professionals’ 🙂

I realized early on that the aspect of photography was something I was going to need help with. I’ve been able to get by doing much of it on my own, but it’s also SO time consuming that supplementing with professional help was key. I’ve been lucky enough to have my earrings be a part of some local photo shoots and the photographers have been kind enough to let me use the photos from those shoots.

I also attribute the growth of my business to the incredible community that is our Valley. There has been no shortage of support and opportunities to sell locally, such as: ArtHop, flea markets and vendor fairs.

FY: Have you encountered any significant challenges as your business has grown, and do you have any advice for getting through bumps in the road for others?

Brooke: I totally don’t feel like I’m in any place to give much advice yet, ha, but I’m a true believer in learning by doing. It was terrifying for me to put myself and my products out into the world, but I feel like I’ve learned so much by doing just that.

You have to stay patient and remain persistent. One of my favorite quotes is “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” I try not to be too hard on myself, allow for mistakes, and remind myself to have fun!

My other biggest piece of advice is reach out to others! You don’t have to be an expert on everything. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, who built you up, and who support you. It’s HARD to start a small business and often feels overwhelming. Having a group of people to lean on is so important.

FY: Do you have any other local artisans or business owners that you look up to or love – and if so, what draws you to them?

Brooke: There is SO much talent in this community, I can’t even name them all! I am so proud of all the incredible makers and artists I’ve met in just a short amount of time.

• Cassey & Kirk James from Root General have been HUGE mentors to me and I’m so grateful. (Root was the first store to stock my earrings!) Along with running Root for the last 5 years, they pour their hearts into supporting so many local artisans and have truly kept Downtown Fresno alive.
• Yvette Goltaio (@yvettita) is a branding and content photographer who I met through Root and we both immediately hit it off! Her eye for design and her photography style is so spot on and has meshed really well with what I was looking for for Brooke Creative Co.
• Elowyn of Elowyn Makes Art is so talented and her art always makes me smile!
• Alana from @makepie is also an inspiration! I think she’s had her jewelry business for over almost a decade and is basically an Etsy seller queen!
• Keryn from @nicholsonhatco – another crazy talented maker and boss lady
• Alex from KLSD – another hugely successful woman/mom run business in the Valley …that’s just a few off the top of my head!

Thank you for your time, Brooke. Can’t wait to watch as your business continues to grow!

-Natali

As summer approaches and the school year comes to a close, many families wonder how they’ll fill the days with fun, stay cool and avoid over-spending in the process. FresYes is happy to help by providing you with our annual round up of free and low-cost summer activity ideas for families with young children. Mark your calendars, get out there and have fun this summer! (Tag us with #FresYesInsider so we can feature your splish-splash fun on our channels too, please! We love sharing in the fun)

Movies

Each summer, participating local movie theaters offer reduced admission on weekday mornings and show children’s movies as part of the Summer Movie Express promotion. In Fresno, Regal Edwards & IMAX in River Park (Herndon and 41) offers $1 movies at 10am on Tuesday & Wednesday of each summer week, beginning at 10am.

The $1 movies are popular, so it is recommended you arrive early to ensure a spot, however, enjoying free AC and super affordable movies are definitely worthy rewards for your patience. Two different movies are offered each week, so you could potentially attend Tuesday and watch one movie, and Wednesday and watch the other movie.

This summer’s movie list includes Lego Movie 2, Smallfoot, Lego Batman Movie, Kung Fu Panda 3, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and more! For a full list and for additional information, visit the Summer Movie Express website here.

Movies in the Park

Unable to attend weekday morning movies? No problem! Each year, Movies in the Park, which has typically been sponsored by PG&E and Comcast, are offered on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings at three different Fresno parks. Though this year’s schedule is not yet posted – it should be up soon!

Movies and parking are typically free and food vendors are on site if you’d like to purchase food. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks and you’ll definitely want to bring lawn chairs or a picnic blanket to relax on. Movies start just after dark, and typically begin in mid-June and run through early August. Keep an eye on this page for updates!

Splash Parks & Public Pools

The City of Fresno Parks Department, in partnership with local high school aquatics complexes offers numerous splash parks and public pools (including both standard pools and learning pools) with admission costs being just $1 for kids and $2 for adults during the week, and free on the weekends. Swim lessons are also available at a discounted rate. For hours, locations and complete details, check out the Fresno Aquatics Info Page here.  

Summer Bowling Pass at Bowlero

Did you know you can bowl up to three games every day of the summer for one low cost? Bowlero Bowling on Sierra and Blackstone offers this awesome deal for just $36.95 for kids and $52.95 for adults. You can purchase your Summer Bowling Passes online here. Oh – and in case you were wondering – YES, shoe rental is included!

Story Time Around Town

There are three great local ways to enjoy a special, free story time.

1. ValleyPBS’s Clifford the Big Red Dog: Dog Days of Summer Library Tour: Each year, our local PBS station, ValleyPBS brings Clifford to visit a different Fresno County Library Branch each week, where Clifford and his helpers host a special story time and all guests receive a free Clifford book to take home. You’ll need to sign up in advance, but attending is free! For more information, contact ValleyPBS at 559-266-1800 or visit the webpage here.
2. The Book Barn’s story hour with Mother Goose (year-round): Mother Goose visits the Book Barn, located at 640 Clovis Avenue (in Clovis) every Wednesday morning at 10:00am to share a special story with her young guests. There is no purchase required to attend.
3. Barnes and Noble’s Saturday Story Hours (year-round): Offered every Saturday morning at 11am at Barnes and Noble on Blackstone and Nees. Snack/food items are also offered for attendees at a special discount. For full details and the weekly story list, click here.

Have fun, #FresYesInsider!

-Natali