"100 Years of Hostelling" Celebrations are Scheduled at Nine Northern California Hostels, August 22-30, 2009
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) June 30, 2009 -- Nine hostels around Northern California are hosting free, public celebrations August 22-30, 2009, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the worldwide hostelling movement, and the 75th anniversary of Hostelling International USA (formerly American Youth Hostels).
Festivities range from a seaside barbecue at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse (Aug. 30) to an old-fashioned ice cream social in Sacramento (Aug. 25), as well as a day-long progressive event at three San Francisco hostels, ending with an outdoor party in Fort Mason (Aug. 29). In addition to celebrating hostelling's centennial, the series offers the uninitiated the chance to tour a local hostel and find out what this unique mode of travel is all about.
All events are free and open to the public. Further event details will be announced on or before August 1. For more information about the events and about the history of hostelling, both worldwide and in Northern California, visit www.norcalhostels.org/100years.
Saturday, August 22, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
POINT MONTARA LIGHTHOUSE HOSTEL
16th Street & Highway 1, Montara, CA 94037
A seaside party at the Point Montara Light Station State Historic Park, featuring live music, kids' crafts, hostel tours, door prizes, and a lighthouse art show.
Sunday, August 23, 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
POINT REYES HOSTEL
1390 Limantour Spit Road, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA 94956
A bring-your-own picnic with live performances by local bands, in the heart of Point Reyes National Seashore. Beer and lemonade provided; fully equipped kitchen and barbecue grills available for use.
Sunday, August 23, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
REDWOOD NATIONAL PARK HOSTEL
14480 Highway 101, Klamath, CA 95548
A party and open house in Redwood National Park, with live music, travel-themed games, hostel tours, refreshments, and door prizes, plus the chance to contribute your personal stories to Hostelling International's anniversary video archive.
Tuesday, August 25, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
SACRAMENTO HOSTEL
925 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
An old-fashioned ice cream social at the historic Sacramento Hostel, formerly the Llewellyn Williams Mansion, near the state Capitol in downtown Sacramento. Ice cream from Leatherby's Family Creamery, live jazz music, prize giveaways, and a special dedication ceremony honoring former mayor Heather Fargo, who was instrumental in the hostel's founding.
Friday, August 28, 2:00 - 8:00 p.m.
MARIN HEADLANDS HOSTEL
Fort Barry Building 941, Marin Headlands, CA 94965
A family-friendly celebration with music, hostel tours, refreshments, prizes, and a "Community Walls" painting project for kids, followed by a night hike in the Marin Headlands, led by a National Park docent at 7 p.m.
Saturday, August 29, 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO HOSTELS
A progressive event and scavenger hunt spanning all three hostel locations in San Francisco (see below).
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO DOWNTOWN HOSTEL
312 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
A pancake and mimosa brunch at the Downtown Hostel, one block from Union Square, with tours of the newly renovated facilities.
1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO CITY CENTER HOSTEL
685 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
www.sfhostels.com/city-center/
A midday reception in the City Center Hostel's cafe, "Ivy's Place," with music, prize giveaways, hostel tours, and displays highlighting the mission and history of this beautiful 1920s boutique hotel turned hostel.
2:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO FISHERMAN'S WHARF HOSTEL
Fort Mason Building 240, San Francisco, CA 94123
www.sfhostels.com/fishermans-wharf/
A bayside barbecue in Fort Mason, a waterfront National Park with views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Food and microbrews from local businesses, live music and entertainment, family friendly activities, hostel tours, and prize giveaways.
Sunday, August 30, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
PIGEON POINT LIGHTHOUSE HOSTEL
210 Pigeon Point Road, Pescadero, CA 94060
A seaside barbecue featuring live music, puppet shows, prize giveaways, and historic tours of the lighthouse grounds led by State Park docents. Grilled sausages and tofu dogs, plus strawberry shortcake and strawberry lemonade from Swanton Berry Farms.
100 YEARS OF HOSTELLING
Hostelling International was co-founded by Richard Schirmann, a German schoolteacher who first conceived of the idea of hostels in 1909, and succeeded in opening the world's first hostel in Altena, Germany, in 1912. The centennial is being observed in a variety of ways by the 4,000 hostels in 60 countries that are part of the nonprofit Hostelling International network.
In the U.S., the official Open Hostel series kicks off August 23, 2009, with the dedication of a historical marker in Northfield, Massachusetts, on the site where the first American hostel opened in 1934. Celebrations continue throughout the week at hostels around the country. For more information, visit www.hiusa.org.
Download high-resolution photos at www.norcalhostels.org/press-room/.
The Marin Headlands Hostel, Point Reyes Hostel, Redwood National Park Hostel, and San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel are authorized Concessioners of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior.
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