June 22, 2010 > Summer Saturdays get culture Summer Saturdays get culture By Julie Grabowski Union City invites you to flavor your summer with "A Taste of Culture," beginning Saturday, June 26 in Old Alvarado/Cesar Chavez Park. Paired with the year-round Farmers' Market, the annual summer concert series is in its 13th year of bringing together popular and diverse local music for the enjoyment of the community. Student ensemble Mariachi San Jose launches the 9-week series featuring a lineup of returning favorites and newcomers. Attendees can be transported to South America on the grooves of Mucho Axe, or take a breath of the heartland with Twang Ditty's classic country. Rock out to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' tribute band The Refugees, or sing the Blues with Big Cat Tolefree. If you like it all, come out for the East Bay's Mixed Nuts Band, who offers everything from classic and modern rock to Motown, funk, R&B, and Jazz standards. Their aim? To get the crowd to put on their dancing shoes! Over 30 farmers and producers travel in from Salinas, Sanger, Fresno, Los Banos, Del Rey, Stockton, and other Central Valley farms each week to provide a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables at the Farmers' Market. Operated by the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association (PCFMA), the Union City market is a bustling source of California flavor, no matter what your taste. Fish and seafood, bakery items, flowers, and specialty foods are also available alongside the terrific produce. Sponsored by the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, Union City Leisure Services, and Paddy's Coffee House, "A Taste of Culture" is a great summer outing where you can experience an array of exciting flavors and sounds right in your own backyard. For more information on the concert series, call (510) 675-5482. To learn more about the Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association call 800-949-FARM. A Taste of Culture Saturdays, June 26-August 21 Concert hours: 10 a.m. to noon Market hours: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Old Alvarado/Cesar Chavez Park 3871 Smith Street, Union City (510) 675-5482 Free Concert schedule: June 26: Mariachi San Jose (Regional Latin) July 3: Mucho Axe (South American World grooves) July 10: Twang Ditty (Country) July 17: Pep Sounds (Cool Jazz) July 24: Mystic Man & Lakay (Reggae, Fusion, Latin, Calypso) July 31: Mixed Nuts Band (Rock, Motown, R&B, Jazz) August 7: Grupo Coimbre (Salsa, Meringue, Tropical) August 14: The Refugees (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers tribute band) August 21: Big Cat Tolefree (Blues)