MdMCS Presents Groovin' at the Grove

Groovin at the Grove is the second annual music festival fundraiser for Montessori del Mar Community School that celebrates local talent and brings together families for a day of fun, music, and community spirit. Set at the beautiful Mendocino Grove, this festival features local bands Sweet Root and New Nashville West with Gene Parsons as well as visiting bands The Blank Tapes and Sugar Candy Mountain.

Sweet Root is a bluegrass/folk ensemble from Mendocino featuring local musicians often seen playing in Mendocino, Fort Bragg and Point Arena.

The original early nineteen sixties group, Nashville West, was one of the premier, pioneer music groups that defined the term “Country Rock”. Many of the musicians that went on to form famous groups like The Flying Burrito Brothers, Poco, and the “Sweetheart of the Rodeo” version of the Byrds and Buck Owens’ “Buckaroos”, came regularly to listen and be inspired by the Nashville West as they played nightly as the house band at the “Nashville West” music club in El Monte, Southern California. They also played various clubs in Bakersfield and throughout the California Southland. Gene, as sole survivor of the original band, strives to lend tribute to the original members and late friends by having fun playing some of the music they created. The members of New Nashville West tip a hat to those iconic times and tunes while introducing songs offered from the more current times and from the extremely talented members as well.

The Blank Tapes is the moniker of California based, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, Matt Adams, who has over 20 releases to his credit. From Brazil and Europe, to Japan and all across the United States and Canada, The Blank Tapes have been touring internationally since 2003. "Alternating between dreamy and driving, dappled with delirious solos and seductive harmonies. The Blank Tapes radiated Ultraviolet Californian chords" -Blackmatter blog

Sugar Candy Mountain helped to spearhead a revival of neo-psychedelic pop. California's Sugar Candy Mountain emerged in the early 2010s fusing sunny, retro sounds with lush, sophisticated composition. The band initially began in 2010 as the recording project of Oakland-based musician Will Halsey. From early on, his partnership with collaborator yielded a unique sound blending classic '60s West Coast psychedelia with pastoral folk and pulling inspiration from pop experimentalists like Brazil's , , and . The band's self-titled 2011 debut drew largely from Halsey's early, more lo-fi recordings. By the time of 2013's Mystic Hits, Sugar Candy Mountain had evolved into a fully fledged live group with Halsey and at the helm. The album also expanded on their Brazilian influences and was partially recorded in São Paulo. For their follow-up, they recorded in San Francisco with frontman Jason Quever. The album, 666, arrived in the summer of 2016 via . Working again with Quever, Sugar Candy Mountain took a more modern approach with 2018's Do Right, layering in vibrant synths alongside their more organic instrumentation. Following the hazy standalone 2019 single "In My Own World," they released Impression, an album that introduced deep '70s grooves and Krautrock influences into Sugar Candy Mountain's already eclectic sound.

Event Highlights

• Live Performances: Music starts at 12:15pm with Sweet Root.

• Live Auction: At 2:30pm, there will be a LIVE Auction of amazing items including overnight stays and dinners at Mendocino County's finest hotels and resturants, activities and services bundles with something for everyone and more!

• Kids' Zone: A dedicated area for kids featuring face-painting and fun and interactive games and activities.

• Food and Drink: A variety of food will be avialable for purchase throughout the day including pizzas, tacos, rice and beans. Wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages will also be available.

• Vendor Booths: Local vendors will have vintage clothing, crafts, plants, and other items for sale.

  
  

This event is super Family-Friendly!

Festival Details

Date: May 17, 2026

Location: Mendocino Grove, Highway 1, Mendocino

Time: 12 PM - 7 PM

Tickets: $40 in advance.

ONLINE Promotion: 2 adult tickets $70 (savings of $10)

Kids under 12 enter free!

SUGAR CANDY MOUNTAIN "Running from Fire"

Groovin' at the Grove is not just a music festival;

it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and family.

All proceeds go to our local Montessori school!