Conejo Valley Days Singing a New Tune

For a few days every spring folks in the Conejo Valley contract a nonfatal strain of valley fever that makes ‘em want to dress up like Annie Oakley or Wyatt Earp. They can’t seem to get enough rodeos or country dancing. And it seems like every bank teller and store employee is sporting denim or a red bandanna.

Fortunately, most years since the late ‘40s, they’ve had a venue for these symptoms--Conejo Valley Days, an annual event spawned as a western-days celebration. This year’s main Conejo Valley Days events begin Saturday in Thousand Oaks and culminate with a five-day fair and on-site activities Wednesday through April 28.

In keeping with tradition, this year’s 40th anniversary theme is “Western Kicks in ’96.” Sounds straightforward enough.

But somehow, unlike in years past, that western flavor this time around doesn’t extend to most of the musical entertainment--unless, of course, Elvis impersonator Raymond Michael dons a cowboy hat or 1960s rockers Canned Heat and several blues bands sport spurs.

Hoedown lovers will have to wait until the last day of the fair for a good, healthy dose of country music.

This change in musical approach has much to do with a change in the Conejo Valley as a whole, said Steve Rubenstein, president of the Conejo Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“When this event was started we really were a country-western town,” said Rubenstein. “Then we became a rural community, then semirural. And now we have become a highly sophisticated community and Conejo Valley Days has lost some of its original focus and country-western flair.”

Along with that change of focus has come a change in Conejo Valley Days leadership.

“People get involved and sometimes forget what Conejo Valley Days is all about,” said Pete Turpel, executive director of the Conejo Valley Days steering committee. “There is a division between those wanting to go with a more rock feel. But the consensus is to maintain our country-western heritage feel and ensure that our western heritage theme rings true.”

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The shift this year to less country entertainment is partly due to the way events are organized by an all-volunteer crew without many guidelines for quality control or approval.

From 1963 through 1993, Conejo Valley Days was run by volunteers who were overseen by the Thousand Oaks Chamber of Commerce. But two years ago, a slumping economy caused a reduction in chamber membership, which in turn caused a reduction in chamber staff. The resulting staff shortage meant fewer chamber employees available to oversee Conejo Valley Days.

So the chamber’s board of directors voted to turn over control of Conejo Valley Days to the nonprofit Conejo Valley Activities Corp. The corporation, a coalition of 29 volunteer service clubs and organizations, is a resurrection of the group that ran Conejo Valley Days in its earliest years.

Entertainment co-chair Kevin Rock, who coordinated this year’s entertainment lineup, prefers to see the move away from all country as an attempt to incorporate more variety, rather than an attempt to ignore tradition.

“The basic idea was to broaden the appeal and to include different styles of music, hoping to reach out to more of the community,” said Rock, owner of the Pink Cadillac entertainment booking company in Newbury Park. “Not everyone likes country music. So we wanted there to be something for if you’re a rocker or a blues fan. But next year we look for this to be more country-western.”

Rock said that his desire to see local acts represented in this year’s event is why they have booked rockers such as the Big Ugly Dummies and Side Show along with such blues bands as Randy Rich & the Ravens, Rocket Science and the Rick Ambrose Band.

“These are musicians who deserve some wider exposure and who we can hopefully support year-round,” he said. “I hope next year we can expand to have a mix of local and national acts but still keep the local flavor and wide musical appeal.”

Until this year, when Rock came on board, Frank Akery, owner of Buster Lighting Design, was the sole entertainment chair. This year, Akery focused more on stage production and Rock coordinated the lineup based on his own resources.

As far as staffing goes, each chair appoints his or her own assistant and needs no approval from the steering committee, explained Walt Schaedle, a local businessman who has twice been Conejo Valley Days executive board chairman and currently is an advisor on the steering committee.

The same laissez faire attitude holds true for selecting the musical lineup.

“The entertainment chair has the sole responsibility for choosing the entertainment,” Schaedle said. “And he does not need any approval for any band or event.”

Though Akery and Rock may go after local bands, the local bands also go after Akery and Rock, Schaedle said.

“People know about Conejo Valley Days. A lot of bands that have worked it kind of tell others and word spreads from band to band,” Schaedle said. “It’s probably an excellent way to get bands.”

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At least the bands that want the exposure and possibly some remuneration. But a William Morris agent might find this approach to talent booking a bit uneven. The attitude seems to be let them find us. And to some extent it works. Schaedle said last year he received calls from back East and Northern California asking for information about the fair. But aside from using a few big-name regional or national acts, the philosophy has been to always feature a lot of local groups.

“Let’s not forget,” Turpel said. “Conejo Valley Days started as a local event and now it sees 75,000 people. It’s a huge undertaking. But we still always want to give those local sixth-graders an opportunity to showcase what they’ve been practicing all year.”

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Conejo Valley Days: Events and Entertainment

DETAILS

* WHERE: Unless otherwise stated, Main Stage at fair event site, Conejo Creek Park at the Moorpark Freeway and Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.

* WHEN: Saturday through April 28; midway hours: Wednesday and April 25, 5-10 p.m.; April 26, 5 p.m.-midnight; April 27, noon-midnight; April 28, noon-8 p.m.

* COST: events free with admission to the fair site: adults, $5; students and senior citizens, $4; children ages 6-12, $3; under age 6, free.

* GETTING THERE: Fair-goers can save $1 off admission by riding a free shuttle bus from Thousand Oaks or Newbury Park High Schools to the fair site. Buses depart hourly from both schools, 4-11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday; CALL: CVD hotline information, 371-8730.

SCHEDULE

SATURDAY

* Children’s Parade, 9:30 a.m. (Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.) Wagons, bikes and strollers become western-themed floats. Schools, churches and children’s organizations are welcome to participate.

SUNDAY

* Chili Cook-Off and Whiskeroo Contest: noon-5 p.m. Recipes from an estimated 30 to 40 cooks can be sampled; other food, arts and crafts booths; skydiving show, hook and ladder and NASCAR display for the kids.

* Darlene O’Connell & the Dixie Flyers play top 40 country music, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

* Whiskeroo Contest, 1 p.m.; $2 admission to entire event.

WEDNESDAY

* Conejo Valley Days Fair opens, 5 p.m.

* Badgeroo Contest, 6 p.m. Contestants of all ages dress in western costumes and display their collection of western-themed badges from previous Conejo Valley Days.

APRIL 25

* Family Night, save $2 off each admission or buy a $6 ticket for unlimited rides.

* Best Dressed Western Contest for men, women and also children ages 5 and older, 6:30 p.m. Contestants are encouraged to preregister and must arrive at the Main Stage by 6 p.m. Judging begins at 7 p.m. For early registration, call 497-3800.

* Raymond Michael as “Elvis--the Legend,” 7 p.m.

* Local blues groups the Rick Ambrose Band, Rocket Science and Randy Rich & the Ravens start playing at 8:30 p.m.

APRIL 26

* Special Kids Day. Volunteers are needed to help about 400 disabled children enjoy the fair site at 10 a.m. before the doors open to the general public. Anyone wishing to volunteer may call 497-3731.

* Junior Rodeo, noon, in the fair’s rodeo arena.

* Bingo (in tent), 5-10 p.m. (also April 27, 2-10 p.m. and April 28, noon-8 p.m.).

* A night of classic rock music begins at 8 p.m. with the Amgen employees’ unofficial band the Big Ugly Dummies.

* Canned Heat headlines at 9 p.m.

* Local group Side Show takes the stage at 10:30 p.m.

APRIL 27

* Conejo Valley Days Parade, 9 a.m. Grand Marshal Harvey “Boot Hill” Bollinger leads the floats, clowns and marching bands down Thousand Oaks Boulevard from the post office at Duesenberg Drive to Erbes Road.

* Western Pit Barbecue, noon-6 p.m. (also April 28).

* Rodeos, 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. (also Sunday, April 28, 1 and 4 p.m.) in the fair’s rodeo arena.

* Tiny Tot Children’s Pageant, 3 p.m. Children ages 3-8.

* Clog dancers, 5 p.m.

* Camarillo-based Tropical Taste Band plays Hawaiian music, 6 p.m.

* Warner Sankman, traditional folk and country troubadour, 7 p.m.

* The Monte Carlos blast to the past with rock oldies, 8:30 p.m.

APRIL 28

* Family Country Fun Day: a mix of traditional, top 40 and original country music, with KHAY radio personalities on hand with prizes and giveaways:

* Ralph Payne and Trouble perform top 40 country tunes, 1 p.m.

* Midnight Train, 2 p.m. Former Archies lead guitarist Paul Manoogian fronts this local group, which plays contemporary and original country music.

* Kathy Bailey’s Country in Motion performing dance troupe, 3:30 p.m.

* Caught Red Handed, 5 p.m.

* The Phillip Norris Band, 6:30 p.m.