The Pines Tasting Room in Hood River hosts local music every Thursday with Kerry Williams performing on mandolin and guitar. Music is from 5-7 p.m. and there is no cover charge. The Pines Tasting Room, 202 State St., Hood River.

The Inn of the White Salmon has music and wine tastings on Saturday, April 5 and 19. Kerry Williams will be performing on April 5, and Rishell Graves and Jimmy Lagroone appear on April 19. Music is from 5-7 p.m. Come and enjoy some fine wines and music. $10 admission. Inn of the White Salmon, White Salmon, Wash.; (509) 493-2335.

Pheasant Valley Winery celebrates its 4th anniversary on Saturday, April 19. To celebrate, local favorite Bob Connolly will be performing upbeat dance tunes. Sample our new releases including Estate Organic Pinot Noir, Estate Organic Pinot Gris and River City Pink. An assortment of hors d'oeuvres will also be provided. Doors open at 11 a.m. with music beginning at 2 p.m. Cost is $10, or $5 before 12:30 p.m. Free admission for Wine Club members. Pheasant Valley Winery, 3890 Acree Dr., Hood River. Open Daily 11-6; 387-3040

White Buffalo Wines is hosting a free wine tasting with The Pines Winery this Thursday from 5-8 p.m. Come learn more about this local winery and see what wines they are producing. White Buffalo Wines, 4040 Westcliff Dr., Hood River; 386-5534.

Music comes to the Ratskeller in Government Camp in April. On Friday, April 4, it’s acoustic folk and bluegrass with Chickweed. On Saturday, April 5, it’s progressive Seattle sounds from Fortune 500. On Friday, April 11, it’s Viasol with Tim Douglass, and on Saturday, April 19, it’s the Salmon River Project Jazz Band. The Ratskeller, 88335 E. Government Camp Loop Road, Government Camp, (503) 272-3635.

The Columbia Gorge Earth Center in Hood River presents an Earth Day Celebration Fundraiser with a 5K/10K Fun Run combined with the much celebrated “Procession of the Species.” This event will be on Saturday, April 19, at the Mark Hatfield West Trailhead, on the Old Columbia River Highway. The run begins at 9 a.m. sharp. The “Procession of the Species” starts at 9:30 a.m. Registration and more information can be found at www.orrun.com.

Music returns to the Trillium Cafe in April with local band Sparks and Gravel on Friday, April 4. This four piece band features singer/songwriter Scott Sparks and Mike Brinster on guitar. Music starts at 8 p.m. and there is no cover. Trillium Cafe, 207 Oak St., Hood River, 386-1996.

On Wednesday, April 2, My Best Friend, a collaboration between Hood River photographer Denise Rehse Watson and Bay area writer Diane Glazman will open at The Garden Café at Good News Gardening in Hood River. The show will run through April 30. My Best Friend documents the deep bonds that exist between best friends, using photographs and text to tell the story of these very special relationships. The ongoing project grew out of Watson’s reunion with her own best friend of over 20 years, and had its premiere showing in California in May of 2005.

On Saturday, April 5, local band Tilly Jam will be playing at Mt Hood Meadows for the opening day of the Vegetate ski event from noon to 4 p.m. For more information visit the band at www.tillyjam.com/spoton.html.

Gorge artist Elizabeth Anderson will have an open house at her new studio on Friday, April 4, at 7 p.m. The new location is 417 Sherman Ave., Suite 8, Hood River.

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles will hold a Spring Wine Festival on Saturday, April 12, from 6-9 p.m. Sixteen Columbia Gorge wineries will be on hand to introduce you to their unique wines produced right here in the Gorge. There will be wine tasting lessons, and guests will be able to put their new skills to work as they vote on the People’s Choice Awards. Heavy hors d’oeuvres and music will be provided. There will be a silent auction for weekend getaways, a river cruise and dinner, artwork and more. Tickets are $50 and are available at the Discovery Center and Klindt’s Book Sellers. This event is 21 and over. For more information, visit the www.gorgediscovery.org.

Gorge favorites Too Slim and the Taildraggers return to the Hood River Hotel on Saturday, April 12. Music starts at 8 p.m. and goes until 11. Tickets are $17 in advance, available at the hotel. This is a non-smoking show, 21 and over. For nearly 20 years Too Slim has been on the Northwest and national blues circuit, with his original down home blues, funky blues rock, Americana, southern swamp rock, and instrumental guitar styles. With a new album, “The Fortune Teller,” Too Slim and the Taildraggers continue its delivery of high energy dance blues. Hood River Hotel, 106 Oak St., Hood River; 386-1900.

The 2008 Columbia Gorge Fiddle Contest has been scheduled for May 2-4, at the Hood River Middle School auditorium. This event will showcase local and regional contestants and prizes will be awarded for various age groups and divisions. Visit www.columbiagorgefiddlecontest.com for more details.

Auditions for the CAST summer production of three original one-act musicals will be held Tuesday, April 1, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the music room of the Hood River Valley High School. A large number of singing and non-singing roles are available for ages 8 through adult. The three musicals, “My Butterfly,” and “Zen Boyfriend” and “Junk” are varied in mood, subject matter and style, from absurdist farce through serious contemporary relationship drama. Cast needed: 9 males (ages 20-60); 1 male (balladeer) to sing and play guitar; 3 female leads (age 20-50); 4-6 children (ages 8-11); 3 female backup singers.

On Wednesday, April 2, at 7:30 p.m., author Mike Barenti will be at the Hood River Hotel, 112 Oak Street, for a reading and book signing. Barenti will be reading from his book “Kayaking Alone: Nine Hundred Miles from Idaho’s Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.” The book is Barenti’s account of his two-month, 900-mile solo kayak journey from Idaho’s Salmon River to the Pacific Ocean. The stories of the river guides, rangers, biologists, ranchers, American Indians, and dam workers that Barenti meets during his trip reveals their different views of the economy, the environment, the breaching of dams on the river, and of salmon. Hood River was one of Barenti’s stops during his kayaking journey.

The Small Ensemble Experiment will be at the River City Saloon on Friday, April 4. This band played at the River City in February, and features three members from the band Reeblejar. On Saturday, don’t miss regional bluegrass band 5 Strings Short. Visit www.myspace.com/ fivestringsshort for more information. River City Saloon is at 205 Cascade Ave., in Hood River. Call 387-BLUES for more information.

Stevenson’s newest theatre, The Golden Garter, is looking for cast members. Open auditions will be held for actors age 18 and over from 1 to 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, at the Rock Creek Community Center. For more information and to schedule an audition, go to www.GoldenGarterAuditions.com.