2010
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
“Mark Twain Day” • May 22, 2010
“The Virginia Read was as noble an endeavor to incite a community to read good books as we have encountered, and we hope to be invited back after you have hosted Bret Harte, Jane Austin and others…”
McAvoy & Rebecca Lane
Colusa County in the Time of Mark Twain
11:00 - 3:00
During the picnic on Saturday, May 22, 2010 there was a special exhibit in China Town from the Sacramento Valley Museum. Museum director Kathy Manor and public historian Emily Conrado will be presenting “Colusa County in the Time of Mark Twain.” The exhibit was at 735 Main Street.
“Colusa County in the Time of Mark Twain” was made possible by the generous support of the Sacramento Valley Museum, and Charles and Elizabeth Yerxa.
Old-fashioned Picnic with Gordy Ohliger
1:00 - 3:00
“I feel I could go on and on about your Virginia Read Organization. For a fledging group, you created a well-rounded event. I like that touch of the museum and being on the levee with Mr. Twain.”
Gordy Ohliger
Banjo-ologist Gordy Ohliger was at the Colusa riverfront from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturday, May 22 to take picnickers on a musical journey back to the days of Mark Twain. Everyone was encouraged to bring 
their picnic baskets and enjoy a relaxed, informal lunchtime concert given by one of Colusa’s own!
Gordy, also known as the musical Mark Twain, sang the songs of our ancestors: rousers, weepers, and a few Minstrel Show novelties, all from the actual antique banjos of the day. It was all held together with a narrative of quirky history and a real love of the 1800's.
Mr. Ohliger performs for museums, PBS Projects, concert series, and music festivals internationally. He is known for his impeccable research, ability to play every banjo style, and being the only person to have received seven grants to play the banjo.
“Mark Twain” (see below) also attended the picnic, and took time to chat with individuals. This was a perfect opportunity for book clubs, families or other groups to socialize with “Mark Twain” while enjoying the music of his day.
Click on Gordy’s picture to hear a sample of his music!
There was no charge for this event. The Old-fashioned Picnic with Gordy Ohliger was made possible in part by the generous support of the Gamma Alpha Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, and Jon and Roberta James.
Community Book Discussion
4:00 - 5:00
Readers who wanted to discuss Adventures of Huckleberry Finn with “Mark Twain” were encouraged to stop by the Court House Gazebo at 4:00 pm. Twain scholar McAvoy Lane was there to answer questions and participate in an informal book talk on this year’s Virginia Read.
An Evening with Mark Twain
“The Trouble Begins at 7:00”
“Mark Twain” was the honored guest of our first Virginia Read Celebration, and gave a special talk in the 
Colusa Community Theatre on Tenth Street. He was portrayed by McAvoy Layne, a well-known Mark Twain scholar and impersonator who has been working in this capacity for over 20 years. His presentation began at 7:00, but his performance as Mark Twain began at the picnic (see above).
Mr. Layne is the author of the biography Hooked On Twain, and winner of the Nevada award for excellence in school and library service. He portrays the Ghost of Mark Twain in A&E's biography of Mark Twain and in the Discovery Channel's Cronkite Award winning documentary, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Click on Mark Twain’s picture to watch an episode of Mr. Layne’s entertaining performance.
There was no charge for this event. An Evening with Mark Twain was made possible in part by the generous support of the Virginia Yerxa family, Jim and Marilyn Davison, and the Colusa Unified School District.
The First Annual
Community Horseshoe Tournament
On “Mark Twain Day,” May 22, the Colusa Lions Club sponsored The First Annual Community Horseshoe Tournaments at Will S. Green Park. The event ran all day, from 9:00 am until 7:00 pm. Participants and spectators were welcome. (Note: Pitching horseshoes dates back to ancient history, but it became popular in the United States during Mark Twain’s lifetime. The first World Tournament was held in 1910, the year of Twain’s death.)
Huckleberry Finn at the Colusa Theater
In July, Peerless Entertainment presented a special showing of Huck Finn at The Colusa Theater. Scenes of the movie were actually filmed in Colusa!
Summer Reading Program
The Colusa County Free Library sponsors a summer reading program each year. This summer, the theme was “Water.” Among the many books participants read were our companion titles River Boy: The Story of Mark Twain by William Anderson and American Boy: The Adventures of Mark Twain by Don Brown.
Thank you for your interest in the Virginia Yerxa Community Read.
The most important contributors to this project are YOU, the readers, who enrich our community
with your participation. We hope you enjoyed this year’s events.
Resources for Further Reading
Reading Guide for Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
This link offers background information on the author and book, as well as suggested discussion questions.
The Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley has an extensive collection of Mark Twain’s letters, manuscripts, quotations and unpublished writings.
Electronic Copy of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The University of Virginia Library offers a free, electronic copy of our 2010 Virginia Read.
