Good Morning Tri-Valley! Feels like Summer…and Summer always reminds me of the Alameda County Fair!

Livermore has a pretty fun connection to Saturday Night Live right now.

Ashley Padilla, who grew up in Livermore and graduated from Livermore High School, joined SNL as a featured player during the show’s 50th anniversary season. She has since made a name for herself as both a cast member and writer, appearing in sketches that have started getting national attention.

Before SNL, Ashley spent years studying and performing with The Groundlings in Los Angeles, a comedy training ground known for helping launch sketch performers. She also worked for actress Diane Keaton and collaborated with her on a book before making the move to New York for SNL.

Locally, Ashley still has family ties to Livermore and has shared her love for the downtown core.

Be sure to check out Ashley on the SNL season finale on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Win Tickets to the Alameda County Fair 🎡

I’m giving away 25 pairs of tickets to the Alameda County Fair!

Each ticket is valued at $20, and winners will each receive 2 tickets to help kick off summer when the Fair opens on June 19.

The Fair is a family tradition for us, and it’s one of those classic Tri-Valley summer outings. Rides, concerts, fair food, monster trucks, Alaskan pig races, shopping, wine tasting, and so much more.

To enter, follow Tri-Valley Explorer on Instagram and tag your IG friends in the comments on the giveaway post.

Each friend you tag = one additional chance to win.

Winners will be announced on Sunday, May 17.

I have a confession.

I am very serious about cherries.

Not supermarket cherries. Not Costco cherries. Not even the ones you grab at a farmers market.

I’m talking about fresh, straight-from-the-tree cherries in Brentwood.

If you’ve never gone cherry picking in Brentwood, add this to your list. It’s one of those family traditions we’ve been doing since my kids were little enough to toddle through the orchard. Now they’re teenagers, which means they can finally carry their own buckets and actually help bring home a good haul.

And yes, we bring home a lot.

It’s not unusual for us to leave with 20 pounds of cherries, which sounds slightly ridiculous until you’re eating them fresh for days, making cherry ice cream, and freezing the rest for smoothies.

May is cherry season in Brentwood, and there are quite a few farms to choose from. I’ve tried several over the years, but I usually head to Maggiore Ranch because their cherries are consistently some of the sweetest and juiciest we’ve found.

A little pro tip: go early, especially on weekends. Farms can get busy fast, and traffic heading in can get pretty crazy after 11am.

If you head out there this Friday, there’s a very good chance you’ll see me there, probably with a bucket full of cherries and zero self-control.

There are plenty of wine events in Livermore Valley, but this one has a little extra bragging rights built in.

Uncorked 2026 is happening at McGrail Vineyards & Winery on May 15, and every wine being poured has earned a Gold Medal or higher at the California Signature Wine Awards.

The evening starts with an optional expert-led seminar from 6–7pm, followed by the outdoor tasting event on McGrail’s front lawn from 7–9pm.

You’ll get to taste your way through some of Livermore Valley’s top award-winning wines, then be there as the Uncorked Best Red and Uncorked Best White winners are announced live.

It’s a beautiful setting, a strong lineup of wines, and a fun way to celebrate some of the best bottles coming out of Livermore Valley. Click here for tickets!

The Plastics are coming to San Ramon.

Pleasanton-based TEAM Theatre is bringing Mean Girls High School Edition to the Front Row Theater inside the Dougherty Station Community Center this month.

The show follows Cady Heron as she tries to find her place at a new high school, complete with all the friendships, drama, and social rules that come with it.

The cast features student performers from Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, and beyond.

Shows run May 15–24. Click here for tickets.