Jumpstart Your January with These Six Group Events

By Tim Bauer | 1/2/2024

It’s a new year and that means new group events in Redding, California! Come get lost in a virtual world, break a sweat on an early morning jog, or venture to the mountains for some fun, snow-filled activities!

Looking for a way to escape the doldrums of winter for a while? Strap yourself into a VR headset and get fully immersed inside an alternate, gaming reality. One of the newest businesses to move into downtown Redding is Area 151 VR and they bring over one thousand square feet of playable VR space where you can bring your friends, co-workers or family and have an interactive and out-of-this-world virtual experience together. Up to sixteen players can join in on a variety of adventures. You can even split your group up and go team against team or player versus player. With an average session lasting forty minutes and nine different games to choose from, every time you put the headset on its sure to be a unique and exciting adventure! Group walk-ins are welcomed but reservations are recommended.

 For more info visit: Area 151 VR

Want to get your heart pumping in 2024? There’s no better way to start on those New Year’s fitness goals than by taking a jog around various beautiful locations in Redding. There will be eight Frosty Fun runs this year and each race will offer a long course version (4-5 miles) and a short course version (2-3 miles). There will also be prizes awarded to the top 3 finishers in each of the different age brackets (39 and under, 40-59, and 60+). It’s a great time to get outside and a great way to start the new year.

For more info visit: Frosty Fun Runs - Midnite Racing & Timing

Looking to go to the next level in your running game? Now is your chance to grab your group and enter the Redding Marathon which is being held on January 14^th. An official Boston Marathon qualifying race, this 26.2-mile challenge is for all you endurance runners. The starting line is at Shasta Dam where you will run across the dam and then alongside the Sacramento River and end at the picturesque Sundial Bridge. Not ready to run twenty plus miles by yourself? There is an option to do a 3-person marathon relay and split the distance. You can go even lighter and enter the Sundial 5K which you can walk, jog, or run and is perfect for kids and runners of all ages!

For more info visit: Redding Marathon Events - Marathon, Boston Qualifier

Come experience an unforgettable winter adventure with a ranger-led group snowshoe tour through Lassen Volcanic National Park. Trek through the wintry wonderland as you zig zag through snowy pines and enjoy the forest in a completely magical experience. Snowshoe rentals for the group tour are free and it’s first come first served. The hikes are held every Saturday and Sunday at 1:30 pm starting on January 6^th through March 31^st.  

For more info visit: Ranger-led Programs - Lassen Volcanic National Park

Want to get out in nature for the day but don’t want a long road trip? Only 20 minutes outside Redding city limits is Whiskeytown National Recreation Area! Access to the entire park is free on January 15^th. Bring the gang and come walk along the shorelines, kayak across the lake, or enjoy a short group hike to Whiskeytown falls. There’s so much nature to see and explore and now you have one more reason to go have an adventure!

For more info visit: National Park Service Announces Entrance Fee-Free Days for 2024

Explore the galaxy all while seated comfortably here on planet Earth! On January 5^th, the Schreder Planetarium will be playing two different out-of-this-world movies on their amazing domed theater. “Watery Worlds” will transport the audience on a beautiful voyage through the universe in search of that precious resource needed for life on Earth – water! Then on January 19^th, you can watch “NASA Journeys” where you will get to see up close what it takes to get astronauts to the moon, the future of space exploration, and how we’ll eventually get humans to live on Mars! Educational and entertaining, you’re sure to have a blast at this space-themed event.

For more info visit: Public Programs - Shasta County Office of Education 

Johnny Cash: The Official Concert Experience
“The man-in-black is back and on the big screen! Come watch vintage TV recordings of Johnny Cash being played on a projector while a live band sings and plays along in perfect sync!”
Times: 7:30 pm
January 24, 2024
Location: Cascade Theatre
1731 Market St., Redding, CA 96001
For more info visit: Cascade Theatre


Whose Live Anyway?
“It’s those laugh-out-loud improv comedians you know and love from the hit TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyways?”. They’re going to be performing all their hilarious antics live at the Redding Civic Auditorium. Get ready for lots of audience participation, sharp comedic wit, and side-splitting humor!”
Times: Doors: 6:00 pm, Show: 7:30 pm
Starts: January 27, 2024
Location: Redding Civic Auditorium
700 Auditorium Dr., Redding, CA 96001
For more info visit: Redding Civic Auditorium


Sylvia
“A dog comes between a husband and wife and makes the couple start questioning everything around them. A comedy about marriage, family, compromise, and city life with pets.”
Times: 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm
Starts: January 12, 2024 through January 27, 2024.
Location: Axiom Repertory Theatre
2613 Bechelli Ln., Redding, CA 96002
For more info visit: Axiom Repertory Theatre


The Last Five Years
“Two New Yorkers who have fallen in and out of love over the past five years each tells their side of the story. The woman recalls her story backwards while the man tells his story chronologically. An intimate love story told in a unique way.”
Times: 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm
Starts: January 25, 2024 through February 11, 2024.
Location: Riverfront Playhouse
1950 California St., Redding, CA 96001
For more info visit: Riverfront Playhouse

Yesterday and Today: The Interactive Beatles Experience
“Get your fix of Beatles music performed in a unique new way. The McGuigan brothers perform a classic and true rendition of the Beatles’ greatest hits while songs are randomly requested by audience members.”
Times: 7:30 pm
Starts: January 28, 2024
Location: Cascade Theatre
1731 Market St., Redding, CA 96001
For more info visit: Cascade Theatre

Lake Shasta Open - WON BASS Tournament Series
“The WON BASS tournament series, established in 1982, remains an enduring symbol of competitive angling excellence, attracting seasoned anglers and novices alike. The Shasta Open starts on January 31st and is open to amateur and pro fishers.”
Starts: January 31st, 2024 to February 2nd, 2024
Location: Phill’s Prop, 3037 Twin View Blvd, Shasta Lake
For more info visit: Won Bass Events - Shasta Open