After five years of dormancy, Riverside Lyric Opera marked its revival with a sold-out gala concert at UCR's University Theatre - complete with a surprise proposal.
Wildflowers bloom across an open field as the sun sets behind the mountains near Grove Community Church. (Carolyn Rasmussen) Have a photo that captures the spirit of Riverside?Share it with us and for a chance to win two tickets to Hadestown at The Fox!
Tuesday Gazette: March 17, 2026
Hello Riverside, and Happy Tuesday! It's St. Patrick's Day, and Downtown has some live music to go with it tonight. The Riverside City Firefighters Association Pipe & Drum Band is hosting their 6th Annual St. Paddy's Day Pub Crawl, hitting three stops starting at 6 p.m. at ProAbition, then Lake Alice, then the RIV. The crawl is free to attend, and the band will have merchandise on hand, with sales and donations going toward uniforms, instruments, and travel to firefighter memorial ceremonies across the country.
Standout Season at CBU Has Both Men's and Women's Basketball Programs Playing in NCAA Tournament
A favorable draw has both men's and women's teams playing close enough to home that the Lancer faithful are sure to make their presence known in the arenas.
The Lancers celebrate their WAC Tournament championship, punching their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. (Photo by Matt Horrocks/cbulancers.com)
CBU's men's and women's basketball programs are both headed to the NCAA Tournament — and both games are within driving distance of Riverside.
Why it matters: CBU fans can watch the Lancers compete in March Madness without leaving Southern California — the men play Friday in San Diego, the women in Los Angeles.
Driving the news: The men's program earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament bid after winning the WAC Tournament championship Saturday, while the women are making their second trip in three years.
The men face Kansas at Viejas Arena in San Diego; the women face UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.
The big picture: CBU averaged over 4,800 fans per men's home game this season — the highest attended non-football Division I program in California.
Senior point guard Dominique Daniels Jr. — WAC Player of the Year and the program's all-time leading scorer — has played every one of his 3,000+ career points in a CBU uniform despite transfer portal interest.
What's next: Both programs leave the WAC for the Big West Conference on July 1 — as champions. When CBU joins UC Riverside in the Big West, Riverside will be home to two Division I programs competing in the same conference, with permanent crosstown rivalry stakes.
Savvy Chic Kids Consignment Turns 18 and It's Still All About Community
The Riverside consignment sale, founded by three local moms in 2008, holds its spring event March 19-23.
A shopper smiles while browsing a rack of children's clothing at a Savvy Chic Kids Consignment sale at the Indiana Avenue location. (Courtesy of Savvy Chic Kids Consignment)
Savvy Chic Kids Consignment — born during the 2008 recession — returns for its spring sale this week at Mission Grove Shopping Center.
Why it matters: If you're looking to buy or sell kids' clothing, furniture, women's wear, menswear, home décor or pet supplies, this is one of the Inland Empire's largest family resale events — and it's here through Sunday.
What's new: The sale has grown well beyond children's gear. As consignors' kids aged out, organizers added categories to match — it's now a full-family resale event drawing shoppers from across San Bernardino, Orange and LA counties.
By the numbers: 18 years. Zero missed events — including two virtual sales with curbside pickup during COVID.
The backstory: Co-founders Lisa Walcker and Yolanda Merklin run this alongside full-time jobs and, in Merklin's case, graduate coursework. It's volunteer-driven, community-rooted, and donates all unsold items to local shelters, foster agencies, hospitals and schools after each sale.
What's next: The sale runs Thursday–Friday, March 19–20 and Sunday–Monday, March 22–23 at Mission Grove Shopping Center, 375 E. Alessandro Blvd. Hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Thursday–Friday and Sunday; 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday.
After five years of dormancy, Riverside Lyric Opera marked its revival with a sold-out gala concert at UCR's University Theatre - complete with a surprise proposal.
A full house fills the University Theatre at UC Riverside for Riverside Lyric Opera's Grand Reopening Gala Concert on March 7. (Erik Chen)
Riverside Lyric Opera staged a sold-out Grand Reopening Gala at UCR's University Theatre on March 7, ending a five-year dormancy with a standing ovation — and an onstage marriage proposal.
Why it matters: Large-scale opera has been rare in the Inland Empire. RLO's return signals renewed investment in professional live performance for Riverside audiences.
Driving the news: A new executive team revived the organization, founded in 2003 but largely dormant since 2020. Anthony León now leads as President and Artistic Director; Louis Lohraseb as Music Director and conductor.
What happened: The 2.5-hour program drew from Mozart and Gounod, performed by four internationally acclaimed soloists backed by a 54-piece orchestra. At the finale, León — himself a tenor soloist that evening — proposed onstage to soprano Maia Aramburú. She said yes.
What's next: No upcoming performances were announced. Follow Riverside Lyric Opera on Facebook for updates.
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