LAKE COUNTY — Summerfest will wrap up this weekend with Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa”s annual X.S. Weekend. Lake County will bid the summer farewell with a massive party that will start on Friday and end on Sunday with fireworks exploding over the lake.
Along with rock ?n” roll music that will make the head explode, the weekend will be packed with hardcore skydivers, fearless motocross riders, jet ski stuntmen, a festival row of vendors and a swarm of bikers and babes. Summerfest will culminate with “KISS” closing out its worldwide tour in the Konocti Field Amphitheater with fireworks after the show.
In addition, the 12th annual “Takin” it to the Streets” motorcycle road rally and poker run will offer participants a scenic tour around beautiful Clear Lake on Sunday.
“It”s going to be an incredible weekend ? bigger, badder and better than ever by land, air and by sea,” said Greg Bennett, Konocti Harbor/Konocti Presents ? general manager/promoter. “To use a KISS song, I think everybody is going to want to rock ?n” roll all night and party all XS Weekend long.”
Konocti Presents ? will kick the weekend off Friday with a performance by “Poison.” The glam rock band will be accompanied by Dokken and Sebastian Bach. “Poison” is currently enjoying its Live Raw and Uncut Tour, which launched in Salt Lake City in July. Fans can expect to be taken on a wild ride of heavy metal music consisting of hits from albums spanning more than two decades. Bret Michaels” fans will also have a chance to catch the bad boy in action when he hosts the Skinny Dip Model Search, 10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29 in the Joe Mazzola Showroom.
Konocti favorite “3 Doors Down” will headline Saturday night”s entertainment. The band has played to a packed house each time it”s appeared in Lake County”s premier entertainment venue. “Staind” and “Hinder,” which have both enjoyed the same local following, will warm the stage up for the evening”s headliner. The “Sick Puppies” will also join the evening”s musical lineup.
“This is one of the biggest modern rock tours out there,” Bennett said. “They are traveling in about 20 different vehicles and 11 busses.”
On Sunday evening, the legendary rock sensation “KISS” will blow up the stage ending its worldwide tour in Lake County”s own Konocti Field Amphitheater. “KISS,” which has rocked the world with more than 35 years of heavy metal madness, will have played only three United States dates when it closes its tour on Sunday.
Regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of all time, “KISS” has enjoyed more than three decades of success in the industry. Holding honors as one of America”s top-selling acts, the band has sold more than 75 million albums world-wide, reaching record-heights across the board including attendance records previously held by the Beatles in Japan, 1977.
All the XS Weekend concerts will literally explode on stage with pyrotechnics incorporated into every performance. “Each show will be a full-blown monster production,” Bennett said. “Poison is going to blow up the stage on Friday. Then 3 Doors Down will blow it up even more on Saturday. Then of course KISS will be the grand finale of all grand finales.”
Bennett added, “And to anyone who has seen a KISS show in a big arena with 50,000 people or more, this little show in Kelseyville will probably be the first time that they”ve ever done a full-blown KISS show is such a small venue. There will be a huge pyrotechnics show and following the concert there will be the huge fireworks show over the lake signifying the end of Summerfest 2008.”
In addition, local bands “Rogue” and “SK2” will keep the party rolling each night entertaining in the showroom and waterfront nightclub, respectively.
Saturday morning will begin two days of extreme sports exhibitions alongside a festival row of vendors. “Admission is free and no alcohol is allowed on the grounds so it”s a very family-friendly event,” Bennett said.
Saturday and Sunday will feature daylong demonstrations in extreme sports on land, sea and by air. Festival goers will enjoy death-defying feats of athleticism by skydivers, motocross professionals and jet ski stuntmen.
On Sunday, hundreds are expected to participate in the 12th annual “Takin” it to the Streets” motorcycle road rally and poker run. The run will lead bikers on a scenic route around beautiful Clear Lake. Proceeds from the run benefit local athletic programs in schools throughout Lake County.
For ticket and accommodation information visit www.konoctiharbor.com or call 1-800-660-LAKE (5253).
Contact Denise Rockenstein at drockenstein@clearlakeobserver.com.
