Dan Flores, from left, Tanya Flores and Doug Marr attend the 2024 Bandits & Bandanas fundraiser at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts. This year's Grand Ole Opry-themed event is scheduled for Aug. 22 in Yuba City. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture will once again turn the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts into a celebration of country music while raising money for one of the community's largest arts projects.

The organization's annual "Bandits & Bandanas" fundraiser returns Saturday, Aug. 22 with this year's theme, "Bandits & Bandanas Meets the Grand Ole Opry." The evening will feature live entertainment, dinner, games, auctions and tours of the historic Main Stage, where organizers hope to continue building support for the theater's next phase of redevelopment.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will help advance plans to restore the rear portion of the historic Sutter Theater into a 299-seat performance venue. Once completed, the Main Stage will provide a permanent home for concerts, theatrical productions, educational programs, visiting performers and community events. Organizers say the expanded venue also will strengthen downtown Yuba City's role as a regional arts destination.

"Lots of folks don't realize that behind the existing lobby, art gallery and Clark Family Black Box Theater at the front of the building, there is a 299-seat theater waiting to be refurbished," organizers said.

A participant waits as the chicken makes its selection during "Chicken Sh*t Bingo," one of the returning attractions at the annual Bandits & Bandanas fundraiser for the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

The space served as part of the original Sutter Movie Theater and has remained largely untouched for more than 70 years. Organizers said the raised stage and proscenium arch still stand where audiences once watched films including "Singin' in the Rain," "Rear Window," "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones." The goal is to preserve that history while transforming the building into a modern performing arts venue.

The fundraiser begins at 5:30 p.m. with the Giddy-Up Saloon, followed by a chuckwagon supper at 6:30 p.m. Entertainment begins at 7 p.m. at the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts, 754 Plumas St. Individual tickets are $75, while reserved tables of eight are available for $550. Sponsorship opportunities also remain available.

Returning director Alex Cesena will lead the evening's cabaret-style production featuring Kathy Campbell, Thor Campbell, Tanda Phelps and special guests Shannon and Josh Dukeberry.

Guests also can participate in live and silent auctions featuring donated items and experiences, including a chef-prepared dinner, landscaping services, artwork and other community donations. The event also marks the return of "Chicken Sh*t Bingo," a longtime crowd favorite that has become one of the fundraiser's signature attractions.

Another highlight of the evening will be guided tours of the unfinished Main Stage. Because the space is not normally open to the public, attendees will have an opportunity to see the theater before construction begins and learn more about plans for its restoration.

Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture has served as the region's local arts council affiliate for 45 years, providing arts education, performances and community programming throughout Yuba and Sutter counties. Organizers say the annual fundraiser plays an important role in helping move the Main Stage project closer to completion.

Tickets and sponsorship information are available at yubasutterarts.org.