Entertainment Update for Jan. 6

Willie & Nelson Acoustic, Friday, Jan. 8, 6-9 p.m.

Enjoy an energetic and fun display of rock and blues. This talented group loves to show us a good time.

The Pines Tasting Room, 202 Cascade Ave., Hood River; 541-993-8301.

Secret Salsa meets Jan. 8

Secret Salsa invites you to start the New Year off with some Latin Ballroom dancing with instructor Joshua Faulkner. Joshua will be teaching Rumba, a new dance for Gorge dancers, as he will share a sampler of Ballroom Latin influences. It's cold outside, come warm up with the dance community! The Secret Salsa second Friday Dance Lesson and Social Dance is Jan. 8. Lesson starts at 7:30 p.m. Social dance follows until 10 p.m. Mt. View Grange, 1085 N Main, White Salmon. $10 admission. No partner or experience necessary.

‘Lights Out’ program Jan. 22

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center presents “Lights Out: Going Dark in the Columbia Gorge,” Friday, Jan. 22. Bob Yoesle from Friends of the Goldendale Observatory will talk about the effects, costs, and hazards of light pollution.

Once a source of wonder and enjoyment, the star-filled nights of just a few years ago are rapidly vanishing in a foggy haze of artificial light. The effects of bad night-time lighting is cumulative and adds up quickly: light pollution not only masks our view of the stars; poor lighting is ugly, threatens public safety, and wastes energy to the tune of $2.2 billion per year in the U.S. alone.

Dark-sky friendly lighting does not require you to live in darkness or turn off all the lights at night – only the unnecessary ones. Light pollution is that rare issue that costs less to solve than to let it continue. Learn how glare lighting actually threatens public health and safety, and how to implement outdoor lights that are designed to save energy and money, and keep and protect our dark-skies for current and future generations.

A beef stroganoff dinner will be served at 6 p.m. for $16, followed by the 7 p.m. program, which is free to the public. RSVP by Jan. 20. Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is located at 5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles.

Mesa, Reynolds at White Buffalo

Singer-songwriters Matt Mesa and Mark Reynolds bring traditional roots music with a poetic perspective to the White Buffalo on Thursday, Jan. 7, from 6-8 p.m. Wine tasting begins at 5:30 p.m., music at 6. White Buffalo Wines, 4040 Westcliff Dr., Hood River; 541-386-5534.

American West at CEBU

This week at CEBU Lounge, music starts at 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 8, The American West. Best Western Plus Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina Way; 541-386-2200.

‘Bluenami’ at Solera Jan. 9

Get your Blues dancing on with Bluenami — high energy dance blues — coming to Solera on Saturday, Jan. 9. Music is from 6-9 p.m. Solera Brewery, 4945 Baseline Dr., Parkdale; 541-352-5500.

Country Dance returns Jan. 9

The Second Saturday Country Dance happens Jan. 9, from 5:30-9 p.m. (Potluck dinner at 5:30 p.m.) The dance caller will be Sue Baker from Hood River. The band will be the Mill Creek String Band from the Mid Columbia Gorge area. Dance lessons will begin at 7 p.m. All ages welcome. No partner required. Family friendly. All dances walked through first time. Enjoy an evening of Country Squares, Contras, Circle dances and a few Waltzes.

Entertainment listings can be e-mailed to jdrake@hoodrivernews.com.