Today, Rough and Ready has another claim to fame: a loose-knit group of musicians called the Fruit Jar Pickers who every Sunday morning roll up the doors of an old gas station that is home to the volunteer fire department and doubles as their concert hall. You can't miss the place: a large blue banner proclaims the building the Pickers Palace.

On a typical Sunday, 20 to 30 musicians take to the stage to play an assortment of homemade and professional instruments, ranging from violins to a bass whose strings were pulled from a weed whacker. During a two-hour toe-tapping jam session, a crowd of 100 or so gathers, picking up the group's red three-ring binders crammed with song sheets. They sing with gusto, swaying and dancing in the aisles. For some, it takes the place of church; others trickle in after church services, carrying folding chairs they set up outside under a large awning. It's all free: doughnuts, coffee, songbooks - although donations are accepted.

Everette Burkard, 72, a retired mechanical engineer, plucks a homemade steel guitar and leads the sing-alongs, mixing in some cornball humor while slipping on and off a collection of wacky hats. He calls the country, pop and gospel selections "songs your grandpa sang on the porch" or "bluegrass on steroids" - standards such as "When the Saints Go Marching In," "Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms" "Jambalaya" and "Hey Good Lookin'." It's a bit goofy and nostalgic, and everyone leaves smiling.

Why now? The summer calendar in this area is packed with activities and musical concerts at the Thursday evening farmers' market in downtown Grass Valley.

The backstory: Eight years ago, a couple of musicians started jamming in the corner of an old general store in Rough and Ready. Word spread and the sessions soon drew both musicians - playing everything from washboards to electric guitars - and people who simply wanted to watch and sing along. The sessions got so big they outgrew the store and moved across the street to the fire house. Anyone who can play an instrument can join the musicians on stage, and anyone - whether or not they can carry a tune - is welcome to sing. About 50 folding chairs are provided; some people prefer to bring their own chairs and set them up outside under a large awning.

Checking in: You can soak up Gold Rush history at a couple of hotels in Grass Valley, 5 miles from Rough and Ready. The Holbrooke Hotel, rebuilt with stone and brick after Grass Valley's disastrous fire of 1855 and renovated to its original splendor, still posts the current price of an ounce of gold at the reception desk. Rock and country bands perform in the hotel saloon Wednesday through Saturday. They usually pack up by 11 p.m., but if you like to turn in early ask for a room in the Purcell House, a quiet, Victorian-era building in the back. Annie Horan's is an inviting bed-and-breakfast inn in an 1890 Victorian a couple of blocks from downtown. Rooms are furnished with handsome period pieces and the decor is pleasantly nonfrilly. Annie's is the most spacious of the rooms and its bathroom features a large claw-foot tub.

Spend your day: It gets overshadowed neighboring Nevada City - whose well-preserved downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places - but Grass Valley has plenty of its own historical charm. Stop at the visitors' center, housed in the replica of entertainer Lola Montez's home, for a walking tour map and explore the town's Victorian-era architecture, shops and several bookstores, including Booktown Books, a co-op of 14 booksellers. Set aside a couple of hours to visit the most successful gold mine in the history of California, Empire Mine State Historic Park, about 2 miles from downtown. Take a self-guided walk or join a ranger-led 45-minute program that traces the history of the 156-year old mine, dug by miners from England's Cornwall region who were experts in hard-rock mining. Each day they hunkered down in rickety wooden cars for a roller-coaster-like ride in pitch darkness to reach the shafts: 367 miles of underground passages, 11,000 feet deep under the town of Grass Valley. The mine closed in 1957 and the state bought the land in 1975 for the 800-acre park. But a mining company continues to own the underground shafts and adjoining land, and could restart operations some day. It is believed that millions of dollars worth of gold remains underground here.

Dining: You'll find Cornish pasties (pronounced PASS-tees) made from the same recipes used in the Gold Rush era at several places, including Cousin Jack. Biting into one of these doughy meat pies is a taste of history: Miners from Cornwall carried a couple in their lunch pails into the mines each day. Many restaurants offer live music, among them Kane's, which specializes in Angus beef and has a pleasant patio for al fresco dining.

Don't miss: While exploring the area, tune into the community radio station KVMR, 89.5 FM for an eclectic mix of music, news and commentary by local personalities.

Don't bother: Using your car to get around Grass Valley. Stay overnight in town and stroll the Gold Rush-era streets for dining and entertainment.

Word to the wise: Swimming holes amid the granite boulders of the South Fork of the Yuba River, about 6 miles northwest of Nevada City on Highway 49, are delightful - but get there early on summer weekends to avoid the crowd scene and to nab a parking space.

Laura Del Rosso is the author of "Great Escapes: Northern California" ( www.greatescapesnorcal.com). To comment, visit sfgate.com/travel and follow the links.

This article appeared on page E - 8 of the San Francisco Chronicle