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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9 |
I'm new to Band In A Box and this is irritating. Why are all the data files installed in the same main folders as the program files? How can I move all the data files to a separate drive (where data files from ALL my other applications are) and keep the program files on the C: drive, and preferably in C:\Program Files\ ?
My SSD C: drive contains all my applications, application data and system data. All my data files are on a larger (albiet slower) D: drive. EXCEPT, Band In A Box 2018 forces data and program files into the same main folder.
And come on! Put the BIAB program files in the program files folder where they belong! There's a good reason that write access is restricted in system folders like C:\Program Files\. Installing on the root drive appears to be sloppy or lazy programming; something I might expect from a $10 shareware app, not from an established mainstream application.
-Randy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107 |
And come on! Put the BIAB program files in the program files folder where they belong! There's a good reason that write access is restricted in system folders like C:\Program Files\. Installing on the root drive appears to be sloppy or lazy programming; something I might expect from a $10 shareware app, not from an established mainstream application. Randy, Welcome to the forum. The recommended location to install BiaB is x:\bb\ Where 'x:' is the drive you select, and for most users this is C:\ Nowhere else is recommended. You are also very mistaken about installing in Program Files, and it appears you are not aware that there has been a paradigm shift from that methodology for many years now. Microsoft themselves now no longer recommend the use of \Program Files\, and instead recommend creating a path at the drive level itself, or in the \Libraries\Documents\ folder. So to be quite clear, the BIAB program files do not belong in the program files folder. You are incorrect on that matter, and while I don't work for the PG Music company, the way it is installed also does not reflect "sloppy or lazy programming". It's a very workable and accepted implementation method. Welcome again.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9 |
OK, I apologize for the derogatory comments. I (and almost all of the software companies that I've gotten software from in the last 20 years) must have missed that paradigm shift.
I'm really not trying to flame anybody. I'm trying to find a way to install program files and data files on separate drives.
Whether program files are installed on the root or under the Program Files directory is really just a difference in organizational style. But the data files should be separate! I backup my program and system drive separately from my data drive. If the program drive crashes, I would normally opt for a fresh install rather than restore from a backup. But the data files can't be restored EXCEPT from a backup.
Keeping the data files with the program files means I have to be careful not to fill up my SSD C: drive. Meanwhile, my spinning D: drive sits with 750+GB free space. And no, I'm not installing the program on D:
I tried the steps in Support FAQ #166 ("Can I store the RealTracks and RealDrums on a different hard drive than the Band-in-a-Box® and RealBand program?"), but haven't been able to get past a few error messages, so I'll probably uninstall everything and reinstall to default with limited options. And grumble about paying so much for limited software.
-Randy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107 |
When you run the install program, there are options for where you want to install files. Just perform a basic install. Then create a folder, e.g. D:\bb\ on your D drive. Move the C:\bb\drums\ folder to that location (D:\bb\drums\) Then move the RealTracks folder from C:\bb\RealTracks\ to that location (D:\bb\RealTracks\) Then in BiaB go to Options > Preferences RealDrums and name the custom folder Repeat for RealTracks. Your SSD has minimal data, your RealTracks and RealDrums are on your D: drive. You should be good to go. 
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,056
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 11,056 |
Randy, Unlike most Window program applications, Band-in-a-Box does not write any data entries into the Windows registry during installation. That means the program can run from anywhere including the primary drive, secondary drive, external drive or even a USB drive. There are a few files, mainly fonts, that must be installed on the primary drive for the program to properly operate. Those files are installed by running "Setup.exe" Band-in-a-Box and RealBand needs to know four file locations or paths. Where is the Band-in-a-Box (bb) folder? Where is the RealBand folder? Where is the RealTracks folder? Where is the RealDrums folder? Since you've installed everything to your primary drive but don't want all the files on the primary drive create four folders on your secondary drive: bb, RealBand, RealTracks and RealDrums. COPY everything that's in each primary drive folder into it's corresponding folder on the secondary drive. For instance copy C:/RealDrums to E:/RealDrums. Create new desktop shortcuts for Band-in-a-Box and RealBand. Test to make sure both shortcuts work. Rename the primary drive folders to something easy to recognize, for instance rename c:/bb to c:/abb, c:/Realdrums to c:/aRealdrums, c:/RealBand to c:/aRealBand and c:/bb/RealTracks to c:/bb/aRealTracks. Test your desktop shortcuts to make sure both programs work. Once you're comfortable that everything is working correctly, delete the primary drive folders. Rats! VT beat me to the answer. 
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9 |
I tried those steps (same as described in Support FAQ #166, "Can I store the RealTracks and RealDrums on a different hard drive than the Band-in-a-Box® and RealBand program?") and green messages popped up saying there was no files where the files were (???).
Getting ready to try another fresh install. What's the difference between that method of copying/pasting program directories and just specifying installing the program to the data drive in the first place?
But that still doesn't address my basic question of keeping my content (data) files separate from the program files.
-Randy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9
Newbie
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OP
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 9 |
My aim is to have program files installed on the faster SSD C: drive (yes, applications are a little more responsive and run smoother), and content/data files on the larger/slower HD D: drive. From what I can tell so far, PG Music doesn't allow for that scenario. What's the point of copying/pasting the whole directory to a different drive? Or more simply just installing to D: in the first place?
-Randy
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507
Journeyman
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Journeyman
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 507 |
My aim is to have program files installed on the faster SSD C: drive (yes, applications are a little more responsive and run smoother), and content/data files on the larger/slower HD D: drive. An admirable aspiration. From what I can tell so far, PG Music doesn't allow for that scenario. Unfortunately so. What's the point of copying/pasting the whole directory to a different drive? Or more simply just installing to D: in the first place? You can probably do what you want, effectively, by using Windows' symbolic links. If you try that, I'd be interested to hear if it works. Good luck and Happy New Year to all. -Ron
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,845
PG Music Staff
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PG Music Staff
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 7,845 |
My aim is to have program files installed on the faster SSD C: drive (yes, applications are a little more responsive and run smoother), and content/data files on the larger/slower HD D: drive. From what I can tell so far, PG Music doesn't allow for that scenario. What's the point of copying/pasting the whole directory to a different drive? Or more simply just installing to D: in the first place? As others have said it isn't exactly what you want but you could: (1) install Band-in-a-Box on your C drive, e.g. C:\bb. (2) Then once you've done that, move the C:\bb\RealTracks folder to your D: drive (it doesn't matter where on your D: drive, e.g. D:\bbfiles\RealTracks) (3) Then, in Band-in-a-Box, open the RealTracks Preferences dialog and select D:\bbfiles\RealTracks as your 'Custom folder'. The RealTracks folder can be very large because it contains hundreds of large audio files. That is the main reason for being able to relocate it. The same thing applies to the C:\bb\Drums folder, though the Drums folder is much smaller.
Andrew
PG Music Inc.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,107 |
Yes. That's what I had tried to explain. You can have separate program and data. It definitely is possible.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,582
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 27,582 |
Hundreds of large audio files? Thousands!
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Band-in-a-Box for Windows
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 48
Enthusiast
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Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 48 |
Thank you, Andrew, this answered the question I had when I came to the forum. I just upgraded from 2017 and wanted to continue to use the external hard drive that it came installed on to hold all of the audio files, but was not sure how to do this until I saw your post.  I've been a BIAB user for almost as long as the program has been in existence. Love PGMUSIC!
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
- The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
- MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
- Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
- Playable RealTracks Set 5
- RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
- SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
- 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
- FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
- MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
- MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
- Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
- Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
- RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
- SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac Videos
With the release of Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac, we’re rolling out a collection of brand-new videos on our YouTube channel. We’ll keep this forum post updated so you can easily find all the latest videos in one convenient spot.
Whether you're exploring new features, checking out the latest RealTracks or Style PAKs, this is your go-to guide for Band-in-a-Box® 2026.
Check out this forum post for "One Stop Shopping" of our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Videos!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Mac is Here!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac is here and it is packed with major new features! There’s a new modern look, a GUI redesign to all areas of the program including toolbars, windows, workflow and more. There’s a Multi-view layout for organizing multiple windows. A standout addition is the powerful AI-Notes feature, which uses AI neural-net technology to transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI—entire mixes or individual instruments—making it easy to study, view, and play parts from any song. And that’s just the beginning—there are over 100 new features in this exciting release.
Along with version 2026, we've released an incredible lineup of new content! There's 202 new RealTracks, brand-new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two new RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Special Offers
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac and save up to 50% on most upgrade packages during our special offer—available until May 15, 2026. Visit our Band-in-a-Box® packages page to explore all available upgrade options.
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK Add-ons
Our Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK are loaded with amazing add-ons! The Free Bonus PAK is included with most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac packages, but you can unlock even more—including 20 unreleased RealTracks—by upgrading to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49.
Holiday Weekend Hours
As we hop into the Easter weekend, here are our holiday hours:
April 3 (Good Friday): 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM PDT
April 4 (Saturday): Closed
April 5 (Easter Sunday): Closed
April 6 (Easter Monday): Open regular hours
Wishing you an egg-cellent weekend!
— Team PG
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