Moraga Art Gallery is presenting a new show, “Favorites," featuring local artists showing watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings, ceramics, photography, mixed media, jewelry and glass designs. The show runs through October 23 and features the work of John Diestler & fused glassworks by Nancy Slack. A reception for the artists will be on Saturday, August 21, 3-5pm. The Moraga Art Gallery is located at 570 Center St in the Rheem Valley Shopping Center next to CVS Drugs. Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 12-5pm. Phone: (925) 376-5407.

Superbly Independent: Early California Paintings July 25 - Sept. 19. Nearly 100 landscape paintings by three tenacious and talented early pioneer Western women painters: Annie Harmon, Mary DeNeale Morgan and Marion Kavanagh Wachte. Exhibition admission: $4 adults; K-12 graders free. Saint Mary's College of California, 1928 St. Mary's Rd., Moraga. Gallery Hours: Wed. – Sun., 11am– 4:30pm. Main Telephone: (925) 631-4379. Website: www.hearstartgallery.org.

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) presents "PIXAR: 25 Years of Animation," a major exhibition of over 500 works by the artists at Pixar Animation Studios, through January 9, 2011. A number of significant works will be on public display for the first time, including art from Ratatouille, WALL*E, Up, and Pixar's latest feature film, Toy Story 3. The exhibition will be accompanied by screenings of Pixar's feature and short films; a special program of lectures, talks and workshops with Pixar artists; and a new and expanded exhibition catalogue. Location: Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak Street, Oakland. Cost: $12 general; $9 seniors and students with valid ID; $6 youth, ages 9-17. Free for children 8 and under and OMCA members. Free First Sundays. Website:
www.museumca.org.

The Museum of Children's Art (MOCHA) Free Family Extravaganza Event on Sunday, September 12, 1-4pm. Join one million artists participating in a weekend of creative greetings of peace. Make your mark with a giant chalk drawing in our courtyard, participating with other countries circling the globe including Chile, Egypt, England, Germany and Mexico. MOCHA is located at 538 9th Street in Oakland. Phone: (510) 465-8770. Website: www.mocha.org.

Last Moraga Summer Concert of 2010 is Thursday, August 19 from 6:30-8:30pm. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell at the Moraga Commons Park. Enjoy the music from La Ventana, a Santana tribute band. The volunteers of the Moraga Park and Recreation Foundation will even cook dinner for you; the Snack Bar opens at 6pm.

The Orinda Library is happy to announce the line-up for “Listen to the World,” the 2010 Summer Music Series. Celtic Sands, August 25. The folk quartet plays Irish, Scottish and Celtic harp music. This program is free, open to everyone and takes place next to the Fireplace inside the library. The Orinda Library is located at 26 Orinda Way in Orinda. For more information, please call (925) 254-2184 or visit the library website at ccclib.org. All performances start at 7pm.

Community Kirtan! 7pm Saturday August 28th. Sing under the stars and the shelter of redwoods, accompanied by flute, viola and soft guitar, in a beautiful, candle-lit garden in the center of Lafayette. Eric and Kelly Black lead this fun and accessible group experience of yogic chanting and meditation. Not a singer? No problem! Just come and enjoy the beautiful music. Located just past Chow restaurant next to the Massage Cottage, at 71 Lafayette Circle. Donations gratefully accepted. For more info, call the Massage Cottage at (925) 284-2881. Music begins at 7pm. Optional pot-luck at 6pm.

Chamber hip-hop opera in Berkeley. Kim and Ensemble Mik Nawooj will perform the dynamically forging new musical style that collides genres from hip-hop and jazz to pop and classical. Location: Giorgi Gallery, 2911 Claremont Avenue, Berkeley. www.giorgigallery.com. Saturday, August 28, 8-9:30pm.

Lafayette's summer music series: “Rock the Plaza“ continues for the next two Friday evenings at the Elam & Margaret Brown Plaza Park located at the corner of Mt. Diablo Boulevard and Moraga Road. The headliners start at 6pm and are presented free of charge. Arrive a little early for a good spot on the lawn. Line up: Friday, August 20, Pacific Coast Band, and Friday, August 27, Total Eclipse.

Battle of the Dad Bands- Covers Cup 2010-Thursday evenings at Red House Studios, 1667 Botelho Drive in Walnut Creek. Pladdohg and ML Crisis were the winners of the first two rounds. On August 19 come hear G6, The Ramblers, Common Ground and Blue Conspiracy. The Finals (w/ $1,000 prize pot) will be held Thursday August 26 at 7pm. Visit redhouselive.com or call (925) 938-6900. A % of the proceeds will be donated to LASF.

The Moraga Community Chorus needs singers from all of Lamorinda. No audition required. Our fall/winter program will consist of classical and popular pieces. Rehearsals begin Tuesday, September 7 from 7:30-9:30pm at the Miramonte Gardens clubhouse, 1 Miramonte Way in Moraga. The chorus enjoys community service, music, and each other. They perform in many community locations. For more information call Tom Marnane at (925) 376-6312 or Fred Lezak at (925) 376-9468, or just come and sing.

Young People's Symphony Orchestra (YPSO) will hold auditions for new members on August 24, 26 and September 1 for the 2010-2011 season. Auditions are held at Crowden Music Center, 1475 Rose St. (at Sacramento St.) in Berkeley, 4- 9pm, by appointment only. Candidates should prepare a scale and a solo, and will be asked to sight-read standard repertoire which is provided at the audition. For the 2010-11 season, we especially need horn, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and percussion players. Cello and flute sections are full at this time. Prospective students and their parents should go to the orchestra’s web site and view some of the videos posted there from the 2009-10 season to get an idea of its performance level. Crowden Music Center. Information: www.ypsomusic.net, ypsomusic@yahoo.com, or (510) 849-YPSO (9776).

Cal Shakes presents William Shakespeare’s “MACBETH”, directed by Joel Sass, from August 18-September 12. This gripping production of Shakespeare’s thrilling supernatural tragedy takes place as if in a fever dream — a world wherein prophecies and witchcraft are part of everyday reality. For prices, show times, and tickets go to www.calshakes.com or call the Box Office at (510) 548-9666.

In September, Woodminster Summer Musicals presents Lerner & Loewe’s California musical, “Paint Your Wagon,” a tuneful classic that takes place in the California wilderness of 1853. It tells the story of a crusty old gold miner, Ben Rumson, his daughter Jennifer, and a townful of miners and other colorful Gold Rush characters. September 3-12. Tickets available at Ticketweb.com, or (510) 531-9597, or www.woodminster.com, $25-$40 ($2 discount for children/seniors). An adult paying full price can bring a child or teen 16 or younger to the performance for free. The Woodminster Amphitheater, an open-air WPA-era facility high in the Oakland Hills, is located in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road.

Shotgun Players presents: The Norman Conquests by Alan Ayckbourn, August 6th - September 5th.
Location: The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley. The audience will see the story from three different perspectives. Part 1 "Table Manners" - director Joy Carlin, opens August 6th at 8pm. Part 2 "Living Together" - director Molly Aaronson-Gelb, opens August 13th at 8pm. Part 3 "Round and Round the Garden" - director Mina Morita, opens August 20th at 8pm. If you can't make it to New York, this may be your only chance to see the entire trilogy. The Norman Conquests features an award-winning cast of local talent. Cost/registration: $20.00-25.00 per show or $50.00 for all 3 evenings. Tickets: www.shotgunplayers.org or (510) 841-6500.

Summerfest Sunday, August 22, 11am-4pm, Shadelands Art Center, 111 N Wiget Lane, Walnut Creek. www.walnut-creek.org/cae. Free admission and free parking. Gift bags given to the first 250 attendees! Raffles and Door Prizes. Hula Dancing Performance and Lessons at 12pm, (Special Mommy and me hula at 12:30), Karaoke and Dancing from 11:30 to 3:30, Stroller Strides class for moms at 3:00, Story Telling for Children at 1:30, Explore a real Fire Truck and Bunny Petting Zoo all day.

Girl Power: Lafayette Troops Forming, Interested Girls Invited! Girl Scouts discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together, and you can be a part of it! New troops are forming at all grade levels, kindergarten through high school. Find out what's happening in Lafayette. Contact your Lafayette Girl Scouts School Organizers: Lafayette Elementary (Nicole Carberry at
carberrygirls@yahoo.com), Burton Valley Elementary (Kathi Torres at kathitorres@gmail.com), Springhill Elementary (Nancy Wallace at nwallace@comcast.net) Stanley Middle (Alison Wash at
alisonwash@gmail.com) High Schools (Linda Bailey grantsky1@comcast.net) and all other Lafayette schools (Sandra Patterson at pattersonburr@earthlink.net)

Dancing in the Street with the Marc Levine Band on Sunday, August 22nd 2- 5pm. Put on your dancing shoes, bring your blanket and grab a seat on our lawn for an afternoon of fun! This is a free event, open to the public. Presented by Áegis of Moraga, 950 Country Club Dr., Moraga. Please RSVP to the Concierge at (925)377-7900.

Country Western BBQ & Dance, Saturday, August 28. Live Music performed by the “California Cowboys.” Cocktails at 6pm, dinner & dancing at 7pm. Holy Trinity Cultural Center, 1700 School St. Moraga. Reservations required. Call Thea Pratte at (925) 672-6799 or email thecubsfan@sbcglobal.net. Cost: $35. Admission to dance only: $10.

Campolindo Junior Maddie Larson, from Moraga Troop 30794, is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award and needs your help. She is running a Back to School Shop for disadvantaged children and teens in San Pablo on Saturday, September 4, 2010. Maddie is looking for donations of new and gently used clothing for kids grades K-6. If you can help, please email mlswimmergirl@comcast.net or call 284-8142. We'll accept donations until Wednesday, August 25.

Camino Pablo Elementary School’s 50th Anniversary Year kick-off party will take place on Saturday, September 11 from 5- 10pm at the “Original” Moraga Ranch, 1012 School Street in Moraga. Music by SF Cover Band “Gravy Boat”. 1961 attire encouraged - prizes will be awarded! Dinner and dancing, Fun party raffles and Homemade gourmet desserts. Parents, CP Alumnae & Moraga Community please join us-Adults only please. $40 per person with a no host bar. For more information or tickets go to: http://cp.moraga.k12.ca.us/pta_party or mail check to: Camino Pablo PTA 50th, 1110 Camino Pablo,
Moraga, CA 94556.

The Roundup Saloon invites the community to join them in celebrating 75 years of business at a special gala on Saturday, August 28th. Starting at noon, The Saloon will be offering complimentary food, drink specials, entertainment and surprises. 3-7 pm, attendees will enjoy a live performance by the band “The Car With the Bear On Top.” The entire day is free to all who attend (must be 21 years of age or over) and the current owners, Mike and Karen Johnson, will be on hand to welcome everyone to the festivities. Founded in 1935 as Johnny’s Roundup Saloon, the venerable cocktail bar still hasn’t changed much in the past 75 years. Gone are the horse tie-rails in front of the Mt. Diablo Blvd building, and many a customer have come and gone, but walking inside is like taking a step back in time. The walls serve as a history lesson on how our community has changed over the years.

Pub Trivia Thursday, August 26, 6:30pm, Petar's, 32 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette. We will be collecting donations for Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF).

Book Sale, Friends of the Orinda Library, Thursday Sept. 2, 10am-1pm. Sorting Room and Bookshop (Bookshop is open until 6pm) This monthly book sale offers quality books for all interests and all ages. Funds raised are used for books, computers and other library materials and programs. Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda (925) 254-1358.

CLUBS

Lafayette Garden Club meetings: 9:30am on the second Thursdays monthly, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. Contact: petersonb4@aol.com. Sept 9th program: Alden Lane and Orchard Nursery will present the following topic, “Drought tolerant but beautiful plants for your garden.”

Sons in Retirement Lamorinda Branch 171 meets the first Wednesday monthly at Holy Trinity Cultural Center, 1700 School St., Moraga. Social hour 11am, lunch 12pm. The after -lunch speaker will be Jim Heldberg, co-owner of Silicon Segway who will demonstrate a Segway while talking about how the Segway transporter works. He will also be giving rides to members in attendance which should be great fun. For membership information, call Larry at (925) 631-9528.