ART

On Saturday, July 20 the Lafayette Gallery is hosting an Artist’s Market in the picnic area and parking lot in front of the Gallery! The area will be transformed into an enticing outdoor marketplace with a variety of artists exhibiting, demonstrating, and selling their artwork. Lafayette Gallery members will be there, and outside artists too – a total of 12-14 artists per show. There are several new artists in this show, with works including handmade scarves and purses, garden art, jewelry, wearable art, various types of paintings and prints, photography prints and note cards, and much more. The artists will be demonstrating their technique at the Market, for you to watch, learn and enjoy. For info, call (925) 284-2788 or visit www.lafayettegallery.net.

Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art is presenting “Points of View” with en plein air painters Mary Lou Correia and Paul Kratter through Sept. 29. Two new exhibits will open Aug. 4 with a public reception and a walk through by curator Feldman at 2:30 p.m. opening day.  “Afterglow” features installation, video, painting, sculpture, and photography by the next generation of light and space artists: Michelle Blade, Gina Borg, Claude Collins-Stracensky, Michael Damm, Kathryn Van Dyke, Chris Fraser, Evan Holloway, Ruth Laskey, Laurie Reid, Jonathan Runcio, and Dean Smith. Also opening on Aug. 4 is a new body of work by photographer Lee Saloutos. “Surface: Transformative Photography from Nevada and the Great Basin” featuring vividly colored and abstracted desert detritus and desolate but eerily beautiful abandoned mine interiors.  Admission: $5 adults, K-12 free. Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For info, call (925) 631-3379 or visit www.stmarys -ca.edu/ saint -marys-college-museum-of-art.

The Moraga Art Gallery’s show entitled “Beauty and the Feast” highlighting paintings by resident artist Josie Osolin, and ceramics by resident artist Elayne Isaacs runs through Aug. 10 at 522 Center Street, Rheem Shopping Center, Moraga. Free. The gallery is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. For more info, visit www.moragaartgallery.com, call (925) 376-5407 or email     moragaartgallery@gmail.com.

MUSIC

Summer Concert Series at the Moraga Commons Park from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday evenings provided by the Moraga Park Foundation. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell and enjoy the free concerts. Concession stand opens at 6 p.m. for dinner. July schedule: July 18 Cal Alumni Big Band - big band swing; July 25 Houserockers - rock and soul.

Free Summer Concerts in the Park from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday nights at the Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way. Concert schedule: July 23 - Pladdohg; Celtic rock. Gourmet food trucks – Food Truck Mafia and Loard's Ice Cream starting at 5:30 p.m. For info, visit www.cityoforinda.org.

Guitarist/songwriter/author Ali Handal is kicking off a Bay Area guitar workshop tour at Lamorinda Music. The free event is part workshop, part concert, part Q&A, featuring her new book “Guitar For Girls” from noon to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at 81 Lafayette Circle.  Free.  (See story page B7)

Orinda Rotary is sponsoring its 5th annual free opera concert from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, July 28 at the Orinda Community Park, 28 Orinda Way. The concert will include beloved arias and favorite ensembles from operas such as Bizet, Mozart, Puccini, and Verdi. Classic musical theater repertoire will also be included. The program includes professional singers, who are graduates of the prestigious San Francisco Opera apprenticeship program, members of the elite San Francisco Opera Chorus and principal artists from Opera San Jose. Food and beverages will be available. Children are welcome. Free parking is available.  The park also is within walking distance to Orinda BART and is accessible for the disabled. The concert receives support from The Orinda Park and Recreation Foundation and the Orinda Community Center Auxiliary. (See story page A6)

THEATER

Talented middle and high school students from all corners of Lamorinda take the stage at Town Hall Theatre July 19-21 to perform William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing." For additional info, visit www.thtc.org.

"Romeo & Juliet" presented by California Shakespeare Theater, runs through July 28 at the Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way (off Highway 24), Orinda. For info, call (510) 548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org. (See story page B7)

Orinda Starlight Players present “A Thurber Carnival” by James Thurber Aug. 2-24 at the Outdoor Theater in the Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way. Regular admission: $16; seniors $8. For tickets call the Box Office at (925) 528-9225, or email info@orsvp.org for reservations. Be aware that this is an outdoor theatre and dress appropriately/bring blankets. More information about exact show dates and times is available at www.orsvp.org.

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

All ears reading at the Moraga Library at 4 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month from July to October. Children in grades 1-5 can improve reading skills while enjoying the unconditional love of dogs by reading aloud to one of ARF’s Pet Hug Pack therapy dogs at the Moraga Library, 1500 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. Dogs and their handlers are available courtesy of a partnership between the Moraga Library and the Animal Rescue Foundation. Please register online or at the library for a 10-15 minute reading session with a furry friend. Walk-ins are welcome as space permits. For more info, visit ccclib.org or call Diane McDonnell at (925) 376-6852.

“Terrific Tuesdays."  Fun-filled preschool programs, for ages 2-5 plus adult,  are held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. every Tuesday morning at The Gardens at Heather Farm in Walnut Creek. The activities are designed to help your child learn and grow with our beautiful gardens providing the setting. Pre-registration is not required; please check in at the main office located at 1540 Marchbanks Dr., Walnut Creek. Nut-free refreshments will be provided. Cost: $15 for the first child ($8 for garden members), $5 for each additional child, Children under 2 free with one paid admission. Call (925) 947-6712 for more info.




Lamorinda Idol 2013 Finalists will be performing at a series of summer performances leading up to the Lamorinda Idol Finals on Sept. 8. Check out these talented kids as they perform as soloists and groups at a variety of venues on the following dates: at July 28, Lafayette Reservoir Stage Concert at 2:45 p.m.;  Aug. 24, Orinda Theatre Square Concert from 2:45 to 5 p.m.; and Sept. 8, Lamorinda Idol Finals at the Orinda Theatre (all day event). Visit www.orindaartscouncil.org for the full schedule of performances.

All summer long tweens and teens (6th grade or above, fall 2013) are invited to Teen Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at the Moraga Library, 1500 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. For more info, visit ccclib.org or call (925) 376-6852. (See story page B5)

The new Design Quest exhibit at Lawrence Hall of Science in Berkeley provides young people with a platform for generating ideas and designing, building and testing their creations through Sept. 2. By building prototypes and optimizing them, kids get a chance to apply a process used by real engineers to solve problems. The Hall is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission: $6–12; children under 3, members, and UC Berkeley students and staff, free. For more info on the exhibit, visit www.lawrencehallofscience.org/visit/exhibits/design_build_test/design_quest or call (510) 642-5132.

OTHER
 
For the third year in a row, Sustainable Lafayette will be hosting a summer film series at the Lafayette Library in the Community Hall featuring some of the most inspiring environmental documentaries that have been released recently. Upcoming movies include "Trashed" at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18; ''Elemental'' at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6. Cost: $5 donation suggested, no reservations required.

Walk in John Muir’s footsteps under sunlight and moonlight by attending two free, ranger-led saunters up Mt. Wanda, part of the John Muir National Historic Site (NHS) in Martinez. Join the National Park Service (NPS) at 9 a.m. Sunday, July 21 for a two-hour nature walk to discover the many plants and animals living in this diverse landscape. On the following evening at 7:45 p.m. Monday, July 22, experience the nighttime side of Mt. Wanda with a ranger-led full moon walk. For both events, visitors should meet at the parking lot on the corner of Alhambra Ave. and Franklin Canyon Rd. in Martinez (at the Alhambra Ave. exit off Hwy 4). Bring water and binoculars (if you have them) for both walks, and carry a flashlight and wear warm clothes for the full moon walk. Wear comfortable shoes, as the trail is steep. If it rains heavily, the walks will be canceled. Reservations are suggested but not required. Please call the John Muir NHS visitor center at (925) 228-8860 to make reservations or if you have questions. Ranger-led walks on Mt. Wanda continue through October. For more information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jomu or call the visitor center.

Orinda Community Foundation’s 4th Annual Everyday Heroes Golf Fundraiser is July 22, at Orinda Country Club. Registration starts at 10:30 a.m. followed by a complimentary lunch buffet. At noon, a shotgun start (two best balls of foursome shamble) begins the fun with complimentary food, drinks, and contests on the course. Following golf is an awards ceremony with complimentary appetizers. Heroes this year are firefighters Michael Rattary, Stephen Rogness and Kelly Morris, from Moraga-Orinda Fire Department. Sponsorships are still available and needed to help support the many recipients: Orinda’s 4th of July Parade, Library Improvements, Art in Public Places, Orinda Garden Clubs, Orinda Chamber of Commerce, Lamorinda Idol, Spirit Van Senior Transportation, Contra Costa Solano Food Bank and newest charity partners Cal Shakes Theater and Town Hall Theatre. For registration and sponsorship levels visit    
everydayheroes.golfreg.com.

The PSR West Coast Builder’s Second Annual Golf Tournament and Ride is all geared to honor fallen Oakland Police Officer John Hege while raising funds for OPEN (Oakland Police Emergency Net) and the California Transplant Center. Tournament begins at 10 a.m. Friday, July 26 at the Diablo Creek Golf Course, 4050 Port Chicago Hwy, Concord. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, make donations or play golf, contact Dawn Schadek at (925) 381-5873 or email     dawn.schadek@gmail.com.

Salsa Mondays in Orinda! Classes of all levels and social dancing are offered from 7 to 9:45 p.m. Music starts at 6:45 p.m. Beginning Class: 7 to 8 p.m., social dancing after. Intermediate/Advanced: 8 to 9:30 p.m., social dancing after. Dance practice before and after each class! Drop-in for $15/class at Orinda Center, 26 Orinda Way, Orinda.

Widowed Persons Support Group (WPS) meetings. The WPS support sessions are informal discussions of emotional and practical needs and concerns of the bereaving widowed persons. The sessions can be very beneficial and helpful, even if a period of years has passed. Meetings are held in the Oak Room at St. Stephens Church from 10 a.m. to noon each Saturday through July 27. Free. The meetings are facilitated by Gretchen Dabel and members of the WPS Board. For info, call Ruth Harrington at (925) 376-0321.

“Shred Fest” Supports Moraga Lion’s Club. Destroy unwanted documents securely during Shred Fest from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 27 at 485 Moraga Rd. (adjacent 5-A). A $5 fee for banker-sized boxes supports the Moraga Lion’s club local educational and service projects. Shred Fest is supported by 5-A Rent-a-Space, Moraga Motors, Coldwell Banker, Neighborhood Computers and Hall of Taxes. Security shredding is courtesy Shred Defense, Moraga.

Lafayette Physical Therapy is pleased to announce their third annual lecture series with information on injury prevention, fitness, and other related topics for the community. Highly educated and skilled physical therapists as well as highly respected doctors and community professionals will share their knowledge at 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B110, Lafayette. Lectures include The Anti-Inflammatory Diet with Cynthia Allen, RN, Natural Chef from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 30; and Off Balance: Gait & Balance Disorders Affecting Your Daily Life Tuesday, Aug. 27. Seating for lectures is limited; please call (925) 284-6150 to RSVP and reserve your seat. For info, visit www.LafayettePT.com.

Relay For Life of Lamorinda begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3 and continues through the night, ending at 9 a.m. Aug. 4 at Burton Valley Elementary School, 561 Merriewood Dr., Lafayette. For info, visit relay.acsevents.org or contact Kelli Nahas at kelli.nahas@cancer.org.

The Second Wednesday Book Group will read and discuss “Garden of the Evening Mists” by Tan Tuan Eng at 3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14. They meet monthly at Orinda Books, 276 Village Square in Orinda, and welcome new members. For more info, visit orindabooks@thegrid.net, www.orindabooks.com or call (925) 254-7606.