ART

 

Flower Power: an Asian Art Museum Docent Lecture at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 28 in the Orinda Library Garden Room. Asian Art Museum Docent LauraBeth Nelson will share the highlights of this exhibition (June 23 – October 1, 2017) in honor of the 50th anniversary of San Francisco’s Summer of Love, showcasing the expressive powers of flowers in the arts and cultures of Asia.

 

MUSIC

 

St. Paul’s Concert Series: Flute and Piano Concert featuring Laurel Zucker, flute, and Dwight Stone, pianist, composer at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, June 17 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 1924 Trinity Ave., Walnut Creek. St. Paul’s Concert Series hosts free concert; donations are welcome to support the artists and the ongoing concert series. There is free parking across Trinity Ave. www.laurelzucker.com; www.stonemusic.us.

 

Make Music Day from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center Amphitheatre. Make Music Day is a free celebration of music around the world. Back by popular demand,will be local home-grown musician Paul Cotruvo. Paul will bring his band The Flashbacksto back YOU up. We will have 100 songs from the 60s to choose from. You pick a song, and sign up to be the lead singer. Live Karaoke – and you can have your five minutes of fame. Visit www.lafayettechamber.org for details.

 

It’s time to sit back and unwind at the free summer concerts in at the park series from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in Orinda on Tuesday nights. June 20, Juke Joint — Classic Soul; June 27, Fog City Swampers — Classic Rock & Roll.

 

Free concerts from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday evenings at the Moraga Commons Park. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell. Enjoy the music while your children enjoy the park. The volunteers of MPF will cook dinner with the Snack Bar opening at 6 p.m. June 22 Floorshakers - Fun, soul, rock& roll; June 29 Spill the Wine - Jackson 5 to Maroon 5.

 

Lafayette Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love at the Rock the Plaza concerts on Fridays throughout June in Lafayette.

June 16: Dream Posse; June 23: Barry “The Fish” Melton and his band.

 

Music begins at 6:30pm. The ‘60s inspired “Hippie Market” along Plaza Way opens at 6 p.m.

Stay late to jam! The Acoustic Hootenanny around the campfire begins at 8:30, with special guests, including Lafayette’s own Stevie Coyle (The Waybacks), playing folk songs. Bring your guitar.

 

THEATER

 

“As You Like It” by William Shakespeare presented by Cal Shakes and directed by Desdemona Chiang. runs through June 18 at the Bruns Amphitheater located at 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way in Orinda. Tickets and show times at www.calshakes.org; or by calling the box office at (510) 548-9666; boxoffice@calshakes.org.

 

Town Hall Theatre presents “An Ideal Husband” by Oscar Wilde through June 24 on stage at 3535 School St. in Lafayette. Enjoy one of Oscar Wilde’s most beloved and funniest plays. Tickets and show times available at townhalltheatre.com or at the box office.

 

Orinda Starlight Village Players present Agatha Christie’s “The Unexpected Guest” from June 2 to July 1 at the outdoor theater in Orinda Community Center Park, 28 Orinda Way. Showtimes and general admission tickets are $20 and are available at the Box Office, call (925) 528-9225 or email info@orsvp.org for reservations. Be aware that this is an outdoor theater and dress appropriately and bring blankets.

 

LECTURE & LITERATURE

 

“Some of My Best Friends Are Super Sleuths: Let Me Introduce You!” at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 15 in the Orinda Library Garden Room. Join Acalanes Adult Education instructor Joan Trezek for a presentation on what makes our favorite detectives such engaging characters. She will cover detectives you may already know and love, and introduce you to some she thinks you should meet.

 

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

 

The Contra Costa County Library invites children, teens and library users of all ages to take part in Summer Reading. Summer Reading runs through Saturday, Aug. 5. This year’s theme is “Build Your Brain” and the program is filled with activities, events and reading lists designed to exercise your brain. Readers of all ages can participate online or use a paper reading record. Completed reading records or online completion certificates should be returned to one of the 26 Contra Costa County Library branches by Aug. 5. All finishers will receive a book prize and be entered into a drawing for a chance to win additional prizes. For more information on Summer Reading visit your local Contra Costa County Library branch or http://www.ccclib.org/summer.

 

OTHER

 

Saint Mary’s College of California, MFA in Dance Program, presents the first ever Process Dance Festival. MFA Students of the Class of 2017 (Cohort 2) will present their graduate thesis concert-length works in the program’s dance festival, to be held from noon to 8 p.m on June 17 and 18 on the Saint Mary’s campus. Ticket and pricing information atwww.stmarys-ca.edu/process-dance-festival.

 

This Father’s Day grow your family by adopting a kitty from Community Concern for Cats. See our purrfect kittens and cats at this weekend’s adoption event from 1 to 4 p.m., June 17 and 18, at Pet Food Express in Lafayette and Pleasant Hill, and Petco in Walnut Creek. For more information, see www.communityconcernforcats.org .

 

Alta Bates Summit Comprehensive Cancer Services presents its annual Cancer Survivorship Symposium, “A Celebration of Life – Finding Strength Together” from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on June 21 at Samuel Merritt University in the Bechtel Hall, 400 Hawthorne Ave, Oakland. Join Alta Bates staff for an evening of inspirational speakers who will discuss the impact of the cancer experience on families. This is a free, event open to all members of the community.

 

KPFA Radio 94.1 FM presents Melvin Goodman & Daniel Ellsberg: Whistleblower at the CIA from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21 at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, 2407 Dana Street, Berkeley. Melvin Goodman and Daniel Ellsberg will discuss Goodman’s book, Whistleblower at the CIA, answer questions & sign books. Cost: $12 advance, $15 door. For more info see www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2947326 or call (510) 967-4495.

 

Unleash the Wonders of Your Mind at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday June 21 in the Orinda Library Garden Room. The Brain Whisperer, Steven Campbell, will teach you how to use the new brain science to transform your life: end negative thinking, improve focus and clarity, enhance problem solving and simply be happier. A Summer Reading Festival program.

 

Diablo Ballet presents their second annual PAWS de Tutu dog festival from 9 a.m. to noon on June 24 at the Lafayette Reservoir. The dog costume competition and parade, benefiting Diablo Ballet’s PEEK Outreach programs, will feature costume and trick competitions, K-9 demos, dog adoptions, vendors, snacks and fun. Anyone interested in attending should register online at www.diabloballet.org as participation is limited. Admission is only $5 per person. To enter any or all of the competitions: $20 for adults and $10 for youth (17 and under), which includes the admission fee. (See story page B1)

 

Attention wireless radio lovers: LARIG, Lamorinda’s amateur radio group, hosts a free, live, in-the-field radio demonstration 11 a.m. to dusk, June 24 at Moraga Commons Park. LARIG joins 35,000 amateur radio operators nationwide in celebrating the 103rd annual American Radio Relay League Field Day. For details, visit http://tinyurl.com/k8asjef.

 

Eat Stay Love Lafayette Food Tour. Green Hills. Great Schools. Good-tasting eats. Eat – Stay – Love Lafayette food tour is a two-hour, family-friendly tour great for newbies and anyone looking to discover this side of the Caldecott Tunnel. Tours run on the last Saturday every month at 11 a.m. Advanced reservations required. Adults: $35; Kids 12 and younger: $20. Book today at www.localfoodadventures.com or (510) 604-6546.

 

The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Concord and Walnut Creek will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 24 at Ygnacio Valley Park (901 Oak Grove Rd. Concord). Relay For Life is a community event where teams and individuals camp out and take turns walking or running around a path for 12 hours, symbolizing the battle waged around the clock by those facing cancer. Family friendly activities, entertainment, food and more will be happening throughout the day. This event is free and open to the public. Visit relayforlife.org/ConcordWalnutCreekCA to learn more, sign up or donate to this life saving event, or contact Jessi Norris at 510.993.8536 or Jessi.norris@cancer.org.

 

Naturalist and Wildlife expert, James “Doc” Hale will discuss the local Pleistocene Megafauna, their extirpation, and the evolution of the East Bay Area wildlife landscape from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, June 24 at the Lafayette Community Garden, 3932 Mt Diablo Blvd. The classes are free. However, a $5 donation is appreciated.

 

Wine and Tapas Speaker Series Presents: Finding Peace in Broken Places at 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 9 at 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. After experiencing the plight of Syrian refugees and their children in Turkey and Jordan, Sai Aashraya dedicated his life to create ways of love and service that unleash the capacity for joy and peace. Admission is free and open to all ages, bring a small tasting to share for our common cheese and charcuterie board. Beverages and baguettes will be provided.

 

SENIORS

 

Friday Connections at the Lafayette Library.  Join the gathering at the Lafayette Library from 1 to 3 p.m. every Friday for a variety of activities: speakers, games, film screenings, presentations and more. Catch up with old friends or meet new ones over refreshments! Check with library staff or the online calendar www.tinyurl.com/lafcalendar for each week’s activities and meeting room. For more info, contact Chris Gray at (925) 385-2288 or cgray@ccclib.org or Lafayette Senior Services: Seniors@LoveLafayette.org or (925) 284-5050.

 

Branch 116 Sons in Retirement, for retired or semiretired men, will be holding its 11:30 a.m. lunch meeting on June 19 at the Clubhouse at Boundary Oak, 3800 Valley Vista Road, Walnut Creek. The guest speaker will be Dr. Brian Hopkins, a board certified urologist, who will be speaking on myriad urological problems of older men. The cost is $25. For reservations or information call (925) 322-1160 or email branch116@gmail.com. For more information about our group, visit www.branch116.org.

 

Smart Driver 4 Hour Refresher Course from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 20 at the Toyon Room, Lafayette Community Center. Refine your driving skills, develop safe, defensive techniques, and possibly lower your insurance premium. Offered through AARP. $15 AARP Members; $20 Non-Members. Max: 25 paid registrants. To reserve your spot, send check, made payable to AARP, to Lafayette Senior Services, 500 St. Mary’s Rd., Lafayette, CA 94549.