ART

The Lafayette Public Library is now hosting an exhibition of "Freedom of Abstraction" at its Art Gallery in the lobby of the Don Tatzin Community Hall. (3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd.)  Exhibit runs April 13 through Sept. 14. One of the works references the support for Ukraine's fight for freedom.

Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: Tablets, Out of Africa Photos and Watercolors. The Lamorinda Arts Council presents "Reading the Tablet" by Francesca Borgatta; "Out of Africa" photographs by Maggie Boscoe, David Fleisig, Pam Hall, Jeff Halliday and Maureen Rosati-Wee; and watercolors by Anne Fallin. The show runs throughout May in the Art Gallery at the Orinda Library. Meet the artists at a reception in their honor on Saturday, May 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. where light refreshments will be served. Visit lamorindaarts.org/gallery-2/ for more information.

Art Gallery at Wilder: Collage - Pop-Up Collage Party & The Art of Listening to Your Materials. The Lamorinda Arts Council's featured artist in the Art Gallery at Wilder for May is collage artist Hallie Strock. Meet her at a Pop-Up Collage Party reception in her honor on Sunday, May 8 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. and help make a collage. All Moms are honored guests at this Pop-Up Collage Party. View her virtual exhibit at the Council's online gallery, www.lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries. For directions to the opening see www.lamorindaarts.org/current-exhibits-wilder/.

Moraga Art Gallery's new springtime show "Natural Abundance." Reception Saturday, April 23, 5 to 7 p.m., the public is invited. The Gallery is open from noon until 5 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday, 432 Center Street in Moraga's Rheem Shopping Center. www.moragaartgallery.com or call 925-376-5407.

MUSIC

The Stanley Jazz Café is back! Friday, May 20, 5:30 p.m. at Stanley Middle School, Lafayette. Stanley Jazz Bands, Acalanes Jazz Ensemble, Campolindo Jazz Band, and many more will be coming together for an evening of music and to honor Mr. Bob Athayde after 35 years of inspirational service to the Lamorinda community. This is a free event to celebrate the arts and of course, Mr. Athayde.

Crowden Music Center presents Sundays @ Four: Vitamin Em on Sunday, May 1, from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Crowden Music Center, 1475 Rose Street, Berkeley. Crowden presents an afternoon of exuberant, genre-defying, dance-inducing music by the award-winning players of Vitamin Em! Free for kids. Cost: Free to $25.  For more info see https://www.crowden.org/vitamin-em/ or call 510-559-6910 or email concerts@crowden.org.

Festival Opera and The Rotary Club of Orinda are thrilled to present the Club's 12th "Opera in the Park" concert.  This free performance, will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 16, at the Orinda Community Park.  It is an opportunity to hear Festival Opera's stellar artists performing hits that span both opera and musical theatre genres. For more information on Festival Opera or the concert, please visit www.festivalopera.org or email info@festivalopera.org.

Lamorinda Idol: Audition Video submission deadline May 15. Lamorinda Idol is a singing program open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who either attend school or reside in Contra Costa County. Idol runs April through August 2022. Visit lamorindaarts.org/idol-2/ for more information.

Berkeley Chamber Performances presents Vitamin Em on Tuesday, June 7, from 7:30 to 9 p.m., at Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Avenue, Berkeley. Vitamin Em is a musical collective of Grammy and award-winning musicians from the Bay Area celebrating jazz, funk, R&B, soul and fiddle music. Cost: $30.  For more info see http://www.berkeleychamberperform.org or call 1-510-525-5211 or email chiara9@comcast.net.

Gold Coast Chamber Players concert: Cultural Crossroads, Black and Indigenous influences on Dvoak in America. Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m., Pre-concert interview with R. Carlos Nakai and John-Carlos Perea at 7 p.m. Don Tatzin Community Hall at the Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. Concert will be recorded for online viewing beginning May 17. Tickets $15-45. Tickets online (www.gccpmusic.com) or by phone: (925) 283-3728

LITERATURE

It's back! The giant spring book sale sponsored by the Friends of Moraga Library will be held on Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Moraga Library (1500 St. Mary's Road). Proceeds from the sale are used to fund library materials and programs. See you there!

THEATER

Orinda Intermediate School Bulldog Theater stages Disney's "High School Musical JR.," May 5 - 7 at Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School Street, Lafayette.  Disney Channel's smash hit movie musical comes to life with its inspiring message of friendship, self-discovery, and teamwork as the students of East High deal with issues of love, friends and family while balancing their classes and extra curricular activities. Tickets are $10. Visit www.townhalltheatre.com/thed-residencies for show times and tickets or call 925-283-1557. 

The Performing Arts Department of Saint Mary's College presents the Saint Mary's College Dance Company annual spring dance concert "In the Slipstream." Being in the slipstream refers to the "turbulence behind a moving object that pulls us along." The concert features Modern/Contemporary Dance, Tap, West African, Dance Theatre, Asian Dance and Ballet Folklorico. The evening culminates with a tribute to our graduating seniors called "Reposar la Juventud en la Victoria (Standing in Your Victory)." Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m.; Friday, May 6, 8 p.m.; Saturday, May 7, 2 p.m. (also live-streamed) Saturday, May 7, 8 p.m. LeFevre Theatre, 1928 Saint Mary's Road, Moraga. (925) 631-4670 or tms8@stmarys-ca.edu.

OTHER

The 4th Annual Girls Crushing It Spring Pop-up Shop is back in person. The Spring Pop-up Shop will showcase 50 young entrepreneurs (ages 7-17) proudly selling everything from homemade bath products and pet treats, to original works of art and handmade jewelry from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 1 at the Outdoor Plaza at Orinda Library (26 Orinda Way, Orinda). Special guest and award-winning author, Diana Kapp, will be on hand signing copies of her new book, "Girls Who Green the World: Thirty-Four Rebel Women Out to Save Our Planet."

The Moraga Historical Society will be presenting a LIVE program Thursday, May 12 on Contra Costa County's Illustrious Maritime History.  Noted historian Carol A. Jensen, author of numerous books and articles on Contra Costa County, will be at the Moraga Library Meeting Room discussing how San Francisco's "opposite shore" played a significant maritime role in securing the city's financial preeminence.  Contra Costa County provided deep-water ports for shipping agricultural, mineral, and manufactured goods around the world.  Free to members of the Moraga Historical Society and their guests, refreshments will be provided at 7:15 p.m.  The program will commence at 7:30 p.m.

Ecology Center Hosts Farmers' Market Salsa Festival in Berkeley at Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Park (2151 Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Way), on May 21, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A community gathering for a day of environmental and cultural experiences featuring live music and dance. This is a free event with easy BART access within walking distance. https://ecologycenter.org/events/farmers-market-salsa-festival

Event at Joaquin Moraga Intermediate School for adults and students 11+. Gender has become an increasingly prevalent topic of discussion in our culture. Learning about gender can help prevent bullying behaviors, which are often based on gender stereotypes. Addressing this topic can help youth who feel alone because of their gender identities or expressions. These youth are at greater risk of suffering harassment, bullying, and committing suicide. Our school is not immune from these issues. Join us for films and conversation about supporting, celebrating, and being allies to our LCBTQ+ youth!! 6 p.m. dinner in the JM Pavilion from Shlllin Berkeley, 6:30 p.m. Four documentaries will be shown in the JM Library, 7:45 - 8:30 p.m. discussion. https://youthandgendermediaproject.org/films

The Lafayette Chamber is presenting a very valuable webinar for area restaurant owners and managers on Tuesday, May 10 at 2:30 p.m. Trashy Takeout Education For Restaurants To The Rescue! Learn about best practices for adding reusables to your takeout business. This event is open to all restaurant managers. Register at: https://lafayettechamber.org/takeout.

Sustainable Lafayette presents Lafayette Earth Day Festival 2022 on Golden Gate Way by the Lafayette Library & Learning Center on April 30, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

GARDEN

Montelindo Garden Club, membership open to all, Friday, May 20, Glenn Phillips, Executive Director of the Golden Gate Audubon Society, will tell us How to Create a Backyard Symphony by making our gardens inviting to birds. Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd. Proof of vaccination including booster is required and an N95 or KN95 mask must be worn. Doors open at 9 a.m., attendees must be seated by 9:45 a.m., meeting begins at 10 a.m. This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, visit montelindogarden.com.