Art

Valley Art Gallery presents: My Places in the Sun, oil paintings by Maria SantoStefano. Runs through Aug. 3. Valley Art Gallery, 1661 Botelho Drive, Suite 110 · Walnut Creek; https://valleyartgallery.org

Music

Folk Music Festival at Town Hall Theatre in Lafayette on Aug. 2, and Nov. 1. Town Hall Theatre Co, 3535 School Street, Lafayette. Tickets: $15 in advance, $20 at the door www.townhalltheatre.com/front-porch

Orinda – Concerts are held at the Orinda Community Park on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Call (925) 254.2445 for information. Thursday, July 25 – Aug. Reed Band; Thursday, Aug. 1 – Tin Man; Thursday, Aug. 15 – Vintage Jukebox; Thursday, Aug. 29 – Spill the Wine; Thursday, Sept. 12 – Patron

Lamorinda Idol performance on Wednesday, July 31. from 6 to 8 p.m. live at the Moraga Commons for a special event, sponsored by Moraga Art in Public Spaces and Lamorinda Arts Council. Bring a picnic and enjoy an evening of Idol’s solo and group performers. Wonderful for the whole family. Free to the public.

Cantare Summer Concert: Give Them a Sense of Pride. Saturday, July 27 at 7:30 p.m. Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Dr, Lafayette, and on Sunday, July 28, at 4 p.m., First Presbyterian Church of Oakland, 2619 Broadway, Oakland. Tickets and more information are available online at www.cantareconvivo.org, by phone at (510) 836-0789, or at the door. General Admission: $25. Students: $10.

Literature

Art Embraces Poetry:  Poetry Readings and 3 Minute Open Mic at Town Hall Theatre on July 20. Listen to poets Gail Rudd Entrekin, Jim Guninshan, and Linda Riedel, plus artist Emily Bennett from Acalanes High School, who will display her artwork from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. A 3 Minute Open Mic runs from 2:30 to3:30 p.m. on a first-come, first served basis. Reception follows in lobby with a No Host Bar at Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School Street, Lafayette 94549. Free. Questions? Call (925) 359-9940 or visit https://LamorindaArts.org/art-embraces-words.

Join Tom Steyer at Orinda Books to celebrate the release of his new book, "Cheaper, Faster, Better", on Wednesday, July 24 at 6 p.m. Tom Steyer describes how we can win the war on climate. He shows how capitalism can be used to scale climate progress, debunks arguments made by climate deniers, and provides an inspirational call to make stabilizing our planet part of our life’s work. Information at www.orindabooks.com.

Join Willy Vlautin at Orinda Books on the day of the release of his latest novel, "The Horse," on Tuesday, July 30, at 5 p.m. Willy is the award-winning author of earlier novels, including "The Motel Life," "Northline," and "Lean on Pete," which was adapted into a well-regarded film. He is also the founding member of the bands Richmond Fontaine and The Delines. Information at www.orindabooks.com.

Other

Mocktails & Cocktails Sunday July 28, 4 to 6 p.m. at Tutu’s Lafayette, 53 Lafayette Circle, Lafayette. Join friends of the Lamorinda Arts Council for some words with creative makers. Look for their knockoff Picassoesque poster of surrealist Dora Maar – that’s us! No host bar. Just show up. Questions? Call (925) 359.9940.

Come to the parking lot at Lafayette Christian Church for a Book Faire. Browse and take a book or two (10 book limit per household). All books are free. Saturday, July 27 from 9 11 a.m. There will be adult and children fiction and nonfiction books. LCC is located at 584 Glenside Drive across from the Las Trampas Swim Club. Lots of parking.

Week-long celebration of Latin America at Lesher Center for the Arts with Fiesta Cultural, offering internationally-acclaimed music, dance, comedy, and a free street fair, July 16 through 20. Paint a Frida Workshop: 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 17; Lucky Diaz and the Family Jam Band: 10 a.m. Thursday, July 18; Summer Sounds: Chika Di: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 18; Spanish Harlem Orchestra: 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 19; Free street fair: noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, July 20; Best of San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy: Latinx Comedy Night: 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 20; INFO: For tickets or more information, the public may visit www.lesherartscenter.org or call the box office at (925) 943-7469 (open Wed-Sun, 12-6pm). Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek.

Moraga Historical Society presents Mark Harrigan, a video blogger, who has been producing Contra Costa County history videos for 10 years on Facebook’s “680/24 Corridor History Group”. Harrigan is a frequent contributor to the “I Grew Up In Moraga” Facebook site. Join for his stories about the Rheem Bowl, Moraga Barn, Lafayette’s Roundup Saloon, Valle Vista, Moraga Adobe, and the California & Nevada Railroad that ran through Orinda. Sunday, Aug. 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Hacienda de las Flores, Casita Building, 2100 Donald Dr. RSVP: ranchsusan@aol.com by July 28. Moraga Historical Society members free, guests $5. Reservations only. Limited seating.

Orinda Police Department is hosting the annual National Night Out event at their station this summer. Meet your neighbors, learn how to help fight crime, and have fun on Tuesday, Aug. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. Join for an evening of community building over BBQ (hot dogs and hamburgers). If you bring a backpack or school supplies to donate, you'll have the opportunity to dunk the Chief of Police in the dunk tank! All supplies will be donated to the Family Justice Center in Concord.

Garden

Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour presents an online talk in the “You Can Do It!” series: You Can Do It: 10 Steps to Creating a Bird-Friendly Garden (Online). Presenter: Brian Dirking. Tuesday, July 23, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqRZ-CSoO9Rgv1wxAjYKY37vjB8OYcDBkPx9QJzaDBI8wa_w/viewform. This interactive online workshop will explore gardening from a bird’s perspective and then delve into the ten elements that can transform your garden into a bird paradise.