ART

RoadRunners' art at Orinda Library. For the entire month of August paintings, photographs, beautiful woodworking projects, and an unusual collection of decorated animal skulls, all created by members of the Orinda RoadRunners, will be on view at the gallery of the Orinda Library. Visitors to the library will see works by Orinda residents Lucia Bennhoff, Therese Gladstone Gordon, Duke Herrero, Jean Weigand and Denny Weigand. Also Lafayette’s Dyan Bender, Moraga’s George Ehrenhaft, and Walnut Creek’s Linda Wendt. Former Lamorindan Sally Bailey, now of Mt. Hood, Ore., will display her nationally-acclaimed watercolors, and viewers will also be treated to a sample of watercolor paintings by the late Gail Overaa. The public is invited to a gala opening reception in the gallery to meet the artists, enjoy refreshments, and view the exhibit from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 2. (See story )

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

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: Aug. 6, The Crisis – blues and rock, Loard's Ice Cream and Rebel Dog Catering starting at 6 p.m. Aug. 13, littledog2 – pop and rock. Gourmet food trucks – Food Truck Mafia and Loard's Ice Cream starting at 5:30 p.m. For info, visit www.cityoforinda.org.

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. August schedule: Aug. 1, Gator Beat - Cajun Zydeco; Aug. 8, Moonalice - Early SF rock; Aug. 15, Zebop! - Latin rock; Aug. 22, Rodeo House - Country.

Love to sing? Come join Voices of Musica Sacra as we begin an exciting new season! There are openings for all voice parts (esp. tenors/basses). Rehearsals resume at 7 p.m. Aug. 19 and subsequent Mondays at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1924 Trinity Ave., Walnut Creek. For info, call (925) 670-7089, email info@vmschorus.org or visit          

www.vmschorus.org.

Gold Coast Chamber Players 2013-14 Season. What better way to open the 15th Anniversary Season than to feature a locally grown talent, the daughter of Bob Athayde (music teacher at Stanley Middle School), violinist Juliana Athayde. Juliana has skyrocketed to the top of her field and holds prestigious positions in New York and around the U.S. She returns to her hometown to help open GCCP’s 2013-14 season: Violinist Juliana Athayde, Cellist Amos Yang and Pianist Yana Reznik at 7:30 pm Sept. 13 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall; String Duos by Bartok and Kodaly, Lizst Hungarian Rhapsody for solo piano, Dohnanyi Piano Quintet at 2 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall.

THEATER

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.

California Shakespeare Theater continues its 2013 season with Oscar Wilde’s comedy, “Lady Windermere’s Fan,” directed by Oregon Shakespeare Festival company member Christopher Liam Moore in his Bay Area directorial debut. “Lady Windermere’s Fan” will play Aug. 14 through Sept. 8 at the Bruns Amphitheater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way (off Highway 24), Orinda. For info, call (510) 548-9666 or visit www.calshakes.org.

2013 Dance on Film Festival concludes with the classic 1954 musical “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” The movie will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 at the Lafayette Library Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. The screening begins with fascinating, behind-the-scenes facts on the making of this classic movie with Lauren Jonas, Diablo Ballet artistic director, and Beau Behan, host of Beau’s Flicks & Nix, on the Comcast Hometown Network, Ch. 104. Presented by Diablo Ballet and Lafayette Library & Learning Center. Cost: $5

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

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 at the Orinda Theatre Square Concert from 2:45 to 5 p.m. Aug. 24; and on Sept. 8 at the Lamorinda Idol Finals at the Orinda Theatre (all day event). Visit              www.orindaartscouncil.org for details.

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.

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.

Summer camps offered through Lafayette Department of Parks and Recreation and Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center: Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Aug. 12-16, “Meeting Nature Through Miwok Eyes” (See story page B3). Monday through Friday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Aug. 19-23, “The Wonder of Our Senses: Bringing adults and children together to experience the wonders of nature in the spirit of Rachel Carson.” Registration for these classes should be completed through Lafayette Parks and Recreation Department at (925) 284-2232 or online at www.LafayetteRec.org/camps.

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

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. “Off Balance: Gait & Balance Disorders Affecting Your Daily Life” is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 3468 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Suite B110, Lafayette. Seating for lectures is limited: Please call (925) 284-6150 to RSVP and reserve your seat.  For more 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 Friends Corner Book Shop 'bookies' will have a sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 3 underneath the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd., Lafayette. For info, call (925) 283-1967. Proceeds benefit LLLC.

The Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association (BAHA) will present the illustrated lecture “Living in the Berkeley Brown-Shingle House” on Thursday, Aug. 8 at the University of California’s Anna Head Alumnae Hall, 2537 Haste Street, on Berkeley’s Southside. The lecture will begin at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by remarks by architect Chris Wasney on the award-winning restoration of Alumnae Hall. At 6 p.m., local historian Steven Finacom will lead a tour through the Anna Head campus, including an inside look at the old Study Hall and one of the classrooms. This tour is free with a lecture ticket and requires advance reservation. The evening will conclude with a book signing. Advance tickets may be purchased online. For complete information and ticket purchase, visit http://berkeleyheritage.com, e-mail baha@berkeleyheritage.com, or call (510) 841-2242.

Diablo Ballet and Diablo Magazine’s Gourmet Gallop food and wine walk returns to downtown Walnut Creek from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 8. The public is invited to sip, sample and stroll their way through 13 downtown Walnut Creek locations as they experience a one-of-a-kind culinary adventure. This self-paced, self-guided stroll offers the opportunity to savor amazing food and wine while being joined by the Diablo Ballet dancers. The Gourmet Gallop benefits Diablo Ballet and its PEEK Outreach Program, bringing arts education to 5,000 under-served East Bay elementary school students each year. Tickets: $45. To purchase tickets or for more info, visit diabloballet.org or call (925) 943-1775.

Lafayette Hiking Group will meet at the city parking lot, 941 Moraga Road, at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 9 and will form carpools to the trailhead, Valle Vista to Redwood Park. Bring lunch or snacks, water, layered clothing, good walking shoes, sun protection and money to contribute toward gas ($3 local). From the Valle Vista staging area enjoy oak and bay woodland, crossing Indian and San Leandro Creeks. From there, climb through the ferns and redwoods to the East Ridge trail in Redwood Park. Moderate with one steep hill, about 4 miles. Leaders: Alison Hill and Joyce Tse. Questions? Email LafayetteHiking@comcast.net.

Shelly Ryan, representing Al Gore's Climate Reality Project, will give a multimedia presentation titled Climate Reality: An Impending Disaster or a Wake Up Call? Presentation starts at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16 at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church Owl Room, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. Co-sponsored by the Green Group, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, Walnut Creek.  Free. For info, visit www.mduuc.org.

Planting Justice is a non-profit based in Oakland dedicated to food justice, economic justice and sustainable local food systems. Presenters will be promoting sustainable urban agriculture in the East Bay starting at 6 p.m. with a potluck, followed from 7 to 9 p.m. with a presentation Thursday, Sept. 5 at the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church Owl Room, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. For info, call (925) 933-7850. Co-sponsored with Friendly Favors. Suggested Donation: $20 and dish to share if attending potluck (free for students). If at all possible, please RSVP so that we may inform you of any changes. No log-in required: www.favors.org/MDPC.

POLITICAL GATHERINGS

The Democratic Party of Contra Costa County invites you to attend its 82nd annual barbecue from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area, 6531 San Pablo Dam Road, El Sobrante. Tickets: $20 per person; children up to age 12 free. Sponsorships are available at $50, $100, $350, and $500. To purchase your event tickets, visit https://secure.actblue.com/page/dpccc82. For more info, contact Selina Williams at selina.williams@gmail.com.