ART

The Art of Collage: Come to a workshop at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 in the Orinda Library Garden Room. Create a personalized journal with collage artist Valerie Adinolfi. All materials provided. Pre-registration suggested but drop-ins welcome. Ages 14-adult.

The Moraga Art Gallery announces its springtime show, Color and Caprice, an exhibit that spotlights member artist Angelica Samame’s eye-catching collection of stylized portraits of sophisticated women — slender and fashionably-clad. The show also features guest artist, Elizabeth Russell, aka Liz R Honeypots, from Forestville, whose ceramics consist of utilitarian platters, mugs, casserole dishes and more. The show runs to June 3. For more information, visit the gallery’s website: www.moragaartgallery.com, call (925) 376-5407 or email moragaartgallery@gmail.com.

IRAN|USA, an original exhibition organized by the Saint Mary’s College Museum of Art, presents a program of compelling video art and prints by artist and faculty member Peter Freund through May 28. The museum is located on campus, 1928 St. Mary’s Road in Moraga and is open from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday; $5 admission.

The Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery presents Simple Sentences, an exhibit of new paintings and explorations by Bay Area artist Bill Rushton running April 27 through May 27, with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 27. www.jenniferperlmuttergallery.com

The Orinda Library Gallery presents The Glover Group Color and Light: The Legacy Continues May 1 through 31. A passion for the beautiful farmland, coastal and rural geography of the San Francisco Bay Area is the inspiration for over 60 new plein air paintings. Gallery hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m.

MUSIC

Pacific Chamber Orchestra concludes its 28th season at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday April 22 in the Sanctuary, led by Maestro Lawrence Kohl. The program includes Beethoven’s Leonore Overture #3, Brahm’s Symphony #1 and Elgar’s Concerto for Cello with Nina Flyer, soloist. Tickets may be purchased at the door or at www.pacificchamberorchestra.org. (See story, page B2)

Enjoy a rare appearance by Juke Joint, Lamorinda’s own Classic soul and R&B band at Bonehead’s BBQ, 3422 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette, from 5:30 to 8:30 on Saturday, April 29.

Concert: “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired” at 4 p.m. on April 30 at the Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, Lafayette. The Chamber Ensemble closes its season with selections by Brahms, Barber, Gershwin, Gibbs, Guastivino, Paulus, Whitacre, Lennon-McCartney and others. Ticket Info: $10 Student, $20 General. Tickets can be purchased through the website, at www.cantareconvivo.org/upcoming-events or through its office at (510) 836-0789.

Voci Women’s Vocal Ensemble, under guest conductor Mitchell Covington, presents “Beautiful is the World,” featuring exciting premieres of works by gifted Bay Area composers. Showtimes are at 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 30 at St. Perpetua Catholic Parish 3454 Hamlin Road, Lafayette, and on May 6 at Lake Merritt United Methodist Church 1330 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland. Tickets: $25-15, children between 6 and 12 free. Available at the door or online at www.vocisings.org.

Gold Coast Chamber Players concert “Tango Twist” at 7:30 p.m. There will be a pre-concert talk with Kai Christiansen at 7 p.m. on May 13 in the Community Hall at the Lafayette Library. Enjoy tango-inspired music for string quartet and bandoneon, including a composition by former Lafayette Mayor Erling Horn’s son, Patrick Horn. Tickets: $40 General, $35 Senior, $15 Student. Purchase online: www.gcplayers.org. By phone: (925) 283-3728.

THEATER

The award-winning musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda, “In the Heights, ”presented by Saint Mary’s Performing Arts Department, runs Thursday April 27 through Sunday April 30 at Saint Mary’s LeFevre Theatre, 1928 Saint Mary’s Road, in Moraga. Tickets: $18 with $15 for students and seniors are available at the www.stmarys-ca.edu/in-the-heights-event-listing. Show times: 8 pm. April 27; 4 p.m. April 28; 9 p.m. April 28; 8 p.m. April 29; 2 p.m. April 30. Additional info. (925) 631-4670; tms8@stmarys-ca.edu. (See story page B1)

Orinda Intermediate School Bulldog Theater stages “Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR.,” April 27 through 29 at Orinda Intermediate School, 80 Ivy Drive. Take a journey out of the zoo and onto the stage with your favorite crack-a-lackin’ friends from the blockbuster DreamWorks film. Tickets are $3-$10. Visit www.showtix4u.com for show times and tickets. Tickets are also available at the door.

LECTURE & LITERATURE

Saint Mary’s College Creative Writing Reading Series presents visiting writer in creative nonfiction, Joyce Maynard, at 7:30 p.m. on April 19 in Hagerty Lounge, De La Salle Hall. Maynard is the author of 16 books including the novels “To Die For” and “Labor Day,” as well as the best-selling memoir, “At Home in the World.”

“The Summer of Love Experience: Art, Fashion & Rock & Roll” will be presented  at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 24 in the Orinda Library Garden Room. Orinda Library welcomes Alfred Escoffier, a Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco docent, who will share highlights of this display of memorabilia celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love at the De Young Museum. This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Orinda Library.

“Helping Education in Afghanistan: War for Hearts and Minds” from 7 to 8 p.m., with registration/social time at 6:30 p.m on April 27 at the Lafayette Library. Learn about current conditions and challenges in Afghanistan and Budd MacKenzie’s prognosis for Afghanistan’s future. Member and Trust in Education members: $10 Nonmember: $15 Student: Free. For reservations: visit www.worldaffairs.org or call (415) 293-4601

Fireside Chat: “Cleopatra: The Last Pharoah” at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 2. Orinda Library welcomes George Hammond of Humanities West for a fireside chat exploring the history and legend of Cleopatra. An iconic figure who lived dangerously and died sensationally, she remains an enigma and object of fascination. For more information contact the library at (925) 254-2184.

“The Missing Kennedy”: Author Talk with Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday May 2 at the Community Room at Moraga Public Library. Rosemary Kennedy, younger sister of JFK, was lobotomized at age 23 and then sent to live in a rural convent. Hear the author talk about the their friendship, her attempt to understand why the lobotomy happened in the first place, and the surprising good that came from what is otherwise a tragedy. For more information contact he library at (925) 376-6852.

Erik Larson, New York Times bestselling author, discusses his latest book “Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania” from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 4 at the Lafayette Library Distinguished Speaker Series. Larson’s work includes “The Devil in the White City,” “Thunderstruck” and “In the Garden of Beasts.” Information on a special private reception with Larson, reserved seating and tickets is at: www.tinyurl.com/ErikLarson, or call (925)283-6513 x102.

KIDS, PARENTS & TEENS

Family Bingo from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 21. Play with your kids, your grandkids, and friends from the community at this fun, all-ages event! Everyone is welcome. No cost or registration required. Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church, 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga. Mvpctoday.org. Free.

Princess Tea Party from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. Moms, grandmothers and daughters in preschool/kindergarten are invited for a fancy afternoon including tea, scones, crafts, story time and more! Special guest and former Nurtury Preschool teacher Julie Tausend will read “Fancy Nancy’s Tea for Two.” Tickets: $20/adult; $15/child. Register online by April 25: mvpctoday.org. Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church: 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga.

The Lamorinda Idol 2017 auditions will be held on May 11-13. Registration is open to all Lamorinda students or residents. Groups can include members outside Lamorinda. Register at www.LamorindaArts.Org through April 30. The Lamorinda Idol program includes workshops, multiple performance opportunities, parties and the finals at the Orinda Theatre on Sunday, Aug. 26.

Respite Night from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 5. Respite Night provides a fun night out for special needs children and siblings while their parents get a night off. To register your children, visit the Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church website: mvpctoday.org. Everyone is welcome and there is no cost for the event; also, no church or religious affiliation required. 10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga.

The Moraga-Orinda Fire District is hosting its Orinda Open House and Hot Dog Lunch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at Station 45, 33 Orinda Way, Orinda. Kids and Adults can meet their local firefighters, tour the fire trucks, and gather important wildfire safety and disaster preparedness information from MOFD and other local agencies. Smokey the Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog will make special guest appearances throughout the day. For more information, visit www.MOFD.org.

FESTIVALS

The Wagner Ranch Wildlife Festival from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 23 for free family fun. There will be honeybees, goats, turtles, birds, garden activities, food, music, nature tours, arts and crafts. 350 Camino Pablo Rd. at Bear Creek Road in Orinda. https://fwrna.org/wildlifefest/. (See story page B5)

Saint Mary’s celebrates its status as a Fair Trade College with this yearly free Fair Trade Festival, happening from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday April 28. Coffee, chocolate, tea, handicrafts, and other Fair Trade goods will be available — both free samples and items for purchase. Enjoy a BBQ for $5. For more information about this event and SMC’s Fair Trade efforts, visit www.stmarys-ca.edu/fairtrade

Don’t miss Lafayette Dogtown Downtown 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center & the Lafayette Plaza. This free event is for dogs and dog lovers. Visit www.LafayetteChamber.org/dogtown. (See story on page A3.)

Don’t Miss the Hacienda de las Flores, Fiesta de Mayo celebration from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 7, 2100 Donald Drive. Step back in time, enjoy the beautiful grounds and learn about the Hacienda’s rich history. Fun for all ages! Free admission, authentic Mexican food and drinks, live Mariachi Band, piñata contests, cupcake walks, other kids’ activities and more.

The 11th annual Moraga Community Faire & Car Show will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 13 at the town’s Rheem Valley Shopping Center featuring pony rides, bounce house and climbing wall, bike safty check, live entertainment, food trucks, local wine, classic cars and all sorts of fun booths — an old fashioned neighborhood faire for the whole family. Free to attend. For more information, visit www.moragachamber.org/faire.
    
OTHER

Certified appraisers from Michaan’s Auctions will give verbal appraisals on Fine Art, Furniture and Decorative Art, Jewelry, Stamps and Coins, Asian Art, etc. from 4-7 p.m. on April 21 (by appointment) at the Moraga Library,1500 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. This fundraiser is sponsored by Moraga Women’s Society. Bring your heirlooms or garage sale treasures for evaluation. Call Tammie Chambless (510) 227-2530 for appointment. Entry + up to 3 appraisals: $25. Pay at the door and proceed to the Community Room. All proceeds go to Moraga Schools.

Lamorinda Arts Council will host their second annual ShortDocs Film Fest at 3 p.m. on May 7 at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. This documentary film festival provides local filmmakers an opportunity to create new work as well as showcase it at a community screening. Entries for the Lamorinda ShortDocs Film Fest will be accepted until April 19. To learn more about the Lamorinda ShortDocs Film Fest competition and to enter go to http://www.lamorindaarts.org/shortdocs.

Acalanes High School SAGE (Students for the Advancement of Global Education) Club presents its fundraiser movie night at 9:30 p.m. on April 21.

Sudden Oak Death Blitz from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. Orinda Library welcomes students and faculty from the UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources who will show how to help stop this disease as a Citizen Scientist. Attend a short and informative training session where you will receive a SOD Blitz collection kit. For more information go to: www.sodblitz.org.

Under the Night Sky at 7 p.m. on Saturday, April 22 at the Lafayette Community Garden, 3932 Mt Diablo Blvd. Join together under the heavens at the Lafayette Community Garden for an evening of stargazing and to learn about the spring sky. Isabel Hawkins, former UC Berkeley professor and current Exploratorium consultant, will talk about the night sky and help locate constellations and other bright objects in the sky. Our classes are free. However, a $5 donation is appreciated. Register at www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org    

Orinda Action Day Creek Clean Up from 9:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 22. Volunteers will be clearing trash and invasive plants from along San Pablo Creek in Orinda Village as part of the 2017 Orinda Action Day. Meet at the table in front of the Orinda Library. Long pants and a hat are advisable. Tools will be provided but bring work gloves.

Saint Mary’s College Guild Fashion Show and Luncheon April in Paris is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 22 at the SMC Soda Center. Meg Coons, CABI representative, will bring the spring line of fashions and her models to the campus for this event. Complimentary wine, Champagne, or raspberry lemonade will be served. Cost is: $45 per person. Make check payable to: SMC Guild. Send to Pat Wiegmann, 39 Carr Drive, Moraga, CA 94556.

At 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 23, AAUW OML will honor Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette middle school girls who have won scholarships to the week-long AAUW Tech Trek Camp this summer and award scholarships to high school girls and one college woman headed for graduate school. American Association of University Women (AAUW), Orinda-Moraga-Lafayette (OML) Branch Orinda Community Church, 10 Irwin Way. Refreshments will be served.

The three Lamorinda chambers of commerce are organizing a free business forum for the community discussing the future of retail from 6 to 8 p.m. on April 25 at the Sarge Littlehale Room, 22 Orinda Way (the city offices.) The panelists will discuss what they think will change over the next 10 years and what can business people and city do to make sure the downtowns stay vibrant.

Acalanes High School will be holding a Wellness Fair from 11:25 to 12:27 on April 27. This is a combined effort of students, administration and the parents club. There will be therapy dogs, a bicycle-powered smoothie machine, self-defense exhibition, pull-up competition, paper airplane competition, henna painting, mindfulness, yoga, mental health information and much more.

The semi-annual giant book sale sponsored by The Friends of the Moraga Library will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. Books of every category will be sold at prices ranging from 25 cents to $4. Beginning at 1 p.m. a bag can be purchased for $5 and filled with all the books it can hold. Come to one of the biggest bargain sales in Lamorinda. The sale will be held at the Moraga Library, 1500 St. Mary’s Road.

Sale opportunity for “Beautycounter” safe skin care products and Shalom jewelry and accessories from Uganda at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 29 at St. Mark’s United Methdodist Church, 451 Moraga Way, Orinda. Proceeds go toward sending Rev. Michele Robbins to Malawi and Uganda to continue her work on Women’s empowerment issues related to domestic violence. Coffee, pastries, makeup demo. Come and build awareness of this area of the world as well as Beautycounter’s educational efforts around skin care safety.

The first Campolindo Auto Show runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 29. Come support the Campolindo Auto Engineering Class at its first car show! Bring any kind of automobile you want, from a Model-T to the newest Maserati. It’s only $25 to enter a car. With free admission to the show for everyone, attendees can bring the family for a day of fun with games, food and cars.

“Colorful Mandalas in the Garden” at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 6 at the Lafayette Community Garden, 3932 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Join local artist and educator Tracy Randolph for an intergenerational art workshop at the Lafayette Community Garden & Outdoor Learning Center, where attendees will explore and create Mandalas. At this workshop, we will explore how Mandalas relate to us spiritually and how they are meant to represent the connection between our inner worlds and outer reality, a sort of guided meditation. All ages welcome; Youth ages 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult. Register at www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org.

Don’t Miss Lafayette’s Favorite Dinner Party “Taste of Lafayette” Restaurant Stroll, 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday May 16. Friends, food and entertainment with 26 participating restaurants. Ticket holders head out at their own pace with friends to stop at any or all of the participating restaurants for sampling. Tickets are available online at www.lafayettechamber.org or at the Lafayette Chamber offices, located at 100 Lafayette Circle. (925) 284-7404. (See story page B3.)

Lafayette Juniors 18th Annual Kitchen Tour is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 20. Tour six Lafayette kitchens for a great cause benefiting Contra Costa Interfaith Housing, Alternative Family Services, The Taylor Family Foundation, and Trinity Center. Tickets are $40 and available at www.lafayettejuniors.org or Premier Kitchens in Lafayette.

SENIORS

Anne Randolph Physical Therapy presents Fall Prevention from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26 in the Cedar Room, Lafayette Community Center. Falls are a threat to health and independence. Learn how to gain better balance, avoid falls and remain self-sufficient. Senior Services Members: No charge/ Non-Members: $10.

Lunch n’ Learn: “Are Your Legal Documents in Order?” from 10:30 to noon on May 10 in the Cedar Room, Lafayette Community Center. Are you aware of the basic documents you should have in place? Ms. West will cover the essential forms: Living Trust, Will, Health Care Directive, Financial Power of Attorney, beneficiary forms, personal items distribution list and POLST. RSVP required by Wednesday, May 3: Seniors@LoveLafayette.org or (925) 284-5050.

Come to the Early Stage Alzheimer’s Forum from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on May 5 in Lafayette (exact address location will be provided upon registration.) Participants will have an opportunity to learn more about the disease, treatment and research updates as well as discuss common challenges and coping strategies during breakout sessions. This is a free event, open only to early-stage individuals and their care partners. Space is limited; early registration is recommended. For more information or to register, please contact Lan Trinh at (408)372-9982 or ltrinh@alz.org.

GARDEN

The Montelindo Garden Club Meeting (third Friday of every month, September through May) will be at 9 a.m on Friday April 21 at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 66 St. Stephens Drive, Orinda. Everyone welcome. Presentation: “Do I Have Pollinators for You!” by speaker Ellen Zagory, director of horticulture.

Lafayette Garden Club’s Fabulous Celebration at 10 a.m. on May 11 at The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Dr., Walnut Creek. Mimosa and Brunch, Fashion Show featuring “Garden Inspired” apparel, boutique with garden-themed Items for sale, floral designs and arrangements. Cost: $35 per person. For reservations please email: Ann Ward annward@annward.com or Laurelle Thom laurelleht@comcast.net.