Around Town: Free concert by Laguna Beach Community Band Sunday at Festival of Arts
The Laguna Community Concert Band is taking the stage this Sunday at this year’s Festival of the Arts.
The free concert, titled “The Summer Winds,” will begin at 1 p.m. The show is expected to include Broadway favorites from productions like “Oklahoma” and “My Fair Lady” in addition to “Ghost Riders in the Sky” from the 1949 Western film classic “Riders in the Sky.” Vocalists will include Lisa Morrice, Gary Greene, Samantha Morrice and Katie Baker.
“Like many other musical groups, we have had to postpone or cancel certain concerts over the last two years,” said Mark Lowery, co-conductor of the band, in a statement announcing the concert. “So we are very pleased to again play at Festival of Arts. It’s a great setting and a special opportunity to bring the joy of live music to our home-grown fans and visitors to Laguna Beach.”
The Laguna Community Concert Band practices at the Laguna Beach High School band room every Tuesday at 6 p.m. For more information about upcoming concerts or to play with the band, visit lagunaconcertband.com.
Tickets on sale for Pacific Airshow
Tickets went on sale Friday for the Pacific Airshow, the popular event that will take flight over Huntington Beach from Sept. 30 through Oct. 2.
This year’s show features the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the Air Force celebrates its 75th anniversary, as well as the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.
Fans have five options for tickets, including the expanded general admission area for $25 a day, pier seating for $40 to $60 a day, premiere club seating, premiere club plus a table for 10 and cabanas.
RV camping will also again be available for the event, which draws millions of people to Surf City each fall.
For more information, visit pacificairshow.com.
Pickleball tournament for reading program Saturday
The Parentis Foundation will be holding its inaugural pickleball tournament this weekend at the Tennis and Pickleball Club in Newport Beach.
The tournament will be fundraising for the foundation’s intergenerational reading program in which older adults tutor children who are not reading at their grade level.
The tournament will be taking place this Saturday and will officially begin at 4 p.m. Spectators are welcome to attend as teams compete at three distinct levels of skill: novice, intermediate and advanced. Organizers said the hope is to raise at least $40,000 by the tournament’s end to be put toward training materials, books and a literacy consultant that oversees the program.
Interested parties can visit parentisfoundation.org/pickleball for more information on the tournament and how to donate.
School safety topic of 4 upcoming NMUSD forums
The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will be holding four, in-person forums on school safety in the coming weeks, starting with Newport Harbor High School’s on Tuesday at 6 p.m. The remaining three will take place at Estancia High School on July 20; Costa Mesa High School on July 26; and Corona del Mar High School on July 27 at each of their respective campuses. All of three begin at 6 and Spanish interpretation will be available at all meetings.
The district will also be hosting a virtual forum on July 28. Registration is required and can be done at bit.ly/3A1dUue.
Community members are also being asked to contribute thoughts about school safety through the district’s Thoughtexchange, available online at nmusd.us/safety from July 19 through July 29.
O.C. Water District recognized with award
The Assn. of California Water Agencies recognized the Orange County Water District with this year’s award for the most effective agency on federal issues, according to an announcement issued by the local agency on Thursday.
The OCWD serves the cities of Anaheim, Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Huntington Beach, Irvine, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Orange, Placentia, Santa Ana, Seal Beach, Stanton, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster and Yorba Linda.
Officials said the award was given for the district’s engagement on federal issues as prioritized by the association’s federal affairs committee.
OCWD Director Denis Bilodeau thanked the association in a news release announcing the award, saying, “Our efforts have resulted in increased funding for local projects and legislative change. We must continue to impress on lawmakers the need to secure water supply reliability for the region through large infrastructure investments and enhanced coordination between the state and federal governments.”
Free painting class for children Sunday at Muth Center
The Newport Bay Conservancy will hold a free painting class this Sunday for kids, starting at noon.
The two-hour class will have art instructors. The class is intended for children ages 7 to 12 and will be at the outdoor amphitheater of the Peter and Mary Muth Interpretive Center, 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach. All materials will be supplied, and participants will be able to bring home a completed painting by the end of the class.
More information and registration can be found at eventbrite.com/e/back-bay-plein-air-art-festival-tickets-378125271867.
Additionally, the Muth Center will be the venue a weekend show, and sale of art by artists from the Southern California Plein Air Paints Assn. will occur on both Saturday and Sunday. The shows begin at 10 a.m. both days and end at 4 p.m. The event will include live music and an original painting giveaway. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Family nature walk set for July 23
The Newport Bay Conservancy will hold a family nature walk by Newport Bay on July 23.
The walk will be along Upper Newport Bay, principally along the paved Bayview Trail. Guides will pause for visitors to take in the sights of birds, wildflowers and other wildlife present.
The walk is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Interested parties can visit letsgooutside.org/activities/2022/07/23/family-walk-at-the-bay-8 for more information and to register.
Premiere concert planned by Laguna Live!
Laguna Live! is bringing more opera into the city. On Aug. 13, the organization will present a premiere concert of the Laguna Opera featuring soprano Oriana Falla and tenor Arnold Livingston Geis.
The concert will include works by Mozart, Puccini, Verdi, Britten and Schumann. It will be held in the Sanctuary of the Neighborhood Church, 340 St. Ann’s Drive, and begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $35 for general admission; $75 for a VIP ticket, which includes front-row seating, a drink ticket and a meet-and-greet with the artists.
For more information, visit lagunalive.org or call (949) 715-9713.
Scottish ceilidh to be held at Shipley Nature Center Aug. 6
Shipley Nature Center’s Cool Summer Nights Series presents “It’s a Ceilidh!” on Saturday, Aug. 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the center, 17851 Goldenwest St., Huntington Beach.
A ceilidh (pronounced kay-lee) is a Scottish dance party where you can enjoy lively traditional music and learn some easy, fun dances. No dance experience or partner is needed, and kids are welcome. Wear comfortable shoes and a kilt, if you have one.
No reservations needed, and admission is free, though donations to Shipley Nature Center will be appreciated. Live music and dance instruction/calling provided by the SO-CALedonians.
Parking is limited in the Shipley parking lot, but additional parking can be found in the Sports Complex lots across Goldenwest Street or in the lot off of Edwards Street and Central Park Drive. Food and drink are not permitted in the Nature Center, but there is plenty of picnic space nearby.
For additional information visit shipleynature.org or email [email protected].
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