HOPE4Kids Festival and 5K/10K/Kids Run in Thousand Oaks on April 28, 2018

The Hope4Kids Festival and Run will be held on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at Lake Sherwood, 2300 Norfield Ct, Thousand Oaks 8am to 2pm.

Please join us on Saturday April 28th from 8am to 2pm in raising funds for foster, former foster, abused and neglected children in Ventura County and the Conejo Valley! The HOPE4Kids Festival & Run is a community effort sponsored by RaisingHOPE, Inc. to raise awareness of the needs of youth in foster care and raise funds to meet the needs of youth in care. Monies raised by this event will go directly to assist foster youth including but not limited to paying for orthodontic treatment, special medical equipment, textbooks for college, and extracurricular activities such as sports equipment, camps, musical instruments, arts, driver's education courses and more!

Course starts at the gorgeous, exclusive Lake Sherwood in the hills of Thousand Oaks. The festival and starting line is between the two Lake Sherwood property gates off of Potrero.

Please bring your whole family and join us for our FREE Festival which will feature a silent auction, booths by community organizations, food trucks, a free kidzone (bounce houses, gaming truck, reptiles and more) and stage performances. Entry into the fair is free to the community. We also feature a Foster Gallery with video and photo biographies of children in need of families.

Register and learn more at www.raisinghope.org/hope4kids.

2018 Moorpark Rotary Blue & Gray Civil War Reenactment in Moorpark on March 17-18

The Blue & The Gray Civil War reenactment in Moorpark is the largest battle reenactment on the West Coast. Now in its 17th year, the event will take place March 17 and 18 at Hitch Ranch (100 West High St., Moorpark, entrance adjacent to the Moorpark Post Office).

Hundreds of re-enactors from all over the country come to Moorpark each year to participate.

Activities include four battle reenactments (with cannon and musket fire), Abraham Lincoln delivering the Gettysburg Address, solider and civilian encampments, Confederate army surrendering to the Union army and period dancing and music. The featured battle this year is the Battle of Gettysburg. Presented by the Rotary Club of Moorpark, the event is designed to educate the public about the historical significance of the Civil War and its effect on the United States including the abolishment of slavery.

Hours: 10 a.m.– 4 p.m. Admission:  $20/adults (online, $22 at the gate), $15/ages 6 through 17 (online, $17 at the gate), free/ages 5 and under. Bleacher seats: an additional $4 per person, per battle. Parking: $5 per car. A free shuttle will take visitors to the event site. Discount packages are available online. For more information: go to www.MoorparkCivilWar.com, CivilWar@MoorparkRotary.com, 805-279-5253.

SCENES FROM THE 2010 EVENT

2018 AIDS Walk Ventura on Saturday, March 3rd at Plaza Park

The 2018 AIDS Walk Ventura takes place Saturday, March 3rd at Plaza Park in Ventura. Check-in and entertainment starts:at 8:30am and walk starts at 10am.

AIDS Walk Ventura is a fun, healthy way for friends, families and teams of co-workers to raise awareness and help to do their part in the fight against HIV & AIDS in Ventura County. Learn more and sign up at aidswalkventura.org.

9th Annual Wish Night Gala Benefiting Make-A-Wish® Tri-Counties in Westlake Village on 2/23/18

Make-A-Wish® Tri-Counties will be hosting its 9th Annual Wish Night gala celebrating the power of a wish to inspire hope, strength and joy to courageous children battling life-threatening medical conditions. This year’s event will be held 5:30-10 p.m. on February 23, 2018 at the Hyatt Regency in Westlake Village.

A special program highlight is the opportunity for guests to personally help make wishes come true through Fund-A-Wish. The evening also features heartfelt wish stories, a plated dinner, a wine wall, live music and silent and live auctions.

Make-A-Wish® Tri-Counties has granted over 1,500 wishes for local children throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties since 1985. . For tickets and/or sponsorship information, visit tri-counties.wish.org.

"My Father's Dragon" Family Show at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Sat, January 20th

Embark on an adventure with My Father’s Dragon at the Bank of America Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Fred Kavli Theatre, Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 2:00 p.m.

Based on Ruth Stiles Gannett’s beloved, award-winning and best-selling Dragon trilogy, Enchantment Theatre Company’s My Father’s Dragon features talking animals, flying dragons and buried treasure! Elmer sets off on a daring adventure to rescue a baby dragon being held captive by the ferocious animals of Wild Island. With pluck and ingenuity Elmer makes his way to the island, outwits the wild animals and saves Boris, the dragon. But can they find their way back home? Using life-size puppets, expressive masks, magical scenic effects and original music, Enchantment brings to life this remarkable tale that reminds us all that we are never too young to make a difference.

The Enchantment Theatre Company awakens imaginations of every age with its whimsical telling of new and classic fables, myths and legends. For this production, they bring to vivid life a story that has been honored by Newbery and the American Library Association, named among the top 100 books for children by the School Library Journal, and is celebrating its 70th anniversary of publication in 2018. With “delightfully logical nonsense, appealing characters, and irrepressible humor,” (the New York Times), the production is a tale of derring-do and laughter, too. 

Single tickets are priced at $29-$19 with group discounts available. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, online at www.ticketmaster.com (or more specifically, THIS LINK) or through the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Box Office, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard. For more information call 805-449-ARTS (2787) or visit www.civicartsplaza.com.

Conejo Valley Community Concert & Jazz Bands Spring Concert on Sunday, March 4, 2018

The Conejo Valley Community Concert and Jazz Bands present their Spring 2018 Concert at Lindero Canyon Middle School, 5844 Larboard Lane, Agoura Hills, on Sunday, March 4 at 4pm. Free admission. For more information, call 858.597.7361. ci.agoura-hills.ca.us

Opera by the Glass Presents "Anna Bolena" at Museum of Ventura County on 11/17, 11/19

Opera by the Glass Presents a Thrilling Immersive Production of Donizetti’s Tragic Masterpiece, Anna Bolena, at the Museum of Ventura County on Friday, November 17, and Sunday, November 19, 2017

Artists collective Opera by the Glass will present its contemporary interpretation of Gaetano Donizetti’s historical masterpiece, Anna Bolena, sponsored by the Museum of Ventura County for two special performances on Friday, November 17 (8:00pm), and Sunday, November 19, 2017 (5:00pm).

Anna Bolena, a thrilling bel canto opera in two acts, recounts the final days of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of England's notorious King Henry VIII, once he had lost interest in her and ruthlessly moved on to Jane Seymour. The fast-paced immersive experience is staged in the museum’s exquisite Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Pavilion, which is punctuated with striking walls of glass and river rock. Anna Bolena features first-rate Ventura-based artists in collaboration with performers from outside the area who have appeared in regional, national, and international productions.

Anna Bolena is widely considered the strongest of Donizetti's three "Tudor queen" operas, noted for its inspired music and fully realized characters. Donizetti’s original opera was over 3 hours in duration. For this production, Opera by the Glass has carefully trimmed the work down to a more palatable 2-hour length. The high-quality production will be presented in its original Italian with English supertitles.

The Friday, November 17th performance of Anna Bolena starts at 8:00pm and the Sunday, November 19th performance starts at 5:00pm, running for 2 hours and 20 minutes (2 hours of performance + a 20-minute intermission). Seating is arranged to resemble a royal court with the performers activating the space for an immersive, intimate experience; complimentary wine and light refreshments will be available for those seated at tables. VIP “King” front row tables for 4 are $300, “Queen” tables for 4 are $250, “Court” tables for 4 are $150, and single seats behind the tables are $30. Adding seats to tables is not possible. Tickets are available for purchase in advance at bolena.bpt.me. Minimum age is 16.

The Museum of Ventura County is located at 100 East Main Street, Ventura. Plenty of street and metered parking is available near the venue. For additional information, visit the Facebook event page: https://oby.tg/FBAnnaEvEnt. Or direct questions to (805) 665-3651 / hello@operabytheglass.org. Opera by the Glass is also on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

More info:

Hana Chelberg is featured in the challenging role of “Anne Boleyn,” the ambitious, doomed Tudor queen, as she languishes in anxiety, confusion, and eventual madness while facing execution (remedial spoiler: she’s totally a goner). Dianna Burdick plays the conflicted “Jane Seymour,” who replaced Anne in the king’s affections. Luvi Avendano is “Lord Rochefort,” Anne’s brother, with whom she was accused of having an incestuous relationship. “Lord Percy,” Anne’s former love, is played by Alex Rodin Mendoza. Sally Rose Bates, as Anne’s page “Mark Smeaton,” and Ricardo Mota, as court official “Sir Hervey,” round out the cast.

Additional members of Henry’s treacherous court are characterized by an ever-present chorus of eavesdroppers and spies. Covers and ensemble members include Constance von Briesen-Kamm, Rosa Chang, Grace Kim, Rachel Labovitch, Jessie Missouri, and Esteban Pérez. The production also features a 14-piece live orchestra of area musicians.

Anna Bolena will be staged with a blend of traditional and modern aesthetics in the Museum of Ventura County’s Martin V. & Martha K. Smith Pavilion, a state of the art event space in the heart of historic downtown Ventura. Audience seating will be arranged around a theatrical “runway” in blatantly hierarchical, courtly fashion with tables configured by ticket price. The best seats, with the closest access to the performers, will go to those with the most power and influence (i.e., money). As they perform, players in sumptuous costumes will filter through the audience in the impressive space, offering an immersive experience as the action unfolds all around.

Anna Bolena is the first live performing arts production to be staged in the museum. While not entirely historically accurate, the production should appeal not only to diehard opera fans, but also to history buffs, political junkies, cultural adventurers, and music lovers seeking an accessible way to dip their toes into the often-pretentious world of opera.

In addition to serving as Artistic Director for Opera by the Glass, Zeffin Quinn Hollis also directs Anna Bolena. Timothy León is the Music Director and Conductor. Robert Chelberg is an Executive Consultant.

Opera by the Glass –
Launched in 2016, Opera by the Glass is a community of singers, directors, and musicians devoted to providing fantastic immersive opera experiences for contemporary audiences in non-traditional yet spectacular spaces in Ventura County and beyond. The concept is part of a new breed of intimate opera companies and grass roots arts organizations that strip away rigid performance paradigms to offer accessible and affordable opera in casual settings that are enjoyable and easy-to-follow by a wide audience. Anna Bolena is the second opera staged by Opera by the Glass. The organization’s sold-out inaugural production of Bellini’s The Sleepwalker (2016) met critical acclaim and enthusiastic local audiences last November.

10th Annual Scott Medlock-Robby Krieger Celebrity Golf Tourney and All Star Rock Concert on August 27-28, 2017

The 10th annual Scott Medlock-Robby Krieger Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament Benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and 19th Hole Festivities are planned for Monday, August 28, 2017 at the North Ranch Country Club and All Star Rock & Roll Concert featuring Robby Krieger of The Doors and other rock legends is planned for Sunday, August 27 at 5:30pm at Saddlerock Ranch in Malibu.

Internationally renowned Sports Artist Scott Medlock and the Legendary Guitarist for THE DOORS Robby Krieger are excited to host the event.

After completing play for the day, all golfers are invited to the 19th Hole Festivities for cocktails, hors d'oeuvres hosted by some of the best local restaurants, golf awards,

All proceeds from the event will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, one of the largest pediatric research hospitals in the world. 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other deadly diseases. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, and food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. St. Jude freely shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. 

To learn more and buy tickets to both events, visit www.TheMedlockKrieger.com 

Indoor Community Flea Market at Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center on 12/9/17

The Agoura Hills/Calabasas Community Center is hosting an Indoor Community Flea Market on Saturday, December 9, 2017 from 7am to 2pm at 27040 Malibu Hills Rd, Agoura Hills. Enjoy food trucks and up to 30 vendors showcasing antiques, jewelry, clothing and other household items. Call 818.880.2993 for more information. ahccc.org

Ventura County Animal Services to Host Movie Nights Under the Stars 7/15, 22, 29

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ShelterLife is a nine-part documentary about Ventura County Animal Services (VCAS).

BINGE-WATCH all 9 Episodes This Summer!

Episodes 1 - 3 Saturday, July 15th, 2017, 8:00pm - 9:30pm

HERITAGE SQUARE - 715 South A. Street, Oxnard

Episodes 4 - 6 Saturday, July 22nd, 2017, 8:00pm - 9:30pm

CAMARILLO PREMIUM OUTLETS - 740 E. Ventura Blvd., Camarillo (Next to Chipotle.)

Episodes 7 - 9 Saturday, July 29th, 2017, 8:00pm - 9:30pm

SIMI VALLEY TOWN CENTER - 1555 Simi Town Center Way, Simi Valley

(Park near Marshall's. Event is next to Charming Charlies.)

vcas.us/ShelterLife