October 9, 2007

CALENDAR

Unless otherwise noted all phone numbers are in the 408 area code.

MUSIC

Oct. 12
Branham High School hosts “Battle of the Bands II” from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Branham High School campus (Meridian at Branham). Come and cheer your local faves as high school bands compete for top honors and prizes. Professional judges panel, Food & Fun! Tickets are $10. Interested bands contact bill@branhammusic.com. Variety of genres welcome.

Oct. 20
San Jose Wind Symphony Celebrates 50! Darrell Johnson, SJWS founding conductor and Ed Harris, succeeding conductor will lead the Wind Symphony in favorite musical selections. Special guest artist, Ed Shaughnessy, drummer on the Johnny Carson-era Tonight Show, will be performing unique arrangements with the Wind Symphony. The Wind Symphony will also be premiering Craig Bohmier’s repolished Concert Variations on a Theme of Schubert. Leigh Weimers and Forrest Williams will be our guest announcers at this special event. Show time is 7 p.m. at the California Theatre. Admission is $15 - $20. For more information, 927-7597 or visit www.sjws.org

CHILDREN/FAMILY

Sept. 27 – Jan. 26, 2008
Body Worlds 2 & the Three Pound Gem at The Tech: Body Worlds 2 features more than 200 authentic human specimens preserved through Plastination, including whole bodies, individual organs, and transparent body slices. The exhibit offers visitors an in-depth view of the intricately designed human body, comparative anatomy showing wellness and disease, and the mysterious world of the brain. Admission is $8 - $22. Exhibit hours are 9 a.m. – 9 p.m. Last entry 7:30 p.m. For more information on this must-see exhibit, visit www.thetech.org

Oct. 13
Celebrate the 12th Annual Pumpkins in the Park at Discovery Meadow. Produced by the Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Gardens, this event will feature fresh pressed apple cider, and entertainment by popular children’s entertainers the Banana Slug String Band, Zun Zun, Andy Z and many more. Activities include pumpkin decorating, puppet shows, and environmental education activities. A variety of food and beverages will be available for sale. Hours are 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is free, For more information, call 298-7657 or visit www.grpg.org

Oct. 13 – 14
Kick Start, Eat Smart: Join the Children’s Discovery Museum for a weekend of fun that will encourage healthy eating and staying active, including Kaiser Permanente’s Educational Theatre Presentation of “Zip’s Great Day!”, family yoga, folklorico dancing, family jazzercise, and more. Kick Start Eat Smart is a partnership between Kaiser Permanente and Children’s Discovery Museum of San José. Event hours are 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. on 10/13 and from noon - 5 p.m. on 10/14. For more information, visit www.cdm.org.

Oct. 13 – 14
37th annual Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival, The World Pumpkin Capital of Half Moon Bay celebrates its bountiful fall harvest and autumn splendor with a spectacular lineup paying homage to the Great Gourd including a special display of gigantically enormous weigh-off champion pumpkins, three stages of smashing entertainment, live music, the Great Pumpkin Parade, a bone-chilling Haunted House, The Golden Gourds Youth Talent Showcase, massive weigh-off champion pumpkins, harvest-inspired crafts, homestyle foods, expert pumpkin carvers, photos with the grand champion gourd, pie-eating, carving and costume contests, The Take 5 Lounge with giant screen LED TV, Half Moon Bay Winery's special festival-label wine and Half Moon Bay Brewing Company's Mavericks Pumpkin Harvest Ale 2. Admission is free. This event is presented by the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. The event is located on Main Street between Miramontes and Spruce Streets in Half Moon Bay, CA. For more information, call 650-726-9652 or visit http://www.miramarevents.com/  

Oct. 21
Campbell Museum Free Family Day. Hours are from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Visit special hands-on exhibits and explore the rich history of Campbell’s past. Locas-tion: 51 North Central Ave. For more information, call 866-2119.

Oct. 26
A special Trick or Treat event downtown in Campbell. Hours are 5 -7 p.m.

Oct. 27
Safe Family Halloween Fun at Kirkwood Plaza: Kirkwood Plaza, located on the corner of West Campbell Avenue and San Tomas Aquino Road, is hosting a family, fun event that will include a plaza-wide trick-or-treat for candy and prizes from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Balloon animals, and costume contest at noon for contestants 10 years or younger. Prizes will be given to first, second and third place winners. First prize is a $100 Kirkwood Plaza gift certificate. Our special guest is Marla Davies from Mix 106.5. Children must wear a costume and be accompanied by an adult.

Oct. 27
The Annual Capri Fall Festival will be held at the school campus, 850 Chapman Avenue, in Campbell from 4 - 8 p.m. We will have giant slides, a haunted cemetery, art and crafts, games, food, silent auction, and more. All proceeds will benefit Capri School. Admission is free and tickets for the activities are available the day of the event. Inquiries can be sent to the Capri PTA  capripta@yahoo.com

CLASSES

Oct. 12 – 14
The Santa Clara Valley Square Dancers Association is hosting its 51st Annual Jubilee at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds on Tully Road. And will offer a free introduction to Modern Square Dancing on 10/12 from 7-9:30 p.m. and an all-day basics class for $8 on 10/14 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., parking for both events is available through Gate B off Tully Road.  Questions?  Call (408) 774-1570, email jubilee@scvsda.org or visit www.scvsda.org

Ongoing
Mindfulness (Vipassana) meditations. Alternate walking and sitting Vipassana meditations. Every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sitting Vipassana meditations are held every Sunday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Both sessions are free. Classes are held at the Mindful Living Alliance Insight Meditation Center, 419 California Street in Campbell. For more information call Tony at 732-3322 or 505-5190, or e-mail MLA899@Gmail.com, or visit www.MindfulLivingAlliance.org.

Foundation of Family Values now offers a variety of weekly parenting classes with support groups at the Campbell Community Center. Sessions include licensed therapist facilitators, some free meetings, Fathers support group, etc. For more information, session dates and course descriptions, visit http://www.fofv.org. Foundation of Family Values seeks to enhance the core values of modern families through creating innovative programs in combination with providing resources that facilitate the intellectual development of parenting ethics and responsibilities in the best interest of children. Families of all Political, Religious, Sexual Preference, Economic, and Racial Categories are supported. FFV is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organization.

FIFTY PLUS

Ongoing
AARP Campbell Area Chapter 5151 meets the third Tuesday of every month at 9:30 a.m. in room Q-80, Campbell Community Center, 1 West Campbell Ave for informative and fun programs.  Visitors from all communities are welcome. Call 378-6996

VOLUNTEERS

Do you enjoy working with children and have an interest in art?  The San Jose Museum of Art is currently recruiting volunters to join the Let's Look at Art Program.  As a volunteer docent you would bring art into classrooms and lead interactive discussions with the students.  Classroom visits are done according to your availability during school hours.  For more information phone 291-5393 or email Vol4LLAA@sjmusart.org.  No art experience is required.  Training session begins Oct. 17, 2007.
Hospice of the Valley has opportunities for volunteers with a variety of skills for patient and family services, community outreach, fundraising events and office support. Training is provided. For more information, call the Hospice of the Valley’s Director of Volunteer Services at 559-5600 or email request@hospicevalley.org.

MISCELLANEOUS

Oct. 12
The Santa Clara County Division, of the California Retired Teachers Association, will meet for luncheon at the Three Flames restaurant, 1547 Meridian Avenue, at 11:30 a.m. Join us for good food and entertainment by retired teacher and author of “Dancing in My Nightgown,” Betty Auchard, followed by a book signing. Please call Roger Evans at 294-8346 for reservations.

Oct. 13
The San Jose Auxiliary hosts its 35th Pumpkin Patch Boutique from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at First Congregational Church (Hamilton & Leigh in San Jose) Items include best-of-the-best donations to Willow Glen’s The Thrift Box: silverware, jewery, artwork, brass, antiques, crystal and collectibles. Also, Holiday decorations, rare books, CDs furs, kitchenware and much more. There is a $2 admission proceeds benefit the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. For more information, contact Deanne Westen, Pumpkin Patch Assistant Chair, 559-1187, or Marilyn Taketa, Publicity Chair, 288-9400, mtaketa2@earthlink.net.

Oct. 18
Project HIRED will hold its annual Harvest Moon Gala at Villa Ragusa in Campbell.  The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the silent auction runs through 7:45 p.m.. Immediately following the dinner and silent auction, a live auction will include vacation trips, Shark Tank Penthouse Suite for 20 persons, sports packages, sailing in Santa Cruz, and wine tasting. Check out www.projecthired.org for the latest updates. “Tables of Champions” for ten people can be purchased for $1,500.  Individual tickets are available at $150 each. For more information about sponsorships or purchasing tickets, call Karen Morris, Director of Development, at 408.557 4307. www.projecthired.org Proceeds from this event will benefit Project HIRED, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities to gain competitive employment and advance their careers, through partnerships with industry.

Oct. 19
Third Friday Art Walk: Meet the artists at ten galleries and studios in Downtown Campbell. Hours are from 6-9 p.m.

Oct. 20
Electronic Waste Recycling Event at Rolling Hills Middle School: Drop off your unwanted electronic equipment such as computers, monitors, printers, stereos, telephones, and VCRs. (Freezers, A/Cs, batteries or items with motor oil not accepted.) Drop-off location: RHMS,1535 More Avenue (at Pollard Rd.), Los Gatos. Hours are 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Sponsored by and for the benefit of the Rolling Hills Music Boosters. For more information call EarthCare Recycling at 573-8573.

Oct. 27
Campbell Artists Guild meeting: This meeting will feature Award-winning artist Edna Wagner Piersol, and a demonstration of experimental watercolor techniques – especially on tissue paper. Hours are 1 – 3 p.m. at the Campbell Library Community Room, 77 North Harrison Avenue in Campbell. Membership is open and this meeting is open to the public.

Nov. 8
Come out and support the Downtown Campbell Business Association at the Fashion Frenzy Fall Show: The Fashion Frenzy Fall show and Silent auction 7-10 p.m. Campbell boutiques will strut their stylish duds at the Sonoma Chicken Coop. Tickets for the show and silent auction are $25 and benefits the Downtown Campbell Business Association. Tickets may be purchased at downtown businesses.

Ongoing
The Hearing Loss Association of Silicon Valley meets on the third Wednesday of each month (except July and August) at the Moose Lodge, 1580 Hamilton Avenue in San Jose. Meetings begin at 12:30 p.m. Our mission is to improve the world of communication for people with hearing loss through information, education, support and advocacy. Visitors are welcome. For more information, call 229-1041 or visit www.hearingloss.org.


HAVE AN ITEM FOR OUR CALENDAR?
We are seeking calendar items pertaining to the south bay communities we cover in our seven monthly community newspapers: Blossom Valley, Cambrian, Campbell, Evergreen, Santa Teresa, Willow Glen, Fifty Plus, and our weekly publication, Almaden Times Weekly. Items must be submitted by email or fax several weeks before the event. Send an email to candy@timesmediainc. com or fax to Candy Richter at 494-7078. Photos should be sent digitally as jpegs or mailed to Calendar, Times Newspapers, 1310 Tully Road, Ste. 107, San Jose, CA 95122. Due to the large volume of items received calendar requests left on voice mail cannot be used. Space is limited.