October 6, 2006

CALENDAR

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

MUSIC

October 6-7
Barbershop Harmony Convention at the Civic Auditorium: Voices in Harmony Chorus is hosting this year’s annual Far Western District Contest and Convention. 27 Quartets and 25 Choruses will compete for the top awards, the winners receiving an invitation to the Barbershop Harmony Society’s International Convention in July, 2007. Admission is $30 - $50. For more information, call 247-1180.

October 20 – Friday
Boyz II Men at the Campbell Heritage Theater: Introduced by Bell Biv Devoe’s Michael Bivins through Motown Records in 1991, this Philadelphia high school vocal group sky-rocketed to one of the most successful R&B vocal sensations in the early 90s. Characterized by their multiple lead arrangements and rich harmonies, Boyz II Men topped the charts with hits “One Sweet Day,”“Ill Make Love to You,” and “End of the Road.” Performing one night only. For tickets and additional information, call 866-2700 or visit wwwheritagetheatre.org

THEATER

September 23 – October 14
Saratoga Drama Group presents “Bye, Bye Birdie” at the Saratoga Civic Theatre, 13777 Fruitvale Avenue in Saratoga. Considered on of the captivating musicals of modern times, “Bye, Bye Birdie” follows rock heartthrob Conrad Birdie on the verge of his induction into the Army. When his publicity-minded agent decides to send Birdie off with a kiss from a member of his fan club – on the Ed Sullivan show – things begin to go awry. Classic songs from the production include “What Did I Ever See In Him?”, “Spanish Rose” and “Kids.” For tickets and information, call 266-4734. Directed by Tim Harris, music by Charles Strouse, choreography by Kayvon Kordestani.

ART

October 1 – 31
Monsieur Beans of Willow Glen, 1383 Lincoln Avenue in San Jose, presents an art exhibit of original paintings by Pauline J. Jensen. This showing will features 20 works including “Glass Walkways – Halfmoon Bay” and “Dreams of Travel” (water color) and “People of Korea.” (oil) An artist’s reception will be held on October 8 from 2 – 5 p.m. refreshments will be served.

October 14 - 15
“Art by the Pound” brings animal and art lovers under one roof, featuring animals available for adoption from Humane Society Silicon Valley and animal inspired artwork from Santa Clara artist Sonya Paz. The event hours are from 1 pm - 6 pm both days at the Sonya Paz Fine Art Gallery (www.sonyapaz.com), 1793 Lafayette Street, Suite 110, in Santa Clara. A percentage of the proceeds will directly benefit the shelter animals. The special exhibit will continue through October 22.

CHILDREN/FAMILY

October 6-8
San Jose Arts Festival at the San José McEnery Convention Center: This event features 170 exhibitors offering more than 10,000 original works for sale in all price ranges. Festival visitors have the opportunity to meet and talk with the artists and craftspeople about how they make their unique items. Admission is $6.50 - $7.50. For more information, call 805-461-6700 or visit www.americanartfestivals.com

October 7 – Saturday
Scarecrow-Making Workshop: Gather ‘round for this wonderful opportunity to spend time with friends/family and let your collective creativity flow! Additionally, all scarecrows will be invited to participate in the Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens’ sponsored Scarecrow Contest at Pumpkins in the Park on Saturday, October 14.  The workshop will be held at the new Guadalupe River Park & Gardens Visitor & Education Center, 438 Coleman Avenue in San Jose. One scarecrow allowed per group.  Scarecrow building materials are included in the workshop fee. Children under eighteen years old must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited, so reserve your spot early by sending a check to: Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, 438 Coleman Avenue, San Jose, CA 95110. Visa and MasterCard are also accepted via phone or mail. For more information please visit www.grpg.org or call 298-7657.

October 13 – 15
More than 220 local churches from San Jose and neighboring communities will join together to host pastor and evangelist Greg Laurie at San Jose’s HP Pavilion for the 2006 Greater Silicon Valley Harvest. The evangelistic outreach event will feature a timely message about faith from Laurie as well as some of Christian music’s hottest artists, including newsboys, Salvador, Jeremy Camp, Seventh Day Slumber, Kutless, Todd Agnew, Crystal Lewis and Chris Rice. 

Laurie is also the pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, located in Riverside, CA. The Harvest will also include a Saturday evening event called Amplify, designed especially for teens and young adults, as well as a first-ever Saturday afternoon Spanish-language matinee. All three days are free of charge, and will be broadcast live on the internet at www.harvest.org.  HP Pavilion charges $10 for parking.

October 13 – 14
International Gift Faire: Fairly-traded folk art and handicrafts from Ten Thousand Villages, a non-profit job creation and marketing program for artisans in 30 developing countries. Event hours are Fri., Oct. 13, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Sat., Oct. 14, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Lincoln Glen Fellowship Hall, 2700 Booksin Ave., San Jose. For more information, visit www.internationalgiftfaire.com.

October 14 – Saturday
The Almaden branch of the San Jose Public Library will be hosting a Kindergarten Readiness Program to prepare parents of pre-school aged children for a successful transition into kindergarten. Program hours are from 2:30 - 4 p.m. Topics will include: transition to the classroom, administrative work to register your child, dental health, and a discussion of basic motor and cognitive skills. The presenter’s panel will hold a brief Q & A session following the program. For more information, or to sign up, call: 272-3663.

October 14 – Saturday
“Pumpkins in the Park” at Discovery Meadow: Now in its 11th year, this much-anticipated family event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is produced by Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens. This is a celebration of the environment and the fall harvest season and features a variety of specialty apples to taste, fresh pressed apple cider, and entertainment by popular children’s entertainers the Banana Slug String Band, Zun Zun and many more. Events also include pumpkin decorating, puppet shows, environmental education activities and the chance to learn some traditional circus arts from Cosmo the Clown. Celebrate Fire Prevention Week with the San Jose Fire Department, too! Admission is free! For more information, call 408-298-7657 or visit www.grpg.org

October 14 – Saturday
Hillbrook School in Los Gatos will hold their annual Open House from 10 am -12 noon. Hillbrook is a JK-8 coeducational day school serving the Silver Creek Community. It is located on 14 acres, and features challenging academics and an emphasis on the Arts, Science and PE.  Please call 356-6116, ext. 305 for further information.

October 14 – Saturday
Evergreen Valley United Methodist Church, 3520 San Felipe Road will be holding their All-Church Yard Sale from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Many items featured, including baked goods. We will barter!

October 14 & 21
For the past 12 years, The San Jose Beautiful Daffodil Planting Program has added lasting beauty and color to the city’s open spaces. Now for the first time, the program that has provided bulbs free of charge to city residents is adding sample packets of California native onion bulbs! Eligible groups to receive free bulbs are: neighborhood associations, garden clubs, Adopt-a-Park groups, scout troops, school groups, San Jose Conservation Corps, and other volunteer groups. Bulbs must be used to beautify public spaces in the city of San Jose such as city parks, school grounds, libraries, youth centers, senior centers, even median strips. Private property and religious institutions are not eligible. Requests for bulbs are accepted via the following website: http://keepsjbeautiful.org/daffodil.html. Bulbs will be available for pickup on Saturday October 14 and October 21 from the Kirk Community Center, 1601 Foxworthy Avenue (just east of Meridian), San Jose, 95118.

October 21 – Saturday
The new exhibit, “Dragons and Fairies: Exploring Viet Nam Through Folktales,” opens at the Children’s Discovery Museum in San Jose. “Dragons and Fairies” is designed to educate children ages 5-12 about the rich cultural heritage of the Vietnamese people. It provides an opportunity to explore the lives and traditions of people living in modern and ancient Viet Nam. The Children’s Discover Museum is located at 180 Woz Way, in downtown San Jose, at the intersection of Woz Way and Auzerais Street. Hours are Tuesday–Saturday: 10 a.m. -5 p.m.; Sunday: noon-5 p.m. Member’s only hour is Sunday 11 a.m. – noon.

October 21-22
Wash your beer steins and dust off those lederhosen, Campbell’s Oktoberfest is coming! Over 125 arts and crafts vendors will be offering their wares in downtown Campbell. There will also be plenty of German food and brew to tempt your palate, as Betty Deal would say, and destroy your diet. The kids will enjoy the “Kinderplatz” area which is designed just for them. In addition, there will be three stages of live entertainment featuring the popular Alpiners along with other talented local artists. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 10/21 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 10/22. For more information, visit the Campbell Chamber of Commerce web site at www.campbellchamber.com

October 31 – Tuesday
Evergreen Valley Church, 2750 Yerba Buena Road, hosts “Trunk or Treat” from 6 – 8 p.m. This safe and friendly activity features fun games, a bounce house, story time, and clowns. Everything is free – kids will trick or treat for candy and prizes from the trunks of well-decorated cars. Drinks and snacks provided, no scary costumes, please. Call 274-7422 or visit www.evcsj.com for more information.

FIFTY PLUS

October 7 – Saturday
SeniorNet, computer classes for adults 50 and over will hold registration for computer classes at the "new" Almaden Community Center located at 6445 Camden Avenue. Registration for intermediate courses at 1:30 p.m. Registration for Computer Fundamentals at 3 p.m. All classes will be held at the Almaden Community Center. For more information call Don House 268-1703 or visit www.snlcsj.org.

Ongoing
The Evergreen Community Center, 4860 San Felipe Road in San Jose offers a variety of classes and special monthly events, as well as a Senior Nutrition Program. The Nutrition Program serves a delicious and well-balanced meal to seniors 60 and over every Monday – Friday at noon. The suggested donation is $2 per person. To make reservations at least one day in advance, but not more than two weeks in advance, call 270-1244. For more information of the Evergreen Community Center programs, call 270-2220.

AARP Information Center needs volunteers to staff their office. Duties include helping seniors find various services and programs, and providing information on senior needs. The office is located at 840 Willow Street, Suite 300, at the corner of Bird and Willow Streets on bus route #25. The hours are Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, call 278-1855.

MISCELLANEOUS

October 8 – Sunday
The Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical Society will be hosting a “History Month Open House” from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Santa Clara Library, 2635 Homestead in Santa Clara. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. For more information, call 615-2986.

October 8 – Sunday
Want to help homeless animals? Grab your dog and head to Rock Bottom Brewery in Campbell for their Tails & Ales fundraising event from 5-8 pm. Meet & mingle with other dog lovers and their canine companions. Your $10 donation will help benefit Humane Society Silicon Valley and entitle you to free food and discounted beer for the evening. Visit www.hssv.org for details or call 408.727.3383 ext. 873.

October 12 – Thursday
The SJSU African American Faculty and Staff fundraiser “Family Comedy Night” will be held in the Barrett Ballroom at SJSU from 7 – 9 p.m. This night of fun and entertainment features Reggie Steele, Bobby Quevedo, Edwin Okongo, Eleanor Curry, and Brenda Davis. Admission is $20 General, $10 for Students and Seniors. All tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information, call Dr. Oscar Battle, Jr. at 924-8117 or 924-3133. Come on out and enjoy an evening of laughter – why? Because laughter is good health for YOU! Proceeds benefit the AAFS Association.

October 14 – Saturday
Branham High School Class of 1986.  Our 20th Reunion is at the Wyndham Hotel.  We are looking for you and your high school friends.  Please email Jennifer Bentson Vazquez at jcjenvaz@sbglobal.net to get on the mailing list and visit http://www.classencounters.com for more information.

October 14 – Saturday
The City of Campbell will be having its fifth annual city wide garage sale, “Campbell on Sale” from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This event is coordinated by the City of Campbell and over 250 households have registered to date! Maps listing addresses and sale items are available after October 11th at the Campbell Library, City Hall, Safeway, Nob Hill, Whole Foods on Bascom Avenue, Campbell 7-11’s, Delta Queen, Rotten Robbie Gas, Delicious Donuts, Goodies Coffee Shop and the Shell Station next to Home Depot on Hamilton.

October 19 – Thursday
Project HIRED will hold its annual “Harvest Moon Gala” at Villa Ragusa in Campbell.  The annual fundraiser benefits Project HIRED, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities to gain competitive employment and advance their careers, through partnerships with industry. The reception begins at 6 p.m. and the silent auction runs through 7:45 p.m. Emcee Jamie Williams, former 49er’s tight end, will regale the audience with stories of his playing years and how a team made up of people with a wide range of abilities is always a winning team. “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 557-4307 or visit www.projecthired.org

October 20 - 22
A Convention of the Tattoo Arts at Parkside Hall. State of Grace Productions is proud to present “A Convention of the Tattoo Arts.” This is the second annual international tattoo convention in San Jose, CA. This event features live tattooing by professional tattooers from all over the world, tattoo contests and art displays. For more information, call 441-7770 or visit www.sanjosetattooconvention.com. Admission is $15 - $30.

October 20 – 22
Held at the Civic Auditorium, this “Postage Stamps for Collectors” show will include bourse and stamp exhibits. This is a venue where collectors may acquire material for their collections and/or exhibit their material. Show will include society meetings, and both US Post Office, and the Western Philatelic Libraries. Admission is free. For more information, call 445-2694 or visit www.filatelicfiesta.org

October 21 – Saturday
The Health Trust Women’s Health Conference: The San Jose McEnery Convention Center is the site of this year’s conference event that will feature a full day of fun, education and inspiration. Designed for women of all ages, the conference includes workshops, exhibits, books, videos, entertainment, and free optional health screening for conference participants. The 2006 Special Guest Speaker is Academy Award Winning Actress Marlee Matlin. Admission is $75, the conference begins at 8 a.m. For more information, call 559-5584 or www.healthtrust.org

November 4 – Saturday
Willow Glen/Pioneer High School Class of 1961 will hold its 45th reunion at the Wyndham Hotel in San Jose. To secure your reservation, contact Donna O’Neil at 267-2487. Information about this event is posted on Classmates.com under Class of 1961.

Ongoing
Eastside Neighborhood Center of Catholic Charities, 2150 Alum Rock Avenue in San Jose offers a variety of activities and services on an ongoing basis. These include Bingo, Free legal assistance for seniors, Dancing, and Immigration Consultation. Call 251-0215 for more information and schedules.

Humane Society of Silicon Valley Companion Animal Loss Support Group Meetings: First Wednesday of each month 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Location: Humane Society Silicon Valley, 2530 Lafayette St. Santa Clara. Facilitator: Adam Dorsay, M.A. For more information, call 450-1800.

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, and our weekly publication, Almaden Times Weekly. Items must be submitted by e-mail 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 Rd., Suite 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.