September 19, 2008

CALENDAR

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

MUSIC

Sept. 27
Symphony Silicon Valley opens its season with Dances at an Opening, a sampling of 20th century masters. Conductor Leslie Dunner will present Prokofiev’s Romeo & Juliet, Ellington’s River Suite and Ginastera’s dances from Estancia. The concert begins at 8 p.m. in the California Theater. A second performance will be held on Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. For tickets and information about the concert and a gala dinner preceding the Sept. 27 performance, call the box office at 286-2600 or visit www.symphonysiliconvalley.org

Sept. 28
Fería del Mariachi at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez: Continuing the theme of celebrating and telling the story of the women of mariachi and the cancion ranchera - the Mexican song of the countryside - the 17th Annual San José International Mariachi and Latin Music Festival will conclude with a Fería del Mariachi in downtown’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez. A traditional Mariachi Mass will kick off the event at 9 a.m., followed by a full day of festivities from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. including outdoor music and a community festival with dance, food and family activities. This annual festival spotlights different genres of Latin Music, featuring Lila Downs (pictured), Los Cenzontles, Quetzal, Los Pinguos, as well as traditional Mariachi music and dance with performances by Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Azteca, Los Lupeños de San José, Mariachi Las Pioneras, Mariachi Ellas Son, Mariachi Internacional Guadalajara. Ending the night is a once-in-a-lifetime performance with all Mariachi performing the grand finale.

THEATER

Sept. 19-20, 26-27
Easy Street Theater Company announces auditions for A Christmas Carol. Needed are male and female actors ages 7-70.  Rehearsals are in San Jose; performance in Palo Alto.  Auditions are by appointment only. Call Easy Street Theatre Co. 646-9583.

DANCE

Sept. 28
Abhinaya Dance Company & South India Fine Arts presents Rama Vaidyanathan’s Solo Dance Performance: Vaidyanathan, who trained under the renowned dancer Yamini Krishnamurty, has been hailed as one of India’s best interpreters of the ancient art form of Bharata Natyam. This one-time only performance will be held at 3250 Monroe Street in Santa Clara at 5 p.m. Tickets are free for Friends of Abhinaya Dance Company and for SIFA Sponsors, $15 General Admission, $10 Students/Seniors, $45 for Family of Four (2 Gen Adm, 2 Stu/Sr). For tickets call Abhinaya Dance Company at 983-0491. Email: abhinaya_sj@yahoo.com. For more information, visit www.abhinaya.org or www.southindiafinearts.org

CHILDREN/FAMILY

Sept. 27
Most Holy Trinity school, together with the Most Holy Trinity parish community will be hosting a Family Fun Day at the parish and school grounds. Many activities, food, shows and a 50/50 Raffle will be held where one person will win half of all the funds raised in this event. The school and parish invite all residents of Evergreen and neighboring communities. Most Holy Trinity’s family fun day replaces the yearly parish festival which has now been moved to the Feast of the Holy Trinity in June, 2009. Location is 2040 Nassau Drive, San Jose. For more information, visit www.mht-school.org or call MHT School at 729-3431.

Sept. 27-28
Santa Teresa Catholic Church announces its Third Annual Parish Festival and Craft Fair: Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on 9/27 and from 11a.m. to 5p.m. on 9/28.  Event location is 794 Calero Avenue just off Cahalan Avenue and Blossom Hill Road in San Jose.  This year’s festival promises to be fun for the whole family with a Kidfest Area, Craft Fair, Silent Auction, Special Events Stage, Live Music plus games and food!  For more information call (831) 402-4227.

Sept. 27 - 28
The Italian American Heritage Foundation will hold its 28th annual Italian Family Festa, in downtown Willow Glen, San Jose, between Minnesota Avenue and Willow Street. The festivities will kick off on Saturday, Sept. 27 with the Founder’s Day parade on Lincoln Avenue at 11 a.m. The Italian food booths and arts and crafts vendors will open at 12 noon. Opening ceremonies of the Festa will commence at 12:30 p.m.

Oct. 5
Join Evergreen Elementary for their Annual Harvest Festival! This much anticipated family fun event will include exciting games with prizes for everyone to enjoy as well as our famous raffle and our first ever silent auction event! Be prepared to be dazzled by prizes and silent auction items donated from Cal Skate Milpitas, Classic Car Wash, Dave & Busters, Great Clips for Hair (Evergreen), Planet Granite, Clarity Med Spa, Secret Oasis Spa & Salon, Savannah Chanel Vineyards, Pruneridge Golf Club, Evergreen Veterinary Clinic, The Wooden Horse and much more! Event hours are 1 – 5 p.m.

VOLUNTEERS

Santa Clara County Open Space Authority is looking for people that are interested in trail patrol for hikers, bikers and equestrians. On Oct. 29 from 7- 9 p.m. we will be holding an informational meeting, and on Nov. 8 from 12 - 5p.m. we will be holding a volunteer trail patrol workshop. Please contact dneumann@openspaceauthority.org for more information.

CLASSES

Sept. 22
Speechreading (Lipreading) Classes for adults: These classes can improve speech understanding in all listening environments, especially group and background noise situations. These classes are designed for normal hearing as well as all degrees of hearing loss. Classes are community based and offered through Foothill College. Beginning and Intermediate Classes begin Sept. 22 and meet weekly at 1 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center in Los Gatos. The Intermediate Class meets at 2:25 p.m. A combined Advanced/Post-Advanced Class begins Sept. 23 and meets weekly at 1:15 p.m. at the Saratoga Senior Center. For more information, call 868-1257; 358-3636 or the instructor, Marcia Fariss, at 741-2045, ext. 3655.

Sept. 30 – Oct. 21
Free Boating Classes: Seventy-one percent of the state’s boating fatalities were drowning victims, and of that group, eighty-seven percent were not wearing life jackets. The Santa Clara Power Squadron is offering four free boating lessons - “Boat Smart” - 7 to 9 p.m. at the Wilcox High School faculty lounge (by the flag pole) in Santa Clara. There is a nominal cost for course materials. For more information, call DeWayn at 225-6097 or to register online go to http://www.usps.org/localusps/santaclara/PE.htm.

MISCELLANEOUS

Sept. 6 – Oct. 12
Northern California Renaissance Faire returns to Case de Fruta: This living history festival includes everything from live comedy and improv to dramatic performances, traditional Elizabethan fare and English ales plus a host of pretty maidens, strolling minstrels, gallant knights and swashbucklers galore. It is the only one of its kind to be managed by a group of its own performers and artists. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Sat. & Sun. at Casa de Fruta, 10031 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister. Tickets are $25 at the gate for general admission, children 5 – 12 are $10 and under 5 are free. For more information, visit www.norcalrenfaire.com or call 847- FAIR.Tickets are now available online.

Sept. 26 - 27
40th Reunion for the Willow Glen High School Class of ‘68: The fun starts on 9/26 with a casual, no charge, no-host, evening out with old friends from the class of ‘68 at the Los Gatos Lodge, 50 Los Gatos-Saratoga Rd., Los Gatos. We will meet in the “WG Hospitality Suite” for a glass of wine or beverages at 6 p.m., followed by the mixer at 7:30.  The Lodge offers a dining room where you can have dinner or order appetizers in the bar. They also have live music for your later evening listening or dancing pleasure. On 9/27 alums & guests will enjoy a leisurely afternoons at “La Vigna” at the gorgeous Hecker Pass Winery, from 1 - 9:30 p.m. Dinner service at 3:30 p.m, dancing till 9:30 p.m. Hecker Pass Winery, 4605 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy. For more information visit www.willowglenclassof68.myevent.com or call John Pfahnl at 266-5289 or Ronita Seward at 831-818-4233.

Sept. 27
South San Jose Flea Market; Southside Community Center, 5585 Cottle Rd. Hours are 7:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Shop early to find the best bargains. Spaces are still available.

Sept. 27 - 28
Holistic Arts Faire: The Divine Science Community Center, 1540 Hicks Road will again host the 8th Annual event, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Fair is a great opportunity to discover today’s leading trends in the visionary arts, holistic health, human potential, spiritual and psychic awareness, and future alternatives. Those attending can receive readings, healings and guidance on the path to health and wholeness. Admission is free to all exhibits and events, and parking is free behind the center. Event highlights will include the Crystal Bowl Equinox Meditation (Saturday), and on Sunday a Chi Gong workshop, Vision Quest Drumming Circle with Crowman, a Dowsing class, and more. Over 50 exhibitors will offer products and services covering the full range of today’s holistic alternatives. Visit our web site at http://www.sfo.com/~eameece/ haf.htm for the latest updates, or call 448-6726

Sept. 30
The South Bay Civil War Round Table will meet at Holder’s Country Inn, 998 South De Anza Blvd (at Hwy 85) at 7 p.m.  We meet on the last Tuesday of every month, except in December Come about 6:45 or earlier to order dinner. This month Tom Roza will discuss John Buford, the federal cavalryman at Gettysburg. Our speaker will begin by 7:15, so, listen for free, talk about history and receive our newsletter before deciding to join our round table.  Contact Bill Noyes at 374-1541 for more information.

Oct. 5
The 2008 Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon begins with the wheel chair invitational at 7:55 a.m. followed by the half marathon at 8 a.m. the course starts on Santa Clara Street at Almaden Avenue in San Jose. Immediately following the race, Creedence Clearwater Revisited will be the headline entertainment for the post race concert at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez stage. The concert is free and open to all. In addition to live bands and water stations along the scenic course through San Jose, high school cheerleading squads will be on-site to provide further entertainment and motivation to runners and walkers. The event concludes with a finish line party and an afternoon headliner concert featuring a premier rock ‘n’ roll act. For more information, please visit www.RnRsj.com or call 800-311-1255.

Oct. 10 - 11
Class of ’68 Mount Pleasant High School 40th Reunion: The festivities begin at 4 p.m. at Mount Pleasant High School. Join us for a tour, special entertainment, a wonderful Mexican dinner (off-site), and come back ready to cheer for the Mount Pleasant Cardinal Football team. On 10/11 at 6 p.m. enjoy a BBQ dinner, dance, and special awards. Don’t miss this once in a lifetime 2-day event. Contact Connie Childers at (831) 638-1162, childersconnie@yahoo.com; Jack Coward at (408) 799-9194; or Ron Harrison at harrisonr@esuhsd.org.

Oct. 11
Leland High School Class of 1978 is having a 30 year reunion celebration! The location is David’s Restaurant in Santa Clara. We look forward to a great evening and hope to see you there! For more information contact: Jeanne Pfeiffer Sommer at 472-6112 or optico@earthlink.net

Ongoing
The Lace Museum is calling for entries in its juried show for dolls dressed in Victorian clothing to be used in the December exhibit, “Victorian Lace Remembered.”  The exhibit runs from Nov. 15 through Jan. 9 and is held at the museum.  Entries will be selected for appropriateness to the theme of “Victorian Lace Remembered.”  Winners will be featured in the exhibit.  Pictures of all entries must be received by Oct. 15. Selection by jury will take place that week. Notification of acceptance into the exhibit will be issued on Oct. 21.  Dolls must be hand delivered to the museum Nov. 7-8 and may be picked up after the exhibit on Jan. 10, 2009. This exhibit is one of our most popular and takes place during the annual lace covered ornament sale. For more information, call Annette Stransky at 867-7468 or e-mail annette022003@yahoo.com

Southside Boutique - Beautiful handmade items for sale, lovingly crafted by talented local artists.  Open 10:00 am to 2:00 pm Monday thru Friday, located at the Southside Community Center, 5585 Cottle Road between Poughkeepsie Road and Blossom Hill Road.  For more information, call 629-3336 or visit www.southsideseniorcenter.com 
The Evergreen Chapter of Society Dog announces weekly walks: These free walks happen every Monday evening at 6:30 p.m. We will do a different walk each week, so check the Society Dog website for weekly details. The walk is followed by “Yappy Hour” at a dog friendly restaurant. Everyone is invited, but you must sign up as a member (Basic Membership is free) & agree to the terms of participation. One dog per person unless otherwise permitted by the Alphadog, alphadog@societydog.com.

Get ready for a blast from the past! Leland Chargers Class of 1988 are reuniting this September. The location will be the Hotel Valencia in Santana Row at a to-be-announced date. For more details or to join a Reunion Committee, contact Paula Cavagnaro at CavagnaroPaula@yahoo.com or Laura Delizonna at ldelizonna@gmail.com

Get listed!

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.