July 8, 2008

CALENDAR

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

MUSIC

June 7 – July 26
The Vasona Vibrations Summer Music Series kicks off its sixth season with free music in the park every Saturday evening from 5 – 7 pm through the end of July. The South Bay Folks organization is again this year co-sponsoring the Vasona Vibrations Concert Series. The free concerts are held on the outdoor stage near the boat dock area. Chairs are provided on a first come-first served basis. Concert-goers may bring lawn chairs or blankets and stretch out under the trees to enjoy a picnic dinner during the concert. Alcohol is permitted for picnickers in the concert area. Kicking off the series are the 10th Avenue Band on June 7, followed by Blah Blah Woof Woof (acoustic Americana) on June 14. The concerts are free. Vasona Lake County Park charges a $6 per car parking fee. For more information, visit http://www.southbayfolks.org/vasona2008/

July 10 – Sept 4
Metro’s “Music In The Park” concert series will kick off its 20th season with the Latin jazz grooves of the Pete Escovedo Orchestra. Other artists include Flogging Molly on July 17 and Vanessa Carlton on July 24. Concerts are free to the public and held consecutive Thursdays at downtown San Jose’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez from 5:30 – 9:15 p.m. Music In The Park is sponsored by Dos Equis and features an eclectic mix of top-name performers. Food and beverages are available at the park, as well as Lounge in the Park, open to the public for beer, wine and sangria. For a complete concert details, visit www.sjdowntown.com and search on “music in the park.”

CHILDREN/FAMILY

July 9 – Aug 27
Looking for a fun, free outdoor activity for your summer evenings? Then look no further than downtown San Jose’s Cinema San Pedro and Cinema St. James 2008: Co-produced by Cinequest and the San Jose Downtown Association, these open air showings are free to the public and begin at dusk. Movies are preceded by an “opening act” activitiy, event, interactive game, etc. All you ned is a chair or blanket – snacks are available on site; dinners-to-go can be purchased in San Pedro Square. Cinema San Pedro Street is located between Santa Clara and St. John streets, Cinema St James at St. James and North Second streets. For a complete listing of movies and additional information, call 279-1775 or visit www.sjdowntown.com and search on “cinema.”

July 12
1ST annual Big Band & BBQ Festival comes to downtown Campbell The Downtown Campbell Business Association announces the debut of the Big Band & BBQ Festival featuring dance bands, dancing, top barbecue grillers, and artisan booths – a fun-filled day for the whole family. Campbell’s downtown will be transformed from 2 – 9 p.m. with four outdoor stages, two dance floors and great music all day long at the family friendly event. Featured entertainers are children’s dance favorite Papa Hugs, followed by Marcus Shelby’s Big Band, female vocalist Lavey Smith and the Red Hot Skillet Lickers and the House Rockers – just to name a few. Eight of the Bay Area’s best commercial grillers will converge in Downtown Campbell to cook up some world-class barbecue. Ribs, brisket, chicken and hot links will be on the grill and the street will be loaded with picnic tables, chairs, and umbrellas for your dining pleasure. Rounding out the day will be a select assortment of artisan booths, in addition to many of the downtown’s galleries, shops, restaurants, and cafés will be open and eager to help you celebrate summer in style.

July 18
Adventures on the Green: Spend a warm summer day in the Guadalupe River Park with this free fun-filled event open to folks of all ages. Activity booths, free entertainment and wonderful play structures will fill Arena Green, located across from the HP Pavilion on the corner of Santa Clara and Autumn Streets in downtown San Jose. Catch a performance by the zany Andy Z, Catch a ride on the children’s carousel (children under 10 ride for once for free) and take some time to visit the education booths and learn more about the Guadalupe River. For more information about this event please call (408) 298-7657 or visit www.grpg.org. This event is being sponsored by Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens with help from the Sharks Foundation and the city of San Jose.

July 25
Family Fun Friday at Campbell Historical Museum: Family Fun Fridays are back for a third summer at the Campbell Historical Museum. Held at 10 a.m., the museum will have hands-on crafts activities for families to enjoy. Activities are designed for ages four and up, and are centered on historical themes, a topic related to the Santa Clara Valley, or maybe just because they’re fun. The activities are self-guided and can be completed at the museum or taken home as a fun family project. Tables will be set up throughout the museum exhibit hall with activity directions and craft supplies provided on each table. Friday hours at the museum are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5 per person to cover the cost of the supplies. Children three and under are free. The Campbell Historical Museum is located at 51 N. Central Ave. For more information call 866-2119.

CLASSES

June 7 – July 26
Friends of Guadalupe River Park and Gardens Summer Walking Series: Get fit in the beautiful setting of Guadalupe River Park’s paved trails! Whether you are an avid walker or new to a walking program, you will learn about proper equipment, walking technique, stretching and beneficial strength exercises for walkers while meeting others who enjoy walking. Instructor Kristin Strellis will lead this 8-week Saturday series along with weekly emails of encouragement and walking tips. Session times are 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Fees are $30/members and $40/non-members. Pre-registration is required and participants must be 18 years of age or older. All classes will begin at the GRPG Visitor and Education Center, 438 Coleman Avenue. To register, call 298-7657. For questions about the class, please contact Kristin Strellis at kstrellis@yahoo.com.

July 12
Flower Arranging 101: Summer is here! Join Master Gardeners Milli Wright and Bette Lloyd and Friends of Guadalupe River Park & Gardens from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. for a workshop on the basic principles of floral design. Bring vases to take home your own creation with materials provided. You will also learn creative ways of combining colors, unique foliage fillers and tips and tricks for harvesting, preserving and sharing your flower arrangements. Surprise yourself with an easy workshop designed to bring out your inner Floral Designer. Pre-registration is required and participants must be 18 years of age or older. This workshop will be held at the GRPG Visitor and Education Center, 438 Coleman Avenue. To register, call 298-7657. Fees are $10.00/ members, $15/non-members.

July 13
Free Beginner's Meditation Class : Held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the MLA Insight Meditation Center, 419 California Street in Campbell. Attendees will learn about basic Vipassana (Mindfulness) meditation techniques so they can begin practicing at home, in a group, or on retreats. Pre-registration required. Please call Tony at 505-5190 or visit www.MLAusa.org for more information and to sign up.

Ongoing
Vipassana (Mindfulness) meditations. Alternate walking and sitting Vipassana meditations. Every Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Free. Mindful Living Alliance Insight Meditation Center, 419 California Street in Campbell. For more information on all events, please call Tony at 505-5190, or visit www.MLAusa.org.

VOLUNTEERS

Ongoing
Humane Society Silicon Valley is actively seeking volunteers to provide foster care to kittens and dogs. Foster families provide long and short-term care for animal families in their homes. For more information, please visit http://www.hssv.org/ you_can_help/volunteer/positions/foster.htm, or contact the special needs department at at 408.727.3383 ext. 834 for dogs and 819 for kittens.

FIFTY PLUS

Ongoing
AARP Willow Glen - Chapter 5193: Meetings are held every fourth Monday of the month, 1 – 3 p.m. There will be speakers on senior issues and refreshments are served. Willows Senior Center, 2175 Lincoln Ave., San Jose. For more information, call 448-6400.

MISCELLANEOUS

July 19
West Valley Collection & Recycling free electronic waste drop-off event: Location is Campbell United Church of Christ parking lot, 400 West Campbell Avenue from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. First 1000 participants will receive $30 off Sierra At Tahoe Resort 2008/2009 Season Ski Passes (limited one coupon per person). Eligible items include: VCRs, rotary-dial phones, TVs, radios, computers, monitors, fax machines, electronic toys, cell phones, and stereos - almost anything that requires batteries or electricity to operate, excluding kitchen appliances.

Ongoing
New Mom Support Group: Wednesdays, from 9:30 – 11 a.m. at Baby Buzz Cafe, 1314 Lincoln Avenue, San Jose. For more information, please contact group facilitator Cheryl at mamamiacher@yahoo.com
The Willow Glen Chapter of Society Dog announces weekly walks. These free walks happen every Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. We meet at the Public Parking Lot across from the Willow Glen Elementary School (near Minnesota and Lincoln) and walks are followed by "Yappy Hour" at a dog-friendly restaurant. Everyone is invited, but you must sign up as a member (Basic Membership is Free) and agree to the terms of participation. Feel free to contact us at the Yelp Line: 671-3417 or helpdog@societydog.com

James Lick High School Class of '58, 50th Reunion will be held on August 2, 2008 at 11a.m. at James Lick.  Tickets are $30 which includes a BBQ lunch.  For more information, go to Classmates.com and click on the Events/Reunion link and get info on registering before July 15th.  Any questions email Bettysjc@sbcglobal.net, put “Reunion” on subject line.

Announcing the Lincoln High School (San Jose) Class of 1973 - 35 Year Reunion: This event will be held on July 19 at City Beach in Fremont from 6 – 10 p.m. Cost is $65 per person. Email registration requests to alhs73reunion@yahoo.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

Willow Glen High School Class of 1988 Twenty Year Reunion. This event will be held on Sept. 13, 2008 at the Hotel Los Gatos, 210 E. Main St. in Los Gatos, at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $95 per person. For more information, go to Classmates.com and click on the Events/ Reunion link and register today.


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.