Plein air paintings by local artists will be exhibited at the Orinda Library Gallery through June 30. The Orinda Library Gallery is located at 26 Orinda Way, Orinda (in the hallway outside the Library and Auditorium).

The Orinda Library will be exhibiting the works of the Lamorinda Arts Alliance, from July 1st until August 1st. A reception will be on July 3rd, from 3 – 5 p.m. the eve of July 4th holiday, so start the celebrations early with a marriage of art and food. Enjoy some profiteroles, serious cheeses, classic and zesty vegetables and fruits, while sipping your choice of sympathetic beverage.

Moraga Art Gallery is presenting a new group show, "Summer Hues" featuring local artists showing watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings, ceramics, photography, mixed media, jewelry and glass designs. The show runs through August 14 and is featuring the work of Natalia Udaltsova, painter and Laura Paige, jewelry creations. The Moraga Art Gallery is located at 570 Center St in the Rheem Valley Shopping Center next to CVS Drugs. Hours: Tuesday - Sunday, 12-5pm. Phone: (925) 376-5407.

Summer Daze will be the exhibit at the Lafayette Gallery through August 8. Celebrate the warmth and lightheartedness of summer by bringing a welcome infusion of color and creativity into your life. The Gallery is located at 50 Lafayette Circle in Lafayette. Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-5pm. Phone: (925) 284-2788.

Thomas F. Black, a professional photographer based in Lafayette, has an installation of his work (21 images in all) on exhibit in the lobby at Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School St. (corner of Moraga Rd.), Lafayette, through August. Images are divided into two main categories: Rustic Relics, consisting of old barns and the like, and Rusted Relics, comprising “abandoned art” such as old automobiles and trucks; antique tractors and farm implements; and retired school buses. All of his galleries may be viewed at www.tfblackphotography.com.

Orinda Summer Concerts in the Park. Come out and enjoy the series of free concerts held in the Community Park throughout the spring and summer sponsored by the Orinda Community Center Auxiliary, the City of Orinda, and the Rotary Club of Orinda. Tuesday Night Series, 6:30-8:30pm: June 29th The Crises (blues and rock), July 6th Cal Alumni Big Band (big band jazz), July 13th Stone Soup (classic rock), July 20th Orinda Idol (variety).

Summer Kirtans on Saturday, June 26th, 7:00-8:30 p.m. Where: Massage Cottage, 71 Lafayette Circle Lafayette, (925) 284-2881. No cost but donations appreciated.

Moraga Summer Concert Series: Thursdays from 6:30-8:30pm. Bring your picnic blanket or lawn chairs to the grassy hillside in front of the band shell at the Moraga Commons Park. Enjoy the music while your children enjoy the park. The volunteers of the Moraga Park and Recreation Foundation will even cook dinner for you; the Snack Bar opens at 6pm. Line up: June 24, Plastic Onion, a Beatles tribute band; July 8, Juke Joint, a Local blues band; July 15, Moonalice, an Early rock band and 2010 Grammy award nominee.

Open Opera returns to Orinda with a concert of opera classics and favorites on Sunday, July 25 at 4pm at the Orinda Community Center Park at 26 Orinda Way, Orinda. Open Opera events are family-friendly and admission is always free. Residents are encouraged to bring a picnic basket and folding chairs or a blanket to lie on. Open Opera is dedicated to building community. For more information and a schedule of events, visit www.openopera.net. The event is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Orinda.

Orinda Idol finalists and runners-up will entertain 4th of July celebrants from the gazebo in the park prior to the parade start at 11 am. Finalists range in age from kindergarten to 12th grade, and come from 15 Lamorinda schools. Please come cheer on these local students as they prepare for the Sept. 12 competition, to be held at Orinda Theatre.

The Orinda Library is happy to announce the line-up for “Listen to the World,” the 2010 Summer Music Series. The choice of music ranges from Ireland to Japan and is sure to please audiences of all ages. All performances start at 7 pm. June 30: Amethyst Chamber Quartet, composed of Lara Garner on harp, piano and flute, Alina Polonskaya on violin, Mark Fish on violin and viola and Stephanio Blandino on cello, the Amethyst Chamber Quartet plays beautiful classical music as well as jazz, Latin, pop/rock and Broadway tunes. This program is free and open to everyone. The Orinda Library is located at 26 Orinda Way in Orinda. For more information, please call (925) 254-2184 or visit the library website at ccclib.org.

The highly acclaimed Shumba Marimba Youth Ensemble (www.shumbamarimba.org) will perform on Saturday, June 26 at 1pm at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette. The performance is a fund-raiser for Trust in Education, a non-profit group that supports education, commercial and agricultural projects in Afghanistan. The musicians, ages 13 – 16, will play Shona music from Zimbabwe. Tickets: $20 for adult and $10 for children. (No one will be turned away for lack of funds.) Tickets can be purchased at the door or reserved by calling (925) 299-2011 or visiting www.trustineducation.org . For more information, contact Janet Thomas at (925) 946-0563 or thomas@silcon.com. (See article page L1)

Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced" will be performed by Orinda Starlight Village Players on Fridays and Saturdays through June 26 starting at 8:30pm with an additional performance Thursday, June 24 at 8pm. The outdoor theater is nestled in the hill in the corner of the Community Park next to the Orinda Library/Community Center, 26 Orinda Way. Tickets are $16 regular and $8 for seniors/minors. For more information, call (925) 253-1911 or email info@orsvp.org. Bring layers of clothing, a picnic dinner, camp chairs or pillows and enjoy one of Christie's best mysteries under the Orinda sky.

Town Hall presents David Auburn's "Proof" through July 3. An intelligent and accessible play about family, relationships, math, and madness, the play has won a slew of awards – including a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, a Tony Award for Best Play and a New York Critics’ Circle Prize for Best Play and now is being brought to Lamorinda by two fantastic directors, MaryBeth Cavanaugh and Lisa Anne Porter. Info and tickets: www.townhalltheatre.com.

"Hairspray" performed by Woodminster Summer Musicals will be presented among the redwoods in Woodminster Amphitheater, an open-air WPA-era facility high in the Oakland hills July 9-18. Tickets available at Ticketweb.com, or (510) 531-9597, or www.woodminster.com, $25-$40 ($2 discount for children/seniors). An adult paying full price can bring a child or teen 16 or younger to the performance for free. Preview Performance: July 8, 8pm. All tickets $10 at the door. The Woodminster Amphitheater is located in Joaquin Miller Park, 3300 Joaquin Miller Road, Oakland.

Lapsit, June 30, 10am. Books, bounces and rhymes for baby and caregiver. Join the fun. Ages 6 months to 24 months.
Toddler Time, June 30, 10:45am Stories, rhymes and fun for ages 2-3 1/2 with adult participation.
Moraga Library, 1500 St. Mary's Road, (925) 376-6852.

ACE IT! Tennis day at Orindawoods for Breast Cancer Awareness, Saturday, June 26, 8:30 - 4:30pm. Benefits Alta Bates Summit Foundation. Morning tennis clinic by local pros and/or afternoon Tournament of Champions. Each includes a gourmet lunch and raffle tickets. Full day, $125, half day $75. Entire donation is tax deductible. For further information visit www.orindawoodstennis.com or phone (925) 254-1065.

Celebrity Golf Tournament and Social, July 25-25, Orinda Country Club. Includes an elegant dinner and entertaining auction (non-golfers welcome). Benefits Big Brothers, Big Sisters of the Bay Area, Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, and the Orinda Community Foundation. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, Hororary Chair. Register at www.CelebrateEverydayheroes.org.

The 5th Annual “Summer Classic” Golf Tournament, dinner and concert to raise money for the JDRF, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, is Friday August 13 at the Wente complex in Livermore. It is open to the general public. This year’s event will feature a concert performance by “Super Diamond,” a popular Neil Diamond tribute band. The event is hosted by Active Charity, a group of local businessmen and their supporters who have already raised over $1 million dollars for JDRF. The charity fundraiser is co-hosted by Tri-Valley Bank. For information on how to sign up to golf, or for dinner and concert tickets, see www.CureType1.org/summer.

The Most Exciting Cycling Event, Climbing the Bay Area’s Most Devilish Peak, is open for early registration due to popular demand. The Mount Diablo Challenge is a 10.8 mile timed bike ride, starting at the Athenian School in Danville and climbing up Southgate Road 3,249 feet to the summit of Mount Diablo. Registration is first come first served and the first wave to start the race is always the most popular so early registration is key. More than 1,000 cyclists compete and prizes are awarded for several categories in a ceremony at the summit with food and beverages for all. Riders of all ages are welcome and can compete on any type of non-motorized cycle, including tandems, unicycles and hand powered vehicles. Interested cyclists can take advantage of early registration at http://www.SaveMountDiablo.org.

Get ready for July 4th at the Moraga Commons Park. Activities happen all day: starting with Fun Run and Pancake Breakfast at 8am; the Dog Parade at 9am; Bike parade at 10:30 am; plus jumpies, games, community booths. A free concert featuring Larry Lynch & the Mob starts at 7pm with fireworks after dark. To donate to the fireworks show, send your check, made payable the Town of Moraga, to 2100 Donald Drive, Moraga, CA 94556.

In Orinda on July 4th there are events for every age group starting with the annual Pancake Breakfast, flag raising ceremony, fun run, parade, live music, food, games and booths in the park following the parade. Everyone is invited to participate in the planning, sponsor a booth or event, participate in the parade, host a booth in the park, or just come and enjoy the events. See www.orindaassociation.org for a detailed schedule.

The 4th of July is a great day to have a lot of fun. There is a party on the South Shore of the Berkeley Marina from noon-10pm. There's music, dancers, jugglers; all for free. Adventure Playground, always a favorite, is open 11am-8pm. Get your face painted, try the giant slide, or splash in the water at the beach. Free admission: live entertainment from noon until 9:30pm; art & craft booths, massages, free sailboat rides from 1-4pm; dragon boat rides from 2-6pm (bring a set of dry clothes); and much more including the grand fireworks off the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:30pm. Alcohol-free event. Free valet bicycle parking. No cars after 7pm.

Friends' Overstock Book Sale 6/26 at 10am at the Moraga Library . The Friends will be selling at bargain prices books and other materials. Items for all ages and interests available.

Patty Coggan will be at Alternatives for Animals on Tuesday evening, June 29, to share her technique with T-touch therapy. Patty works at the Oakland Zoo with the animals and also has an equine CranioSacral and T-touch practice. T-touch is a way of communicating with dogs that combines massage-like touches, body wraps and physical manipulation. Join us for appetizers on June 29th at 5pm followed by Patty's T-touch class at 6pm. This is a free session, open to the public. If you are interested in attending please call us at (925) 283-6160 to sign-up. Alternatives for Animals, 1042 Brown Ave, Lafayette.

Help shelter animals! Project is in its final phase. Please help Cheyenne Ziermann, a Campolindo junior, collect 30 more reusable blankets and towels for the Peninsula Humane Society to finish her Gold Award project by the end of June. Cheyenne is part of Girl Scout Troop # 31997 in Moraga. Other pet supplies like toys, unopened treats or pet foods are needed, too. Please bring all donations to 60 Corte Yolanda, Moraga (drop box provided). Any questions, contact Cheyenne at SheebaJeans68@comcast.net. Thank you.

Friends of Peralta Hacienda Historical Park presents: Peralta House Tours June 16th - August 20th, Every Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat from 2:30-5:30pm. The house is accessible only by guided tours, followed by optional free exploration. The current changing exhibit, "Embroidering Our Lives: Mien Women at Peralta Hacienda," tells a story of land loss and cultural change with films, photos, and the women's own words and art. Each tour is limited to 10 people; advance reservations are recommended. Phone (510) 532-9142. Tours are $5. Tours begin at the Kitchen entrance to the Peralta House, at 2465 34th Ave, Oakland. http://www.peraltahacienda.org.

POLITICAL

Office Hours in Pleasant Hill with State Senator Mark DeSaulnier. Do you have an idea, or need help with a problem involving a state agency? Do you want to give your opinion on legislation that affects your community? Here's an opportunity to speak about it. Saturday, June 26, 10am to 1pm at the Community Room, 100 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. No appointment necessary. For more information, please call (925)942-6082.

The Alameda/Contra Costa County Widowed Persons Support Group will be offering a talk on Haiti, Past and Present, by Pierre Labossiere, Monday, June 28, 7pm for coffee and cookies, 7:30 speaker, at the Lafayette/Orinda Presbyterian Church. Mr. Labossiere is a co-founder of the Haitian Action Committee, an activist in the Haitian Revolution and co-founder of the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund. This meeting is open to anyone interested in this subject, widowed or not. The church is located at 49 Know Drive, Lafayette. For more information about this meeting or the group itself, please contact Penny Robb, (510) 654-0974 or (925) 932-3448.

Sons in Retirement Lamorinda Branch 171 meets the first Wednesday monthly at Holy Trinity Culture Center 1700 School St. Moraga. Social hour 11am, lunch 12pm. The after lunch speaker will be Dr Charlie Bamforth who holds the position of Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences at UCD. Dr Bamforth's talk entitled "Beer is Better than Wine" will be of interest to everyone who enjoys the liquid attributes of malted hops. For membership information, call Larry at (925) 631-9528.