French Connection, Lowell Trio: Out and About in Martinez

May 10 - 34th Annual Wine Tasting Benefitting the Martinez Early Childhood Center - Martinez Event Center - 524 Main Street - 5:00 to 8:00 pm - for tickets: ggerlack@aol.com or 925.229.2000

May 10 - “Spiritual Travel” Reception - The mARTinez Gallery - 630 Court Street - 6:00 to 9:00 pm - This is a free event featuring over 20 local artists showing oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, photography, sculpture, ceramic, wearable art, jewelry, and note cards. Website: www.martinezarts.org  

May 10 - Contra Costa Chamber Orchestra will perform “The French Connection” at Alhambra High School, 150 E Street, Martinez - 7:30 pm - $10
/ adult - $5 / senior & youth at the door - additional performances on May
11 at the Creative Arts Building, Main Theatre - Pittsburg High School - $10 /
adult - $5 / senior & youth at the door and May 12 at the Lesher Center for
the Arts - Walnut Creek - $30 / adult - $20 / seniors - $10 / youth - 925.943.7469 for tickets

May 11 - Alhambra Cemetery Cleanup - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Carquinez Scenic Way - Help clean, garden, beautify historic site. Bring garden tools and gloves - Call Martinez Recreation Department for additional information: 925.372.3510

May 12 - Lowell Trio - 4:00 pm at Armando's, 707 Marina Vista Avenue - $10 cover. Please join Janet Popesco Archbald, oboe & English Horn, Emil Miland, cello and Margaret Fondbertasse, piano; for an afternoon of Classical favorites & rarities, including works by Handel, JS Bach & Juliana Hall, in celebration of moms
everywhere! We're also celebrating Armando's brand new Yamaha piano!

May 13 - Don O'Brien and his Xtreme Science Magic will perform at the Martinez Library - 6:30 pm - Don is a local talent who has taken his show all over the country. His formula for success: "Two parts science, one part magic, and
a whole lot of audience participation." Come enjoy the show! For
questions, please call the Library at 925-646-9900, or check our online
calendar at http://ccclib.org/locations/martinez.html - *Sponsored by the Friends of the Martinez Library; this show is free and open to everyone.  

May 14 or 18 - Creative Visual Thinking: A study of Studio Habits - 6:30pm
– 9:00 pm @ ARTU4iA - $20 with advanced registration - To register for either one of these 2.5 hour workshops please email redbrickworkshops@gmail.com
Include your name, what you teach and which workshop you will be attending.
Payment will be needed at the start of the workshop payable to ARTU4iA. Cash,
check or credit card is acceptable. We will reply to your registration email
with more details. You may also call Roger Renn at 925 768-7816 to answer any
questions. Register early. The working studio limits class size to 20 participants.

May 15 - Henry A. McNamara Post 29 of the American Legion is hosting Ms. Cynthia Nunez, Director of the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery - 930 Ward Street - 7:30 pm - Call: Jeff Roubal for reservations or information: 925.957.1662 - This is a FREE events and open to the public.

May 16 - Armando’s is hosting a fund raiser for the Aaron Hern Recovery Fund - Featuring the Lafayette Studio Big Band - a traditional seventeen piece professional jazz orchestra playing music from yesterday through today - 707 Marina Vista - Martinez - Doors open at 7:30 pm - show from 8:00 to 10:00 pm - $15.00 pp - All proceeds from the door will be donated to the Aaron Hern Recovery Fund.

May 17-18 - Kiwanis Club of Martinez Rummage Sale - Kiwanis Clubhouse - 750 Allen Street (corner of Allen and Ferry Streets) - 7:00 am to 4:00 pm

May 18 - Peddlers Faire - Downtown Martinez - 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

May 18 - Friends of the Library Book Sale - 10:00 am for FOL Members - 11:00 am for the public - 740 Court Street

May 19 - Discovery Walk on Mt. Wanda - 9:00 am - Hosted by the National Park Service - Enjoy the late spring sunshine by walking in the footsteps of John Muir on a free, ranger-led saunter up Mt. Wanda, part o the John Muir National Historic Site. The two-hour nature walk will discover many plants and animals living in this diverse landscape. The park has identified more than 82 species of native plants on Mr. Wanda. Visitors should meet at the CalTrans Park and Ride lot at the corner of Alhambra Avenue and Franklin Canyon Road - Bring water and wear comfortable walking shoes - the trail is steep. Heavy rains will cancel the event. For reservations please call 925.228.8860 - additional information: www.nps.gov/jomu

May 25 - Martinez Historical Society Program - Andrea Blachman: The
History of the Martinez Library - Veterans Memorial Hall - 1:00 to 3:00 pm
- FREE - Refreshments - Open to the public

May 25 - Family Days at the John Muir National Historic Site - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm - Visitors can get their hands dirty identifying bugs, and covered in
flour baking bread in a horno, a Spanish-style oven. Participants will also be able to churn butter to spread on their hot bread. Other options include making journals and practicing calligraphy with quills and ink. Victorian-era games such as croquet and horseshoes will be available. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lunch and have a picnic among the trees. This is a FREE event. John Muir NHS, located at 4202 Alhambra Avenue, is open five days a week, Wednesday
through Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. As always, admission to the site is free of charge. For more information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jomu or call (925) 228-8860. 

May 25 - Full Moon Walk on Mt. Wanda - 8:30 pm - Visitors should meet at the CalTrans Park and Ride lot at the corner of Alhambra Avenue and Franklin Canyon Road, Martinez (at the Alhambra Ave. exit off Highway 4). Bring water, a flashlight, warm clothes, and binoculars (if you have them). Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the trail is steep. If it rains heavily, the walk will be canceled. Reservations are suggested. Please call the John Muir NHS visitor center at (925) 228-8860 to make a reservation. Full moon walks continue through October. Start times will vary. For more information, please visit the park website at www.nps.gov/jomu.

May 27 - Memorial Day - Ceremony at the Veterans Monument 10:00 am, then brunch, 11:30 am at the Veterans Hall - 930 Ward Street - with a live concert from the Diablo Regional Concert Band

May 29 - May Play Day at the Rankin Aquatic Center - May Play Day is a water safety program with some swimming involved. Little ones have to complete eight fun water safety activities before they enter the Rec Pool for splash time. All activities are easy and take a few minutes. Learn how to fit a lifejacket. Color a page; listen to a story; and more. The afternoon ends with a drawing for $25 Rankin Aquatic Center Certificate. Designed for children ages 2 – 8 years - Cost is $2 per adult, $1 per child 2 & under free.  For more information contact
Martinez Recreation 372-3551.

June 1 - Boys & Girls Club Auction and Dinner - The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Diablo Valley is presenting their 28th annual gala dinner and the event sponsored by Shell Oil Company will take place at the Concord Hilton located at 1970 Diamond Blvd. in Concord. This is a black tie optional event. Registration and silent auction will begin at 5:30 pm, dinner served at 7:00 pm and live auction at 8:00 pm. This year’s honorary chair is Steve Lesher. Tickets for the event are $75
prior to May 15th and $100 after May 15th. For more information about Boys & Girls Club programs or activities, please call 925 228.3896 ext.102 or visit our website at www.bgcdv.org

June 8 - Celebrate World Wide Knit Day - 2:00 pm - Calling all Knitters to pack up your needles and join us as we knit and Crochet together. Get inspired by knitwear designs from your community. Bring in your projects and knit with new friends. Check out many items for sale. All proceeds from the sale of knitwear benefit the Martinez Senior Center and the Friends of the Martinez Library. Additional information: 925.646.9920

June 9 - 4th Annual Bike the Bridges hosted by Special Olympics Northern California - 7:00 am - Registration - 4:00 pm - Historic Martinez Waterfront - This is an excellent opportunity for the community to support and fundraise for local
Northern California Special Olympics athletes while bicycling the scenic 25, 65
or 100 mile ride through the local countryside and over the Carquinez and
Benicia bridges. Riders and non-riders can enjoy lunch provided by Outback and
a beer garden hosted by various breweries. For Registration and additional information: http://www.sonc.org/events/our-fundraisers/letr-bike-bridges

June 11 - 6:30 – 7:30 pm - Photography educator Jerry Ott, www.darkroomz.com will be on hand to give tips on how to take great summer digital photographs using your own equipment. Adults and teens are invited to practice their photography skills on our stuff animal subjects who will be visiting the library for the “Stuffed Animal Sleepover & Midnight Feast.” Enter your pictures into our photography contest and receive a gift card from a local restaurant. Contest rules will be available at this event. Additional information: 925.646.9920

June 15 - 16 - King of the County BBQ and Music Festival - Waterfront Park - FREE admission & parking - 11:00 am to 6:00 pm - additional information: 925.228.2345

June 19 - Henry A. McNamara Post 29 of the American Legion is hosting speaker Ashley Baughman, Martinez Chamber of Commerce 2013 Young Woman of the Year and the Soroptimist International of Martinez recipient of the 2013 Violet Richardson Award. Ashley is a senior at Vincente Martinez High School in the New
Leaf program. - 930 Ward Street - 7:30 pm - Call: Jeff Roubal for reservations
or information: 925.957.1662 - This is a FREE events and open to the public.

June 22 - Vintage Fashion Show and Luncheon - proceeds to benefit Central
County Homeless Outreach - for information or reservations: ggerlack@aol.com

June 23 - Farmer’s Market 25th Anniversary Celebration - 10:00 am to 2:00 pm - Main Street

June 25 - Law Enforcement Torch Run - 7:00 am - Noon - Brentwood to Pleasant Hill; Danville to Pleasant Hill; Pleasant Hill to Martinez to Benicia - Cheer
on your local law enforcement heroes as they carry the torch for Special Olympics during a run from city to city and culminating in Davis for the Special Olympics Summer Games.

June 30 - Loaves & Fishes Summer Garden Party “Food for Thought”
- Celebrating 30 years of service in Contra Costa County - Hacienda De Las
Flores - Moraga - Food, Wine, Music, and Auction - register online: www.loavesfishescc.org 

Upcoming Events:

July 4 - Downtown Parade

July 20 - Port Chicago Commemoration 

July 29 - August 2 and August 5 - 9 - John Muir Mountain Day Camp

August 3 - Peddlers Faire - Downtown

August 3 - 6th Annual Beaver Festival - 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at the corner of Marina Vista and Alhambra Avenue - FREE - www.MartinezBeavers.org

August 6 - National Night Out - 6:00 - 10:00 pm - Partner with the Martinez Police Department to celebrate America’s Night Out Against Crime, turn on your porch light and join a local block party or neighborhood celebration to have a great time while learning more about crime prevention. To set up a block party or
celebration, contact your designated Neighborhood Policing Area Officer at the
Martinez Police Department.

August 18 - Art in the Park - Susana Park

August 24 - Muir Heritage Land Trust Fresh Aire Affaire

September 26 - 29 - Eugene O’Neill Festival 12th Annual

September 28 - 29  Italian Street Painting Festival - Downtown Martinez

September 28 - Martinis on the Plaza

October 5 - Pasta Feed for the Run for Education

October 6 - Run for Education

October 12 - Martinez Historical Society Home Tour

October 12- Martinez Restaurant Tour

October 19 - Zombie Brew Crawl

October 27 - Halloween Spooktacular

December 6-8 - Holiday Frolic Snow Park - Downtown Martinez

December 14 - Santa Beer Crawl

FREE ongoing activities in Martinez:

EVERY MONDAY - First Congregational Church’s coffee venue, The
Coffee Break at 1229 Court Street on Mondays - FCC is offering this service to Martinez businesses, residents and visitors as a way to say welcome to our community. We are inviting you to be our guests and enjoy great coffee or tea and home baked goodies, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. every Monday. Stop by on your morning break, after your Monday morning walk or bike ride with friends – check it out and spread the word!

Martinez Museum, www.martinezhistory.org or 925.228.8160; the John Muir National Historic Site, www.nps.gov/jomu or 925.228.8860; the Shell Museum, open Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, Pacheco Boulevard and Arreba.

Martinez Farmer’s Market Thursday (Court Street) and Sunday (Main Street), 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

If you have events you would like added to the calendar please send information to: ggerlack@aol.com

See you around Martinez...