The Agriculture Museum will once again partner with De Colores Multicultural Folk Art, Inc. on their traditional Las Posadas procession. As the last stop of the night, the Ag Museum will host a nativity scene and musical performance before inviting everyone inside to enjoy refreshments and piñatas!
As Sedgwick Reserve marks 25 years of groundbreaking science, an upcoming art show will benefit the UCSB Natural Reserve System.
The Rebozo Festival Inc. is pleased to announce that grants of up to $20,000 were awarded to qualified non-profit organizations that focus on the cultural, social and/or educational needs of the Ventura County community.
The 2023 Rebozo Festival Inc. grantees are Amino Theatre Company and Parents Against Santa Susana Lab-PSSFL (Fiscal Sponsor: Physicians for Social Responsibility, LA Chapter). The grantees will be honored at the 19th annual Rebozo Festival on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at the Camarillo Ranch.
Six years after ‘the Blob’ rolled through the Santa Barbara Channel, lasting effects are seen in the kelp forest communities.
WE’RE BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC!
Please join us for our annual holiday reception! Visit with friends and colleagues, enjoy appetizers and wine, and learn more about the Ventura County Civic Alliance.
We need your help to raise our Giving Tuesday goal of $25,000.
We need to raise $25,000 by the end of the day on November 29
to keep the admission free for the Museum of Ventura County
and the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s winter concert— “De Colores, A Cultural Celebration of Choral Music”— will sweep the audience around the world with musical selections from Mexico to South Korea to East Africa to Great Britain and more.?
?“I have had so much fun programming musical selections that reflect a wide range of cultures and their languages,” said the director of the Channel Islands University Chorus, KuanFen Liu, who holds a doctorate in Musical Arts (DMA). “We have had native speakers come in to teach us diction and pronunciation to make sure we are honoring the languages as best we can.”?
Immerse yourself in the holiday spirit seaside at Ventura Harbor Village, located off California Highway 101, where friends and family from near and far, are invited to add sun and sparkle this season. Trade in snow for sand and snow boots for flip flops – it’s time to enjoy another iconic event lineup at this stunning destination situated along the waterfront in Ventura. The Harbor is truly a “must SEA” spot this time of year.
Ventura Harbor is mustering up more holiday magic than ever with ocean-inspired decorations in a color palette of twinkling blue, aqua, and green beachy hues. On display for all to see are spiraling sea pearls, a scenic “SEAsons Greetings” photo op, whimsical holiday trees, vibrant wreaths, and other festive décor that reflects off the glistening marina waters. Seasonal décor can be enjoyed from now through the New Year!
Visitors are encouraged to take a seaside stroll to enjoy the lights and stop in for quality food on a cozy covered patio – a perfect way to entertain and spend quality time with loved ones. Following a relaxing meal, explore the Harbor Village for one-of-a-kind gifts. Ventura’s locally-owned shops and art galleries have everything from handmade treasures to fun stocking stuffers.
The annual MFA open studios at Harder Stadium offer a unique opportunity to see where artists work — and what they’re working on.
Just in time for the holidays, step into relaxing, small town holiday charm with a weekend getaway in Lompoc!
Celebrate the season with an activity calendar of family-friendly activities, specialty retail shopping, or go wine tasting at one of 30+ local wine tasting venues. After the fun, kick back for a relaxing evening at one of our comfy hotels.
Below is the destination’s holiday happenings for the entire family:
For this reflective exhibit, MVC will partner with the RAD Foundation and the artist Julie Dahl-Nicolle to showcase 100 floral mixed media canvas paintings. This exhibit dives into the loss brought by COVID-19; of loved ones and what could have been. During the opening of the exhibit, guests can participate in hanging their clouties (piece of cloth tied to a tree branch)– an homage to the Irish Rag Tree tradition. Click here to learn more.
Arts & Lectures performers share what goes into songwriting in a unique community workshop series from the music department.
Produced in partnership with House Farm Workers! and funded by California Humanities
Art About Agriculture also offers a glimpse into My Home/My Land, a community outreach project presented by the Santa Paula Art Museum in partnership with local nonprofit House Farm Workers! and funded by a grant from California Humanities.
My Home/My Land invites our local farmworker community to contribute their voices and art to the Art About Agriculture exhibition. In recent months, SPAM educators hosted workshops at farmworker housing sites in Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula, Fillmore, and Piru. Families shared their connections to the agricultural landscape through art projects designed to capture individual symbolism and meaning.
Results of a clinical feasibility study suggest ketogenic diet and periodic fasting may have benefits against polycystic kidney disease.
Just in time for the holidays, Island Packers, the official boat concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park, with daily departures to the Channel Islands from Ventura Harbor Village, will be offering seasonal cruises for family and friends, as well as group functions. Ventura Harbor Holiday Cruises and Whale Watching trips are splendid ways to celebrate the winter season. (Masks are optional). An array of holiday options include the following:
A tiny species known only from fossils is found alive in the tidepools of Santa Barbara.
Thousand Oaks City Council ratifies the two new board members. They bring a shared vision of the transformative benefits of arts for children and youth to TOArts. THOUSAND OAKS — Elibet Valencia Muñoz and Sean Rendineo have officially joined the TOArts…
OPAC celebrates the return of its annual Dia de los Muertos Celebration which will be held this year on Saturday, November 5th from 4 to 10 pm at the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center. Admission is free and open to the public. The event will once again recognize Araw Ng Mga Patay, a Filipino holiday during which people pay homage to their deceased family members and loved ones by visiting their burial sites and making offerings such as food, flowers and prayers.
Guests will enjoy:
Opening remarks from The Mexican Consulate and Oxnard’s Mayor
Aztec Blessing and Ceremonial Dance by Kalpulli Huitzilin Ihuan Xochitl
Displays by local artists Checkos, BlotCamp, Erendira, CreationsByLoops, Carlos Heredia, Veggiecide, Melina Dominguez, Ambzy
Free Dia de los Muertos printmaking by SketchCrow and OPAC’s Teen Art Program students
Performances by Poets Jesus + Sarahi Noyola, Chinas Niñas, Chinas Oaxaqueñas, Ballet Folklorico Mestizo of Oxnard College, Los Chinelos, Grupo Folklorico Fusión Mexicano, Los Diablitos
Community altars
Music provided by Radio Lazer DJs and local musicians
Family-friendly activities including face painting, a storytime corner, arts & crafts, complimentary photo booth, etc
Food representing cultures that celebrate Dia de los Muertos, including Filipino, Mexican and more
Vendors specializing in artesanias, crafts, and more!
The 14th Annual Art About Agriculture Exhibition
Saturday, November 12, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 SPAM Members • $10 Non-members
Art About Agriculture, the popular, group exhibition presented annually by the Ag Art Alliance, returns November 12, 2022, through March 5, 2023! Now in its fourteenth year, Art About Agriculture promotes awareness of agriculture by exploring its many facets through art—from workers to water, from machinery to fields, to the food that goes on our plates.
A Renewed Focus
A water purification collaboration involving UC Santa Barbara researchers receives a $12 million grant from the Department of Energy.
Ivor Davis: Up Close and Personal with Joe Sohm, Thur., November 3rd from 6:30-8pm
Joe Sohm (“America’s Photo-Historian”) has been published more than 500,000 times in publications that include the National Geographic, Time, Newsweek, New York and L.A. Times, Washington Post and featured on CNN, ABC, PBS, and the History Channel. He served as President Clinton’s photographer for the D.N.C and his work is featured in Ronald Reagan’s book The Great Communicator. Join host Ivor Davis for a riveting discussion with Sohm about his work as one of the nation’s greatest political photographers of our time.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came to our Annual Fundraiser in Saticoy on October 16th. We are grateful for our speakers, who all brought an invaluable perspective and offered attendees a thorough look at the challenges and community efforts in Saticoy.
Our success is only made possible by YOU. Because of your support, whether you donated, volunteered, attended, or spread the word about our 2022 Gala, we were able to host our most successful event ever. Together we raised $684,000 for our community’s youth! As you know, putting this event together is no small feat, and we’ve already begun planning next year’s… and we have a date! The 21st Annual Stand Up For Kids Gala will be held on
Saturday, September 9th 2023.
The library launches the Community Archives Project for Santa Barbara’s Latinx neighborhoods.
The California art collection of beloved Camarillo nurse Cherie Nedderman will be on display for the first time beginning with a reception on Oct. 27 from 1 to 5 p.m. in the John Spoor Broome Library Art Gallery at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI).
“The Cherie Nedderman Collection of California Art at CSUCI: Impressions and Dialogues” consists of 20 paintings from a 58-piece collection of “en plein air” or “outdoor” paintings of Southern California done between 1890 and the late 1960s. The paintings, which covered the walls of Nedderman’s hillside Camarillo home, featured frame after frame of sycamore trees, tumbling waves and rolling green hills.
Listen up, it’s not just hocus pocus! Ventura Harbor Village is getting into the spooky spirit by brewing up a variety of fall festivities for visitors this Halloween. There is no better place to be than seaside as it casts a magical spell.
This spook-tacular destination invites guests from near and far to stop in for some enchanting entertainment. The real treat is complimentary community events for costumed kids, pets and parents who wish to celebrate the season in costume.
Festively decorated with local pumpkins, skeletons, and a myriad of scenic marina photo ops, Ventura Harbor is pulling out all the stops for Halloween weekend, made possible by partner, Underwood Family Farms.
We’re delighted to introduce Jem Morris and Gabriel Islas as the newest additions to the Santa Paula Art Museum team! As Museum Educator, Jem Morris is leading SPAM’s ArtSPARK school tour program, monthly Free Family Days, our busy partnership with Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley, and much more.
A big thanks to the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Protection District for offering free chipping service again, starting November 7th, 2022. This is a great way to increase the defensible space around your property and your neighbors.
They will be starting the chipping in Summerland, and working East through the District. Residents are free to put piles of brush (non-fibrous, chippable material) in an easily accessible area for our contractor to chip. You can keep the chips if you would like, or we will haul them away. Please specify in your email if you would like to keep the chips. d.fawcett@csfd.net
Competing in the national Collegiate Inventors Competition, undergraduate student Visala Tallavarjula tackles water scarcity with her innovative irrigation solution.
Just in time for Fall, the new Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room in Ventura Harbor Village is giving wine lovers a reason to toast the coast. Owned and operated by the Conway family of Santa Barbara/Ventura County, this modern wine tasting room is sure to be a popular spot with 15 different wines of interesting and unusual blends of reds and whites, each produced in small batch production. Along with their friendly and knowledgeable tasting room hosts, daily tastings offer a selection of both Conway and Deep Sea wines offering something for all palates. https://www.conwayfamilywines.com/Santa-Barbara-Tasting-Room/Ventura-Tasting-Room
Deep Sea Wine Tasting Room, along with the Conway siblings John, Tom, Gillian, and Sally, have created a relaxed atmosphere with indoor and outdoor seating in the picturesque Ventura Harbor setting.
Saturday, October 8, 2022, at 1 PM and 2 PM
Included with regular museum admission
Free for SPAM members and students
Don’t miss this singular opportunity to experience Hiroko Yoshimoto’s New Works exhibition featuring Blue Marble Art Collective with Yoshimoto and W. Scott Miles as your gallery guides! On Saturday, October 8, the two Ventura artists will lead 45-minute tours of their shared exhibit at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Reservations are not required.
Esteemed scholar and historian Daina Ramey Berry joins the campus as the new dean of humanities and fine arts.
MVC Insider is back with a new season covering everything Ventura County, including The St. Francis Dam Disaster, speakeasy owner Sally Stanford, our notorious three-headed goat, and so much more.
Tune in every Friday at 9am on Facebook to learn more about your county’s hidden histories and enduring legacies.
The Rona Barrett Foundation’s annual benefit event is set for a stunning new location after a three-year hiatus. Guests are invited to celebrate in style while supporting vulnerable seniors, at Love, Italian Style, hosted at the Sunstone Winery Villa in Santa Ynez from 4 p.m. to 7:30 pm on Sunday, October 9.
“We’re discovering our community is more eager than ever to join together around the important things in life, and ready to get out from behind our screens to do so in style,” said Tony Morris, Executive Director. “We’re grateful to our sponsors, volunteers and auction donors for setting the stage for Love Italian Style to be a great success.”
Dear Friends,
Fall is officially here and it’s hard to believe that 2023 is just around the corner. As we celebrate 77 years of Uniting Ventura County, I am so proud of how your local United Way has responded throughout these challenging times, but our support is only possible because of the continued generosity of our community. It’s your generosity that powers the programs serving those in need and changing lives. Lives like John, a U.S. Air Force veteran. Please read his testimonial.
“With only social security, and no family to fall back on, I began a search for a place I could settle down in. The money I had on hand didn’t last long and then the pandemic hit. At this point, I didn’t have a place to call home and I started living in my car. I connected with United Way and they gave me a sense of hope in the real possibility of finding somewhere to live. They helped me find a place in a senior living apartment complex. They also helped with furniture, bedding, dishes, and utensils. The compassion and care they showed gave me confidence that things would work out. I feel fortunate because of their efforts.”
Free Family Day
Sunday, October 2, 2022, from 12 PM to 3 PM
Free for all ages
October promises to be scary fun at the Santa Paula Art Museum! First up: Free Family Day on Sunday, October 2. Longtime Santa Paula art teacher and crafting queen Mariann Romero will be leading the activities inside SPAM’s Cole Creativity Center. Create fun, fall-themed crafts, including pinecone wall hangings and scarecrow bookmarks. Admission is free, all are welcome, and all materials are provided.
The fall quarter offers a stellar line-up of exhibitions, film screenings, theater, dance and more.
Join the community in celebrating Oxnard’s cultural diversity at the 25th Annual Multicultural Festival on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Plaza Park (500 S. C St.). The event is free and open to the public.
The Multicultural Festival features a variety of fun, educational activities, entertainment and exhibits for all ages. Activities include:
Musical performances by Caliente805 Band, Kaylanie Barrera, DJG-Cut (A Female Vibe), and more!
The County of Ventura’s Executive Office has selected David Yoshitomi as the new Arts and Culture Manager to lead countywide arts, culture, and economic vitality efforts.
“Arts and culture are a fundamental thread of our community’s fabric and contribute greatly to our economic vibrancy and quality of life,” said Chair of the Board of Supervisors Matt LaVere. “We are thrilled that David will help lead the County in this area. Our Board created this new position in May this year, and I deeply appreciate Supervisor Carmen Ramirez’s dedication to building support for arts and cultural efforts in Ventura County, making it possible to create this position.”
“We are grateful to welcome David Yoshitomi to the County as his 15-year track record of cultivating community connections around arts and culture will contribute greatly to preserving and promoting the rich culture, traditions, and community bonds that bring our local economy to life,” said County Executive Officer Dr. Sevet Johnson.
With cooler temperatures on the way, fall is the ideal season for a road trip to Lompoc! Sip award-winning wines from Sta. Rita Valley wineries, warm up with a pumpkin latte in one of our cozy coffee shops, take a lazy drive on our scenic country roads or relax at Jalama beach, catch a rocket launch from Vandenberg SFB, and stay at one of our comfy hotels!
Whether you visit for a week or a weekend, the comfortable weather conditions clear the way for outdoor activities like these:
Jest Improv, a local LGBTQIA+ (and ally) comedy improv school, that meets out of the Diversity Collective in Ventura, has announced its Jest Improv’s Diversity Scholarship now available.
We want to do our part in reaching out to our community to help give financial assistance to those who want to pursue their comedy aspirations but don’t normally get the chance to.
If you have wanted to try comedy but feel that opportunity has been out of reach, we encourage you to apply.
Click the link down below to apply now!
La Colonia Youth Mural Program and Future Leaders of America Unveil Mental Health Awareness Mural
The Mental Health Awareness Mural of Oxnard is a new public art installation designed and created by local youth from community-based programs. Read more
Summer may be coming to an end, but The Collection at RiverPark is keeping the fun going right into fall. In the coming months, The Collection at RiverPark is offering tons of excitement for visitors with two free concerts, several grand openings, a 5K walk and more.
“Fall is full of big plans here at The Collection,” said Marketing Director Jill Almonia. “In addition to all of the amazing shopping, dining and entertainment experiences we offer year-round, we’ve got lots of excellent events coming up this season — plus several incredible new businesses getting ready to open their doors.”
The Collection’s popular concert series, Rock the Collection, continues this fall with two more free events for all ages. On Sept. 28, The Long Run, an Eagles tribute band, will get everyone singing along to classic favorites. And on Oct. 19, Bruno and the Hooligans, a Bruno Mars tribute band, will be playing crowd pleasers all evening. Grab some lawn chairs and takeout, and head over to the grass at Collection Park to join the party. The music starts at 6:30 p.m.
The 8th Annual Labor Day Vintage Tractor Fair
Monday, September 5th from 11am-2pm
The 8th Annual Labor Day Vintage Tractor Fair was a major (and sizzling hot) success with over a thousand attendees. Thank you for coming to your Museum to celebrate our agricultural heritage, our community, and this important holiday for all. We hope to see you next year.
IT’S GONNA BE BANANAS ON SEPTEMBER 24, 10am-6pm!
Get ready for the tastes and sounds of Ports near and far. We’ve also added an Oldies By the Sea Car Show as you enter on Market Street. Keep an eye on performer lineup and other announcements through the Banana Festival website and social media.
Follow the Port Banana Festival social media:
Instagram | Facebook
John Galan’s Remedios (Remedies)
Saturday, September 17, 2022, from 4 PM to 6 PM
$5 Members • $10 Non-members
Meet artist John Galan at the premiere of his solo exhibition, Remedios (Remedies), on Saturday, September 17. With artworks rich in symbolism and vibrant hues inspired by his Mexican heritage, Galan’s exhibit is an honest exploration of the connections between health, healing, nature, and tradition. Remedios will be on view September 17, 2022, to January 8, 2023.
After two years of virtual events, Hospice of Santa Barbara’s (HSB) Heroes of Hospice (HOH) is back in person and will be honoring local heroes on Thursday, September 22, 2022 from 11:00 am – 1:30 pm at Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort’s Plaza del Sol.
HSB’s Heroes of Hospice Luncheon honors the people and organizations that bring compassion and care, at all levels, to those in need in and near the Santa Barbara community. Throughout these past two years, the demand for HSB’s services has been growing. Fundraisers like HOH allow the organization to reach our community members struggling with grief or life-threatening illness, free of charge.
This year, Heroes of Hospice What Matters Most will be honoring Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics with the MEDICAL HERO AWARD, Santa Barbara High School with the PARTNERSHIP HERO AWARD and Hospice of Santa Barbara Bereavement Staff with the STAFF HERO AWARD. The event will include a welcome reception, silent auction, lunch and the award presentation.
