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Many people have heard of David and Goliath, but what about Jeroboam and the golden calf? Or Ahab and the fire from heaven? Or Manasseh and the Assyrian siege? The legends of Israel’s kings have been preserved through the writings of the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish tradition. This course will dive deep into these rarely-told stories, will enliven them through context, and will examine the depth of ancient folklore and the messages that they convey, even to today. David and Goliath isn’t an outlier. It finds its place in an entire corpus of emotive and poignant stories. This course will unveil more of those stories.

Jason Hensley, Ph.D., teaches religious studies at a private school in Los Angeles. He is a fellow of the Michael LaPrade Holocaust Education Institute of the Anti-Defamation League, a member of Civic Spirit's teacher education cohort, and the award-winning author of 10 books. His work has been featured in The Huffington Post as well as the BBC, and he has served as the historical advisor for a Holocaust documentary.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for people aged 50 and older.

Portrait of the authur, Melinda Dempill WattsThe Museum of Ventura County invites you to join us for the next installment of our popular in-person and Zoom series, Local History Happy Hour. In this series, local authors and historians sit down with The Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director Elena Brokaw to discuss their unique perspectives on our region’s history and take questions from the audience.

The next episode features Melinda Sempill Watts, author of Tree. Melina Sempill Watts writing has appeared in Sierra Magazine, the New York Times motherlode blog, Sunset Magazine, Malibu Times, the VC Reporter, and many more. Watts began her career in Hollywood as a development executive, writing consultant and story analyst working for luminaries such as Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Peter Horton, and at Dreamworks.

Tree Book CoverTree is a novel about a tree written from a unique point of view: the chief narrator is a tree. Tree uses magical realism as a key to access the interrelated emotional realities of the many species that share one pristine valley in Topanga, California. Grass, birds, other trees and animals come to life on the pages, while one 19th century Mexican woman and one 20th century school boy, hearts opened by grief and loneliness, come to know one California live oak whose 229 years span the evolution of four human civilizations, Chumash, Spanish/Mexican, Yankee and new money Hollywood, which each leave their mark upon the landscape and upon Tree. The author’s obsessive botanical, scientific and historical research give substance to a world that feels both as real as last weekend’s dust on hiking boots and as mind altering as a fully fledged mystical experience. Take a journey into the heart of the woods where every plant shines Tree will change how you see nature.

Watts’ book, Tree, will be available for sale, and the author will stay to autograph.

This event coincides with Going Wild exhibit, on display at the Museum of Ventura County from Friday, August 26, 2022 through October 2, 2022. The Going Wild exhibit features the work of writer Melina Sempill Watts and California plein air painter Jeff Sojka.

Team trivia contests are led by the Garden’s Living Collections Curator Christina Varnava, with questions created by the Garden’s horticulture and conservation teams. Winning teams receive gift baskets from the Garden Shop.

Admission is free and open to the public aged 21 years and older. Garden members receive a $1 discount on beer. Proceeds benefit the Garden.

Many other events are being held in September, but are open only to current and new members of the Botanic Garden. They include a rare Family Nature Night held after dark, a day-long collaboration with the Santa Barbara Library at the Garden (Storytime, Storywalk, and Library on Wheels visit), a behind-the-scenes tour of the Garden's Pritzlaff Conservation Center, and reciprocal free admission to MOXI: The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation. For more information about membership, visit www.sbbotanicgarden.org/support/membership.

The 2nd Annual Holidays in the Village, A European Marketplace, which celebrates the warmth and joy of the holiday season--all with a European flair, will take place Sunday, December 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Lakeview Canyon Road and Agoura Road (adjacent to Stonehaus) in Westlake Village. Visitors can shop for unique holiday gifts in a festive, family atmosphere. The Marketplace features traditional European foods and beverages including warm mulled wine, Kinderpunsch, craft brews, apple cider and hot cocoa. A Kris Kringle children's village with Kris Kringle himself and the Grinch includes a holiday train. Carolers and live music will entertain visitors throughout the day. Admission and parking are free. The Marketplace is hosted by the two Rotary Clubs of Westlake Village--Sunrise and Noon--and the City of Westlake Village. Proceeds support local nonprofits. For more information, go to http://www.HolidaysInTheVillage.org or email info@holidaysinthevillage.org.

Día de Los Muertos: Paper Mâché Workshop

Local sculptor, Jose Galvan, will lead this workshop to make two large scale sculptures of El Catrin and La Catrina for Día de Los Muertos.

FREE! Adults + Children Welcome! No registration required.

SATURDAYS, Oct. 8 - Oct. 29, 2022 | 2:30pm - 5:30pm
Oxnard Performing Arts Center
800 Hobson Way, Oxnard, California 93030

Thank you to our sponsor, The Port of Hueneme!

The Ventura County Interfaith Community is excited to announce the return of the annual Feast of Faiths. The Feast of Faiths is a gathering of individuals from various religions to discuss their beliefs with those of other faiths informally over dinner.

The theme for the 2022 Feast of Faiths is: “Almost 2 years of Pandemic: What have we learned?”

Members of various religions – including but not limited to Trinitarian Christians, Muslims, Jews, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Unitarian Universalists, Bahá’ís, Quakers, Scientologists, and others – will share a meal. The purpose of the dinner is to promote dialogue and friendship between people of different religions.

Halal-style and vegetarian food will be served.

Join us for this exciting opportunity for interfaith friendship at 4:00 PM on October 23rd. The location for this year’s event is Saint Columba’s Episcopal Church, 1251 Las Posas Road, Camarillo. You can get your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/feast-of-faiths-tickets-411492243377. The suggested ticket price is $26 if received by the Early Bird deadline of October 10, or $30 afterwards. Suggested student (8 and older) price is $10 by October 10, or $15 afterwards.

Join World Dance For Humanity for our spooktacular Thriller event on October 30th (dance party 2pm, Thriller 3pm)! Since 2010, World Dance for Humanity has organized the big Thriller event at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens as part of “Thrill the World,” celebrated all over the world on the Saturday before Halloween.

In 2020 we held the event on Zoom due to COVID, but we’re back at the Sunken Gardens this year! Join us for this spooktacular community celebration on October 30th with flashmobs all over town leading up to Halloween! Learn Thriller and our other Halloween dances in-person and on Zoom! Everyone is welcome – all ages and abilities, kids, grandparents, and everyone in between! Note: To keep this event as safe as possible, we ask that all participants ages 12 and older are vaccinated for COVID-19. We also encourage you to practice social distancing and incorporate a MASK into your Thriller costume – it will add to the spookiness and fun! PRACTICE TIMES (Starting Saturday, Oct. 2nd) Saturdays 9:45am at the Beach (Chase Palm Park by the Stage or across the street by the bike path) Sundays 10:00am on Zoom – Login: https://zoom.us/j/823393549 Tuesdays 9:15am at Oak Park (on the Stage or on the grass by the wading pool) Wednesdays 5:30pm at Alameda Park (Garden & Micheltorena by Kids World) Suggested Donation is $40 total for all the practices and event registration. All proceeds are tax-deductible and benefit our Rwanda Education Fund, which is giving 270 Rwandan students a chance to go to school, and Santa Barbara’s Westside Boys & Girls Club where World Dancers provide after-school tutoring. See website for more info: https://worlddanceforhumanity.org/thriller-2021/

Just in time for the World Series, the Santa Monica Playhouse BFF Free Festival in association with the Mathewson Foundation presents a special two-performance in-person and live-streaming home series of Eddie Frierson's widely acclaimed theatrical show.

Whether you are a baseball fan or not, Eddie Frierson’s play, “MATTY: An Evening With Christy Mathewson,” is a superb theatrical experience.

“Matty” is the life story of Christy Mathewson, legendary hall-of-fame pitcher for the New York Giants (1900 to 1916), gentleman, philosopher and first true American hero who inspired a whole generation of fans to make baseball America's pastime. Besides his ballpark records, he was an author of books for boys, toured in vaudeville, made a motion picture, and was a war hero, a coach, a sports writer and very likely the first major sports figure to be a product spokesperson.

The 6th Annual BFF Binge Fringe Festival of FREE Theatre, Oct 10 - Nov 9, offers over two dozen events thanks to generous grants from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors through the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Arts Commission and Playhouse PALS.

Join us for a live Zoom with renowned local photographer and activist Jorge Corralejo alongside Elena Brokaw, the Museum’s Barbara Barnard Smith Executive Director.

Jorge’s work populates “Huelga! Photographs from the Frontlines” currently up at the Museum of Ventura County until October 31st. Jorge and Elena will talk about Jorge’s first-hand memories of farm labor strikes in the 1970s, his time with Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, and his role in the fight for civil rights.

To attend the live Zoom for this behind the scenes gallery talk, register by clicking the link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6iB_BHr3RACv8O4ypXiRkA

The Simi Valley YMCA is hosting a "Trunk or Treat," Friday, October 15 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in its parking lot (3200 Cochran Street).

Volunteers adorn their cars in Halloween decorations and pass out candy to kids as they walk by. The event is free and open to the public. It will be fun and a little bit spooky.

Trunk or Treat is appropriate for all ages. Kids are encouraged to dress in costume. Parents can too. Following health protocols, face coverings are required.

The YMCA is accepting candy donations for the evening. Individually wrapped candy can be dropped off at the Simi Y. For more information, email info@sevymca.org or call 805-583-5338.