Calendar092217x

NOTE  to WebDeveloper: The following is the cut and pasted version from the odt file NOT the Docxpresso version.

KFCF Community Calendar: Updated 9/22/17

To post an event on our calendar e-mail the information to

calendar@kfcf.org, at least 2 weeks before the event.

 

DAILY CALENDAR

(Multiple Day and Ongoing Events are at end of posting)

 

Friday, September 22^nd

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Maeve Doolittle, Population Connection. The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, September 22^nd

Cineculture presents “Paper Lanterns” with discussant Chad Cannon (Composer). In the summer of 1945, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan: the first on Hiroshima on August 6, and the second on Nagasaki three days later. An estimated 140,000 civilians were killed in Hiroshima that day, including twelve American POWs whose family were never told of their death. A young Japanese boy, Shigeaki Mori, witnessed the explosion and survived but his life was changed forever. Paper Lanterns by director Barry Frechette is a film about the true story of these twelve American POWs and Mori’s struggle to account for their story in the years and decades that followed the end of World War II. Not as enemies, but as human beings who suffered in one of history’s most tragic events. This film is about them, the horrors they witnessed, their families’ struggle to find the truth, and one man’s effort to give them the gift of closure and have each of these twelve airmen recognized as victims of the atomic blast at the Hiroshima Peace Museum. The witnesses and survivors of these horrific events are dying. They do not want anyone to forget their loved ones and the sacrifices they made. They strive for peace, for compassion and for a world free of nuclear weapons. They want us to never forget their story. This film is being screened in honor of International Day of World Peace (September 22). You can view the trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96yMquZrL0E.  Cineculture film screenings are at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  Co-Sponsor is Peace Fresno.  All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, September 22^nd

San Joaquin College of Law’s Law Students for Community Advancement (LSCA) presents, as part of its film/speaker series, a free screening of “Between Two Worlds” with special guest presentations by Andreas Borgeas, Professor of International Security Law, on “The Making of the Modern Middle East,” and by Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries on “The Impact of the Refugee Crisis in Fresno County.” The screening and presentations are from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at San Joaquin College of Law Rm. 213, 901 5^th Street in Clovis.  You can view the film trailer at http://www.pbs.org/POV/dalyasothercountry. For more information on the event go to http://bit.ly/lsca-upcomingevents.

 

Friday, September 22^nd

Dr. Tammy Kernodle, a musicologist and specialist on women in jazz, will present “Playing from the Margins: Gender, Jazz and Cultural Containment in Cold War Era America” from 2 to 3:15 p.m. The free public lecture, in the University Business Center, Peters Business 191, is co-sponsored by the Center for Creativity and the Arts under its 2017-2018 theme “Voice and Silence: Expressions of Community, Advocacy and the Human Spirit” and Associated Students Inc. Kernodle is a professor of musicology at Miami University of Ohio. Her scholarship has focused mainly on various genres of African American music, jazz and gender and popular music. For more information, contact Dr. Donald Henriques at dhenriques@csufresno.edu.

 

Friday, September 22^nd

There will be a screening of the film, “Dalya’s Other Country” from 6:30 to 9:30 pm, at San Joaquin College of Law at 901 5th Street, Clovis. Before the film there will be a short presentation on the “Making of the Modern Middle East,” by Professor of International Security Law, Andreas Borgeas. The film tells the nuanced story of members of a family displaced by the Syrian conflict who are remaking themselves after their parents separate. View the trailer at http://www.pbs.org/pov/dalyasothercountry.  After the film, representatives of Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries (FIRM) will lead a short discussion and present on the work they do in the community.  For mre information contact LSCA@sjcl.edu.

 

Friday, September 22^nd

Fresno State’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations continue with off-campus events, including a tribute to Selena from 7 to 10 p.m. at Arte America’s Plaza Paz in downtown Fresno (1630 Van Ness Ave.) The tribute includes live music, food trucks and art galleries. Doors open at 7 and the show is from 8-10 p.m.  Tacos Mazatlan will have food for purchase and there will be Beer/Wine/Margaritas/Sodas/Water available along with shaved ice for the kids!  Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for members, or $5/Kids under 10, with VIP seating for $40.  You can also get 6 general tickets for $60 (or $50 for members).  For more information, go to www.arteamericas.org.

 

Saturday, September 23^rd

The Sierra Art Trails Preview Exhibit Reception at Gallery Row in Oakhurst has been re-scheduled for Saturday, September 23rd, from 4 to 9 pm. Wildfires in the area are largely under control, evacuations have been lifted, and the air is clear.  Join them for an evening of live music, good food, good people, and Great Art!  The Preview Exhibit at Stellar Gallery is beautiful. The exhibit is open to the public 11am to 5pm daily, closed on Tuesday.  The 2017 Sierra Art Trails event takes place from Friday, September 29^th through Sunday, October 1^st.   For more information or to purchase the 2017 Art Trails catalog, go to http://www.sierraarttrails.org. You can also call 559-658-8844. Gallery Row is located at 40982 Hwy 41, Oakhurst California.

 

Saturday, September 23^rd

As part of the Tamejavi Festival, there will be a program on “Memories From Home” by Syrian Families settling in Fresno. The program includes a poetry reading/fundraiser organized by poet Lee Herrick, and a reading by novelist and Fresno State Professor Randa Jarrar (Palestinian American), with Syrian finger food, a presentation about the cook book, some stories about Syrian refugee life, and several other poets and artists reading their works.  The event is from 6-8 p.m. at the Collect Coffee Shop, 3142 E. Campus Pointe Dr. in Fresno.  For more information, visit tamejavi.org or call (559) 222-7678.

 

Saturday, September 23^rd

Pundit Debasis Chakroborty on slide guitar accompanied by Pundit Shashanka Bakshi on Tabla (Percussion) and a student of Pundit Bakshi on Tanpura (Strings) will be performing in the Concert Hall of Music Department of Fresno State from 8 to 10 pm. The Concert is sponsored by the College of Arts and Humanities of Fresno State, is open to public and free. Pundit Debasis Chakroborty is a renowned musician in India where he performs regularly in regional and national TV and Radio Stations. Internationally he has performed in Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, South Korea and China.  For information on the venue for this performance, go to http://www.fresnostate.edu/artshum/music/images/music-building-map-2.PNG.

 

Saturday, September 23^rd

The Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual Organization presents a workshop on “Happiness in Relationships.” Relationships are at the heart of our lived experiences.  It is the experience of love, peace & happiness that sustains healthy relationships.  At this workshop, you can learn to:

1. Develop a deeper understanding of your relationship with yourself and others;
2. Know your innate qualities & how to apply them in your life;
3. Use the art of communication in your interaction with others.

The workshop is from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the St. Paul Newman Center, Cardinal Newman Hall, Room 104, 1572 E. Barstow Ave. in Fresno. Facilitator Veena Kapoor MSW, Ed.D has been practicing and teaching meditation for 25 years. Please register by email to BKWSOfresno@gmail.com by Sept. 20th, 2017.  There is no charge for the course. Donations are requested for the use of the Church facility.

 

Saturday, September 23^rd

Debasis Chakroborty will perform a concert of classical Hindustani music at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall at Fresno State. Chakroborty performs using a modified Hawaiian slide guitar. He will be accompanied on the tabla (a South Asian membranophone percussion instrument) by Shashanka Bakshi, a senior student of Samta Prasad of Benaras Gharana. Debasis Chakroborty is an associate professor of music at the Institute of Visual and Performing Arts and Research, Mangalayatan University, Aligarh, U.P., India. He performs regularly in various regional and national TV and radio stations in India. Internationally he has performed in Italy, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and China. This event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by the College of Arts and Humanities and Continuing and Global Education.

 

Sunday, September 24^th

There will be a fundraising concert to benefit Dakota Eco-Garden from 5 – 9:00 pm at Fulton 55, at Blackstone and Divisadero. Admission is free. Roger Perry is producing a Sun Records Tribute concert featuring many of the best musical groups and individuals in the Fresno area. Good Medicine from North Fork is on the bill, with Jeff Hallock on harmonica. You will be invited to support the Dakota EcoGarden with a donation. The DEG provides transitional housing for many otherwise homeless folks who are ready to work on reclaiming their lives.

 

Sunday, September 24^th

Guelaguetza California 2017 takes place from 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. at Calwa Park, 4545 E. Church Avenue, Fresno. Everyone is invited to an indigenous communities festival showcasing colorful folkloric dances, traditional music, and indigenous cuisine. This is the nineteenth annual Guelaguetza in Fresno, sustaining a millenary tradition. Hosted by Centro Binacional Para El Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño-Fresno. Entrance $8 dollars (children under 12 free).  For more information, you can call 499-1178 or go to https://www.facebook.com/pg/CentroBinacional/events.

 

Sunday, September 24^th

North Star Family Center, a California non-profit agency providing foster care, adoption, and family services, is holding a golf tournament and dinner fundraiser at Dragonfly Golf Club. The golf tournament will begin at 12:00pm and the dinner will be at 5:00pm. Tickets for golf and dinner at 100.00 per person or 350.00 for a foursome. Dinner only options are available for 20.00 per person. Dinner, hosted beer and wine, raffle and silent auctions are included in the golf tournament and dinner tickets. Net proceeds will be going to provide additional services and programs to our commercially sexually exploited/trafficked children and youth, LGBT youth, and homeless children and families in the Central Valley. Call North Star Family Center at 226-2273 for more information, or register at EventBrite by looking up North Star Family Center.

 

Sunday, September 24^th

Old Town Clovis will once again host the biannual Antiques Fair. With nearly 100 dealers converging in one area, everyone is invited to come treasure hunting in one of the Valley’s premier antiquing events. This year, visitors are in for a special treat: the De Young Properties and Old Town Clovis Design Home features treasures found right in Old Town. Local merchants curated unique finds and one-of-a-kind pieces that are characteristic of the Antiques Fair and Old Town Clovis stores, now being displayed in the latest De Young Properties model home at Armstrong and Gettysburg. Collectors, decorators, and prospective home buyers alike will love exploring De Young’s newest

model and finding inspiration for home décor in the process. Swing by the De Young Design Home for inspiration before coming to Old Town Clovis to explore the Antiques Fair. Parking and admission are free; arrive early for the best deals. Special guest Kathy Osterberg Sobelman will be offering free appraisals of one item per person from 9 to 11

a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, please visit OldTownClovis.org, DeYoungProperties.com, or contact Kiley Norvell at (559) 454-9400 x216 or by e-mail to Kiley@archerandhound.com.

 

Monday, September 25^th

There will be a Fresno Celebration of “DOLORES The Movie” about Dolores Huerta at 5 pm at Marie Callender’s Restaurant, 1781 E Shaw Ave, Fresno. Join Dolores Huerta and the staff of the Dolores Huerta Foundation (DHF) to support the community organizing work of DHF and celebrate the release of DOLORES – a feature documentary about Dolores Huerta’s lifetime work for social justice. Enjoy music, light appetizers and soft drinks. Purchase Tickets at www.DoloresFresno.eventbrite.com.  All proceeds benefit the Dolores Huerta Foundation. For more information, contact Stephanie Canales, DHF Fresno Organizer, at scanales@doloreshuerta.org or call (559) 326-4677.

 

Monday, September 25^th

Author Maya Christina Gonzalez will present from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in the University Dining Hall at Fresno State as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Gonzalez’ presentation includes an overview of the United States children’s book industry in relation to voices from historically marginalized communities. She also looks at its impact on all children. Gonzalez illustrates the need for change through and beyond the industry, examining ways that educators and parents can effectively create new and inclusive possibilities for children. For full Hispanic Heritage Month events release, see: bit.ly/FSN-HispanicHeritageMo17. For more information on this event contact Jami Sanford at 559-278-8116.

 

Monday, September 25^th

The Rebozo Revival Festival returns to Fresno this month as part of the Center for Creativity and the Arts program on the theme of “Voice and Silence: Expressions of the Human Spirit and Community.” A rebozo is a long woven cloth garment from Mexico and Central America traditionally worn as a shawl, head covering, belt, baby sling or backpack. Rebozos are worn today for fashion and function throughout the Americas. The opening ceremony and opening art exhibit will be from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 25, at Fres.co (1918 Fresno Street). Other events include an art exhibition, a film and weaving workshops, a fashion show and a concluding reception at the Mexican-Consulate of Fresno on September 29^th.   For additional information, contact Urrutia at CCAFresnoState@csufresno.edu or 559-278-8341.

 

Tuesday, September 26^th

Maestro Fausto Sandoval Cruz is the artist in residency for this year’s Tamejavi Cultural Organizing Fellowship Program. On Tuesday, Sept. 26 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Madera Public Library, 121 N. G Street in Madera, Cruz will host “Triqui Culture and Creative Expression: Textiles, Music, Language.” At this presentation, Cruz will offer an overview of Mexico’s indigenous people, focusing on the origins of the Triqui people as registered through their oral traditions and historic documents. He will discuss their social and political structure and the challenges the Triquis face in keeping their history, culture and language alive. The program will be held in Spanish, with interpreting provided. Cruz, who lives in Oaxaca, Mexico, is an expert in indigenous cultures and has studied the Triquis extensively. He teaches indigenous education and publishes text books in the Triqui language. He’s published essays on indigenous education and the Triqui culture, and the Pan Valley Institute is honored that he has chosen to share his expertise through his participation in the 2016-17 Tamejavi Cultural Organizing Fellowship Program.  Coordinated by the Pan-Valley Institute in Fresno, the Tamejavi Cultural Organizing Fellowship Program encourages immigrants and refugees to become advocates and leaders within their communities. Through their participation in the program, fellows demonstrate how they are building a sense of place and belonging through the wealth of art and culture they have to offer.  This presentation is one of six that are taking place across the Valley throughout the fall for the Tamejavi Culture and Art Series, titled “Discovering and Decolonizing Shared Histories.”  The fellows, made up of Palestinian, Laotian, Pakistani, Mexican and Cambodian immigrants, have spent the past 18 months interacting in a multicultural environment, where they organized and hosted cultural exchanges within and beyond their own communities.  Within their learning groups, the fellows studied their community’s pressing concerns while gathering cultural and artistic assets.  This year’s series will respond to the current political climate that has exacerbated the narrative that presents immigrants and refugees as a threat to society. Fellows will use the program’s various art venues to take a stand against an increase in discrimination and social exclusion.  Cruz’s presentation will be the last of the cultural events before the festival’s two-day grand finale in October.  Putting a voice to the nation’s complex immigration problem and teaching fellows how to overcome the challenges they face is at the heart of the Tamejavi Culture and Arts Series.   For more on the Tamejavi Culture and Arts Series, please visit tamejavi.org or call (559) 222-7678.

 

Tuesday, September 26^th

Fresno County Public Library (FCPL) has been chosen to receive a special selection of books from the 2016 Jane Addams Children’s Book Award collection. The Fresno branch of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom will donate the books to the Gillis Branch Library located at 629 W. Dakota Ave, Fresno on Tuesday, September 26, at 2:30 p.m.  The donated books will be added to the FCPL’s collection and will be made available to the public.   The Jane Addams Peace Association was founded in 1948 “to foster a better understanding between the people of the world.” Since 1953, the organization has annually honored outstanding children’s books promoting peace, social justice, world community and equality. Jane Addams, known as the mother of social work was also a public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in women’s suffrage and world peace.  She co-founded the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.  For more information about Library programs, services, and specific branch hours, please go to www.fresnolibrary.org or call the Library at (559) 600 – READ (7323).

 

Wednesday, September 27^th

Fresno Pacific University presents “Death of a Salesman,” part of its Staged Reading Series, at 7:00 p.m. at the Strasbourg Theater, main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. This event is free. For information, go to http://events.fresno.edu/.

 

Wednesday, September 27^th through Friday, September 29^th

The Interactive HungerU exhibit will be at CSU: Fresno, from 9am-4pm. Hunger is the number one killer in the world (more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined!)  Students will have the opportunity to learn more about global hunger and real solutions when the HungerU mobile educational exhibit visits the area on their 10 week US tour at California State University: Fresno campus!  The spirit of HungerU is rooted in peer-to-peer conversation and sharing!  With every stop on the tour and every individual we meet, our understanding grows about how people think , what they know and how much they care about issues related to food security in the United States and around the world. Students are encouraged to take the HungerU Challenge, where they are asked 6 questions related to food security and ag. Each HungerUChallenge taken by a student goes towards meals donated to campus partners where they provide meals to their local community.  The HungerU experience also encourages students to connect to their policymakers on Capitol Hill.  Through the HungerUChallenge.com we’ve made it easy for students to send a letter to their local congressman expressing that food security is a critical component for a more secure nation and world.

 

Thursday, September 28^th

Fresh off the heels of the release of her hilarious new book, “The Totally Unscientific Study of the Search for Human Happiness,” comedian Paula Poundstone is entertaining audiences across the country, leaving them complaining that their cheeks hurt from laughter and wondering if the random people she talks to are plants. Of course, they never are. On Thursday, September 28th, take a break from back-to-lying-about-homework season, to laugh the night away at The Tower Theatre in Fresno.” Poundstone can be heard regularly on NPR’s #1 show, the weekly comedy news quiz Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me! The show is at 8 p.m. and tickets range from $39.50 – $49.50.  For tickets or information, you can call 559-485-9050 or go their website, http://towertheatrefresno.tix.com/Event.aspx?EventCode=977398.  The Tower Theatre is located at 815 E. Olive Ave. Fresno.

 

Friday, September 29^th

Centro La Familia Advocacy Services presents Fiesta Night at Chukchansi Park, from 5-10 p.m. at Chukchansi Park, 1800 Tulare St. in Downtown Fresno. There will be live music by Monsanto, a silent auction, raffle, photo booth, hors d’oeurvres and a no host bar.  Tickets are $50 in advance or $60 at the door, and all proceeds go directly to help Centro provide services to underserved children and families in Fresno County and the surrounding area.  For more information, call 237-2961 or go to www.centrolafamilia.org.

 

Friday, September 29^th

There will be a protest of the pardoning of Sheriff Joe Arpaio Protest. Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, infamous for his racial profiling and abusive policies towards immigrants, is speaking by invitation in Fresno at Tornino’s banquet hall, near the corner of Shaw and Blackstone. Search “Arpaio’s GOP Visit to Fresno” for several articles regarding the upcoming visit; also Daily Kos article on Joe Arpaio’s history. https://goo.gl/xDaFbc.  The protest takes place from 5-8 pm at Tornino’s, 5080 N Blackstone Ave, Fresno.

 

Friday, September 29^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Don Linscheid on the topic “Why the Lion Cannot Lie Down With the Lamb: Christian Peacemaker Team Experience in Israel / Palestine.” The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, September 29^th

Cineculture presents “The Promise” with discussant Carla Garapedian (Associate Producer). In 1914, while the Great War looms, the mighty Ottoman Empire is crumbling. Constantinople, the once vibrant, multicultural capital on the shores of the Bosporus, is about to be consumed by chaos. Michael Boghosian (Oscar Isaac) arrives in the cosmopolitan hub as a medical student determined to bring modern medicine back to Siroun, his ancestral village in Southern Turkey where Turkish Muslims and Armenian Christians have lived side by side for centuries. Photojournalist Chris Myers (Christian Bale) has come here only partly to cover geo-politics. He is mesmerized by his love for Ana (Charlotte le Bon), an Armenian artist he has accompanied from Paris after the sudden death of her father. Then Michael meets Ana, their shared Armenian heritage sparks an attraction that explodes into a romantic rivalry between the two men. As the Turks form an alliance with Germany and the Empire turns violently against its own ethnic minorities, their conflicting passions must be deferred while they join forces to survive even as events threaten to overwhelm them. Promises are made and promises are broken. The one promise that must be kept is to live on and tell the story. The trailer can be viewed at http://www.thepromise.movie/.  This film screening is at 5:00 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  Co-Sponsor is the Armenian Studies Program.  All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, September 29^th

Arne Nixon Center’s second Artist-in-Residence, Maya Christina Gonzalez, will be leading a workshop from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Fresno State’s Kremen Education Building, Room 140. Cosponsored with the Arnie Nixon Center and the Cross Cultural and Gender Center, participants are asked to bring a photo of themselves. Using exercises from her Claiming Face curriculum, Maya leads people through beautiful portraits to personal stories and finally toward larger healing narratives as the day’s workshop progresses. No creative experience or proclivity necessary, only the call to attend and claim your voice. It is important that you are present for the full day. This workshop is most effective when you attend the entire time. If you are unable to attend the full workshop, please leave space for others to attend. Lunch is provided by the Arne Nixon Center Advocates. Parking is restricted. Obtain a free parking pass when you register. To register for this workshop, go to:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpeTCFn_08lNukR3Sx5Hxu1FSBiVrrKAr8mjRaTdk-rMlMOA/viewform.

 

Friday, September 29^th

Fresno City College alumni, retirees and community members are invited to attend the 3rd Annual CityFest celebration in the courtyards of the Old Administration Building. The festive evening is complete with food, silent auction and dancing under the stars with proceeds benefiting FCC student scholarships! Guests will be able to sample wine and beer provided by local companies and listen to live entertainment! CityFest will begin at 5:30 p.m. and end at 10 p.m. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling the FCC Business Office at 559-489-2369.   Tickets can also be purchased online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/fcc-cityfest-2017-tickets-36471627620?aff=eivtefrnd.

For sponsorships or event details please contact Event Coordinators Maile Martin at 559-443-8688 or Ernie Garcia at ernie.garcia@fresnocitycollege.edu.

 

Friday, September 29^th

Akira Ichioka, the Consulate-General of Japan in San Francisco, will give a presentation on Tokyo from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the University Business Center at Fresno State (Peters building, Room 191). A reception will follow the presentation. The presentation will offer an in-depth look into Tokyo, a city with a unique blend of tradition and modernity, by introducing various aspects of its society, culture and history. The presentation will also inform the audience of the vision and ongoing preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Games. This program is sponsored by the College of Arts and Humanities at Fresno State, the Department of Linguistics and the Japanese Program. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tomoko Kozasa at tkozasa@csufresno.edu.

 

Friday, September 29^th through Saturday, September 30^th

There will be an action to oppose City of Fresno No Camping ordinance targeting homeless people. See more at www.facebook.com/events/1709887029053801. The ordinance starts on Sept. 29. At that time Fresno Police officers will be authorized to arrest homeless people who sleep on public or private property, effectively criminalizing homelessness. After arrest, homeless people will face a $1,000 fine and 6 months in jail. If you want to stop the City of Fresno from implementing this ordinance, help us get 1,000 people to attend this event. We need people who are willing to bring their tent and/or sleeping bag to City Hall on Friday, September 29 starting at 9 p.m. If you can’t spend the whole night, come for as long as you can. The protest will run from 9 p.m. – 11 a.m. at Fresno City Hall.  For more information, contact Mike Rhodes at (559) 978-4502, e-mail mikerhodes@comcast.net, or go to www.mikerhodes.us.

 

Saturday, September 30^th

The next Central Valley Coalition Against Mass Incarceration Meeting takes place at 9 a.m. at the Fresno Center For Nonviolence, 1584 N. Van Ness Ave., south of McKinley.

As background, on Aug. 19, 2017, California Prison Moratorium Project held a Clean Slate/ Record Expungement along with the support of LSPC, All of Us or None, CURB and some local organizations like Project Rebound, Hope Beyond 4 Walls, Advocate Delivering Love, to not only address mass incarceration together, but to walk the talk by providing much needed services for our communities disenfranchised by the criminal justice system. This was a small event in a small place, with little to no funding, yet over a hundred people showed up. At this event and at the request of many, a follow-up meeting was planned to address the issue of mass incarceration and policies that affect the valley and how folks can support our next event and provide more support like this in this area. CPMP cannot continue to go at it alone, they need a local coalition with local options and local resources with a lens focused on supporting the central valley community, the formerly incarcerated people’s movement in the valley and our families, whom could be your families, your neighbors, your friends.  Join them September 30 at the Fresno Center for Non Violence.

 

Saturday, September 30^th

UCCE Master Gardeners of Merced County is offering a Fall Garden Workshop on from 9 to Noon at the UC Cooperative Extension Classroom 2145 Wardrobe Ave. in Merced. The presentations will include Native & Waterwise Planting, Attracting Pollinators, Turf Removal & Alternatives, Edible Landscaping Tips, Hands-on Propagation, and Drip Irrigation How-to.  There is a $5 registration fee.  Please reserve your spot by calling (209) 385-7403 or email: ANRMgMerced@ucanr.edu.  For more information, you can go to http://ucanr.edu/sites/mgmerced.  (This is a wheelchair accessible event)

 

Sunday, October 1^st

Save the Date for CenCalVia, Fresno’s Second Annual Open Street Event, on Ventura Ave. in southeast Fresno, between First and Cedar. There will be Zumba, Bike Polo, Salsa Dancing, Group Chalk Murals, Live Music, DJs, Free Bike Repair, Hoverboards and much more.  The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is brought to you by the Fresno Bicycle Coalition.  For more information, go to www.cencalvia.org.

 

Sunday, October 1^st

The 2017 Komen Central Valley Race for the Cure takes place at Chukchansi Park, 1800 Tulare St. in Downtown Fresno, with a 6:30am Registration & Packet Pickup, 7:30am Survivor Hospitality Opens, 8:30am Survivor Ceremony, 9:30am Timed 5K, 9:35am Non-Timed 5K/1 Mile Walk, and 10:30 a.m. Kids for the Cure® Fun Run. For more information and to register, go to http://www.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/EDH_NorthernandCentralCaliforniaAffiliate?fr_id=6852&pg=entry.

 

Wednesday, October 4^th

There will be a celebration of Ghandi’s 148^th birthday featuring a Candlelight Vigil for World Peace & Community Celebration from 6:00–8:00 p.m. at the Fresno State Peace Garden.  The Celebration Program includes a Garlanding & Flower Ceremony, Special Guest Speakers Dr. Joaquin Arambula, 31st District Assemblymember and Professor Fred E. Woods of Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, Classical Dances, Musical Tribute, Short Speeches, a Proclamation, a Pledge Against Hate & Violence, Meditation & the Candlelight Vigil.  The event is free and open to the public.  For more information contact Dr. Su Kapoor at 559-435-2212, or Fresno State’s Peace & Conflict Studies Program at 559-278-2621.

 

Thursday, October 5^th

There will be a Juan Felipe Herrera exhibition from October 5-28, M Street Graduate Studios. This exhibition will highlight and honor Juan Felipe Herrera’s tenure as the U.S. Poet Laureate.  The exhibit opens on October 5^th as part of ArtHop at M Street Graduate Galleries, Downtown Fresno.  There will also be a reception at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 18^th at M Street Graduate Galleries.

 

Thursday, October 5^th through Friday, October 6^th

A free two-day symposium commemorating the 84th anniversary of the Holodomor – the Ukrainian famine-genocide – will begin at 2 p.m., Thursday, October 5^th at Fresno State in the Henry Madden Library, Room 2206, and conclude Friday, October 6^th, with a moment of silence. With the theme “Hunger for Truth: Illuminating the Hidden History of the Holodomor,” renowned speakers from the United States, Canada and Ukraine will share their stories and research findings.  The program will also include lectures, discussions, documentary and motion picture screenings, poetry reading and musical performances about the Holodomor. The event is cosponsored by the Department of History of the College of Social Sciences and the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America’s Branch 111 in Los Angeles. For a free parking code, RSVP. See the events timeline. For more information or to RSVP contact Prof. Victoria Malko at vmalko@csufresno.edu.

 

Thursday, October 5^th through Saturday, October 7^th

There will be a Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers’ Conference at Fresno Pacific University. FPU will host this showcase of new music from today’s Christian composers. The public concert schedule is as follows:

* 7:30 p.m. Thursday, October 5-Chamber Music, McDonald Hall Atrium, FPU main

campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno

* 3:30 p.m. Friday, October 6-FPU Choral Music, Seminary Chapel/North Hall 123, FPU

main campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno

* 7:30 p.m. Friday, October 6-Chamber Choral, Butler Church, 4884 E. Butler Ave.,

Fresno

* 3:00 p.m. Saturday, October 7-FPU Symphonic Band, Saxophone Quartet and Wind

Quintet, Butler Church, 4884 E. Butler Ave., Fresno

Admission is free. For more information, contact Walter Saul, professor of music, at 559-453-2012 or at walter.saul@fresno.edu.

 

Friday, October 6^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Matthew Grundy, CEO of Fresno’s Habitat for Humanity speaking about the work of that organization. The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, October 6^th

Cineculture presents “Bitter Harvest” with discussant George Mendeluk (Director & Producer). The romantic-drama Bitter Harvest by German-Canadian director of Ukrainian descent George Mendeluk, is set in Soviet Ukraine in the early 1930s. Based on true historical events, the film conveys the untold story of the “Holodomor”, the genocidal famine engineered by Joseph Stalin. It is a tale of love, honor, rebellion and survival at a time when farmers in Ukraine were forced to adjust to the horrifying social engineering by the Soviet Union. The film has been nominated for a prestigious Political Film Society Award in all four categories for Democracy, Exposé, Human Rights, and Peace. The trailer can be viewed at http://www.bitterharvestfilm.com.  Co-Sponsors are the Department of History, College of Social Sciences and Ukrainian National Women’s League of America.  This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, October 6^th

Valley Caregiver Resource Center Presents “A Night in New York,” the Celebration of Care fundraiser known for its elegant dinner, dancing, wine tasting, live and silent auctions and memorable themes. This event is packed with fun, all in the name of a good cause. One hundred percent of the proceeds stay local to benefit VCRC and its affiliate programs: Caregiver Resource Center, HICAP, Ombudsmen and OASIS/PALS. Tickets are $100 each and the event takes place at Pardini’s, 2257 W. Shaw Ave. in Fresno.  To purchase tickets, please call Michelle DiBuduo at 559-224-9154.

 

Saturday, October 7^th

The College of the Sequoias will be hosting a food truck fest from 11 am to 5 pm on the COS Campus. There will be at least 15 food trucks, arts & crafts, train rides, face painting, rock wall climbing, bounce house, live music by Bear Ridge Blue Grass and performances by local kid’s performing groups and beer tasting – and more! All proceeds will benefit the COS Theatre Arts Dept.   For information contact Elizabeth LaMar at 559-288-2603 or by e-mail to cosfoodtruckfest@mail.com.  You can also go to

facebook.com/costheatrefoodtruckfest.

 

Monday, October 9^th

The Miss Exeter Coronation & Dinner takes place at 6 p.m. at the Faith Tabernacle Family Center, Exeter. Advance tickets are required, and are $25 each, available at the Chamber office, by calling 559-592-2919. Miss Exeter is a personal development and scholarship program open to high school juniors and seniors. Candidates are judged on community & school service, academics, poise & personality and the sale of raffle tickets as a fundraiser. During this evening, the candidates answer impromptu questions and model in a fun fashion show. Each candidate is sponsored by a business or organization.

 

Wednesday, October 11^th

The City of Exeter Community Services is sponsoring a pumpkin carving contest and Family Fun Night, from 4:30-7 p.m. in Downtown Exeter at Pine and E St.. Miss Exeter candidates serve as judges. Immediately following the contest, games & activities geared to children from 4-15 are set up throughout the downtown area by businesses. Unlimited game passes are $3 per child. Included in the games are ring toss, face painting, apple bobbing, petting zoo, etc. Every child wins a small prize.

 

Thursday, October 12^th

There will be an Exeter Chamber of Commerce Mixer hosted by Bank of the Sierra, Exeter branch, honoring Miss Exeter and Court. It takes place from 5:00-6:30 p.m., is free, and the Public is encouraged to attend.

 

Thursday, October 12^th

The fall Fresno Poets’ Association Reading Series will include an accomplished poet alumnus from Fresno State, a public radio producer from Youth Radio and the faculty from the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State. The second of the series is on October 12^th and features Fresno State creative writing faculty.  Readers will include:

• Steven Church, author of the nonfiction book “One with the Tiger.”
• Corrinne Clegg Hales, author of the poetry collection “To Make It Right.”
• John Hales, author of the nonfiction book “Shooting Polaris.”
• Randa Jarrar, author of the book of stories “Him, Me, Muhammad Ali.”
• Tim Skeen, author of the poetry collection “Risk.”

All readings in the series will be held at 7 p.m. at the Alice Peters Auditorium (Peters Business building, Room 191) in the University Business Center. Admission is free. Parking is recommended in lots P5 and P6 and is free for the Friday reading only. On the other nights, a free parking code is available by calling 559-278-1569.

 

Friday, October 13^th

Fresno Filmworks in conjunction with Fresno State’s Cineculture present “Lucky.” Lucky follows the spiritual journey of a 90 year old atheist and the quirky characters that inhabit his off the map desert town. Having out lived and out smoked all of his contemporaries, the fiercely independent Lucky finds himself at the precipice of life, thrust into a journey of self-exploration, leading towards that which is so often unattainable: enlightenment. Acclaimed character actor John Carroll Lynch’s directorial debut, LUCKY, is at once a love letter to the life and career of Harry Dean Stanton as well as a meditation on mortality, loneliness, spirituality, and human connection. The trailer can be viewed at http://www.luckythefilm.com.  Screenings are at the Tower Theatre, at Tower Theater, 815 E. Olive Ave. in the Tower District, at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m.  For more information on Cineculture film screenings and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  For information on Fresno Filmworks, go to https://fresnofilmworks.org.

 

Friday, October 13^th

“Music, Music, Music” at the Fresno Academy of Music, 1296 N. Wishon, (just north of Olive,) a concert to benefit the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, showing the talent of the Fresno Academy of Music. The program, which starts at 7 p.m., will feature Hearts on Fire, Fresno’s one and only Rock’n’Roll choir, soloists from the choir and students of the Academy. Performers range in age from youth to seniors, with music in a wide variety of styles. The Center, now in its 27th year, promotes peace and nonviolence through its programs and alliances with many other compatible groups. The Academy, in addition to sponsoring Hearts on Fire, offers instruction in vocalizing and several instruments, and welcomes new students. Advance ticket for $10 will be available at the Center, 1584 N. Van Ness from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday-Friday, and at the Academy. Tickets at the door will be $15. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

 

Friday, October 13^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Cat Krosschcell speaking on Birds of Prey for Environmental Education. The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, October 13^th

There will be a “Voice and Silence: Women in Opera and Philosophy” concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Fresno State Concert Hall. This Lecture recital features Dr. Tina Botts (Philosophy), soprano Dr. Maria Briggs and Drew Quiring on piano, with special guest artist baritone Limuel Forgey accompanied by Dr. Limor Toren-Immerman on violin and Keegan Bamford on cello. This event is a collaboration with the Departments of Music, Philosophy and Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures.  For additional information, contact Urrutia at CCAFresnoState@csufresno.edu or 559-278-8341.

 

Friday, October 13^th

There will be a Lip Sync Contest sponsored by the City of Exeter Community Services Department at 6:00 p.m. at Exeter City Park, Chestnut Ave. & E Street. For information call 559-592-5262.

 

Saturday, October 14^th

Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church (the site of this year’s KFCF annual banquet) invites you to their Ladies’ Guild Fashion Show Luncheon A Feliche Boutique Fall Collection. The Church is located at 2226 Ventura St. in downtown Fresno.  There will be cocktails at 11:30 followed by lunch and the show at 12:30.  Tickets are $50.  For tickets or information, contact Nazik Arisian at 486-1141.

 

Saturday, October 14^th

There will be a 2 mile walk and pancake breakfast from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. at Exeter City Park and Downtown Exeter on E St. New this year is Exeter’s 1st Annual Antiques and Collectbles Street Faire on North E St.  Then at 10 a.m. the Fall Festival parade takes place.  There will be live entertainment in the park all day featuring the ultimate party band “Run4Cover” from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm., under the gazebo. They will also have arts & crafts, games, pet adoptions, petting zoo, live reptile show, food and fun for all.

At 11 a.m., the 11th Annual Car & Bike Show will feature Custom Vehicles, Classic Cars, Hot Rods & Bikes (downtown Exeter on E Street between Chestnut & Pine Street).  For more information, call (559) 592-2919.  Entry forms and event details for the parade, car show and Fall Festival vendor opportunities and 1st Annual Collectibles & Street Faire are available at the Exeter Chamber of Commerce office.

 

Wednesday, October 18^th

Sven-Erik Rose (German and Comparative Literature, UC Davis), will speak on “In Adorno’s Blind Spot: Yiddish Poetry from the Warsaw Ghetto.” The talk will focus on poems written in Nazi Ghettos (above all Warsaw) that are little know but truly deserve a wide readership.  The event takes place at 6 p.m. in Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library Rm. 2206. (Note: German cultural critic Theodor Adorno famously wrote a much debated comment, “To write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric.”).

 

Thursday, October 19^th

Fresno Pacific University High School Choral Festival takes place at North Fresno Mennonite Brethren Church, 5724 N. Fresno Street, Fresno. Different high school groups will perform throughout the day, FPU’s Concert Choir and Crosswind ensemble will be perform at 11:20 a.m. and 3:40 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact Bethany Alvey, assistant professor of music, at 559-453-7198 or by e-mail to bethany.alvey@fresno.edu.

 

Friday, October 20^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents ‘All They Could Carry,’ a dramatic performance about Japanese Internment, written and performed by Nikiko Masumoto. The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, October 20^th

Cineculture presents “Frame by Frame” with discussant Farzana Wahidy (Photographer featured in the film). After decades of war and an oppressive Taliban regime, four Afghan photojournalists face the realities of building a free press in a country left to stand on its own. Under Taliban rule it was a crime to take a photo. After the Taliban fell from power in 2001, a fledgling free press emerges and a photography revolution is born. Now, as foreign troops and media withdraw, Afghanistan is left to stand on its own, and so are its journalists. Set in modern Afghanistan bursting with color and character, Frame by Frame follows four Afghan photojournalists as they navigate an emerging and dangerous media landscape – reframing Afghanistan for the world and for themselves. Through cinema vérité, intimate interviews, powerful photojournalism, and never-before-seen archival footage shot in secret during the Taliban regime, the film connects audiences with four photojournalists in the pursuit of the truth. In Dari & English with English subtitles, view the trailer at http://www.framebyframethefilm.com.   Co-sponsors are the Department of Art & Design, Center for Creativity and the Arts, Asian Pacific Islander Programs and Services at Fresno State Cross Cultural and Gender Center and Department of Communication.  This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, October 20^th

“In My Life – A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles,” is the musical retelling of the Beatles story through the eyes of manager Brian Epstein. The multi-media production features the live music of renowned tribute band, Abbey Road and is considered by industry insiders to be the most unique show about the Beatles in decades. “In My Life” returns to the Tower Theatre on Friday, October 20 at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $29/$39, plus ticket fees, and may be purchased online at www.towertheatrefresno.com by phone at (559) 485-9050 or at the theatre box office. Tower Theatre is located at 815 E Olive Ave, Fresno. The show is appropriate for all ages. The show played to capacity audiences at Tower in 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Abbey Road’s “Beatles vs. Stones” performed to a sold out audience at Tower in 2015.

 

Saturday, October 21^st

Save the Date for the Annual KFCF/Fresno Free College Foundation Banquet, featuring speaker David Cay Johnston, author of “The Making of Donald Trump.“ You’ve heard him on Letters and Politics. Democracy Now, Ideas on the Edge and have seen him on The Rachel Maddow Show, All In with Chris Hayes, CNN and other media.  This year’s banquet takes place at the historic Holy Trinity Armenia Apostolic Church at 2226 Ventura St. in downtown Fresno.  More info coming soon.

 

Saturday, October 21^st

The Downtown Fresno Partnership invites you to a one-of-a-kind event celebrating the grand re-opening of Fulton street and highlighting Fulton’s unique past, exciting future, and the restaurants, shops, and businesses that make up the Fulton Entertainment District. Join them for this multi-faceted evening featuring:

City of Fresno Ribbon Cutting

Draggin’ the Main Car Cruise

Drink and food specials from Fulton restaurants

Exclusive pop-up shops, bars, and restaurants

Dynamic, live street art and performances

Two beer gardens on Fulton Street

Delicious food trucks

Live music at the Music@Mariposa stage

Stay tuned to the Facebook event page for updates on this historic event. To get involved or volunteer for the event, join the Fulton Street Grand Opening Volunteers Group, or contact Craig Scharton at 559-281-9129.

 

Saturday, October 21^st

Join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Central Valley Chapter, for its 4th annual Fresno Out of the Darkness Walk To Fight Suicide from 9am to 1pm at the Oso de Oro Lake Park, 5550 N. Forkner Ave, Fresno. Join more than 200,000 people walking this fall around the country to fight suicide.  Registration is free – register today at https://afsp.donordrive.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=4885.  For more information, call 707-968-7563 or email Centralvalley@afsp.org.  View their Youtube link for more on the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5W0OO71jWg.

 

Wednesday, October 25^th

“Wittenberg” will be performed at 7 p.m. as part of the Staged Reading Series at Fresno Pacific University.  This is a contemporary comedy in which Hamlet meets doctors Luther and Faustus.  The reading takes place in Seminary Chapel/North Hall 123 on the main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno. Admission is free.  For more information, contact Julia Reimer, Ph.D., associate professor of theater, at 559-453-2056 or by e-mail julia.reimer@fresno.edu.

 

Thursday, October 26^th

Fresno Pacific University presents Maestro Soler “Poet of the Guitar,” part of the Pacific Artist Series at Fresno Pacific University. The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. in McDonald Hall Atrium, main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave. Tickets are $15 general admission, $10 for seniors, or $5 for students & FPU community (including alumni cardholders) payable at the door.   For more information, call 559-453-2267 or e-mail music@fresno.edu.

 

Thursday, October 26^th

Fresno Pacific University presents Maestro Soler—“Poet of the Guitar,” at 7:30 p.m. in the McDonald Hall Atrium, main FPU campus, 1717 S. Chestnut Ave., Fresno.   An internationally recognized performer, Francesc de Paula Soler has been hailed by critics as one of the most notable guitarists in the world. He has received numerous prizes and awards in recognition of his artistic merits and role as cultural ambassador. Soler began his musical and piano studies at the age of six. At 11, he received highest honors in the prestigious “Conservatorio Superior de Música” of Barcelona, Spain, later continuing his post-graduate work with Andrés Segovia and others. Composers have written guitar works specifically for Soler, and he has appeared on radio and television in Europe and the United States.

 

Friday, October 27^th

Cineculture presents “Nowhere to Hide” with discussant Zaradasht Ahmed (Director & Writer). Nowhere to Hide is an immersive and uncompromising first-hand reflection of the resilience and fortitude of a male nurse working and raising his children in Jalawla, Iraq, an increasingly dangerous and inaccessible part of the world. While US troops withdraw from Iraq in 2011, director Zaradasht Ahmed gives Nori Sharif a camera and teaches him how to use it, asking him to capture the reality of life in his community and the hospital where he works. For the next five years, Nori films life around him, but the population— including the majority of the hospital staff—flees when the Iraqi army pulls out of his city in 2013 because of intensifying militant activity. Sharif is one of the few who remain. When the Sunni militias and the Islamic State advance on Jalawla in 2014 and finally take over the city, Sharif continues to film. However, he now faces a crucial dilemma: should he stay and dedicate himself to treating those he vowed to help, or should he leave to protect his family and become one of thousands of internally displaced people in Iraq?  Winner of the 2017 Nestor Almendros award for courage in filmmaking and 2016 IDFA Winner for Best Feature-Length Documentary. In Arabic with English subtitles, view the trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96yMquZrL0E.  Co-Sponsors are the Center for Creativity and the Arts & Peace Fresno.  This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.  All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, October 27^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Duane Ruth-Heffelbower, on the subject of why you should “Never Commit a Felony When a Misdemeanor Will Do.” The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, October 27^th

Fresno State’s Center for Leadership, Equity and Research will present the sixth annual Leadership Mentoring Summit from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Fresno State. With the theme “Leadership Mentoring,” the event will feature education, business and community leaders focusing on developing the next generation of leaders through mentoring with information on how to inspire, mentor and network. Dr. Pedro Antonio Noguera, the Peter L. Agnew Professor of Education at New York University, will deliver the keynote talk. He is a sociologist whose scholarship and research focuses on the ways in which schools are influenced by social and economic conditions as well as by demographic trends in local, regional and global contexts. Proposals for the breakout sessions during the summit are currently being accepted and presentations must focus on the “Leadership Mentoring” theme from a best practices and strength-based perspective. Presentations must be 60 minutes per session and must also address how the theme is taking place in the education, business or community sectors. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. Friday, August 25^th. Early bird registration is $125 per person through September 1^st and $150 after that.  For more information, contact Dr. Ken Magdaleno, executive director, at 559-346-8728 or kmagdaleno@clearvoz.com.

 

Thursday, November 2^nd

The fall Fresno Poets’ Association Reading Series will include an accomplished poet alumnus from Fresno State, a public radio producer from Youth Radio and the faculty from the Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing at Fresno State. The third reading of the series is on November 2^nd and features Shawn Wen, a writer, public radio producer and multimedia artist.  Wen is the author of the nonfiction book, “A Twenty Minute Silence Followed by Applause,” a book-length essay on the mime Marcel Marceau. Her writing has appeared in The New Inquiry, the Seneca Review, The Iowa Review and the anthology “City by City: Dispatches from the American Metropolis.” Her radio work has broadcast on This American Life, Freakonomics Radio, Marketplace and Youth Radio.  All readings in the series will be held at 7 p.m. at the Alice Peters Auditorium (Peters Business building, Room 191) in the University Business Center. Admission is free. Parking is recommended in lots P5 and P6 and is free for the Friday reading only. On the other nights, a free parking code is available by calling 559-278-1569.

 

Thursday, November 2^nd

“Unsung Heroes” exhibition will be hosted from November 2^nd-30^th at M Street Studios.  This exhibition will spotlight African American Veterans whose voices are often silent and whose contribution to military service goes unrecognized.  There will be a reception at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2 at M Street Studios.  This event is Co-sponsored with the Fresno State Department of Art and Design. For additional information, contact Urrutia at CCAFresnoState@csufresno.edu or 559-278-8341.

 

Friday, November 3^rd

Cineculture presents “Menashe” with discussant Joshua Weinstein (Director). Deep in the heart of New York’s ultra-orthodox Hasidic Jewish community, Menashe, a kind, hapless grocery store clerk, struggles to make ends meet and responsibly parent his young son, Rieven, following his wife Leah’s death. Tradition prohibits Menashe from raising his son alone, so Rieven’s strict uncle adopts him, leaving Menashe heartbroken. Meanwhile, though Menashe seems to bungle every challenge in his path, his rabbi grants him one special week with Rieven before Leah’s memorial. It is his chance to prove himself a suitable man of faith and a responsible father, and restore respect among his doubters. In Yiddish and English with English subtitles, view the trailer at https://a24films.com/films/menashe.  Co-Sponsors are the Jewish Studies Program and the Jewish Studies Association.  This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/. All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, November 3^rd through Saturday, November 4^th

The Reedley Peace Center is hosting a Nonviolent Action Workshop led by Sarah Thompson. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091, e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com, or go to http://reedleypeacecenter.org.

 

Saturday, November 4^th

The Central Valley Alzheimer’s Caregiver & Wellness Conference takes place from 8 am – 4:15 pm at the Well Community Church, North Campus, 2044 E Nees Ave. in Fresno. Topics include Alzheimer’s disease, latest research updates, caregiver needs in the early and middle stages, challenging behaviors and first responders training.  The cost is $30.00 general and $65.00 for professional (5 Continuing Education Credits).  This event is hosted by Valley Caregiver Resource Center, The Alzheimer’s Association, and UCSF Fresno, Alzheimer and Memory Center.  For more information, contact Susana Rodriguez at 559-224-9154 or srodriguez@valleycrc.org.  You can also to to www.alz.org/norcal.

 

Friday, November 10^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Lauren Friesen, Emeritus Professor of Theater, University of Michigan on the topic of “How ‘Nonresistance’ Morphed into ‘Nonviolent Activism,’ the writings of J. Lawrence Burkholder, and Mennonite Ethics: from isolation to engagement.” The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, November 10^th through Sunday, November 12^th

Save the date for Fresno Filmworks Film Festival. More information to follow.

 

Thursday, November 16^th

Joan Nathan will be speaking on “King Solomon’s Table — Ancient ‘Foodies’ and The Origins of Modern Jewish Cooking.” The event takes place at 3:30 pm in Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library Rm. 3212. Joan Nathan is the award-winning author of eleven cookbooks and was host of the PBS series Jewish Cooking in America with Joan Nathan.

 

Friday, November 17^th

Cineculture presents “Footnotes (Sur quel pied danser…)” with discussants Paul Calori & Kostia Testut (Co-Directors/Writers). Inspired by the films of French filmmaker and lyricist Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) and American film director and choreographer Stanley Donen (Singing in the Rain), Footnotes by French directors Paul Calori and Kostia Testut, is a whimsical musical comedy. The film tells the story of Julie a young woman who might land a steady job in a luxury shoe factory. The film’s original French title is Sur quel pied danser… meaning literally “On which foot should I dance?” or in other words: “What should I do?  Which side should I be on?” Indeed the shoe factory could close and its jobs sent overseas.  So Julie has to decide between her livelihood and her life.  Will she stand with her striking coworkers or follow her boss? What is more important: a permanent job or her future?  No spoiler alert here: you will have to come and see Footnotes with its fun choreography and inspiring songs.

Co-Sponsors are the French Program and the Department of Modern & Classical Languages & Literatures, This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.   All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Friday, November 17^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Lance Zimmerman on the subject of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Friday, November 24^th and Saturday, November 25^th

The Annual Sweet Home Ranch Open House takes place in Dinuba at 4399 Ave. 400, with local food artisans and crafts people featuring their wares.

 

Friday, December 1^st

Cineculture presents “Evolution of Organic” with discussant Mark Kitchell (Director). Directed by Mark Kitchell’s (Berkeley in the Sixties, A Fierce Green Fire), Evolution of Organic is the story of organic agriculture, told by those who built the organic movement in California. A motley crew of back-to-the-landers, spiritual seekers and farmers’ sons and daughters reject chemical farming and set out to explore organic alternatives. It is a heartfelt journey of change: from a small band of rebels to a cultural transformation in the way we grow and eat food. By now organic has gone mainstream, split between an industry oriented toward bringing organic to all people and a movement that has realized a vision of sustainable agriculture. It is the most popular and successful outgrowth of the environmental impulse of the last fifty years. Evolution of Organic is not just history, but also a look into an exciting and critical future. Several local organic Central Valley farmers are featured in the film, including our own Tom Willey and David “Mas” Masomoto. The trailer can be viewed at http://evolutionoforganic.com.  This film screening is at 5:30 p.m. in the Peters Education Center Auditorium (West of Save-Mart Center in the Student Recreation Center Building).  For more information and to see the full fall line-up, go to https://cineculture.csufresno.edu/films/.   All films screened on campus are free and open to the public. Parking is not enforced after 4 p.m. on Fridays.

 

Saturday, December 2^nd

Save the Date for the Annual WILPF Crafts Faire. This year’s event takes place at Fresno City College’s cafeteria complex.  More information coming soon!

 

Friday, December 8^th

The Reedley Peace Center presents speaker Ron Schmidt, retired Professor of Political Science, CSU Long Beach, on the subject of “Understanding U.S. Racial Politics Through the Lens of “Settler Colonialism.” The event takes place from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at 1208 L Street, Reedley, in the Fellowship Hall at Reedley’s First Mennonite Church. For more information, call Don Friesen at (559) 638-3091 or e-mail dfriesen0@gmail.com. The event is free, open to the public, and accessible to the handicapped.

 

Saturday, December 9^th

Save the Date for Human Rights Day at Fresno State! The theme of this year’s gathering is “Women’s Rights are Human Rights: Together we Rise!”  The event will take place in Fresno State’s North Gym, Room 118.  More information to follow.

 

Sunday, January 14^th 2018

Tommy Emmanuel CGP (Certified Guitar Player: the honor and moniker Chet Atkins assigned not only to himself but four other guitarists he admired and felt contributed to the legacy of guitar playing). with special guest J.D. Simo, will perform LIVE in Fresno at The Tower Theatre on January 14, 2018. Tickets for the show go on sale Friday, August 11 starting at 10AM. Tickets will be available at Towertheatrefresno.com, in person at The Tower Theatre Box Office, or by phone at 559-485-9050. For more information, please visit www.tommyemmanuel.com.

 

Friday, January 26^th 2018

The Fab Four Ultimate Beatles Tribute is coming to the Tower Theatre of Fresno. The Emmy Award Winning Fab Four is elevated far above every other Beatles Tribute due to their precise attention to detail. With uncanny, note-for-note live renditions of Beatles’ classics such as “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Yesterday,” “A Day In The Life,” “Twist And Shout,” “Here Comes The Sun,” and “Hey Jude”, the Fab Four will make you think you are watching the real thing.  Their incredible stage performances include three costume changes representing every era of the Beatles ever-changing career. Tickets for the Friday, January 26 The Fab Four show at the Tower Theatre of Fresno go on sale Friday, September 15 starting at 10AM. Tickets will be available at Towertheatrefresno.com, in person at The Tower Theatre Box Office, or by phone at 559-485-9050.  For more information, please visit www.thefabfour.com.

 

MULTIPLE DAY EVENTS:

Flu Season 2017-2018

The Fresno County Department of Public Health has scheduled influenza vaccination clinics for the 2016-17 flu season at multiple locations throughout the county. The Fresno County Immunization Program will not be offering “nasal spray” flu vaccine during the 2016-17 flu season as recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). The cost of each vaccination will be $6.00. Medi-Cal for children and Medicare Part B will be accepted. The 2017-18 flu vaccine is designed to protect against the viruses that are most likely to cause disease this season, and while it cannot prevent all cases of flu, it is the best defense against the disease and its potential serious complications that can include pneumonia and death. It takes about two weeks for protection to develop after the vaccination, and protection lasts several months to a year. If children eight years or younger are receiving their first flu shot,

they should receive two shots this season separated by a time frame of four weeks.

Health officials are encouraging everyone over the age of 6 months to get vaccinated regardless of age or health status. Fresno County residents with insurance coverage should contact their health care provider regarding flu vaccination availability. Vaccines may also be available at physician offices, clinics, pharmacies, and at special flu vaccination events promoted in retail stores. Information regarding flu vaccination opportunities can be found at www.flu.gov. For dates, times, and locations of the Department of Public Health flu vaccination clinics for Fresno County residents, please visit www.fcdph.org/flu or call the Immunization Information Line at 1-888-993-3003.

 

Saturday, February 19th through Sunday, November 12th 2017

StageWorks Fresno announces its 2017 season which includes a mix of musicals and non-musicals, three of which are Fresno premieres:  “The Christians,” “The Full Monty,” “Mothers and Sons,” and “Little Shop of Horrors.”   The season kicks off with Lucas Hnath’s topically relevant play “The Christians” which runs from March 31 – April 9 at the Fresno Art Museum’s Bonner Auditorium. (A Fresno Premiere!)  Next up is the wildly popular Tony nominated musical “The Full Monty” based on the film of the same title performing in the intimate Dan Pessano Theatre, July 21 – August 6th. (A Fresno Premiere!)  Arriving in September at the Fresno Art Museum’s Bonner Auditorium, Terrence McNally’s poignant “Mothers and Sons,” September 8 – 17th. (A Fresno Premiere!)   The final show of the season, also performed at the FAM, the cult Broadway classic, “Little Shop of Horror,” performing October 6 – 22nd!  Add to that their popular “Page-To-Stage” play reading series (February 19th, April 23rd & November 12th) and annual fundraising event “Theatre Under the Stars” on May 20th and it is clear that StageWorks Fresno has a wide variety of theatrical experiences for Valley audiences!  To purchase tickets, a season subscription or for more information about StageWorks Fresno and the 2017 season, go to www.stageworksfresno.com.

 

Wednesday, August 23^rd through Wednesday, December 6^th

Calling all students and professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit! You’re invited to join California Health Sciences University’s new FREE HealthTech Initiative course. Participants work in teams, and we will help you join a good team. You will not sit around for long-winded lectures. This course will provide participants with a “hands-on” introduction to leading an entrepreneurial enterprise by building a business model and constructing a prototype product service. Participants work in teams, and all good ideas are acceptable.  The classes take place at 45 N Clovis, Clovis, room 103-A, and it’s free!  You must be 18 years or older.  For more information go to chsu.org/healthtech-initiative or contact Charles Douglas at cdouglas@chsu.org or 559-573-8026.

 

Thursday, August 24^th through Sunday, October 15^th

Good Company Players presents “Hound of the Baskervilles.” In perhaps the greatest of all Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creations, Sherlock Holmes is asked to solve mysterious deaths all linked to a gigantic, demonic hound. Set in the West Country of England, humor and suspense co-exist in this spine-tingling adventure of the world’s most famous detective. Holmes is called to a mansion in Devonshire by Sir Henry, heir to the vast Baskerville fortune, a legacy that comes with a family curse: death as prey to a horror that prowls the moor. Only Holmes can stop the beast. While mysterious lights signal Baskerville Hall and the hound terrifies the countryside, the sleuthing begins and suspicion falls on sinister servants, butterfly collectors, ladies in distress, and escaped convicts. Who wrote the letter that summoned the hound? Is Sir Henry’s romance with the lovely Kathy doomed? Is the supernatural at work? Adapted for the stage by Tim Kelly, and performed on a lavish set in close proximity to the audience, you might just feel the Hound of the Baskervilles breathing down your neck!   Performances take place at 2nd Space Theatre.  Show times are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays & Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.  The cost is $20 general admission; $17 for students/seniors/military; $12 student rush.  For more information, call 559-266-0660/800-371-4747, or buy tickets online at 2ndspacetheatre.com. 2nd Space Theatre is located at 928 E. Olive in the Tower District.

 

Wednesdays, beginning August 30^th

New Horizons Music provides adults a great entry or reentry into music making! Whether you were in school band or orchestra, would like to learn a new instrument or have only dreamed of playing, New Horizons offers a welcoming environment that offers you the chance to participate and progress at your own rate. More than 60 people already participate. Rehearsals are weekly on Wednesdays beginning August 30 at 5:30 p.m. for string instruments and 6:30 p.m. for band instruments. The mariachi band begins at 5:30 p.m. September 6! Groups perform at least two concerts each school year. All meetings are at the Bullard High School Band Room, 5445 N. Palm, Fresno. For more information, contact Archie Rader at 559-273-8309 or ARader5831@aol.com,  or Craig Erker at craig.erker@gmail.com.  The cost is $150 plus a $3 registration fee. Register through Fresno Adult School at www.fas.edu.

 

Thursday, September 14^th through Sunday, November 12^th 

Good Company Players presents an irresistible production of “The Drowsy Chaperone,”

at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theatre, opening on September 14, 2017! When an avid theatre buff places an old record (yes, record) on the phonograph, his favorite 1928 musical comes to life in his living room. A loving spoof of old musicals, The Drowsy Chaperone ingeniously pulls one show-stopping number after another out of – the onstage refrigerator. A parade of zany characters spill onto the stage, singing and dancing their way into your heart. This “musical within a comedy,” features a lovable follies star and her bridegroom on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatrical producer, a ditzy hostess, gangsters in disguise, a Latin Lothario, and an inebriated chaperone.  With delightfully tongue-in-cheek music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison and a wonderfully wacky book by Bob Martin & Don McKellar, The Drowsy Chaperone won five Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score.  Performances takes place at Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater, 1226 N. Wishon, at Olive and Wishon in The Tower District.  Performances are Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Friday & Saturday at 8:00 p.m., & Sunday matinee at 2:00 p.m.  On Thursdays, a buffet is served beginning at 5:30 p.m., with a Pre-Show featuring Good Company Players’ Junior Company at 7:00 and the performance at 7:30 p.m.  On Fridays & Saturdays, dinner is served beginning at 5:30 p.m., with the Pre-Show at 7:30 p.m. and the performance at 8:00 p.m.  For the Sunday matinees, a brunch buffet is served beginning at 11 a.m., with the Pre-Show at 1 p.m. and the performance at 1:30 p.m. And on Sunday evenings, a buffet is served beginning at 5:00 p.m., with the Pre-Show at 7:00 p.m. and the performance at 7:30 p.m.  The cost for Thursdays & Sundays Buffet & Show is $57.00 per person; Show Only – $32.00.  The cost for Friday & Saturday Served Meal & Show is $60.00; Special drink & dessert packages available.  Groups of 16 or more are eligible for discounts. For tickets and more information, call 266-9494 or 800-371-4747; or go online to www.rogerrockas.com.  Reserve online at http://rogerrockas.com/dinner-shows/ or call 559-266-9494 or 800-371-4747.

 

Sunday, September 17^th through Sunday, May 20^th 2018

Pianist Mauricio Náder will kick off the 46th season of the Philip Lorenz Memorial Keyboard Concert Series at Fresno State. The series opens at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 17, in the Concert Hall. Náder will perform works by Carrasco, Chávez, Castro, Morales, R. Halffter, Águila, Camacho, Nazareth, Gershwin and Muczynski.  The Mexican Consulate of Fresno and Arte Américas are co-sponsors of this event.  Other concerts in this season’s series include:

3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22 — Peter Serkin

8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10 — Daniel Hsu

3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7 — organist Kimberly Marshall, co-sponsored with the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the American Guild of Organists

8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 — Yefim Bronfman

3 p.m. Sunday, March 11 — Barry Douglas

8 p.m. Friday, April 27 — Jeremy Denk

3 p.m. Sunday, May 20 — Juho Pohjonen

Keyboard Concerts also co-sponsors several special events during the year, in conjunction with the International Chamber Music Series:

3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 — Jolente de Maeyer on violin and Nikolaas Kende on piano

8 p.m. Friday, March 2 — Chilingirian String Quartet

3 p.m. Sunday, April 8 — Alexander String Quartet

Tickets for concerts in the Keyboard Concert Series are $25 general, $18 for seniors and $5 for students. Season tickets are available for the eight main concerts: $160 general, $120 for seniors and $30 for students. Season tickets for the International Chamber Music Series are $60 general, $45 for seniors and $10 for students.  Parking is available in Lot C (corner of Shaw and Maple avenues). For ticket reservations, please call 559-278-2337.  For more information, please visit keyboardconcerts.com.

 

Wednesday, September 27^th through Wednesday, October 11^th

As part of the celebration of Ghandi’s 148^th Birthday, there will be a Photo Exhibition on Life of Gandhi in Fresno State’s Henry Madden Library.

 

Sunday, October 1^st through Tuesday, October 31^st

The Exeter Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce that “Scarecrows are Returning to Exeter” and will be on display for your viewing pleasure, at participating                 businesses for the entire month of October. Come to Exeter and vote for your favorite!

 

Monday, October 9^th through Thursday, October 26^th

As part of the Center for Creativity and the Arts 2017-18 lineup of events on the theme “Voice and Silence: Expressions of the Human Spirit and Community,” there will be an exhibit of “The Other Eye on Afghanistan: Photographs by Farzana Wahidy” in the Phebe Conley Art Gallery at Fresno State. This exhibition features the voices of the often silent women of Afghanistan who risk their lives pursuing photography and film as an art form. Cosponsored with the Department of Art and Design. On Thursday, October 12^th there will be an Artist presentation from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Alice Peters Auditorium, PB 191. Reception to follow in the Phebe Conley Gallery.  See also the October 20^th Cineculture screening of the film “Frame by Frame.” Wahidy will be the discussant for the film screening, 5:30 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20 in the Peters Educational Center Auditorium at 5010 N. Woodrow Ave., first floor of Student Recreation Center. The screening is Co-sponsored with Cineculture, Asian Pacific Islander Programs and Services at Fresno State’s Cross Cultural and Gender Center, and the Department of Communication.

 

ONGOING

Every Day

Fresno County’s Public Library and Department of Public Works have teamed to offer a first-of-its-kind recycling program. Starting September 5, 2017, county residents can drop off used compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), fluorescent tubes, alkaline and rechargeable batteries at eleven different Library branches.   These items contain hazardous substances and must be deposited at approved facilities, sometimes for a fee. This new service is being provided free of charge to County residents to encourage and ensure proper disposal of universal waste.  Public Works will provide approved hazardous material collection containers at eleven Library branches:  the Central Library, Betty Rodriguez Regional Library, Clovis Regional Library, Fig Garden Regional Library, Sunnyside Regional Library, Woodward Park Regional Library, Mendota Branch Library, Orange Cove Branch Library, Reedley Branch Library, Sanger Branch Library and Selma Branch Library.  This program might be expanded to other branches in the future.  For more information about Library programs, services, and specific branch hours, please go to www.fresnolibrary.org, or call the Library at (559) 600 – READ (7323).

 

Every Tuesday

There is a Vigil, at Devin Nunes’ Clovis Office, 3rd and Clovis Ave. from 11:45am to 12:45pm. Dave and Bev Derby hold a weekly, hour-long quiet vigil of peaceful prayer and reflection in the pursuit of “justice, tolerance, fairness, inclusion, actions and laws that protect all people.”  Although signs are welcome, they are not coming here to yell at motorists, scream, and demonstrate wildly on the sidewalks and streets.  For more information, e-mail dderby@cvlaweb.com.

 

First and Third Thursday of each month:

ArtHop occurs the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. It’s one of the most active and successful programs organized by the Fresno Arts Council. Art lovers and enthusiasts from all walks of life flock downtown Fresno and the Tower District on the first Thursday of each month, and the rest of ArtHop venues in the Fresno metro areas on third Thursdays, to meet and greet with the artists and enjoy the reception and music. Museums, studios, galleries and other venues open their exhibitions to the public at 5:00 p.m. and run the free event until 8:00 p.m.  ArtHop has received a remarkable response from the Fresno community. Over 50 participating artist studios, galleries, museums, and other venues exhibit art and artists reception during ArtHop, and it has become both a cultural and special event for the community with a great deal of media coverage. For the complete list of venues go to fresnoartscouncil.org.

 

Every Tuesday through Thursday

The Fresno County Department of Public Health offers free confidential rapid HIV testing at the Fresno County Department of Public Health building at 1221 Fulton Mall, Specialty Clinic Area, First Floor, from 8:30 am – 11:00 am and 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm

For more information, contact Jena Adams, Supervising Communicable Disease Specialist, at (559) 600-3434.

 

Every Wednesday and Friday

Patricia Wells Solorzano and Agustin Lira, founders of El Teatro Campesino), have formed a theatrical group with Fresno youth that will raise awareness of the problems negatively affecting the health of boys and young men of color, such as drugs, gangs, obesity, teen pregnancy, high numbers of youth incarcerated or expelled from schools, unemployment and poverty.  The Theater for Boys and young Men of Color will be composed of youth ages 16-28 who will be trained in acting to the extent that they will be capable of performing before general audiences. The participants will be engaged in the creation of skits, one-act plays and in the development of a one and a half hour theatrical production with music to be performed toward the end of this year long project. Along with theater, musical presentations will also take place performed by the participants who will also receive musical training.  This project will be taking place at The Cecil C. Hinton Community Center, 2385 South Fairview Ave., 93706, on Wednesdays and Fridays at 5:30-8:30 p.m.  For more information, contact Gwen Morris at (559) 412-7118.

 

Every Friday

Join Fresno Ideaworks, Fresno’s community workshop for prototyping, building, designing, and building our community of makers, for ‘Fabrication Fantasy Friday’. This is about letting your inner maker-nerd out. From sub culture to pop culture cosplay has boomed in the past decade and is continuing to grow. Fresno Ideaworks is proud to recognize prop makers and cosplayers as part of the maker movement. We have experts to help you put your kit together for whatever your passion is. The event is free for members, a suggested $5 donation for non-members.  Fresno Ideaworks is located at 1742 H St (temp during remodel), Fresno.  For more information, call (559) 840-8749.

 

Every Friday

California Employment Development Dept. invites you to attend the Resume Preparation Assistance program with one on one assistance provided to all job seekers with CalJOBs registration, creating a strong and effective resume, obtaining job leads and referrals, information on training and education opportunities and other helpful resources.  The workshops are every Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Fresno EDD office at 2555 S. Elm.  No appointments are necessary.  Bring a valid ID and social security card.  For more information, call (559) 445-6747.

 

Every Saturday  

There is a medical clinic for the homeless, actively injecting drug users and prostitutes every Saturday from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. or until the last patient is served. You can find them near Hughes and Olive Ave. The clinic is staffed by Dr. Marc Lasher and volunteers. Financial donations are accepted. For more information, call 266-0444.

 

Every Saturday 

Food Not Bombs feeds the hungry from 1 – 2 p.m. near the Olive Ave entrance to Roeding Park. If you would like to help them prepare the meal, they meet every Saturday at Wesley United Methodist Church (1343 E. Barstow) at 10am. For more information email fresnofnb@hotmail.com or visit the official FNB website, foodnotbombs.net.

 

Most Saturdays 

Most Saturdays there is a Fresno Free Bicycle Repair Clinic from 1- 3 p.m. near the Olive Ave entrance to Roeding Park, beside Food Not Bombs. Donations of bicycle parts, inner tubes, and blinky lights are welcome. Volunteers are needed to help with minor repairs. For more info and to arrange donations, e-mail: garza.reyes@live.com.

 

1st Saturday of each month:

The South Valley Peace Center holds a demonstration for peace at Mooney and Walnut in Visalia, from 1-2 p.m. For more information visit southvalleypeacecenter.org.

 

2nd Saturday of each month: 

Divorce Options Workshops are offered on the second Saturday of every month by Central Valley Collaborative Law Affiliates. This program provides information about the divorce process and the options available to anyone considering divorce. Each workshop is presented by an interdisciplinary team of legal, financial and mental health professionals on the second Saturday of each month at the Fresno Ramada Inn, 324 East Shaw Avenue, Fresno, California from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It is offered at NO CHARGE to attendees as a public service of Central Valley Collaborative Law Affiliates. Pre-registration is recommended due to limited seating. Further information and pre-registration may be obtained at divorcefresno.eventbrite.com, or contact John McDaniel at (559) 226-4420.

 

Every Sunday 

Food Not Bombs serves free food at Courthouse Park to anyone who is hungry. They start cooking at 1 PM and serve the food at 3 PM (meet at the Tulare side of the park). For more information go to http://cafefresno.org.

 

Every Sunday

It’s Sawdust Sunday at Fresno Ideaworks. If you have an interest in woodworking, woodturning on a lathe, carving, or any other means of sawdust production, join us. This is a good way to get some pointers on an existing project or gather information on how to get started in the exploration of the infinite possibilities of carpentry. This event is open to the public and requires no fees. Some experience is necessary for equipment use. No experience is necessary to explore the possibilities.  Fresno Ideaworks is located at 1742 H St, Fresno.  For more information on this event and what Fresno Ideaworks has to offer, go to http://www.fresnoideaworks.com.

 

First Wednesday of each month:

A Women in Black Silent Vigil takes place from noon to 1 p.m. at the Fresno County Courthouse, 1100 Van Ness Ave. Show your support for peace and negotiated settlements of current U.S. military actions. Stand silently and advocate for peace. For more information, call 559-278-7140 or 559-225-2850.  This vigil takes place the 1st Wednesday of each month.

 

Every 2nd and 4th Monday of the month:

A new Toastmasters club in Exeter meets twice a month. More info can be found on our site as well: http://exeter.toastmastersclubs.org, or send an e-mail to

officers-4405971@toastmastersclubs.org.

 

The “Goodie Bag Project” is collecting small toiletry items brought home from hotels and vacations to provide gifts for women incarcerated in Central Valley Women’s Prisons. This is a collaborative effort of the CCWF Inmate Family Council, the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fresno Social Justice Committee, and the United Methodist Church of Merced. They are seeking sample/travel size bath gels, body soap, lotions, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, small combs and pocket sized packages of tissues (no food, candy, edibles, drinkables, mouthwash or anything containing alcohol). They are also collecting all kinds of greeting cards, wooden pencils and clear, colorless pens, as well as paper scratch pads and picture postcards. Items may be dropped off at the Center for Nonviolence, 1584 N. Van Ness Ave., south of McKinley, during open hours, M – F, 11 AM – 3 PM. Checks can be made out to “FCNV Prison Ministry – Goodie Bags,” and mailed to the Center at the above address, or dropped off in person. Receipts will be given. All donations are tax-deductible. For additional information or to see if an item is allowable under prison rules, call Maria Telesco at 559-255-9492. Please remember all items must be SMALL.

 

Volunteers Needed: Collective for Arts, Freedom, and Ecology (CAFE) Fresno, whose mission is to provide a safe space for all people and provide programs and events that provide enrichment and information to Fresno and the Central Valley, is looking for volunteers, especially for Food Not Bombs, an organization that provides a nutritious meal to anybody that would like and need one. Food Not Bombs is in dire need of physical and financial help, and will accept anything that might go to waste that is still useful. This includes but is not limited to: clothing, toys, tools, and furniture. All of these items will be redistributed to others that need them. Food Not Bombs meets on Sundays at CAFE Infoshop (935 F. Street in Fresno) at noon sharp, to chop and cook until 3. At 3 p.m., they serve at the courthouse park. For more information call Vanessa at (559) 485-3937 or e-mail vanpadilla@gmail.com.

 

Host an International High School Exchange Student 

High school students from around the world come to the US to spend a year or a semester in American schools. Your family can learn about Germany, China, Finland, Italy, or another country by hosting a student. International Experience is a non-profit that helps you connect with an exchange student hoping to study abroad and invites you to share your home with a student who will become a part of your family. Students in the International Experience program must meet strict guidelines and complete multiple screenings in their home countries. During their stay they are covered by their own health insurance and provide their own spending money. These students want to come to the US to practice English and learn about our culture. As a host family, you simply provide a bed, family meals and invite your student to participate in your family’s traditions and introduce them to our American culture. To learn more about the opening your heart and home to an exchange student contact International Experience at 888-266-29 21. or visit ie-usa.com.

 

Every Thursday: 

On Thursdays from 6 to 9 p.m. guitarist and singer/songwriter Steve Ono is hosting the Smugglers Open Mic Night. The Smuggler’s lounge is like a large living room with a small PA set up in the corner. Listening will be encouraged. Musicians, singers and spoken word are all welcome. The content must be family friendly. Each guest artist will be playing 2 to 3 songs depending on the number of participants. Minors are allowed when accompanied by a responsible adult.  Steve will play back up guitar or read sheet music (lead sheets preferred) for the artists on request. Steve Ono has been playing and teaching guitar in the Fresno/Clovis area for more than 35 years with hundreds of former students.  The Smuggler’s at the Park Inn is a full service restaurant with a full bar. There is a two drink minimum. Dinner is available. The restaurant is located at 3787 North Blackstone Avenue in Fresno. For information, call (559) 230-8450

 

Ongoing:

The AMVETS Call of Duty Endowment Career Centers provide FREE career training and employment assistance to veterans, active duty service members, National Guard, and Reserve members and spouses.   For additional information please call 877-726-8387, once again that is 877-726-8387.

 

Fresno County Public Library is recruiting skilled volunteers to assist teens and parents fill out applications for college and financial aid. When schools are closed, rural students throughout the county often find it difficult to access materials and computers that can help with this milestone in a student’s life. The Fresno County Public Library not only provides a safe and welcoming environment for these students and families, but also has the needed technology and print materials to help them navigate the college and career path. Those with Spanish language skills are encouraged to apply.  By becoming a College Prep Coach, volunteers will dedicate a few hours each week to help families unfamiliar with the task of completing important applications. “All students must have direct access to materials and technology to succeed in life,” says County Librarian Laurel Prysiazny. “By staffing several rural branches with trained volunteers, the Library’s College Prep Program will assist students and families with laying the groundwork for making college a reality.”  If you would like to help a teen go to college visit http://www.fresnolibrary.org and click on the volunteer banner, or call Elizabeth Finkle at (559) 600-9230.

 

The Artists’ Loft group at The Studio Community Center in North Fork presents an ongoing Arts & Crafts program of classes for young and old. The classes are affordable and help support The Studio. To view the calendar go to nfstudio.org.  You can click on Artists’ Loft @ The Studio from the Home page to learn more about the group.