In honor of the more than 58,000 American service members who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, The Wall That Heals comes to San Luis Obispo County March 16 -March 19 at the Madonna Inn. The official ¾ scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C also teaches all generations the sacrifices of our veterans as well as Vietnam War history. It remains on display 24 hours a day. Admission is free. The event is presented by the San Luis Obispo County Veterans Services Office and The Central Coast Veterans Memorial Museum in partnership with the Madonna Inn and Legacy Village. Learn more, donate to support the event or sign-up to volunteer at the wall by visiting www.vetmuseum.org or by calling (805) 781-5766.
•••
Some of the best surfers in the world will converge at Morro Rock this weekend for a qualifying event for the World Surf League. The SLO Cal Open’s Morro Bay event runs from Thursday, Feb. 23 to Sunday, Feb. 26 and will bring some of best up-and-coming pro surfers to town.
Surfers are slated to take to the water starting about 10 a.m. daily and heats will be held all day long.
Established in 1976, the WSL “is dedicated to changing the world through the inspirational power of surfing by creating authentic events, experiences, and storytelling to inspire a growing, global community to live with purpose, originality, and stoke,” the organization’s website said.
The WSL is a worldwide organization headquartered in Santa Monica, Calif., with regional offices in North America, Latin America, Asia Pacific, and EMEA.
The event is free to watch but it’s likely to get crowded in the Morro Rock parking lot.
•••
Internationally shown artist Frank Eber presents lectures and painting demonstrations of both oil and watercolor at the Cambria Center for the Arts. The topic is finding creativity and personal style in your art. Pique your interest for his upcoming painting workshops at the center. Watercolor lecture and demo is Feb. 25 from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. An oil painting lecture and demo is also Feb. 25 from 2- 4:30 p.m. Members’ cost is $25, non-members are $30. Space is limited. For more information, go to www.cambriaarts.org.
•••
SLO Skiers, a local, non-profit sports and social club for adults holds its next monthly meeting at Dairy Creek Golf Course Clubhouse in San Luis Obispo at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, March 1. Meetings are free and yearly membership is only $65. Social hour from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Meeting follows. Social and sports activities occur year around.
•••
Tickets for the 81st annual Poly Royal Rodeo are available now. The rodeo takes place at the Cotton Rosser Rodeo Complex on campus during Cal Poly’s Open House, with three full nights of action-packed performances.
The two-night general admission events begin Friday, April 14 with the Annual Poly Royal Rodeo Performance and concludes Saturday, April 15 with the Poly Royal Rodeo Finals. Both events start at 6:30 p.m. and are followed by a concert. In addition, a Cal Poly Rodeo Showcase and concert will be held for students only at a reduced cost on Wednesday, April 12.
The Poly Royal Rodeo is the marquee event on campus during Cal Poly’s annual Open House. The event features the top collegiate rodeo athletes from around the West Coast who have advanced to the championship performance from the weekend’s earlier rounds. Athletes will compete for a championship title in events such as barrel racing, team roping, breakaway roping, tie down roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, bull riding and steer wrestling.
Tickets are $50 for general admission and $20 for children ages 2 to 12. Admission is free for children under 2. They are available at at https://ticketscalpoly.evenue.net. All proceeds from the event benefit the Cal Poly Rodeo Program.
•••
Cambria Center for the Arts announced a Call For Artists to submit work to fill their member’s halls and to accompany the March/April exhibit of Liz Hampton-Derivan. Liz’s exhibit includes photography, mixed media, hot and cold wax, paints and pastels. Both 2 and 3D art and crafts are welcomed for the member’s and local artist’s exhibit. Work may be submitted online to be shown the physical gallery as well as the virtual gallery. For more information and to submit your entries online, go to www.cambriaarts.org. Submissions area accepted February 24 to 28. Located at
•••
The following are free events brought to you by the Los Osos Library located at 2075 Palisades Ave. Reach them by phone at 805-528-1862. All library programs follow current California and County of San Luis Obispo health guidelines.
Free Tax Assistance with United Way – Sundays, March 5, March 12, March 19, March 26, April 2, April 16
Receive free tax preparation assistance at the Los Osos Library with United Way of San Luis Obispo. No income limits are imposed, but fees may apply depending on the schedule prepared. No appointment is needed.
Paws to Read – Wednesdays, 3:15-4:15
Come and read your favorite book to Berkeley! She’s at the Los Osos Library on Wednesday afternoons. School Age.
Featured Artists – Wall artist TBD
Display Case is Dina Stern with her hand dyed textiles
Storytime – Thursdays, 10:30-11 a.m.
Stories, dance, and music for toddlers and preschoolers.
Stay Young with Qi Gong! – Fridays, 9 – 10 a.m. (rain cancels)
Qi Gong is a system for physical, mental and spiritual development that has roots dating back thousands of years in China. It consists of flowing movements and meditations that cultivate life force energy (called qi by the Chinese). The basics of qi gong are not difficult to learn and practice, and are particularly beneficial for older adults. Instructor Devin Wallace was certified to teach by qi gong master Lee Holden. Devin has taught at hospitals, fitness and yoga centers and also does private classes.
E-Device Class – Wednesdays, 9:15-10 a.m.
Bring your electronic device in and Diana will do her best to answer any questions you have.
Coloring and Texture Art – Friday, March 3, 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Drop by the Los Osos Library to create texture-rubbing art! All ages welcome.
Read Together – Thursday, March 9, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
Jonniepat Mobley facilitates the group reading of a play/script. No audition necessary. Come in, take a script and read the play aloud together.
Family Movie – Saturday, March 11, 2 p.m.
Watch “The Goonies.” It’s rated PG. The library also provides popcorn. Everyone is invited to attend this wonderful movie
•••
The Peace Tea program of Yes! We Can Peacebuilders takes place Tuesday, February 28, at 2 p.m. at the Estero Bay United Methodist Church, 3000 Hemlock Avenue, in Morro Bay. Is violence in the world getting you down? There is another way – positive peacebuilding using nonviolence. Join the video program “An Introduction to Basic Nonviolence’ presented by Michael N. Nagler, president and cofounder of The Metta Center for Nonviolence.
“Nonviolence is not the recourse of the weak but actually calls for an uncommon kind of strength,” Nagler said. “It is not a refraining from something but the engaging of a positive force.”
In this program Nagler shows that nonviolence is more than a tactic; it is a way of living. He recounts the successful methods that helped Gandhi free India from colonial rule and Martin Luther King, Jr. liberate people of color from oppression.
After the video tea and cookies will be served as attendees discuss the topics of “Fight, Flight and the Third Way, The Uses of Nonviolence, and Satyagraha, Gandhi’s Way.”
Yes! We Can Peacebuilders is a division of People of Faith for Justice, a 501c3 nonprofit. For more information, go to www.yeswecanpeacebuilders.org or email at yeswecanpeacebuilders1@gmail.com.
•••
Join the Cayucos Library at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 24 for “Piedras Blancas – Seasons of the Year,” a dynamic slide and video presentation of the seasons of our Central Coast elephant seals. Presented by the Friends of the Elephant Seal. This program is free to attend and no registration is required. Contact the Cayucos Library at (805) 995-3312 for more information.
•••
The Cal Poly Wind Bands Winter Concert featuring the Cuesta College Wind Ensemble takes place at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 5, in Miossi Hall of the Performing Arts Center’s Christopher Cohan Center.
The concert, titled “Bandemonium,” will be presented by Cal Poly’s Wind Orchestra and Wind Ensemble, and is the second in the Cal Poly bands’ season series. The three bands will perform favorite standards of the genre as well as new works for wind bands. The program will include Gustav Holst’s “Moorside Suite,” John Williams’ “Evening at Pops” and James Barnes’ “Yama Midori.” Russell Peck’s “Cave” will be presented in a staging choreographed by students of the Cal Poly Wind Ensemble.
The program closes with Richard Strauss’ “Feierlicher Einzug,” arranged by Cal Poly Director of Bands Emeritus William V. Johnson, in a combined ensemble of all three bands.
Tickets are $15 and $20 general and $10 students. They can be purchased from the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To order by phone, call 805-SLO-4TIX (805-756-4849). Event parking is sponsored by the PAC.
Send your event listing at least three weeks in advance to Editor@EsteroBayNews.com. Make sure to include the who, what, why, where and when of the event and contact information. Please, type out in paragraph form rather than attaching flyers.
