Morro Bay Friends of the Library will hold a book sale on Saturday, June 11 at the library located at 625 Harbor St. The sale is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Expect to find a variety of quality, new-looking books in every subject along with DVDs, CDs, and magazines all at very low prices. Hot picks include novels, non-fiction on all subjects, children’s books, cookbooks, and best sellers.
The Friends Book Store also operates inside the Library during all regular library hours and welcomes donations of gently-used books, magazines and media. All proceeds go to support the Morro Bay Library and their projects and programs. Most recently the Friends helped to finance the new automated doors for the Library Program Room. Ask the librarians about Summer Reading Programs that are starting up again. More information at 805-772-6394.
Don’t miss Brass Mash at Concerts in the Plaza plus Chris Beland at Concerts in the Plaza on June 24 from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Mission Plaza in SLO. Returning for a second year at Concerts in the Plaza, Brass Mash performs all your favorite tunes mashed into an energetic and infectious groove. Known to bring any crowd to its feet, the Brass Mash style blends or “mashes” two or more songs at a time. These compositions cross both genres and decades, creating a live guessing game for audiences to ‘name that tune’. Britney Spears and Black Sabbath? Check. Lorde and Dr. Dre? Got that too. Daft Punk and ZZ Top? Wildest dreams are manifested through a unique vocal and saxophone talk box duet. The band consists entirely of horns, winds, and percussion, and plays a variety of music styles, making them everyone’s favorite party rock band. All concerts are free to the public!
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Folks interested in Qi Gong, they have free classes at the Los Osos Library on Fridays from 9 – 10 a.m. Just show up! No reservations needed! Devon Wallace leads the class. Questions? Call the library @ 805-528-1862. Qi Gong practice typically involves moving meditation, coordinating slow-flowing movement, deep rhythmic breathing, and a calm meditative state of mind. People practice qigong throughout China and worldwide for recreation, exercise, relaxation, preventive medicine, self-healing, alternative medicine, meditation, self-cultivation, and training for martial arts.
Los Osos author Peggy Rothschild will sign her new book, “A Deadly Bone to Pick” at Coalesce Bookstore on Saturday, June 4 from 1 p.m. to 3.m.
The book tells the story of Molly Madison, dog-wrangler extraordinaire, who stumbles upon a murder in her new hometown, she must track down a killer to save the day.
Ex-police officer and former P.I. Molly Madison is starting over. After the death of her husband, she and her golden retriever, Harlow, move cross-country to California. But as charming and peaceful as the beachside town seems, she soon learns its tranquil tides hold dark secrets.
On her first day in the new house, a large, slobbering Saint Berdoodle wanders in. Molly winds up taking on the responsibility of training Noodle since his owner is too busy to do the job. On one of their daily beachside walks, Noodle digs up a severed hand. Once Molly alerts the police and they run a background check on her, an incident from her past makes her an immediate suspect — after all, Noddle’s testimony to clear her name won’t hold much water in court.
To prove her innocence, Molly must rely on instincts keener than a canine’s to sniff out the real killer. But when Molly’s life is put in danger, will her two very loyal pups be able to rescue her?
Rothschild ‘s YA adventure, “Punishment Summer,” was published by Evernight Teen in 2015 and her short stories have been included in “The Best Laid Plans, Heartbreaks and Half-Truths” and “Avenging Angelenos” anthologies. She also illustrated the children’s book “Angie’s Great Big Beautiful Life: Tales of a Rescue Cat.”
The San Luis Obispo Greek Festival returns to San Luis Obispo with its 13th annual event on June 4 and 5, at the Madonna Expo Center, 100 Madonna Rd. The festival hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission and parking are free!
The parishioners of Saint Andrew Greek Orthodox Church in San Luis Obispo host the festival. The family-friendly weekend features authentic Greek cuisine, homemade pastries, live traditional music, and dancing, as well as shopping and cultural exhibits. The Greek Festival is a fundraiser for Saint Andrew’s. However, organizers say, an important aspect is that a portion of the funds raised goes back into the community to the outreach programs that Saint Andrew’s supports. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the SLO Noor Foundation and the SLO Food Bank. Saint Andrew’s also works to support 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, Kids ‘n Cancer and Prison Fellowship Ministry. The SLO Greek Festival is looking for energetic and reliable volunteers to help out with the festival. Readers who would like to get involved, should send an email to greekfestslo@gmail.com.
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SLO Skiers, a local, non-profit sports and social club for adults, will hold its next monthly meeting at Dairy Creek Golf Course Clubhouse in San Luis Obispo at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, June 1. Meetings are free and yearly membership is $50. Social and sports activities occur year round.
Join SLO County Libraries and take the Summer Reading Challenge
May 28 – July 30. The goal is a collective 1 million reading minutes. Participants can win camping gear, hammocks, camp-themed LEGOs, walkie-talkies, and more—just for reading. Sign up as an individual or as a family at SLOLibrary.org, or use the Beanstack Tracker app to do the challenge on your mobile device.
The Cal Poly Symphony and Cal Poly Choirs will perform Ralph Vaughan Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem” and William Grant Still’s “Afro-American Symphony” at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 5, in Miossi Hall of the Performing Arts Center.
Both momentous works were composed in the 1930s and addressed issues of that time that are equally relevant today. The groups will be joined by guest soloists Amy Goyermac, soprano; and John Buffett, baritone.
The Cal Poly Chamber Choir opens the concert with Paul Hindemith’s celebrated “Six Chansons,” which was composed in the same era. They will then perform Grant Still’s “Afro-American Symphony,” a celebration of Black culture and the blues that rose from the Harlem Renaissance of the early 20th century. Each movement uses a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar as an epigraph. Completed in 1930, this was the first symphony to be written by an African-American composer and premiered by a major orchestra.
After intermission, the symphony will perform Ukrainian composer Myroslav Skoryk’s “Melody,” and the combined Cal Poly Choirs and symphony will perform Williams’ “Dona Nobis Pacem” (“Give Us Peace”).
Composed in 1936, “Dona Nobis Pacem” was written at the dawn of World War II. The text of the work is primarily derived from Walt Whitman’s poetry written at the time of the American Civil War. The combination of Williams’ brilliant orchestration and the raw and emotional Whitman text creates a combination that has stood the test of time and remained one of the most celebrated masterworks of the 20th century.
The program will be dedicated to Cal Poly student Zach Blanchard who passed away in April. He had been a member of PolyPhonics. Tickets are $15 and $20 for the public and $10 for students. Event parking is sponsored by the PAC. Tickets are available at 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).
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Join Sea Pines Golf Resort and Spa, 1945 Solano St., Los Osos, for the 2022 Spring Barefoot Concerts on the Green every Saturday through June 25. Music festivities start at 2 p.m. outside and move inside The Clubhouse Grill from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.
The California Preservation Foundation launched the first statewide Doors Open event in the country. Doors Open California (https://californiapreservation.org/doca/) is a two‐day celebration of architecture and culture featuring more than 70 on‐site tours and access to historic places across the state on Saturday and Sunday, June 11 and 12. Bring your friends and family to as many of the independently operated sites as you can visit in one weekend, for a flat fee of $20 per person. Through an exclusive partnership with Doors Open, some participating area museums are opening their doors free for the public (no ticket needed). Participating sites near San Luis Obispo include:
• 6/11 from 11 a.m.‐ 4 p.m. a behind‐the‐scenes tour of the Women’s Press Building in Atascadero
• 6/11 and 6/12 from 11 a.m.‐ 4 p.m. the Monday Club – Julia Morgan lecture and tour in San Luis Obispo. Users who post to the #DOCA22 hashtag will be randomly selected to receive Doors Open merch from the California Preservation Foundation. You can also support DOCA through their online shop. Go to “DoorsOpenCA” on RedBubble to order your hats, water bottles, and t‐shirts.
The theme of the conference for 2022 is “Opening Doors,” signifying CPF’s effort to generate widespread and inclusive interest in historic preservation and heritage conservation throughout the state. The educational conference sessions, including the California State Parks Climate Change Task Force meeting, will be held online from June 7‐ 10. In more than 40 sessions and other special events, CPF and a host of professionals will examine the innovative methods and strategies that architects, designers, planners, local advocates, and the public need to save historic places in their community.
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People Helping People Spring Rummage Sale takes place June 3 from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and June 4 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the South Bay Community Center, 2180 Palisades Ave. in Los Osos. There will be lots of tools, electronics, small furniture, household items, collectables, and something for everyone. One third of the proceeds will go to the Community Center, 1/3 to the annual Need’s and Wishes Holiday Fundraiser for The SLO Noor Clinic and 40 Prado Homeless Services Center, and 1/3 to People Helping People of Los Osos. For more information, call 805 528 2626.
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre brings roller-skating Greek muses, 1980s-style and the original, chart-topping score of “Xanadu” to downtown San Luis Obispo. Based on the Universal Pictures cult classic movie of the same title, Xanadu is hilarity on wheels, a moving, electrifying tale of endless fun that will keep audiences in stitches and lift them out of their seats. The show runs June 10-July 3 with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets range from $20-$40 and may be purchased online at slorep.org or by calling (805) 786-2440. All shows take place at SLO REP, 888 Morro Street in downtown San Luis Obispo.
The Cal Poly Arab Music Ensemble will be joined by the Zaryab Ensemble for its spring concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 4, in Spanos Theatre on campus. The ensembles will perform both separately and as a combined group in the concert.
The Zaryab Ensemble begins the program with Iranian and Tajik music under the artistic direction of Neema Hekmat. The Arab Music Ensemble — a combined orchestra and choir with vocal and instrumental soloists — will join the Zaryab Ensemble to perform selections that have gained widespread popularity across Southwest Asia and North Africa, including a regional folksong sung in both Arabic and Persian, as well as Euro-American jazz and popular songs sung in Arabic, Persian and English.
An Arab Music Ensemble chamber ensemble begins the second half with a performance of two popular Sephardic songs that will flow into a musical suite by the orchestra and choir. It will feature some of the most celebrated repertoire of Arab culture and the larger region, including a famous bashraf, an instrumental genre of Turkish classical music.
The concert will conclude with both ensembles performing classic selections of Iranian and Arab music together. San Luis Obispo dance director Jenna Mitchell will lead a dance troupe in original choreography in continuation of a longstanding collaboration of music and dance in the concerts of the Arab Music Ensemble. Cal Poly music Professor Ken Habib, a composer, performer, conductor, and ethnomusicologist, will direct the event.
Tickets are $20 for the public and $10 for students. Event parking is sponsored by the Performing Arts Center. Tickets are sold at 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). Note: The photo is Arab Music Ensemble at its winter concert. Masks were required at the time, they are not required for the spring concert.
