Each year, the Ventura Music Festival fills venues across the city with top-tier music for two weekends of multi-genre music, dance performances and world-class culture. This time, the festival is getting a head start on the summer with a special multi-media presentation at the Museum of Ventura County to celebrate the life and works of Leonard Bernstein during what would have been the 100^th year of his life.

Presented by the Janet & Mark L. Goldenson Artistic Director of the Ventura Music Festival Nuvi Mehta, the presentation will feature excerpts of Bernstein’s music alongside an in-depth lecture delving into the immeasurable impact his life’s work had on the musical landscape, both during his life and extending far beyond it into the present day. Having both learned from and played with Bernstein himself, Mehta is in a unique position to impart knowledge on the legacy of this iconic figure in musical history. “Bernstein’s ability to unfold an entire musical journey in a single gesture astonished us – astonished everyone – and made him beloved from L.A. to N.Y. to Berlin, Vienna, Amsterdam, Tokyo and everywhere music is loved,” says Mehta.

A true visionary who defied convention at every turn, Bernstein’s politics and music both revolved around the idea of inclusivity. His work steadfastly insisted on bringing all types of music together – including American jazz, pop and esoteric genres, in a time where American music wasn’t even on the radar of the world’s musical stage. “Bernstein changed the way American music was perceived,” Mehta continues. “What goes on in a concert hall [today] is influenced by Leonard Bernstein.” In a very real sense, his work became symbolic of America and of his time, as he dedicated himself to connecting dots between the musical, the social and the political, and spent much of his later years passing his ethos and knowledge on to the next generation of young musicians.

The presentation will run for approximately 90 minutes and will take place on Sunday, June 24, at the Museum of Ventura County, 100 East Main St. Refreshments will be served at 3:00 PM, and the program will begin at 4:00 PM. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased at http://venturamusicfestival.org/bernstein-at-100/.

As an extended celebration of 100 Years of Bernstein, the celebrated Akropolis Reed Quintet will be playing a Bernstein tribute during their live set during the Ventura Music Festival in July. For dates, the full lineup and ticketing info, please visit www.venturamusicfestival.org. The 24^th annual Ventura Music Festival will take place on July 12-15 and July 20-22, 2018 at various locations across Ventura and Oxnard. For a full list of locations, please visit www.venturamusicfestival.org/schedule.

For more information, please visit www.venturamusicfestival.org.

For the eleventh consecutive year, author and writing coach Dallas Woodburn is teaching a Ventura writing camp for youth ages 8 to 18. The camp consists of four two-hour workshops held on July 28 and 29, and August 4 and 5. There are two time slots available: 10 a.m. to noon, or 1-3 p.m. The camp will be held in the conference room at Jensen Design and Survey at 1672 Donlon St.

Students will have fun while learning how to improve components of their writing, including dialogue, characterization, plot and setting, through various creativity-inducing writing exercises. The early registration cost (before July 15) is $125 for all four sessions. Price bumps up to $150 after July 15. Students are welcome to attend one, two, three or all four sessions.

Dallas is an acclaimed author, speaker and teacher, with experience as workshop instructor and coordinator of the Young Writers Program of the Santa Barbara Writers Conference. She is a graduate of Purdue University’s Master’s program in Fiction, and most recently was a John Steinbeck Fellow in Creative Writing at San Jose State University.

To register for the camp, or for more information www.writeonbooks.org or e-mail [email protected] or call 805-889-5570.

by Randy Jewell

The Ventura Downtown Lions Club is a diverse group of men and women varying in ages, dedicated to providing assistance to individuals and the community. The club was chartered on April 27th 1923. The Club celebrated 95 years of community service on June 16.

It all started with 51 outstanding local business and community leaders. One of them was Fred W. Smith, who went on to become President of Lions Clubs International in 1947-48. Another was Charles Rea, former Mayor of Ventura. One celebrated club member was Erle Stanley Gardner, a local attorney, who became famous as the creator and author of the Perry Mason books later made into the television series and movies.

The Ventura Downtown Lions Club has a strong history of members serving the community and beyond. It has had public officials, 10 mayors, at least 20 city council members, school superintendents, health officials, educators, doctors, lawyers, dentists, county clerks, nurses, the list goes on. Members have through the last 95 years, helped raise or donate over $2,000,000 for the community and surrounding areas.

Among the many causes and efforts supported within the community over the years are: The Ventura County Historical Museum, the Rubicon Theatre, Special Olympics, The Rose parade, YMCA, city parks (Kimble Aquatic Center, West Park, Grant Park, and Arroyo Verde Park) and the local libraries. The Ventura Downtown Lions club has also provided scholarship funds, support to the American Cancer Society (Relay for Life), City of Hope, Alzheimer’s Association, Salvation Army, Red Cross, Ventura Boys and Girls Club, list goes on and on.

The membership has always and is still volunteering time and efforts to carry out events that raise funds for special causes. Two years ago a Retinal Imaging Camera was purchased for Ventura County Medical Center. The Lions club raised $50,000 to assist in the purchase. For over two years, the Club has joined forces with other Lions Clubs in Ventura County in a cooperative effort to raise $200,000 to improve or create an adult diabetes / vision clinic for all residents of Ventura County.

Every year the club puts on or assists in putting on community events such as: Ventura County East-West All Star High School Football Game, all you can eat “Crab Feast”and Thanksgiving Baskets for fifty families in need. And every day, eye glasses are collected for recycling.

The Ventura Downtown Lions Club is a great group of community minded people within the largest service organization in the world, Lions Clubs International (LCI). The Ventura Downtown Lions club is 138 members strong. President, Don Fromberg, has been looking at the future and believes growth will make the biggest impact on what can be done in the community.

On June 16th, there was also the installation of the new officers. Steve Shaw will take over as the club President. He spoke on continuing to build on the Ventura Downtown Lions Club traditions.
If you are interested in learning more about the Lions Club please call 805-655-5595 or visit Ventura Downtown Lions Club.org.