The Museum celebrates Earth Day at the next Free First Sunday event Sunday, April 2, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. The park rangers of the Channel Islands National Park will be on hand with information booths and activities about conservation on the islands. Hear local author, Ken McAlpine, talk about the ocean, marine animals and the ever-changing ecosystems under the sea. Paint your own planet earth, delve into printmaking with vegetable stamp art, and show appreciation of nature through planting seeds! Get your hands dirty while learning about our earth, the environment, and ecosystems locally and globally. Free admission.  First Free Sundays are generously sponsored by Mimi Allin.

Book Signing at Little House – “Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility “ by biomechanist Katy Bowman. Her four co-authors, who are local seniors, will be signing books on Wednesday, April 5, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Little House,  111 W. Santa Ana St.

On Sunday April 9th,  the Ojai Raptor Center, (ORC) a non-profit 501(c) (3) organization, will open its doors to the public for their annual Spring Open House; a rare opportunity to meet the non-releasable “ambassador” raptors, and tour the Center that is otherwise closed to the public year-round.

Guests will meet a variety of hawks, falcons, and owls. The Spring’s Open House theme will be “Baby Shower” as the Center will be preparing for the busiest time of year: Nesting Season. A silent auction will be held along with raffles for a chance to release a successfully rehabilitated raptor with ORC staff. The ORC Store will be open and drinks and snacks will be available for purchase.

The Ojai Raptor Center Open House will have a five dollar entry fee per person with children under ten admitted for free. This is a dog-free event. Visit www.ojairaptorcenter.org for more information.

Ojai native plant educator Lanny Kaufer will lead his annual Nature Hike to Rose Valley Falls on Sunday, April 9, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day will begin with a plant identification hike along Howard Creek, followed by a lunch break, and a shaded walk to the Falls.

An optional carpool from the Maricopa Plaza parking lot will be available, at 9:00 a.m. and return there by 3 p.m. The cost is $25 for adults, $20 for seniors 62-and-older, and $15 for students 13-18. Kids 5-12 can go free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please.

To register or for more information, please visit www.HerbWalks.com or call 646-6281.

Lanny Kaufer will also lead an herb walk on Saturday, April 8, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The location will remain a mystery. As Kaufer explains, “It is a rare and special place where I have been longing to lead a walk for years.” A docent also will be present to share some of the rare exotic plants found on the property.

The group will meet at Maricopa Plaza for a carpool to reduce the number of cars on the private road. The travel time to the trailhead will be 15-20 minutes. Walkers can plan on returning to Maricopa Plaza by 1 p.m.

The cost is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors 62 years of age and up, and $10 for students 13-18. An additional $5/person donation is requested by the nonprofit organization that manages the property to cover the costs associated with having visitors. Kids 5-12 can go free, one per adult, by prior arrangement. No dogs or smoking, please.

To register for the Ojai Herb Walk, visit www.HerbWalks.com, email [email protected], or call 646-6281

Ventura County Library will host a series of Community Conversations at the Ojai Library (3/31), the Ojai Valley Museum (4/6), Topa Topa Elementary School (4/13), Meiners Oaks Elementary School (4/20), and the Oak View Park and Resource Center (4/27). Each program will last from 6 to 8 p.m.

Each of these facilitated conversations will include questions designed to help us better understand people’s aspirations for their community, the concerns they have, and what they believe might make a difference in strengthening the community.

The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Ave. Hours of service are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

4/18 Tuesday @7-9pm A California Native Plant Society LectureRick Burgess “A Flora of Ventura County” a lovely view of Ventura’s spring beauties. Presented by the California Native Plant Society, Channel Islands Chapter.

4/1, 8, 15, 22, &  29 Saturdays @ 10:30am in the Rentfrow RoomSpanish Conversation GroupAre you learning Spanish but need some practice speaking? Join this informal group to chat and practice your Español! Bring your own coffee!

4/5, 12, 19, & 26 Wednesdays @ 4-6pm Come by the Makerspace to learn, create, and share STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math). We have 3D printers, computer coding, stop motion animation, a laser cutter/engraver, and so much more! Play hard, have fun, explore, discover, connect.

4/6, 13, 20,  & 27  Thursdays @ 7:30-9pm Poetry Open Mic NightOn these Thursday nights, come join this group of writers as they meet in the Topping Room to share their work.

4/10 & 24 Mondays @ 7-10pm Ukulele Jam Session

Locals gather to play the ukulele on the first and third Monday of the month

4/1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 Saturdays @ 1pm Calling all chess players! Keep your skills sharp with this one-hour, drop-in session of free play. Boards will be set up and ready to go. Bring your best moves!

4/7, 14, 21, & 28 Fridays @ 2pm Children’s Events Friday Films with CraftToy Story (7th), Ratatouille (14th), Lego Movie (21st), The Muppets (2011) (28th)Join us each Friday for a film screening and a specially themed craft!

4/1, 8, 15, 22, & 29 Saturdays @ 12-1pm Paws for Reading

Read aloud to a registered service dog. (Sign-up required)

4/5 & 19 Wednesdays @ 5pm TAG: Teen Advisory Group

If you want to share ideas, meet new people and have a great time shaping the library teen program join TAG! This is for 13+ and grades 8+ and counts toward community service requirements.

Hop on over for family fun at Ventura Harbor’s Cottontail Day Festival, Saturday, April 8 featuring egg hunts, a petting zoo, kid’s hands on arts and crafts, and children’s entertainment; all geared towards families with kids ages 1 – 7 years old.

The Cottontail Day festivities give children a chance to take a photo or grab a hug with the Cottontail Bunny.  Children ages 1 –7 can join in the $2 Egg Hunt held every 30 minutes from  11am – 2pm.  Kids that find a “Golden Egg” will happily hop away with extra prizes.  A Village Scavenger Hunt offers clues leading guests to a Hoppy Surprise!

More family fun activities include:  pony rides, petting zoo, glitter tattoos, face painting, tumbling fun with MyGym, live children’s entertainment by Jamie Shaheen, Village Arcade & Carousel, pedal boats, ice cream, family-oriented vendor booths, jumpies and Bunny!  Excite imaginations with a variety of free children’s crafts.

Come early and enjoy breakfast or lunch at one of the many harbor-view restaurants, and visit Harbor Village boutiques for unique gift items, spring décor, kites to fly, and spring break style necessities.  Stop by the Village Arcade and play a fun family game or explore sea-life on a Harbor cruise or pedal boat rental with the family.   Need an extra treat for Easter baskets?  Take home delicious homemade fudge, French pastries, or waffle cone gift certificates.

The Ventura Harbor would like to thank the 2017 Cottontail Day sponsors  City Corps Ventura, The Greek at the Harbor, Ventura Breeze, and Cumulus Broadcasting.

Let Ventura Harbor Village be your spring break destination, take the day off and immerse yourself seaside with outdoor play, savory fish & chips, clam chowder, unique shops and galleries all while creating seaside memories.

For more information visit www.VenturaHarborVillage.com or call 477.0470.

Celebrating its 40th Anniversary, Project Understanding at San Buenaventura is pleased to announce the Hope Worth Giving Breakfast at 7:30am Thursday, March 30 at  the Pierpont Inn, 550 Sanjon Rd.

County Supervisor Steve Bennett and Ventura Mayor Eric Nasarenko will address the breakfast. Bennett said, “I support Project Understanding because they are committed to people in need.”

Kim Pagano of the Kim Pagano Show will emcee the event. Successful clients will share their stories of help and hope. Project Understanding helps needy neighbors with food, housing and education. The programs for giving people a hand up include the Food Pantry, SHORE apartments, Homeless to Home, Tender Life Maternity Home and eleven Tutoring Centers.

Guests will be given an opportunity to make a financial contribution at the event.

This event is generously sponsored by the Oxnard Monday Club, On Q Financial – The Jaffe Team, Bill & Elise Kearney, Trinity Lutheran Church and The Fred Evans Team – ReMax Gold Coast Realtors.

Hope Worth Giving is free to attend; however, a RSVP is suggested. All those who plan to attend may do so by visiting www.hopeworthgiving2017.eventbrite.com.

Founded in 1977, Project Understanding provides hope by developing and directing resources for the purpose of transforming lives and community through justice, mercy and compassion. For 40 years, Project Understanding has been assisting people reach their highest attainable level of independence. For more information, please visit www.projectunderstanding.org.

The Ojai Concert Series continues its commitment to bringing outstanding musicians to Ojai with an evening of exciting French Canadian “Québécois” folk music on Saturday, March 18th (7pm), by the “rarely on the west coast, but famous on the east”, Yves Lambert Trio playing some delightful Quebec folk music.

In 1976 Yves Lambert formed the now legendary La Bottine Souriante, a Quebec folk band specializing in traditional Québécois music with a modern twist. Ojai Valley Woman’s Club, 441 Ojai Ave. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. For more info or directions to the Ojai Valley Woman’s Club, go to www.ojaiconcertseries.com or call 665-8852.

“Hollywood Nights:  Letting Our Stars Shine”, is the theme for this year’s annual auction at Villanova Preparatory School. Villanova provides a challenging, and rigorous college preparatory curriculum, taught by a world class faculty, in a family environment that promotes the development of the mind and heart of young adults from diverse backgrounds.

Villanova continues to rely on the generosity of businesses, families, alumni, and friends to assist in providing a quality education and programs for the students. This year, the auction fundraising goal is to raise funds to build a new Art Center. Donors and sponsors will have their names and/or businesses proudly showcased in the printed program and on the school website. The event will be held at the parish hall at St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Ojai, on March 25 with silent auction viewing and appetizers from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.  Dinner, entertainment and D.J. (Cover2Cover) after 7:00 p.m.

All inquiries welcome! Please call Tessa Hottinger at 646-1464 ext. 126.

The Ojai Photography Club shifts into high gear with a presentation by Juan Carlo Mendoza, Ventura County Star staff photographer, “Photojournalism: Integrating Life and Lens.” His presentation will include numerous recent images. He will speak about his career as a photojournalist, the stories behind his images and his passion for the outdoors, which includes living in a tree house! Tuesday, March 21, at 7:00 p.m. in Help of Ojai’s Kent Hall, 111 West Santa Ana St.

The Ojai Photography Club, which is devoted to education, inspiration, and camaraderie, meets on the third Tuesday of each month, February – November. Only members may submit images for review. For additional information please visit: www.ojaiphotoclub.com/.

The Ojai Playwrights Conference announced performers and honorees for its 20th Anniversary Benefit Gala – “Celebrating 20 Years of Visionary Voices” scheduled for Saturday, April 8 the Benefit begins at 4:00pm at Matilija Auditorium with an extraordinary event created especially for this evening. Following the show, the festivities continue at Topa Mountain Winery, with a evening of fine wines, festive cocktails, a “Farm to Table Feast” prepared by some of Southern California’s finest chefs, and a live auction!

Writer and performer Cynthia Waring will visit the Ojai Library at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 to present a workshop titled “The Power and Healing of Writing Your Memoir.” Waring, author of the published memoir Bodies Unbound and author and performer of two one-woman shows, will be sharing her process of memoir writing. She will also discuss how writing can integrate memories and heal old wounds.

Participants will get a chance to write a story of their own using the guidance of the instructor during this one and a half hour workshop. For more information www.BodiesUnbound.com. Please bring a journal to write and pen!

This event is free and open to the public. For additional information, contact Ron Solórzano, Regional Librarian at 218-9146. The Ojai Library is located at 111 East Ojai Ave.

Spring Hebrew School session is starting  March 20 at the Jewish Community of Ojai. The school teaches beginning Hebrew reading and writing, Jewish holidays, and ethics and values to children 3^rd grade and up. The 10 week sessions help prepare students for their B’nai Mitzvah training. Come join for an Open House on March 13 at 6:30 PM at out Temple located at 530 West El Roblar Ave., Ojai to meet teacher, and see the school. For further info, visit www.ojaitemple.org, call 646-4464, or contact Pearl at 646-1721.

Rubicon Theatre Company presents a special one-night-only concert featuring Golden Globe Award-winner Amanda McBroom in voices on Tuesday, April 25 at 7 p.m. Amanda McBroom’s new concert celebrates her recently released CD, “voices,” with her first re-cutting of “The Rose” since 1980 (in a duet with country legend Vince Gill). The CD also features the Tom Paxton classic “The Last Thing on my Mind,” one of Johnny Mathis’ biggest hits, “12th of Never,” and ten new songs.

Rubicon Theatre Company, 1006 E. Main St.

Tickets are $69.50 plus a $4 processing fee. Tickets may be purchased in person through the Rubicon Theatre Company Box Office at the corner of Main and Laurel in Ventura (Laurel entrance and downstairs) or online at www.rubicontheatre.org. To charge by phone 667.2900.