ALLAN HANCOCK COLLEGE presents its second annual Harvest Festival, featuring grape stomping, tasting, pruning displays, a wine bottling demo, a video presentation, refreshments, and entertainment Oct. 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Allan Hancock College, 800 S. College, Santa Maria. The Harvest Festival is part of the college’s Career Exploration Day, featuring representatives from more than 50 different companies. Info: hancockcollege.edu.
THE CITY OF SANTA MARIA presents its annual Autumn Arts Grapes and Grains festival featuring fine art displays, demonstrations, food, drink, and live entertainment on Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Civic Center, McClelland St., Santa Maria. Free admission, $20 for wine tasting. Info: 925-0951, Ext. 260.
RECORDING FOR THE BLIND AND DYSLEXIC presents its first ever Santa Maria Record-A-Thon featuring recording booths where volunteers can record textbooks Oct. 3 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Maria Public Library, 421 S. McClelland St., Santa Maria. Info: 681-0531 or sb@rfbd.org.
NIPOMO NATIVE GARDEN holds a plant sale on Oct. 4 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the garden in Nipomo. Info: 929-6710.
THE CALIFORNIA RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION meets for a general meeting on Oct. 7 at 11 a.m. at the Santa Maria Elks Lodge, 1309 North Bradley Road, Santa Maria. Info: 928-3177 or 736-5781.
THE CENTRAL COAST RAILROAD FESTIVAL celebrates railroad history in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties with events featuring rides, modeling, exhibits, ceremonies, family activities, music, films, and historical tours Oct. 8 through 12. A full schedule is available at ccrrf.com. Info: 773-4173.
WORTH THE DRIVE
THE SANTA BARBARA CONTEMPORARY ARTS FORUM presents a Forum Lounge event titled “Jessica Findley, Aeolian Ride”
Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. at the Contemporary Arts Forum, 653 Paseo Nuevo, Santa Barbara. Info: 966-5373, Ext. 104.
SANTA BARBARA STAGE presents a free public salon of several performance arts groups Oct. 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Granada theatre, 1214 State St., Santa Barbara. Info: sbstage.org.
THE STEYNBERG GALLERY presents a screening of a film about NYC activist Julius Margolin on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Steynberg Gallery, 1531 Monterey St., SLO. Cost is $5. Info: dawnortizlegg@gmail.com.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY presents “Free Outdoor Movies” featuring a screening of The Big Lebowski on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Courthouse Sunken Gardens, Santa Barbara. Info: 568-2461 or sbparks.org.
THE WILDLING ART MUSEUM presents, as part of its Free Friday Flicks, a screening of the PowerPoint presentation “Figueroa Mountain Game Preserve”—revealing images of Ice Age megafauna in modern preserves—on Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at the museum, 2928 San Marcos, Los Olivos. Info: 688-1082 or wildlingmuseum.org.
FRIEDL E. SEMANS BELL presents a book launch for her new book, She Cried for Mother Russia, on Oct. 3 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum, 696 Monterey St., SLO. Info: 543-0638 or slochs.org.
THE SAN LUIS OBISPO ART CENTER presents the “2009 Plein Air Festival” through Oct. 4 featuring parties, kids’ activities, music by Café Musique, poetry readings, a “paint out”, and live auction at the San Luis Obispo Art Center, SLO. Info: sloartcenter.org.
THE SLO ASTROLOGERS hold a special fourth anniversary celebration on Oct. 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the San Luis Business Center, 4251 S. Higuera, SLO. Info: 546-3420 or sloastrologers.org.
THE UCSB MULTICULTURAL CENTER presents a screening of Paradise Now on Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. at the MultiCultural Center, UCSB, Santa Barbara. Info: 893-8411.
THE SANTA BARBARA HUMANIST SOCIETY presents a fundraising auction featuring live music in benefit of Health Care for All on Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. at the Cabrillo Pavilion Arts Center, 1118 E. Cabrillo Blvd., Santa Barbara. Info: 636-5011.
UCSB ARTS AND LECTURES presents a screening of Food, Inc. on Oct. 8 at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. at the UCSB Campbell Hall, Santa Barbara. Cost is $6, $5 for students. Info: 893-3535 or artsandlectures.ucsb.edu.
This article appears in Oct 1-8, 2009.