CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA, (April 14, 2024) — The Pioneer Calendar lists local events, performances and activities for the whole family.

We update the Pioneer Calendar page every week so check back often to find out what’s going on near you.

If you’d like to submit your event to the Pioneer Calendar page, please send email to us at Calendar@pioneerpublishers.com.

In the community

Off the Grid. Featuring food trucks and live music, 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays until October, on the lawn by Pleasant Hill City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane. For details, visit www.pleasanthillca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=668.

Clayton Art & Wine Festival. Premium wine and beer, arts and crafts, live music, Kids Fun Land, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. April 27 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. April 28, downtown Clayton. Free admission and shuttle from various locations. Sponsored by the Clayton Business & Community Association. For details, visit https://claytoncbca.org/events/clayton-art-wine-festival-923-490-880-323-656.

Singer-Songwriter Sundays. 2 p.m. May 12 and June 2, Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. For details, email concordcouchconcerts@gmail.com.

Contra Costa County Fair. May 16-19, Antioch Fairgrounds. Pre-sale tickets start April 22. For details, visit contracostafair.com.

Pleasant Hill Art, Wine, and Music Festival. Includes arts and crafts, two performer stages and a kids zone, May 18-19, downtown Pleasant Hill. Sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. More information and performer schedules at www.pleasanthillchamber.com.

Sunset by the Lake Summer Concert Series. Every other Sunday, May 26-Sept. 1. New this year will be food trucks. May 26: the Great Space Coaster with hits from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s. June 9: Van Goat plus a Family Fun Zone. June 23: Beaufunk featuring Michael Jeffries, plus Nash Metropolitan Car Show. For more information, go to www.pleasanthillca.org/summerconcerts.

Music & Market. Farmers Market begins at 4 p.m. Thursdays, with music at 6:30 p.m. June 6-Sept. 25, Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. June 6: Andre Thierry, Cajun and Zydeco. June 13: The Houserockers salute to Earth, Wind & Fire. June 20: Sacred Fire, a Santana tribute band. June 27: Traveling Wilburys Revue, the best of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. For the complete schedule, visit www.cityofconcord.org/DocumentCenter/View/11424/Music-and-Market-Postcard-2024.

CBCA Round Up. The Clayton Business & Community Association celebrates its 40th anniversary with a BBQ dinner, music, dancing, raffles and silent auction, 6-10 p.m. June 14, Oakhurst Country Club, 1001 Peacock Creek Dr., Clayton. For tickets, visit www.claytoncbca.org.

Juneteenth Celebration. Activities, performers and music recognizing the June 19 end of slavery, 5-9 p.m. June 19, on the lawn by Pleasant Hill City Hall, 100 Gregory Lane. Sponsored by the Diversity Commission and held in conjunction with Off the Grid.

Blues and Brews Festival. Beer garden, music and food, pre-party 6-9 p.m. July 19, and main event 3-9 p.m. July 20, Pleasant Hill Park, 147 Gregory Lane. Sponsored by Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District. For more information, visit www.bluesandbrewsfestival.com.

Farmers Market. Sponsored by the Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesdays year-round and 4-8 Thursdays June 6-Sept. 26, Todos Santos Plaza, downtown Concord. Visit pcfma.org for more information.

Earth Day

We Love Concord Earth Day. Volunteer to clean up at various locations around town, 8 a.m.-noon April 20. For site details, visit www.cityofconcord.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=2135&month=3&year=2024&day=11&calType=0.

Clayton Cleans Up. Help tidy up the town, 9 a.m. April 20, City Hall, 6000 Heritage Trail, Clayton. First 200 participants get a T-shirt. Return to City Hall at noon for a community BBQ. Sponsored by Republic Services, the Clayton Business & Community Association and the Pioneer.

In the Garden

AAUW Garden Tour. A fundraiser to support college scholarships for local women, STEM camperships for middle school girls and educational programs in our community, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 10-11. Hosted by the Danville Alamo Walnut Creek American Association of University Women. Tickets are $40 before May 1, $45 thereafter. For more information, visit https://daw-ca.aauw.net/2024-garden-tour.

Plant Sale. Sponsored by the Pleasant Hill Garden Study Club, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. May 11, Hillcrest Congregational Church, 404 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill. The club is co-sponsored by the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park District. For more information about the sale or the club, go to www.phgsc.com or e-mail phgardenstudyclub@yahoo.com.

Clayton Gardens Tour. Five unique gardens, May 17-18. Sponsored by the Clayton Historical Society to raise funds for the Clayton Museum. To volunteer as a docent, call JoAnn Caspar at 925-567-6079 or Joan Bergum at 925-672-4597. Purchase $40 tickets online at www.claytonhistory.org; at R&M Pool, Patio & Gardens, 6780 Marsh Creek Road, Clayton; or by sending a check to Clayton Museum, P.O. Box 94, Clayton CA 94517. Tickets will be $45 on tour day at the Clayton Museum, 6101 Main St.

Clubs

Women Marines Association. The Bay Area chapter meets 11:30 a.m. every third Saturday, usually at Harry’s Hofbrau, 14900 E. 14th St, San Leandro. For more information, visit https://wmaca3.org or contact Janet Johnson at 925-890-4583.

Concord Library

The Concord Library is at 2900 Salvio St. For more information, call 925-646-5455.

Early Readers Book Club. For kindergarten-second graders who are starting to get the hang of reading, 3:30 p.m. April 24. Bring an adult along to join the fun and tackle activities together.

Bilingual Storytime. Miss Rosa will share stories and songs in Spanish and English for families, 10:30 a.m. April 25. Children can wear pajamas and bring their favorite stuffed animal.

Cascada De Flores presents Aquíles Va Un Cuento. Celebrate Children’s Day and Book Day with a bilingual musical adventure, 5 p.m. April 30.

Clayton Library

The Clayton Library is at 6125 Clayton Road. For more information on any of these events, call 925-673-0659 or visit ccclib.org/events.

Homework Help. For children in grades K-5 in all subjects, 5-7 p.m. Tuesdays. Assistance in select subjects is available for those in grades 6-9. Call to make a 30-minute appointment. Drop-ins accommodated as available.

Uncle Jer’s Traveling Bee Show. Children 5 and up can see live bees working in a multitude of jobs, learn about these fascinating insects and sample honey, 2-3 p.m. April 17. Sponsored by the Clayton Community Library Foundation.

Lapsit Storytime. For children aged 0-3, 11-11:15 a.m. Thursdays. Children must attend with caregiver.

Toddler/Preschool Storytime. For children ages 2-5, 11:30 a.m.-noon Thursdays. Children must attend with caregiver. Stay and play toys available afterward.

Teen Thursday: Succulent Terrariums. Students in 6th-12th grades can Celebrate Earth Day by creating a desert ecosystem, 4-5 p.m. April 18. Registration required. Sponsored by Sloat Garden Center, the Cheese Steak Shop and the Clayton Community Library Foundation.

Make a Blanket with Project Linus. Teens and adults can make blankets for children in need of comfort and warmth, 2-4 p.m. April 20. The non-profit will provide supplies and instructions. No skills necessary. Registration required.

The Arts

“Send It to the Moon.” A series of short plays from the Capstone Project theater students at Saint Mary’s College, April 18-21, LeFevre Theatre, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, Moraga. For more information, visit www.stmarys-ca.edu/moon-sp24.

“Tribute to Tina.” An art exhibit in memory of Tina Turner, April 20-July 12, JOR Fine Art Gallery, 1026 Oak St. No 102, Clayton. Opening reception 4-6 p.m. April 20. Register at https://jorfineartgallery.com/tina-turner/

“Off the Page. A staged reading of “The Coast of Leitrim” from Word for Word, 7 p.m. April 23, Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School St., Lafayette. The audience can talk with the company and give feedback afterward. For more information, go to townhalltheatre.com.

“Willy Wonka.” A musical based on the Roald Dahl book from Pittsburg Theatre Company, April 26-May 5, California Theatre, 351 Railroad Ave., Pittsburg. Go to pittsburgcommunitytheatre.org for tickets.

Pacific Chamber Orchestra. Max Bruch’s “Violin Concerto #1 in G minor,” Felix Mendelssohn’s “Symphony #3 ‘Scottish’ ” and Fanny Mendelssohn’s “Overture for Orchestra,” 7:30 p.m. April 27, Lafayette-Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Dr., Lafayette. For tickets, visit pacificchambercrchestra.org.

Chromatica Chorale. The Danville-based chorus has commissioned “Transfigurations,” a choral and instrumental suite in six movements by Christopher Tin with lyrics by Charles Anthony Silvestri, April 27, St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 399 Wiget Lanet, Walnut Creek, and April 28, Peace Lutheran Church, 3201 Camino Tassajara, Danville. For details, visit www.chromaticachorale.org.

“My Dearest Love.” An improvised series of scandalous letters and dangerous liaisons from Synergy Theater, through April 28, Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. For tickets, call 925-943-7469 or go to www.lesherartscenter.org.

“Ekphrasis 2024.” An exhibition of fine art that inspires literary works, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, April 29-June 28, Art Gallery at the Orinda Library, 26 Orinda Way. Grand opening program and reception 1-5 p.m. May 4. Sponsored by the Lamorinda Arts Alliance, Lamorinda Arts Council and California Writers Club/Mt. Diablo Branch. For more information, call 925-254-2184 or visit http://ccclib.org.

“9 to 5 The Musical” Auditions. Prepare a two-minute monologue and 32-measure song for Clayton Theatre Company’s production, 7-10 p.m. April 29 and 30, Endeavor Hall, 6008 Center St., Clayton. No appointment necessary. Open to non-Equity actors 18+. For details, visit www.claytontheatrecompany.com/auditions.

“Mass Appeal.” Plotline Theater Company’s comedy-drama about a young upstart and an older priest, May 3-19, Campbell Theater, 636 Ward St., Martinez. For tickets, go to campbelltheatercompany.com.

“Good Vibrations.” Paintings by Valley Art Gallery artists, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through May 11, 1661 Botelho Dr., Suite 110, Walnut Creek. For details, call 925-935-4311 or visit valleyartgallery.org.

Call for Artists. The Concord Art Association is looking for exhibitors for its Spring Pop-up Art & Craft Show on May 11 at Todos Santos Plaza. Deadline is May 9. For details, visit www.concordartassociation.org/spring-popup-art-show-2024.

“The Firebird,” “4 in the Morning” and “Light Rain.” Diablo Ballet’s “Firebird” is based on the Russian folktale. World-renown dance maker Val Caniparoli created “Morning,” and “Light Rain” has been an audience favorite since 1981, 7:30 p.m. May 17 and 2 and 7:30 p.m. May 18, Lesher Center for the Arts, Hofmann Theatre, 1601 Civic Dr., Walnut Creek. Early bird pricing through April 17. Get tickets at www.lesherartscenter.org or www.diabloballet.org.

“A Lovely Way to Spend the Evening.” The Diablo Women’s Chorale blends the nostalgic and the contemporary, featuring the Stephen Evans Cello Choir, 7 p.m. May 18, 3 p.m. May 19, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universal Church, 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek. For tickets, visit diablowomenschorale.org.