Dec. 24:
* Lake County Sing-a-Long Society meets from 6 to 9 p.m. each fourth Wednesday at the Mendo-Lake Credit Union Community Room. Songbooks available; bring an acoustic instrument if you like. All ages welcome. No food or drink allowed in the meeting room. No charge for this event.
Dec. 27:
* Open mic at 8:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month in Harbin Restaurant at Harbin Hot Springs outside Middletown. Information: www.harbin.org.
Jan. 2, 2009:
* First Friday Fling, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 2, at the Lake County Arts Council”s Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. A juried show of abstract paintings will be hanging in the Linda Carpenter Gallery. Awards will be given for Judge”s Choice and People”s Choice. Information: 263-6658.
Jan. 7:
* Book club party, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7, at Wild About Books, 14290 Olympic Drive in Clearlake. All book clubs take home free advance-reading copies. Get a sneak peek at upcoming titles. Bring a guest; join a group. Information: 994-9453 or www.wildaboutbooks.net.
Jan. 8:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
* In January, the Writer”s Circle, a free, public workshop for writers of all ages and abilities, will meet on the second Thursday, Jan. 8, instead of the first Thursday. Led by Lake County Poet Laureate Mary McMillan, the group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main Street in Lakeport. Every participant has an opportunity to share work and get supportive feedback. The Writer”s circle is supported by Poets and Writers, Inc., through a grant it received from the James Irvine Foundation.
Jan. 9:
* Open mic at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of each month at Java Express, 14624 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. Sign up early or call 995-1065 to be on the program.
Jan. 10:
* Steve Elias, author of “Foreclosure Survival Guide” from Nolo Press, appears at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, at Wild About Books, 14290 Olympic Drive in Clearlake. Information: 994-9453 or www.wildaboutbooks.net.
Jan. 11:
* Second Sunday Cinema meets on the second Sunday each month at the Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave., to view interesting, thought-provoking films. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., screening at 6 p.m. There is no charge to attend. Information: 279-2957.
Jan. 15:
* Lake County Arts Council accepts artists” work for its “Art in Public Places” program, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, in the Lake County Courthouse lobby. There is a fee of $1 per piece to hang your work. LCAC receives commission on pieces sold — 20 percent for members and 30 percent for non-members. Information: 263-6658.
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
Jan. 22:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
Jan. 23:
* Open mic from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Wild About Books, 14290 Olympic Drive in Clearlake. Information: 994-9453 or www.wildaboutbooks.net.
* Family movie night featuring “Nancy Drew,” 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, at Wild About Books, 14290 Olympic Drive in Clearlake. This evening will include a mystery to solve. First person to follow the clues and solve the mystery takes home the DVD. Information: 994-9453 or www.wildaboutbooks.net.
Jan. 29:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
Feb. 5:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
* Writer”s group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Give constructive feedback or just listen and enjoy. With Poet Laureate Mary McMillan. Information: mtmcmillan@mac.com. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation.
Feb. 12:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
March 5:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
* Writer”s group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Give constructive feedback or just listen and enjoy. With Poet Laureate Mary McMillan. Information: mtmcmillan@mac.com. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation.
April 2:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
* Writer”s group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Give constructive feedback or just listen and enjoy. With Poet Laureate Mary McMillan. Information: mtmcmillan@mac.com. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation.
ONGOING:
Every Thursday:
* Soper-Reese Community Theatre box office is open from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays at 275 S. Main Street in Lakeport. Information and seating chart: www.soperreesetheatre.com.
First Thursday:
* Writer”s group meets from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of the month at the Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Give constructive feedback or just listen and enjoy. With Poet Laureate Mary McMillan. Information: mtmcmillan@mac.com. This event is supported by Poets & Writers, Inc. through a grant it has received from The James Irvine Foundation.
First Friday:
* First Friday Fling, 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Lake County Arts Council”s Main Street Gallery, 325 N. Main St. in Lakeport. Meet the artists who are exhibiting in the gallery. For information, call 263-6658.
Second Sunday:
* Second Sunday Cinema meets on the second Sunday each month at the Clearlake United Methodist Church, 14521 Pearl Ave., to view interesting, thought-provoking films. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., screening at 6 p.m. There is no charge to attend. Information: 279-2957.
Second Wednesday:
* Lake County Writers Group meets from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (“Arrive when you can; leave when you must”) on the second Wednesday of each month at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum. The group welcomes writers of all levels and genres. No dues or fees. For more information, call Vicki Werkley at 995-1228.
Second Friday
* Open mic at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of each month at Java Express, 14624 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. Sign up early or call 995-1065 to be on the program.
Fourth Wednesday:
* Lake County Sing-a-Long Society meets from 6 to 9 p.m. each fourth Wednesday at the Mendo-Lake Credit Union Community Room. Songbooks available; bring an acoustic instrument if you like. All ages welcome. No food or drink allowed in the meeting room. No charge for this event.
Last Saturday:
* Open mic at 8:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month in Harbin Restaurant at Harbin Hot Springs outside Middletown. Information: www.harbin.org.
The Arts and Entertainment calendar runs weekly, as space permits, in both the Clear Lake Observer*American and the Lake County Record-Bee. Please e-mail event listings to Arts Editor Cynthia Parkhill, RBinFocus@gmail.com (no attachments, please). All telephone numbers are within the (707) area code unless otherwise noted.
