Festival: The 20th annual American Indian and World Cultures Festival will be held from 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on May 1 and 2 on the Alameda in the San Juan School lot in San Juan Bautista. Artists, dancers, food, and Xipe Totec Aztec Dancers will honor Cinco de Mayo, family, friendship, and fun. Admission for a donation.Sponsored by One Earth One People Peace and Vision and the San Juan Indian Council. Call Peace Vision at 831-245-5440 for more information.
Wine Pairing Dinner: Winemaker Steve Pessagno of Pessagno Winery and will team up with Chef Todd Fisher, chef/proprietor of Hullabaloo and Billy Quon’s to demystify the pairing of wine and food. At this unique interactive dinner, attendees will feast on Chef Todd’s Chilean Day Boat Scallop on the half shell, Sesame Oil Poached Salmon, Prosciutto-Wrapped Venison Loin, Bittersweet Chocolate Crème Brulee and the like while learning how to complement such dishes with Pessagno’s Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Port – a culinary concert that will play like a symphony on the palate.
The event will take place Saturday, May 1, starting at 7:00 p.m. at A Taste of Monterey’s Cannery Row location. For more information call 888-646-5446, ext. 10.
Host families needed: Bring home the world by hosting a foreign exchange high school student for a semester or school year. The students come with their own spending money and are insured. They are eager to share their culture and customs with you while learning about your family’s traditions. For more information about hosting, studying abroad and scholarships, call Hollister community representative Ruth Erickson at (831) 637-0987 of academic Year in the USA.
San Benito Stage Company: Pre-registration for the San Benito Stage Company’s Children’s Summer Theatre Camp runs through June 15. The fee is $100, with a $10 discount for each additional sibling. The camp runs from Tuesday, July 6 to Saturday, July 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s open to boys and girls ages 6 to 12 years old. Camp will be held at Sacred Heart Parish School, 670 College St. Volunteers are also needed. For more information, call Kristy at 636-6810.
Kidz Kamp: Summer is right around the corner and the Kidz Kamp Unlimited is preparing to begin. They are offering a full schedule of weekly themes and once a week field trips in or out of town, crafts, games and enriched experiences in music, theater, dance and creative arts. The camp will start June 13 and end Aug. 21. Kool Kidz Kamp hours will be from 9 to 4 p.m. (extended care is available for no extra charge from 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m.). Kidz Kamp is for ages 6 to 14. Call 638-1104 for more information.
Free Lance News: Is searching for San Benito County residents serving in the military overseas in Iraq or other important military missions for upcoming articles. Call City Editor Marcus Hibdon at 637-5566, ext. 332.
Farmer’s market applications: The Hollister Downtown Association is now accepting applications from local San Benito County residents for the Farmer’s Market. This year, the market will be held in a new location on the grassy lot at Fourth and San Benito streets on Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. Farmers must be certified through the county ag commissioner. Limited space is available and applications will be taken on a first come, first serve basis. After May 3, applications will be accepted from out-of-county vendors, if space is available. Membership cost is $25 per vendor for the season and a weekly $25 vendor booth fee applies. Call (831) 636-8406 for more information.
Moving Wall: The Hollister Independence Rally Committee and the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Hollister Post 9242 is announcing the Moving Wall exhibit to be on display at the old Fremont School from June 30 to July 5. The memorial will be open around the clock. HIRC and the VFW are looking for volunteers to help setup the event and the manning of the memorial around the clock. If you are interested in volunteering, call HIRC at 634-0777 or the VFW at 637-6015.
National Victims’ Rights week: Will be honored April 18 to 24, a time for our community to reflect on the needs and rights of crime victims. If you know someone who has been victimized, the San Benito County Victim/Witness Assistance Center offers services to help people cope with financial, emotional, and physical losses, and to help understand their rights. Get help. Call 637-8244.
Library week: During National Library Week, celebrate with the San Benito County Free Library. Local teens are invited to join in a scavenger hunt at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at the library, 470 Fifth St. DJ Sergio Flores will spin tunes and there will be door prizes. Preschool Story Time is Wednesday, April 21, at 10:30 a.m. for 3 to 5 year olds; a showing of Walt Disney’s “Finding Nemo” will be Wednesday, April 21, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. for school-age children age 6 and up; and a teen night on Thursday, April 22, at 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for ages 13 to 19. Details: (831) 636-4107.
career day: Students, job hunters and people considering a career change are invited to attend Career Day at Gavilan College. Exhibitors representing diverse career field, including health care, law enforcement, public service, retail and the military will be on-hand to discuss job and career opportunities. Attendees may bring resumes to hand out. The event is free and open to the public. The fair will be Wednesday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the student center at Gavilan, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., Gilroy. For more information, call Jan Stewart at (408) 848-4818.
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND CAREER FAIR: People age 16 to 23 who are looking for summer employment are invited to participate in the fourth annual Youth Employment and Career Fair on Thursday, April 22, from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Fourth and San Benito streets, Hollister. Participants should be prepared to complete an employment application and possibly be interviewed. For more information, call the San Benito County One Stop Career Center at (831) 637-JOBS or log onto www.sbcjobs.org.
Swimming: Rovella’s athletic club is opening their new indoor competitive swimming pool by holding tryouts for ages 19 and over Master’s swim team at 7 p.m. Thursday April, 22. Rovella’s is located on 854 Industrial Dr. Call 636-8500 for more information.
Culinary Classic: The Culinary Classic heralds spring with inspiring chef demonstrations all day long and marketplace vendors selling exotic and high-tech foods, culinary implements and decorative entertainment pieces. The show will be held at 940 N. Main St., Salinas, from 10 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 24. Admission is $10. A gala preview dinner is the night before, from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission to this special dinner is $50.
Proceeds from the event benefit Monterey County Agricultural Education, Jacobs Heart and Gateway Center. For more information, call (831) 678-3164.
William Alnas Family Fund-raiser: Will host a barbecue on Saturday, April 24 from 12 to 5 p.m. at the VFW hall in San Juan Bautista. $10 donation will benefit the William Alnas Family. The barbecue will have chicken, chili, beans, salad, garlic bread, prize raffle, live music, no host bar, and baked goodies for sale. Call 623-2518 for more information.
Dog Show: The Gavilan Kennel Club will host an all breed dog show from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, April 24 at Bolado Park on Airline Highway. Call Jayme at 831-90-4908 for more information.
Car wash: The San Benito High School Sophomore Class of 2006 will hold a car wash from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 24 at the medical center on the corner of Memorial and Sunnyslope. The class is raising money for next year’s prom. Donations are greatly appreciated. Call Brian at 63-308 for more information.
EARTH DAY: Hollister Hills State Vehicular Recreation Area, six miles south of Hollister via Cienega Road, is having an Earth Day event on Saturday, April 24 from 10 a.m. to Noon. Volunteers and staff will be removing yellow starthistle from the park’s vintage motorcycle track. Participants are asked to bring work gloves, water and lunch, and wear hats and long pants. For more information contact Patty Forbes at (831) 637-8186.
Garage sale: The Young Ladies Institute will hold their annual garage sale from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 24 at 611 B Street. Proceeds will benefit local fund-raisers.
ANNUAL SPRING CLEAN UP POSTPONED: The Hollister Downtown Association has postponed the April 24 Spring Clean Up. The project will resume sometime after the Downtown Beautification Project is completed. Please call 636-8406 for more information.
OPEN STUDIO TOUR: San Benito Open Studio Tour is Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25. Members of the Aromas Hills Artisans will open their studios to the public for two days. Pick up a free map and details at Ingram Realty in Aromas.
