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LOCAL EVENTS, ART & ENTERTAINMENT | | | | |
Upcoming Events from the Lafayette Chamber
Lafayette Chamber Connectors at Creekside Commons
Wednesday, March 19, 8:15am-9:30am
Ribbon Cutting at Lafayette's BART Station Fare Gates
Wednesday, March 19, 4pm-5pm
Lafayette Young Professionals at Postino
Thursday, March 20, 5:30pm-7pm
Nonprofit Network at Creekside Commons
Thursday, April 3, 2025, 8:30am-10:00am
Lafayette Business Women at Holistika
Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 8:45am-10am
Lafayette Citizen of the Year Dinner Honoring Ann Appert
Thursday, April 10, 2025, 6pm-9pm
Lafayette Art & Wine Festival Opportunities
Saturday September 20, 10am-7pm and Sunday September 21, 10am-6pm
➡ Lafayette Chamber Events Calendar ⬅
More events from our members!
Lafayette Community Events Calendar
Nonprofit Email Blast (Current issue March 2025)
Arts Community Blast (Current issue Feb-Mar 2025)
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2025 Best of the East Bay - Get Your Marketing Toolkit Today!
2025 Best of the East Bay voting runs through March 31. Have your business ready for Best of the East Bay 2025 with their marketing tools and tips.
- Email: Include a link to the ballot in an email or newsletter.
- Social: Use the graphics we created (download from the link below) to promote on Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
- In Person: Use the flyer we created to make a sign to post inside your store to encourage customers to vote for your business.
Download the Marketing Tool Kit here.
| | VOTE! - Lafayette Art & Wine Festival | | VOTE! - Lafayette Res Run for Education | | |
Lafayette Chamber of Commerce is thrilled to announce Ann Appert as the 2025 Lafayette Citizen of the Year
A long-time Lafayette resident, Ann was selected for her outstanding contributions to the community. Her extensive volunteer work includes her current role as Grants chair for the Community Foundation of Lafayette, board member of JF Kapnek Trust, baking custom birthday cakes for foster children, and contributions to the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. Her spirit of service is part of what makes Lafayette a special place to live.
A dinner honoring Ann Appert will be held at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa on Thursday, April 10, 2025 from 6pm to 9pm. The event will celebrate Ann's dedication to Lafayette, which spans three decades and includes various roles in local organizations. Registration for the dinner is now open, and community members are encouraged to attend and recognize Ann's significant impact on Lafayette. For more information and dinner registration visit lafayettechamber.org/coy.
Photograph of Ann Appert and her husband by Craig Isaacs, BlueGoo Photography.
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OUR MARCH EMAIL BLASTS ARE SPONSORED BY
Pillar Cowork
| | Upcoming Local Events & Special Announcements from our Lafayette Chamber Members & Arts Community | | |
The Community Foundation's Grants Application Now Available
The Community Foundation's Excellence Grants application is available now on its website. The Community Foundation awards Excellence Grants to nonprofits that create meaningful change in the categories of Human Services, Seniors, Youth Development & Education and Arts & Culture.
The grant application deadline is midnight on March 31. Local nonprofits can access the grant application and learn more about the application requirements by visiting http://www.cflafayette.org.
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SNAP Festival
March 21st-23rd
Tickets: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/snap-festival
With professional actors presenting these script-in-hand readings, you'll have the chance to focus entirely on the powerful words and stories, free from distractions. Immediately following the performances, you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts directly with the playwrights during post-show discussions, helping to shape the next stage of these profound works!
The Window Affair tells a story of art and love during a global pandemic, reimagining Shakespeare’s Romeo and Ophelia in a modern world.
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Spring Break Camps
March 31st-April 4th
Tickets: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/sbc-2025
Our Spring Break Camps offer the perfect blend of fun and learning for students in PreK up to 5th grade, featuring flexible pricing options to fit any budget.
Multi-Class and Multi-Student discounts available!
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Front Porch Music Presents
Friday, April 4th at 7pm
Tickets: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/front-porch
This exciting collaboration brings together local musicians and performers for a showcase of talent that is both entertaining and inspiring.
There will be live music in the lobby as well as the Town Hall happy hour from 6:00pm-6:30pm, including a $1 off all beer, wine, and cocktails!
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The Sunday Paper
Sunday, April 13th at 3pm
Tickets: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/sunday-paper
“Bay Area Funk” The Sunday Paper is known for their versatility and crisp, tight sound. With former and current members of Tower of Power, Cold Blood, Sly & The Family Stone, Santana, and Herbie Hancock.
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2025-2026 Season: Bonds That Heal Us
Season Ticket Info: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/2025-2026-season
Subscribe: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/hall-pass
Single tickets on sale May 1st
“Each carefully curated title explores how a deeper understanding of ourselves and one another can help mend what is broken, foster connection in unexpected places, and rediscover the bonds that make us whole”, shared Artistic Director, Richard Perez, “We have been very deliberate in choosing stories that remind us that healing often begins when we open our hearts to empathy, vulnerability, and the power of community.”
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True West
June 7th-28th
Tickets: https://www.townhalltheatre.com/true-west
Two brothers—Lee, a drifter and petty thief, and Austin, a successful screenwriter— struggle for power while they collaborate on a Western screenplay in their mother's southern California home. A dark comedy that delves into the complexities of sibling relationships and the clash between contrasting male identities. This timeless American classic will be reimagined through a Latine lens, offering a fresh perspective on Shepard's masterful exploration of family dynamics, rivalry, and the elusive nature of the American Dream.
Enjoy the Town Hall happy hour from 6:00-6:30pm and 1:00-1:30pm, and enjoy a $1 off all beer, wine, and cocktails!
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Saint Mary's College Museum of Art
Tiger & Persimmon Reading Group - Mar 19 / Apr 16 / April 30 at 3 p.m.
Join us at Saint Mary's College Museum of Art for snacks and discussion on readings, music, and movies related to themes of Korean heritage, memory, and climate change prevalent in Seonna Hong's exhibition Past Lives.
Click this link to access each meeting's readings and media.
This program series is presented in collaboration with the SMC Library and the Center for Women and Gender Equity.
Ensemble Assemblage - Apr 11 / May 3 at 3 p.m.
Ensemble Assemblage brings forward Desiree Sturrock’s (SMCMoA student assistant) senior music capstone project. Saint Mary's artists—musicians Adanna Ogu (voice + guitar), Reeya Dharmadhikari (voice), and Sara Karkal (violin), alongside dancers Cadence Godwin, Lu Price, Izzie Rollins, and Erica Hardy—will collaborate and perform through music and movement to respond to work from the exhibition Isole: A Voyage Among My Dreams.
The ensemble will select a painting, a related poem for inspiration, and lyrics for each performance. The composition will take shape around those elements as the artists explore the relationship between creativity and their ability to channel it through instruments (physical, vocal, or our bodies). Through this work, Ensemble Assemblage seeks to de-stigmatize artistry through multidisciplinary, improvisatory performance.
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Lamorinda Arts Council’s Lamorinda Idol: Registration Opens April 1
Lamorinda Idol is a singing program open to Kindergarten through 12th grade students who either attend a school or reside in the towns of Lafayette, Moraga or Orinda, CA. Singers may enter as soloists or in groups. Students outside Lamorinda can participate in the group categories, provided that at least one group member meets the residential requirement. Register online at https://lamorindaarts.org/lamorinda-idol-audition-information/
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Lamorinda Arts Alliance Hosts the Landscape Show
Papillon Quality Gourmet Coffee & Tea is located in La Fiesta Square. They have partnered with the Lamorinda Arts Association (LAA) to bring local art to our community. The shows are curated and run by LAA, and the cafe owners process the sales. There are four exhibits a year featuring paintings, fine art prints and photography. The current show, with a landscape theme will be on display until April 14th. Click here for details.
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California Symphony presents Tchaikovsky Passion
Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 PM; Sunday, March 23, at 4:00 PM
Lesher Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Tickets: Start at $50 for adults and $25 for students 25 and under
Phone: (925) 943-7469
Embark on a musical journey with the California Symphony, featuring three remarkable works in TCHAIKOVSKY PASSION.
Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) is one of the composer’s most popular and frequently performed works, featuring themes you’ll recognize from movies and pop culture. You’ll also hear Grażyna Bacewicz’s Piano Concerto, a vibrant blend of Polish folk themes and virtuosic intensity, brought to life by internationally acclaimed pianist David Fung. The world premiere of Fantasia for Strings by premiere by Saad Haddad, California Symphony’s Young American Composer-in-Residence, rounds out the program.
Lafayette Chamber Members: Enjoy $15 off with code LAFAYETTE15 (Saturday only, adult tickets, limited time offer).
Learn more and get tickets here!
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Diablo Ballet celebrates its 31st Anniversary with performances of the iconic Swan Lake Suite
The event is March 28 - 29th at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Swan Lake Suite, with staging by Diablo Ballet’s repetiteur Christopher Lam and additional choreography by Diablo Ballet’s Rehearsal Director Sean Kelly after Marius Petipa, is set to Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s majestic score. This iconic ballet highlights Acts 2, 3 and 4, including the white and black swan pas de deux, a flurry of swans and a grande finale showcasing the story of good versus evil and where love conquers all. For tickets, visit diabloballet.org.
Use code Swan5 for $5 off tickets.
Get your tickets here: https://diabloballet.org/swan-lake-suite/
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Diablo Symphony Orchestra
Experience the power of water through music in this captivating program with the Diablo Symphony, presented on March 30, 2:00 p.m. at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Be the first to hear Composer-in-Residence Josiah Catalan’s world premiere of "The Sea in Us," a DSO commission exploring the ocean’s transformative energy. Cellist Evan Kahn takes center stage with Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s stormy Cello Concerto and Alexander Glazunov’s flowing "Mélodie" before Claude Debussy’s La Mer immerses you in a breathtaking portrait of the sea. Like water, music moves, shapes, and connects us—leaving you refreshed, inspired, and transported by its currents.
Purchase your tickets at the Lesher Center Box Office (925-943-7469; 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek) or online through the DSO’s website at www.diablosymphony.org/events/the-sea-in-us/.
And mark your calendars for a fun family Mother's Day journey with the orchestra. The DSO's special May 11 concert "River Journeys" (at 2:00 p.m.) features an exciting piccolo concerto, Florence Price's "Mississippi River Suite," and Smetana's "The Moldau."
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California Symphony's Viva Las Symphony
Join California Symphony at Berkeley’s iconic Claremont Hotel for a vintage Vegas-themed night of glitz, glamour, and timeless music, featuring cocktails, live & silent auctions, dinner, dancing, and performances by California Symphony musicians, plus live music and entertainment straight from Las Vegas. Close out the night by joining in the fun at the after party, trying your hand at the casino tables, hitting the dance floor, or kicking back and enjoying show-stopping entertainment.
It’s an unforgettable, can’t-miss party for Bay Area culture-lovers, philanthropists, and movers and shakers, with proceeds benefiting the musicians of the California Symphony and music programs that champion social justice and uplift and inspire our community.
When: Saturday, April 5, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Where: Claremont Hotel, 41 Tunnel Road, Berkeley, CA 94705
For More Info: California Symphony, 925-280-2490, info@californiasymphony.org
https://www.californiasymphony.org/shows/viva-las-symphony/
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"CONNECTIONS" OPENING AT THE MORAGA ART GALLERY
With the coming of spring, the Moraga Art Gallery presents an exhibit entitled Connections, headlined by two member artists: Danguole Rita Kuolas, whose collection of eye-catching, color and black-and-white linoleum prints that re-create infinite shapes and textures of nature, pushing the boundaries of the medium. And also, Susan Erickson, the creator of unique and frequently whimsical, colorful mixed-media paintings and collages.
The display, at 432 Center Street in the Rheem Shopping Center, runs from March 26th to June 8th, also includes scores of unique works by the gallery's eighteen member artists as well as a dozen guest artists who paint, sculpt, specialize in woodwork, photography, ceramics, glasswork, jewelry, and more.
As the featured guest artist, Michael Rizza, a sculptor of more than 500 works over six-decades has worked in bronze aluminum , plaster, and stone. As Michelangelo is reputed to have done, he starts with a mass of stone, then brings to life whatever form resides therein.
To greet the arrival of the exhibit, the public is invited to a free and congenial reception on Saturday, April 12th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Come to enjoy the art, meet the artists. Schmooze with like-minded friends and neighbors. Light snacks and wine will be served.
The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5:00 pm. For more information visit moragaartgallery.com or call (925)376-5407.
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Lafayette Community Day - Save the Date!
4th Annual Lafayette Community Day – A Special Day of Service & Celebration!
Lafayette Plaza and Volunteer Project sites around town
(We moved this to the first Saturday in May so more families can participate!)
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Volunteer Registration is from April 7 - 25
(Sign up early because projects fill up on a first-come basis. There will be projects for all age groups. All Lafayette residents are invited and encouraged to participate.)
If you or someone you know is interested in learning about hosting a Volunteer Project or being an Event Sponsor or has any questions, please email info@LafayetteCommunityDay.org.
For the most up-to-date information: www.LafayetteCommunityDay.org
Saturday, May 3, 2025 8:30 AM thru 01:00 PM
The Plaza, Lafayette
For More Info: Rhonda Andronico, 925-963-2434, rhonda.andronico@lafayettecf.org
www.lafayettecommunityday.org
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International Film Showcase
The International Film Showcase is featuring two upcoming films.
QUISLING: the Final Days
If you didn't have a chance to catch the Norwegian film "Quisling" at the Orinda Theatre this past week, there is still a chance to see it! Take a day trip up to Napa and catch one of the two screenings at the Jarvis Conservatory at 3:00pm or 7:00 PM. The film is set shortly after the 5 years of occupation during WW2 ends in Norway. Vidkun Quisling is in prison for treason and is to be held accountable for his actions. Can a priest help him find peace of mind? Can the traitor with big thoughts about himself repent?
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There's Still Tomorrow
This April, we are bringing the wonderful Italian comedy/drama film "There's Still Tomorrow" by Paola Cortellesi. In postwar Rome, a working-class woman dreams of a better future for herself and her daughter while enduring abuse at the hands of her husband. When a mysterious letter arrives, she discovers the courage to change the circumstances of her life. The film will be opening at the Orinda Theatre on April 4th and will be playing at the Jarvis Conservatory on April 12th.
Contact the theaters or check their websites for updated tickets and screening times listed on the International Film Showcase website.
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Performing Academy
Over 100 kids in Lamorinda are “Seizing the Day!” This last week Performing Academy (under the direction of Renee DeWeese Moran) started rehearsals for their upcoming production of Newsies. Two casts will perform at the Lesher Center on April 14th and 15th. One cast sponsored by Moraga Parks and Rec is made up of students from various Lamorinda elementary schools and another cast is from St. Perpetua School in Lafayette.
Newsies is a Disney musical based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899 in New York City. With great music and iconic dance numbers, this musical is about fighting for what's right and staying true to yourself.
Stay up to date with the show and future programs by following @performing_academy
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Friends of the Lafayette Library & Learning Center: Sweet Thursday Author Series
Set in the foothills of California’s gold country, Fire in the Canyon follows the lives of a family who make their living cultivating grapes for winemaking as they attempt to resume their lives after a wildfire. They return to the same land, but the environment – increasingly marred by drought, fires, and high temperatures – present a cascade of fears: not just death and injury from fire, but power outages and smoke that might taint their grapes and take away their livelihood. This novel is an intimate look at the lives of those already living through a climate crisis.
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Join the Sweet Thursday Author Series on Thursday, March 20 at 7:00 pm in the Dan Tatzin Community Hall at the Lafayette Library to hear the discussion with the author, Daniel Gumbiner.
The program is free, but register to www.tinyurl.com/sweet-Mar2025.
The doors will open at 6:30 pm for coffee and sweets. Books will be available for purchase. This program is presented by The Friends of the Lafayette Library.
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Lafayette Public Art Committee
Call for Muralists: Transform Downtown Lafayette with Public Art!
The City of Lafayette’s Public Art Committee is thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity for mural artists! In partnership with ABG Art Group, we are launching a four-year mural program to bring four large-scale, exterior murals to our downtown—enhancing the vibrancy and visual appeal of our city.
We are now seeking portfolios from experienced muralists who can create inspiring and engaging public art. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to Lafayette’s growing arts scene and leave a lasting impact on our community.
Apply now! Visit lovelafayette.org/murals for details and submission guidelines. Share this call with artists who should apply!
Next the LLLC Foundation and the Public Art Committee are hosting a special event.
Creative Vision: Artists in Conversation
Join us for a rare opportunity to engage with three acclaimed local artists - Brian Goggin, Kana Tanaka and Joyce Hsu - as they share inspirations, challenges and stories behind their work. They will be in conversation with Janice Peacock, author, artist and incoming Chair of the Lafayette’s Public Art Committee.
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Meet artist Joyce Hsu whose playful piece has delighted children in the reading corner for 15 years and Brian Goggin whose work Speechless welcomes visitors as they walk through the Reading Court and up the patio stairs to the Library entrance. Kana Tanaka will share insight into her work and how her piece Optical Streams Part 1 & 2 has transformed over the years. April 8th from 7pm-8pm.
The Lafayette Library and Learning Center is home to an art collection of unique pieces curated by the Oakland Museum before the Library opened its doors in 2009. This program is part of the 15th Anniversary celebration year of events hosted by the Library Foundation and in collaboration with the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee.
The Lafayette Library Foundation's 15th Anniversary Programs are supported in part by Orchard Nursery and Friends of the Lafayette Library.
Registration required.
Link: https://givebutter.com/LibraryArt
Save the Date for Poetry for the Ages on April 29
We're nearing National Poetry Month! Join us for a spring-themed Poetry for the Ages! Experience local emerging poets at Town Hall Theatre's cozy literary salon and café. Enjoy complimentary coffee, tea, and cookies while mingling with fellow literary enthusiasts. Doors open at 11:30 am for an opportunity to socialize before the poetry reading program begins at noon. Event is free but please RSVP to Jenny Rosen at jrosen@lovelafayette.org to secure a seat and be registered for a chance to win a gift certificate from Reasonable Books! Presented by Lafayette’s Public Art Committee, Lamorinda Arts Council, and the Town Hall Theatre. Don't miss this poetic afternoon.
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Contra Costa Ballet Foundation Presents Spring Repertoire
Details: The Lesher Center for the Arts, May 9, 2025 at 7:30 PM, May 10, 2025 at 2:30PM
Contra Costa Ballet presents a tribute to its directors, Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong, celebrating 38 years of excellence and quality ballet training. The program will start with the ballet classic, "Les Sylphides," choreographed in 1907 (as Chopiniana) by Mikhail Fokine to the music of Frédéric Chopin. Contra Costa Ballet performed this piece many times in its early years and now brings it back for the first time in a decade. "Les Sylphides" is described as a romantic ballet with no plot but alludes to a "melancholic poet" in search of the ideal.
Also on the program are "Mes Enfants," choreographed by Charles Anderson, "Reverie," choreographed by Richard Cammack, and "Glazunov Suite," a grand and elegant finisher choreographed by Richard Cammack and Zola Dishong together.
Come experience the variety of styles that Contra Costa Ballet, with its decades of hard work and dedication, has to offer.
Tickets available here!
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Peter Pan Foundation Hosts Seussical Jr.!
The Peter Pan Foundation is beyond excited to announce that our summer program is back, and this year, we’re bringing the magic of Seussical Jr. to life! Get ready to dive into the whimsical world of Who-ville, with colorful characters, unforgettable songs, and a whole lot of fun. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity—use the link below to be added to our early access list and secure your spot before it’s too late! We can’t wait to see you all this summer, where the magic of Dr. Seuss will come alive on stage!
Join us at outdoors at the PPF Treehouse:
Camp Dates: June 2 - 20 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Performance Dates: June 20 & 21 @ 3:00 PM
Click here for more info: http://www.peterpanfoundation.org/
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Montevideo: Skateboarding History in the San Ramon Valley Photographs by Jeff Heyman
A new exhibit of photographs by Chamber member Jeff Heyman, an Orinda-based photographer, is coming up in February at the Museum of the San Ramon Valley in Danville.
It was the Summer of ‘76… “Montevideo: Skateboarding History in the San Ramon Valley,” an exhibit of rare skateboarding photographs from 1976. On display through June 8, 2025, at Museum of the San Ramon Valley, 205 Railroad Avenue, Danville, Calif. Tel. (925) 837-3750
These vivid black and white photographs are a time capsule of local history and a nostalgic look back at a bygone era in Contra Costa County. Jeff Heyman was a student at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville (Class of ‘77) and a photographer for the school’s newspaper, The Wolf Print. He documented the skateboarding scene at Montevideo, a drainage ditch in San Ramon popular with skateboarders from across Northern California. His photographs bring us a glimpse of this short-lived and largely forgotten time.
Heyman, an award-winning fine art photographer and photojournalist, has had work exhibited at the Lafayette Library, the Orinda Library, the Frank Bette Center for the Arts in Alameda, and the de Young Museum in San Francisco.
Find out more at heymanfoto.smugmug.com or by following Jeff on Instagram @heymanfoto.
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Only a few spots left!
Musical Theatre summer camp with Performing Academy
NIGHT AT THE CINEMA - Ages 6.5 – 9*
*Rising 1st through rising 4th grade.
6/9 – 6/13, Monday – Thursday 9am – 3pm @ ACE Dance Academy in Walnut Creek
Friday class 9am – 12pm
Final outdoor performance Friday 6/13 at 5pm at the Lafayette Reservoir.
MIXTAPE - Ages 10 – 14*
*Rising 5th through rising 8th grade.
6/9 – 6/13, Monday – Thursday 9am – 3pm
Friday class 12:30-3:30pm
Final outdoor performance Friday 6/13 at 6pm at the Lafayette Reservoir.
Register here: https://performingacademy.com/summer-2025/
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Whitchurch Glass Designs Reflects on 2024 and Prepares for 2025!
Looking ahead to 2025, Whitchurch Glass Designs is building an exciting schedule, including appearances at the California Strawberry Festival and the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival. Cynthia is eager to bring her handcrafted, 100% American-made glass creations to even more events and is planning new collections that celebrate the beauty of nature.
Whitchurch Glass Designs is also seeking to expand into additional retail locations in the Lamorinda area. If you’re a local business interested in carrying unique glass art, Cynthia would love to connect. For inquiries or collaborations, please reach out via email at WhitchurchGlassDesigns@Yahoo.com or visit https://www.whitchurchglassdesigns.com/.
Thank you for your continued support—2025 is shaping up to be a year full of creativity and connection!
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Dining and Gift Guide
This interactive PDF lists Lafayette Chamber member restaurants and gift/retail shops in our downtown! Check it out!
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“To promote and maintain a healthy business climate and to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Lafayette.”
MISSION OF THE LAFAYETTE CHAMBER
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