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Upcoming Events from the Lafayette Chamber

Ribbon Cutting at Little Cloud Pediatric Dentistry

Friday, January 17, 3:30pm

Ribbon Cutting at Horn Barbecue

Wednesday, January 22, 11am

Ribbon Cutting at Mathnasium of Lafayette

Thursday, January 23, 5:15pm

New Member Orientation

Wednesday, January 29, 4pm-5pm

Business Person of the Year Dinner honoring Nick Bozych, Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa

Thursday, January 30, 6pm-9pm

Citizen of the Year Nominations Due

Friday, January 31, 12pm

Lafayette Chamber Nonprofit Network

Thursday, February 6

Lafayette Business Women at East Bay Health

Wednesday, February 12

Lafayette Chamber Connectors

Wednesday, February 19

Lafayette Chamber Young Professionals - Volunteer Event

Thursday, February 20

➡ Lafayette Chamber Events Calendar ⬅

More events from our members!

Lafayette Community Events Calendar

Nonprofit Email Blast (November 6, 2024)

2025 Lafayette Business Person of the Year is Nick Bozych!

The 2025 Lafayette Business Person of the Year is Nick Bozych, Managing Director of the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. A dinner will be held in his honor on Thursday, January 30th, 6pm-9pm at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. The evening will also include the installation of the 2025 Lafayette Chamber Board of Directors. Registration required! Click here to attend!

Nomination period now open for the 2025 Lafayette Citizen of the Year

Deadline to submit nominations is Friday, January 31, 2025 at noon. Dinner tentatively scheduled for the evening of Thursday, March 27, 2025 at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa.

To be considered for Lafayette’s Citizen of the Year, the nominee must meet the following criteria:

• Non-affiliation with Elected Positions: The nominee must not be a current elected official whether paid or volunteer. This includes being a member of the City Council or school board.
• Lafayette Residency: The nominee must be a current Lafayette resident at the time of nomination, remain a resident through the award presentation date, and ideally throughout the year they are awarded.
• Community Contribution: The nominee should have demonstrated exceptional dedication through their time, financial contributions, or energy towards making Lafayette a vibrant and thriving community—one that encourages residents to live, work, and shop locally.
• Exemplary Character: The nominee must consistently model excellence in all aspects of their involvement and behavior within the community.
• Community Leadership & Pride: The nominee should be someone who fosters unity, brings the community together, and embodies the spirit of Lafayette, making residents proud to be part of this community.

Previous recipients: W.B. Ellis, Ralfe Miller, Margaret Bainbridge, Mel Nielsen, John R. Jacques, M.H. Stanley, C.R. Turner, Theron Nelson, William Zion, Stanford White, Jack Hageman, Lou Repetto, Jop Van Overveen, Vern Odegard, Jack Marchant, Donn Black, Charles Franklin, Chris Adams, John Kennedy, Clifford Feiler, James Lloyd, Boardman Moore, Robert Augenthaler, Percy Whitten, Barbara Bupp, Irene Graff, Ed Stokes, Robert Fisher, Ernie Marriner, Ken Clifford, Don Young, Irene Thomas, Ned Robinson, Alice Johnson, Hirsh Morton, Sue Cross, Tom Cleveland, Herb Joyce, Skid Thomas, Su Stauffer, Tom Courtright, Lynn Hiden, Avon Wilson, Bill Wakeman, Richard Holmes, Guy Atwood, Connie & Mike Collier, Judy Garvens, Anne Grodin, Ellen Peterson, Norma Evans, Robert Wood, Mary McCosker, Budd MacKenzie, Kathy Bowles, Ivor Samson, Gwen Watson, Judy Carney, Jeanne Ateljevich, Team Library, Karen Mulvaney, Gayle Uilkema, Greg Moeller, Toni McShane, Marechal Duncan, Tom Steuber, Dick & Robin Holt, Donovan Jenkins, Don Tatzin, Rick and Janet Cronk, William Fraser and Janet Thomas, Mike Anderson, and John A. Coleman.

📷 Photo from the Citizen of the Year Dinner 2024 by Jeff Heyman.

To submit a nomination, complete the form here.

OUR JANUARY & FEBRUARY EMAIL BLASTS ARE SPONSORED BY

Lafayette Car Wash & Detail Center

Upcoming Local Events & Special Announcements from our Lafayette Chamber Members & Arts Community

Experience Art at the Library: Current Public Art Committee Exhibitions

The Lafayette Library is brimming with creativity! Discover a diverse range of exhibitions on view now:

Brian Lopez’s Photography

Enjoy the striking black-and-white photography by Brian Lopez, on display in the Homework Center through February 23.

Viviana Leija-Sysak’s Lunar Watercolors

Immerse yourself in a collection of moon-themed watercolors by Viviana Leija-Sysak in the Community Hall gallery, open only during public events, through February 23.

Ann Weber’s String of Pearls

Part of the library’s permanent collection, Ann Weber’s totemic cardboard sculpture, String of Pearls, graces the ground-level stairwell.

Steven Bradley Falk’s Seeing Red

Ascend the stairs from the lower level to experience the bold and impactful large-scale piece, Seeing Red, by Steven Bradley Falk.

First-Ever Ceramic Display Case Exhibit

Don’t miss the beautiful and inspiring works by Catherine Carle in our inaugural ceramic display case exhibit at the top of the stairwell, on view through February 23.

Take a moment to enjoy these captivating works and connect with the creativity that thrives in our community! Click here to learn more about the City of Lafayette Public Art Committee.

Peter Pan Foundation

It’s time to make your dreams take flight with the Peter Pan Foundation Spring show and concert series!

Audition sign-ups for Wish Upon a Star (WUAS) and our Spring Concert Series are officially OPEN! Whether you’re ready to bring beloved fairytale characters to life in Wish Upon a Star or belt out Broadway classics in our Spring concerts, there’s a place for you in the PPF family!

For more information on the shows and our audition process, and to sign up for the show, click here.

Audition dates: January 24-26. Spots are limited and sign ups close on the 23rd….so don’t wait! https://peterpanfoundation.org/audition

Lamorinda Arts Council

Operations Manager Paid Staff Position Search – Deadline January 20

The Lamorinda Arts Council is seeking an Operations Manager. Visit https://lamorindaarts.org/join-our-team/ for application and job description. Applications and interviews will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

January 2025



Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: Elephants and Owls, Arctic Sled Dogs and Ceramics, Textured and Whimsical

The Lamorinda Arts Council celebrates the New Year by presenting mixed media drawings of elephants and owls by Barbara Breashears, photographs of Arctic husky sled dogs by Patrick Brod and ceramic sculptures both whimsical and textured by Olga Larner, Sandra Schlink Richelle Soper. Meet the artists at a reception in their honor on Saturday January 4 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Visit http://lamorindaarts.org/gallery-2 for more information or call 925.359.9940. To view and purchase art with one click online go to https://lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries/.

Art Gallery at Wilder – The Art Gallery at Wilder is under reconstruction. 

February

2025 High School Visual Arts Competition Registration is Open; Deadline Feb. 21

The Lamorinda Arts Council’s 2025 Visual Arts Competition celebrates student artwork in four categories: 2D, 3D, Photography and Digital Art. Submissions are free and open to high school students who live in or attend high school in Orinda, Lafayette, Moraga or any high schools in the Acalanes Union High School District. To Register and for details about cash prizes, merit certificates, art exhibit and online public exhibit of entries visit https://LamorindaArts.org/vac/.

Art Gallery at the Orinda Library: Beautiful World - Watercolor Book Edges, Botanical Nature Prints, Geometric Patterns with Watercolors, Pomegranate Ceramics and Tessellated Art

The Lamorinda Arts Council showcases the unique perspectives of five Muslim women artists from the Bay Area: Mubarra Ahmadyar, Latifat Titilayo Apatira, Bushra Gill, Hedaya Hasan and Arshia Saifuddin. Through diverse art forms, they explore themes of faith, identity, and nature, finding the extraordinary in everyday life. Inspired by their spirituality, they create thought-provoking works that challenge our perceptions and reveal a world both seen and unseen. The exhibition reminds us of the interconnectedness of all things and invites us to rediscover wonder and appreciate the beauty that surrounds us.

Meet the artists at their reception in their honor where light refreshments will be served from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday February 8. Attend a Botanical Nature Print Demonstration by Latifat Titilayo Apatira during the reception from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Give-away of scented Rose Geranium leaf (Pelargonium graveolens). For hours and details visit https://LamorindaArts.org/gallery-2 or call 925.359.9940. The exhibit runs through February 28; closed Sundays and Feb. 17. To view and purchase art with one click online go to https://lamorindaarts.org/online-galleries/.

CELEBRATE "Winter Lights" AT THE MORAGA ART GALLERY

To celebrate the opening of 2025's first exhibit, the Moraga Art Gallery, located 432 Center Street in the Rheem Shopping Center, invites the public to a free reception on Saturday, January 25th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.  

Come to view the art, meet the artists, enjoy wine, light snacks, and live music on steel drums by Harry Best befitting the gallery's congenial ambience.  

Entitled "Winter Lights," the show features artwork not only by the gallery's two-dozen members and guest artists, but also by a score of additional artists representing the Lamorinda Arts Alliance (LAA).

The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday from noon to 5 pm. For more information visit http://www.moragaartgallery.com, or call (925)376-5407.

California Symphony:

Mozart Serenity

Saturday, February 1 at 7:30 PM

Sunday, February 2 at 4 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 

Find your calm with an evening of music that inspires reflection and awe. Begin with Carlos Simon’s Breathe, a meditative work inviting stillness and introspection. Then, journey to Spain with Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, featuring internationally acclaimed guitarist Meng Su. Conclude the evening with Mozart’s Symphony No. 41—the grand and exhilarating Jupiter Symphony. 

This concert is perfect for seasoned concertgoers and newcomers alike, looking to start the new year with an evening of blissfully beautiful music.

*California Symphony is offering a discount for Lafayette Chamber Members! Enjoy $15 off with code LAFAYETTE15 (Saturday only, adult tickets, limited time offer). Learn more and get tickets.

Act II Improve Comedy Show, hosted by Mobility Matters

Saturday, February 1, 7:30pm-9:30pm,

Campbell Theater, 636 Ward Street, Martinez CA 94553

GENERAL ADMISSION: $15.00

This month’s show is a benefit for Mobility Matters, a cause dedicated to enhancing mobility for Seniors and Veterans in need.

About Act II Improv: Formed by improvisational actors who believe in performing “for good”, Act II Improv created the initiative Improv for Good to give back to the community. They strive not only to support important causes but also to provide a creative outlet for artists to grow and innovate.

Their style focuses on long-form, scene-based improvisation, where humor and dramatic elements merge, creating performances described by regular attendees as “… dramatically comedic.” Get tickets here.

Free Daytime Concert!

Brought to you by Front Porch Music. Relax and enjoy live acoustic music!

Tuesday, February 4th, 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, (Doors open at 11:00 AM)

Don Tatzin Community Hall, Lafayette Library and Learning Center, 3491 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, Lafayette. No tickets required!

This event is made possible by the Community Foundation of Lafayette in partnership with Lamorinda Village.

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 February 5 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.

International Film Showcase February Showing

Synopsis: Shot entirely in secret, Mohammad Rasoulof’s award-winning thriller, THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG, centers on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman is appointed as an investigating judge in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realizes that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh and daughters Sana and Rezvan.

International Film Showcase will present the Oscar submission from Germany opening in Orinda on 2/7/25 for at least one week. Short listed for the upcoming Oscar.

Trailer: https://youtu.be/nbKLGsf1Syg

Get your tickets Learn more and get tickets here.

Diablo Ballet

Join Diablo Ballet, Feb 7 - 8 at the Lesher Center for the Arts for the enchanting Cinderella’s Wedding. The ballet, by renowned storyteller Julia Adam, is inspired by the second act of the full-length fairytale ballet. You will delight in iconic moments such as the glass slipper, “Cinderella’s” Prince Charming, her Fairy Godmother and the sprightly seasonal fairies. Also featured is the Diablo Ballet premiere of Donizetti Variations by master choreographer George Balanchine; and an encore presentation of the heartwarming Dr. Magic by Penny Saunders. With your ticket purchase, you are invited to join Diablo Ballet immediately after the performances for special complimentary events including a glass of bubbly and a meet and greet with the dancers. Visit diabloballet.org for more information and tickets. 

Town Hall Theatre presents The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol and Her Sextet

February 8, 2025, at 7 PM

Town Hall Theatre, 3535 School Street, Lafayette, CA 94549

Tickets:

• VIP: $50 – Includes priority seating and a private acoustic set at 6:15 PM
• General Admission: $25
• https://www.townhalltheatre.com/miss-faye-carol

Diablo Symphony Concert “American Dance”



Violinist Terrie Baune performs Libby Larsen’s “Dancing Man Rhapsody” in the Diablo Symphony’s “American Dance” concert on February 9, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at the Lesher Center for the Arts. Celebrating the incredible variety of dance music composed and performed in the United States during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the program also features orchestral works by American composer Florence Price and Russian émigré Sergei Rachmaninov. Price originally composed her Suite of Dances in 1933 as a set of piano pieces, and arranged if for wind band in 1939, with the subtitles “Hoe Cake,” Rabbit Foot,” and “Ticklin’ Toes.” She reset the dances as a suite for symphony orchestra in 1951. Reflecting Price’s African American heritage, the last of the three movements evokes a juba, a fast-paced dance with “body percussion” performed on plantations by slaves. Larsen’s “Dancing Man Rhapsody” was described by the composer as a “cornucopia of music and motion” conveying the image of a “guy dancing his way through the world—doing a conga and a stroll.” The commissioned work was written for violinist Baune and premiered by the Eureka Symphony in 2016. Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, written originally for two pianos and titled “Fantastic Dances,” echoes the homeland he fled in 1917. The work, however (with its prominent use of the alto saxophone, an instrument more often heard in American jazz orchestras), been described as “sounding more ‘American’ than anything else [Rachmaninov] composed.” Completed in 1940, Symphonic Dances was dedicated to the Philadelphia Orchestra and its conductor Eugene Ormandy. It was premiered by that orchestra in January 1941.



For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the DSO’s website at www.diablosymphony.org or call the Lesher Center for the Arts box office (925-943-7469; 1601 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek—open Wednesday–Sunday, noon to 6:00 p.m.). Tickets are $45 for adults and $15 for youth 13–17. Children 12 and under are free but need a ticket to have a seat, and a discounted ticket price of $35 is available for groups of 10 or more seniors ages 62 and up. (Ticket prices include all processing fees.) Tickets will also be available at the door.

Lesher Center for the Arts, Walnut Creek

The shortest month of the year has the Lesher Center bursting with thrilling live experiences. On February 9, Center REP brings the world-premiere of FROGGY to the stage. A decidedly unique theatrical event, FROGGY is a graphic novel styled noir thriller that follows one woman’s journey to find her missing boyfriend. When she finds clues to his whereabouts in a violent, underground video game, she goes on a quest to discover his—and her own—fate. Don’t miss this thrilling world-premiere—tickets are available now at CenterREP.org. 

If live music is what you’re after, February is your month. On Thursday, Feb 20, legendary star of stage and screen Mandy Patinkin comes to the Lesher Center for a thrilling night of Broadway and American popular music. February 21-22 sees the return of the always-sold-out concert event, College Notes A Cappella which features the nation’s top collegiate a cappella performance troupes. Don’t miss

this only-at-the-Lesher performance! Tickets for all events and more are on

sale now at LesherArtsCenter.org.

Bedford Gallery

Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery just opened their latest exhibition, Stitched: Contemporary Embroidery. On view through March 30, Stitched explores the evolution of embroidery and the artists who are redefining the medium. Historically labeled as ‘women’s work’ and commonly dismissed in fine art conversations, this thoughtful exhibition features original works by 19 national and international artists who merge traditional embroidery techniques with innovative approaches and contemporary themes to create powerful narratives that challenge outdated perceptions and elevate textile art to new heights. In conjunction with the exhibition, the Bedford has planned a series of fun, interactive events that bring enthusiasts and artists together for unique, one-night-only opportunities to learn more about process and creation. As always, tickets to Bedford Gallery exhibitions are Pay What You Can (events are priced separately) and can be reserved online at BedfordGallery.org. 

These events promoted through the Lafayette Chamber by member Diablo Regional Arts Association.

Saint Mary's College Museum of Art

Saint Mary's College Museum of Art

1928 St. Mary's Road, Moraga

Spring 2025 exhibitions: 

Past Lives, Feb 12^th – Jun 22^nd

Featuring original work by Seonna Hong, Past Lives uncovers and explores identity-defining memories through dreamlike landscapes, wandering figures, and subtle symbolism. Interweaving her Korean and American heritage, Hong traces how these memories can shape visual narratives to reveal belonging and meaning.

Continuing exhibition:

Isole: A Voyage Among My Dreams, Feb 12^th – Jun 22^nd

This exhibition features work by Cianne Fragione. Through visual marks, color, and spatial relationships, Fragione explores the fluidity of motifs of the sea.

Spring programs:

Dialogue with Seonna Hong at the Saint Mary’s College Soda Activity Center, Feb 12^th from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.

Opening celebration at the SMC MoA, Feb 13^th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m

Ensemble Assemblage / Student-curated music and dance in the galleries, Mar 8^th, Apr 11^th, and May 3^rd at 3:00 p.m.

Tiger and Persimmon Book Club / A reading group celebrating and learning about Korean heritage, Feb 19^th, Mar 5^th & 19^th and Apr 16^th & 30^th at 3:00 p.m.

Click here for more information and tickets.

St. Anselm's Episcopal Church, Art and Music Festival

Saturday, February 22, 1pm-5pm

St. Anselm's Episcopal Church

682 Michael Lane, Lafayette

In appreciation of the warmth and support of the Lamorinda community since 1960, and the opportunity to continue to be of service, St. Anselm's Episcopal Church invites one and all to celebrate its 65th Anniversary by honoring the creative spirit in residents of all ages in our "Together We Shine Art and Music Festival".

Come enjoy:

• The creativity of local musicians and artists!
• Refreshments
• Arts table for the kids

Learn more here.

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

Whitchurch Glass Designs Reflects on 2024 and Prepares for 2025!

Whitchurch Glass Designs is grateful to the community for an incredible 2024. This past year, Cynthia Whitchurch shared her vibrant, nature-inspired glass art at events like the Lafayette Art & Wine Festival and through local retailers, including Clocks, Etc. and The Red Door. The support from customers, fellow artists, and local businesses made 2024 unforgettable.

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!