Around Town: Newport native to ride in inauguration parade
Newport Beach native Nicholas Kerr will ride in the presidential inauguration parade Friday in Washington, D.C., as a member of the Black Horse Troop of the Culver Military Academy in Indiana, where he is a junior.
Nicholas, the son of Robert and Manuela Kerr of Newport Beach, attended the city’s Newport Heights Elementary and Ensign Intermediate schools.
The 56-member Black Horse Troop mounted unit, which dates to 1913, will be participating in the inaugural parade for the 17th time, the school said in a news release.
While in Washington, the students will tour the city’s monuments and memorials and the Smithsonian museums, the school said.
Laguna Recreation Committee seeks student members
Two Laguna Beach High School students are being sought to serve as non-voting members of the committee that advises the City Council on parks and recreation issues.
The Laguna Beach Recreation Committee is looking for students who have an interest in city government, recreation or other community matters. Applications are due to the Community Services Department by Feb. 6.
For more information, visit bit.ly/rec-committee.
Artists wanting to display at Art-A-Fair invited to submit artwork
A jury day will be held Feb. 12 for artists who would like to participate in the Laguna Beach Art-A-Fair, one of California’s premier summer fine art festivals.
Artists and artisans may enter three pieces of their original artwork and pay a $40 jury fee from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Boys and Girls Club, 1085 Laguna Canyon Road. They may then pick up their artwork and jury scores from 4 to 4:30 p.m.
Submissions may also be mailed in by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to P.O. Box 547, Laguna Beach, CA 92652. The mail-in deadline is Jan. 27.
For more than 50 years the Laguna Art-A-Fair has enabled artists to display and sell their best creations. This year’s festival runs from June 30 to Sept. 3. Visitors can choose from a broad spectrum of affordable original fine art, crafts, and reproductions.
For more information, go to art-a-fair.com/call-for-artists-2.
Need financial support for your community group?
Laguna Beach is accepting applications for the Community Assistance Grant Program for fiscal year 2017-2018, according to a city news release.
The program’s objective is to help local nonprofit organizations fund new projects or expand services within the community.
“Grant recipients in the past have included social service, cultural, sports, senior and youth organizations,” City Manager John Pietig said in the release.
Grant applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. Feb. 24.
For further information, call (949) 497-0779 or go to bit.ly/laguna-cagp.
Applications accepted for Laguna poet laureate post
The Laguna Beach Arts Commission is accepting applications for poet laureate.
The selected poet will be appointed to a yearlong position starting May 1 with an honorarium of $10,000.
Responsibilities will include conducting workshops, coordinating a celebration of National Poetry Month, maintaining a social media presence and creating commemorative poems.
Laguna Beach residents are eligible. For application information, visit lagunabeachcity.slideroom.com.
Kids can chat with writers at H.B. Authors Festival
Several local writers will be part of the annual Authors Festival on Jan. 31 at the Huntington Beach Central Library.
The free event will be held at 2:30 p.m. at the children’s section of the library, 7111 Talbert Ave.
The public will have the opportunity to talk with the authors and buy an autographed book.
The festival is being sponsored by the Friends of the Huntington Beach Children’s Library.
For more information, visit hbpl.org.
Auction at Laguna museum will focus on California art
Works from more than 100 California artists — including Peter Alexander, Helen Lundeberg and Ed Ruscha — will be for sale during the Laguna Art Museum’s 35th annual art auction Feb. 4.
The museum-curated auction, dubbed California Cool, will begin at 6 p.m. and features original art, food and cocktails, according to a news release.
The works range in price from $250 to $50,000, with bidding starting at 50% of the stated value. Proceeds from the event will support the museum, which is dedicated to collecting and preserving California art.
Tickets are $125 for museum members and $150 for all others. Tickets include auction admission, complimentary parking, food and drinks.
For more information, visit lagunaartmuseum.org.
H.B. to host parent-child dance Feb. 18
Kids can test their dance moves at a city-sponsored parent-child dance in Huntington Beach on Feb. 18.
The Boutonnieres and Bows Dance will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the City Gym and Pool building, 1600 Palm Ave.
The event is for children from kindergarten to fifth grade.
The event will also include a dinner, dessert, arts and crafts and a photo booth. The cost is $15 for each child-parent team, plus $5 for an additional child. Register at hbsands.org.
For more information, call (714) 960-8884.