GOINGS ON / SANTA BARBARA : Mise en Green : Carpinteria is planning a festival this weekend to honor a fruit--the avocado.

It’s Carpinteria’s turn to be in the limelight.

Well, it’s not exactly “lime” light, but it’s certainly a shade of green. This weekend is the annual California Avocado Festival, two days set aside to honor the city’s prolific production of the fruit.

Yes, it is a fruit, in case you were wondering.

It’s apparently a popular fruit too, judging by the number of people who have attended past festivals. This year, more than 100,000 avocado fans are expected to flock to Linden Avenue in search of avocado merchandise and avocado food. Past festivals have offered up avocado chow mein, pizza and ice cream.

And, of course, there will be guacamole, plenty of it. More than 200 gallons will be mashed and served by Carpinteria High School football players and cheerleaders.

This is the festival’s sixth year. Murphy said the idea of celebrating the avocado came from the success of other cities’ produce celebrations, particularly Gilroy’s garlic festival. “We looked to see what we had in the county that would be successful,” she said. “We didn’t think a cherimoya festival would make it.”

For those who don’t like avocados, but somehow find themselves in the middle of the festival, don’t worry. There will be other attractions--musicians, an arts and crafts show, and the 25th annual Carpinteria Flower Show. For the kids, the Magical Moonshine Theater puppet troupe will be on hand, as will children’s musician-storyteller Nina Ryne. There will also be face-painting and other carnival-type games.

The festival will run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

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The Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera will kick off its 1992-1993 season tonight in its new venue, the Granada Theatre, with a preview production of “Gypsy.” This musical about the life of renowned stripper Gypsy Rose Lee, features the Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim classic “Let Me Entertain You.” The show will run through Oct. 25.

The rest of the light opera schedule includes “The Pirates of Penzance,” “Brigadoon” and “Guys and Dolls.” All productions will run Wednesday through Sunday evenings, with Saturday and Sunday matinees. Seating for some shows is already scarce. For ticket prices and availability call 963-2324. The Granada is located at 1216 State St.

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This weekend will also mark the official opening of The Santa Barbara Symphony’s new season, the group’s 40th, at the Arlington Theatre. The symphony will be joined by pianist Jerome Lowenthal, who will play Franz Liszt’s “Piano Concerto No. 2.” The program will also include Modest Mussorgsky and Maurice Ravel’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Brillon Du Juoy’s “Saratoga Victory March.”

Performances will be Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. Tickets range from $13 to $32 on Saturday and $10 to $24 on Sunday. Call the Arlington box office at 963-4408. The theater is located at 1317 State St.

Note: Along with a season opening concert there has to be a season opening black-tie gala. This one is set to begin at 5 p.m. in the Arlington courtyard. The theme? Calories. Main dishes will be provided by some of the top chefs in Santa Barbara and desserts will be courtesy of the Symphony League. Tickets, sold separately from those for the performance, are $50. Call 965-6596.

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Santa Barbara’s Oak Park, the United Nations of parks, will be the site of yet another international festival Saturday and Sunday. This time the culture is German, and the occasion, Oktober Fest.

There will be the expected attractions: German folk dancing (by the Alpine Dancers of Santa Barbara and the Happy Wanderers of Santa Maria), German music (by the Blue Birds of Anaheim) and German food (knockwurst, bratwurst, apple strudel, plum cake and plenty of sauerkraut).

One note about the food: The Greek favorite, gyros, will also be available. “It’s so popular in Europe we adopted it too,” said Irmgard Rauchhaus of the German Club of Santa Barbara.

The festival will run from noon to sundown both days. Oak Park is located off the Ventura Freeway. Going north take the Pueblo Street exit. Going south, take the Mission Street exit. Admission is free.

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You can tell school is back in session at UC Santa Barbara because the Arts and Lectures program there is quickly hitting full stride.

First there’s the film series titled “Essential Viewing: Films Directed by Women,” which will begin this evening at the university’s Campbell Hall. The program will run through Nov. 15.

Director Martha Coolidge’s work “Rambling Rose” heads the list. The movie stars mother/daughter actresses Diane Ladd and Laura Dern, who both received Academy Award nominations for their performances. The movie will be shown tonight and Sunday at 8 p.m.

The remainder of the series: “Proof” (Oct. 4), “Daughters of the Dust” (Oct. 8), “My Father is Coming” (Oct. 11), “Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia” (Oct. 15), “Strangers in Good Company” (Oct. 18), “My Twentieth Century” (Oct. 25), “C’est La Vie” (Oct. 29), “Privilege” (Nov. 1), “Antonia and Jane” (Nov. 5), “A League of Their Own” (Nov. 8--which will include this year’s Penny Marshall-directed feature film and the 1987 Mary Wallace documentary of the same name) and “An Angel at My Table” (Nov. 15).

Single tickets to any of these movies is $5. Series passes are $30. Call 893-3535.

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On Wednesday, UCSB will present “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” as performed by the Orinda-based California Shakespeare Festival. The show will be presented in Campbell Hall. General admission is $10, $14, and $16. For more information call 893-3535.