GOINGS ON / SANTA BARBARA : Russian Dressing : Decor at the Santa Barbara Museum of Art will match the theme of “Le Bal Russe: A Russian Fairytale,” a fund-raiser on Nov. 7.

Santa Barbara’s Museum of Art will take on the look of old-time Russia on Nov. 7 for its annual fund-raising gala, which this year has been dubbed “Le Bal Russe: A Russian Fairytale.” Tickets are on sale now and are going swiftly.

In keeping with the theme, members of the museum’s Women’s Board will decorate the museum grounds with murals depicting scenes from Russian tales. Their work is based on the art of Russian artist Boris Zvorykin, who illustrated many of the classic folk tales of his country.

The gala will also have its share of homemade onion domes and even a fairy godmother. Dinner will be catered by Rococo and music provided by the Lester Lanin Orchestra. Tickets for the evening, which includes cocktails beginning at 7:30 p.m. and dinner at 8:30 p.m., are $150, half of which is tax-deductible. Proceeds will go toward the ongoing renovation of the museum’s third-floor galleries. For reservations or more information, call 963-4364, ext. 325.

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What would you think of a concert that featured the talents of the following: a professor of music at UC Santa Barbara, the musical director of the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the artistic director of the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the La Jolla Chamber Summerfest, the music director of the Japan America Symphony of Los Angeles, and the music director of the Crossroads Chamber Orchestra?

All of the credentials above are actually wrapped up in one body, that of violist Heiichiro Ohyama, who will be a guest soloist at the University Symphony concert tonight at UCSB’s Lotte Lehmann Concert Hall. Mezzo-soprano Lorraine Manz, a UCSB vocal lecturer, will also solo. General admission is $8. Call 893-3535.

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If you’re eager to have a black cat cross your path on Halloween weekend, here’s an event for you. The Fiesta City Cat Club will hold its 17th annual Cat Show at the Earl Warren Showgrounds Saturday and Sunday. Most of the weekend’s competition will be left to the cats, but there will be a Halloween costume contest for humans on Saturday. The show will run from 1 to 9 p.m. Saturday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $5, and $4 for seniors and children under 12. The showgrounds are off the Las Positas Road exit of the Ventura Freeway.

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On Saturday, Santa Barbara’s Contemporary Arts Forum will host its second annual Black and Orange Bash. And when they say bash, they mean it. After all, there will be palm readers, gourmet pizza, music by the Bel Aires and the Mud Sharks, and even face painting and tattoos. Those are definitely bash characteristics.

The party will run from 8 p.m. to midnight. Admission is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, with proceeds benefiting CAF and the Friends of Contemporary Art of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. CAF is in the Paseo Nuevo shopping center. For more information, call 966-5373 or 963-4364, ext. 354.

Note: Costume and/or black and orange attire is preferred.

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It must be family theater season in Santa Barbara.

Westmont College’s Classical Repertory Theatre will present the fairy tale “The Blue Bird” tonight through Sunday, and Nov. 4-7. This 83-year-old play revolves around two children who go on a fairy-guided journey in search of a magical blue bird. Performances will begin at 8 p.m. in Porter Hall. General admission is $8, and $6 for children and seniors.

The Ensemble Theatre Co.’s 1992-1993 Storybook Theatre season opener, “You Don’t See Me,” opened last week. It’s the story of a girl whose brother dies and then returns as a cheerful spirit to help her through tough times. The next performance will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Alhecama Theatre, 914 Santa Barbara St. Admission is $5 (adults) and $3 (children). There will be a children’s costume contest following the Halloween day performance. For more information, call 965-6252.

On Sunday the Mermaid Theatre group from Nova Scotia will give two performances of the classic “Puss in Boots” tale at the Lobero Theatre. There will be live music and plenty of puppets. Show times are 2 and 4 p.m. Admission is $9.50 (adults) and $6.50 (children). The Lobero is at 33 E. Canon Perdido.

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On Friday night the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History will aim its largest telescope toward the Andromeda galaxy 2 million light years away. The public is invited to gaze along. General admission for this special viewing is $2 (adults) and $1 (children), with a $5 limit per family. For more information, call 682-3224.