Imagination Celebration Events

In the following schedule, addresses and phone numbers are listed with the first entry for each venue.

SATURDAY, APRIL 22

* 19th annual Very Special Arts Festival. A visual and performing arts showcase featuring the talents of about 2,000 disabled children and adults, with storytelling, art workshops, theater, dance and music for all ages and abilities. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at MainPlace Mall, 2800 N. Main St., Santa Ana. (714) 547-7000. FREE.

* Cultures of the World. Live performances, exhibits and costume displays represent a cross-section of Orange County’s many cultures. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Triangle Square, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa. (714) 722-1600. FREE.

* Let it Shine--Anaheim. Pacific Symphony Orchestra and other music and dance groups perform in a daylong festival. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Freedman Forum (formerly the Celebrity Theatre), Broadway and 42nd Street, Anaheim. (714) 776-4320. FREE.

* Jim Gamble Puppetry presents “Peter and the Wolf.” A retelling of the Russian folk tale featuring handcrafted rod puppets and set to music by Prokofiev. A puppet-making workshop follows. Noon at Children’s Museum at La Habra, 301 S. Euclid St. (310) 905-9793. Included with museum admission, $4.

* Family Day at the Library. Pacific Chorale performance, story time, music, juggling and hands-on art stations. Noon to 4 p.m. at Newport Beach Central Library, 1000 Avocado Ave., Newport Beach. (714) 717-3800. FREE.

* Family Arts Day. Bagpipe music and Scottish folk songs, art projects, animal fables of India and student art exhibit. Noon to 4 p.m. at Newport Harbor Art Museum, 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 759-1122. FREE.

* On Stage at the Curtis Theatre. Local students showcase their skills in theater, dance and music in back-to-back performances. Noon to 4 p.m. at Curtis Theatre at the Brea Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Circle, Brea. (714) 990-7722. FREE.

* Kaleidoscope Players in “The Trouble With Nick.” A family-oriented musical that teaches the value of creative self-expression. 2 p.m. at the Arena Theatre, Performing Arts Building at Cal State Fullerton, 800 State College Blvd., Fullerton. (714) 773-2009. FREE.

* Young Masters Art Show opening. Assistance League of Irvine presents 400 artworks by Irvine kindergartners through sixth-graders. Opening day includes entertainment and art projects for visitors. 2 to 5 p.m. at Irvine City Hall, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine. (714) 724-6000. (Exhibit continues through May 4.) FREE.

* A Shining Array of Art! Three-dimensional works by kindergartners through 12th-graders countywide; includes jewelry, pottery and metalwork. Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 22 and 23, at the Visual Arts Complex, Cal State Fullerton. FREE.

SUNDAY, APRIL 23

* Create Your Own Crafts Day. Hands-on crafts for ages 5 and up, and willing parents. 11 a.m to 3 p.m. at Boys and Girls Club of Laguna Beach, 1085 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach. (714) 494-2535. $2.

* Artists reception for student art exhibit, featuring works by Newport Mesa School District students, grades kindergarten through 12. 2 to 5 p.m. at Costa Mesa Art League’s Showcase Gallery, South Coast Plaza Village, 1631 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa. (714) 540-6430. (Exhibit continues through April 29.) FREE.

THURSDAY, APRIL 27

* Pageant of the Arts. In a small-scale imitation of the famed Laguna Beach pageant, Seal Beach students create tableaux depicting famous works of arts, then bring them to life with original music and dance. 7 p.m. at J.H. McGaugh School Auditorium, 1698 Bolsa Ave., Seal Beach. (310) 431-1389. FREE.

FRIDAY, APRIL 28

* Pageant of the Arts (see April 27 listing).

* Opera Pacific’s “Un Camino de Fe” (A Journey of Faith). The world premiere of an opera for young audiences, based on “Proud of Being Brown,” an original story by Santa Ana teen-ager Sagrario Gil. (Performance will be repeated May 6 at 3:30 p.m. during the Imaginarium at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.) 8 p.m. at Bowers Kidseum, 1802 N. Main St., Santa Ana. (714) 474-4488, Ext. 318. $6 (reservations needed).

SATURDAY, APRIL 29

* ImagUtelling Festival. Professional and local student storytellers in grades K-12 spin tales; plus art workshops and artist demonstrations. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Knott’s Marketplace, Knott’s Berry Farm, 8039 Beach Blvd., Buena Park. (714) 220-5220. Festival is free; workshops, $3 each.

* A Hands-On Clay Experience. Two workshops for ages 6 and up; fee includes materials and firing. 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. at Sculpture Spaces studio, 17911 Bushard, Fountain Valley. (714) 964-6620. $2 (reservations needed; bring your own smock or apron).

* Let It Shine Aboard the Pilgrim. Hourlong program in which children learn about sailors of old by creating their own sea chanteys and other crafts. 10 a.m., 12:15 and 1:30 p.m. at Orange County Marine Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point. (714) 496-2274. $4 (reservations needed).

* Magical Moonshine Puppet Theatre’s “Animal Folk Tales of the Americas” and Children’s Arts Festival Day. Puppet show features life-sized puppets and colorful masks, used to help 2- to 12-year-olds understand South and Central America through their legends, myths and music. Arts Festival includes variety of hands-on activities, plus live performances. Puppet shows at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., festival runs 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Children’s Museum at La Habra, 301 S. Euclid St., La Habra. (310) 905-9793. Museum admission and performances are FREE on this day only.

* The Arts and High Technology at Crystal Court. Demonstrations for school-age visitors on how to use computers and video imagery for artistic purposes, plus Dinamation dinosaurs and other exhibits. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at South Coast Plaza’s Crystal Court, 3333 Bear St., Costa Mesa. (714) 435-2160. FREE.

* The Stars of Tomorrow at Fashion Island. Smorgasbord of Orange County student artists, including a performance of “Tell Me About It!,” original sketches featuring members of South Coast Repertory’s Young Conservatory (the SCR program repeats May 6 at Imaginarium at OCPAC). 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fashion Island (near koi pond adjacent to the Broadway and Neiman Marcus), 401 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. (714) 721-2000. FREE.

* Dancing Machine. Performance followed by unstructured workshops in rhythm and dance for ages 3 to 13. 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at Jimmie DeFore Dance Center, 151 Kalmus Drive, Suite G-3, Costa Mesa. (714) 241-9908. FREE.

SUNDAY, APRIL 30

* ImagUtelling Festival (see April 29 listing).

* Let it Shine Aboard the Pilgrim (see April 29 listing).

* The Arts and High Technology at Crystal Court (see April 29 listing).

* Festival de Los Ninos (Children’s Festival). Latin American-themed event with crafts, music and storytelling geared to family audiences. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bowers Kidseum. (714) 480-1520. Museum admission and performances are FREE on this day only.

* Victorian May Day Celebration. Old-fashioned festival with croquet, field games, ice cream making and Maypole dance and crafts, as well as hands-on tour of the 1898 Kellogg House. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Discovery Museum of Orange County, 3101 W. Harvard St., Santa Ana. (714) 540-0404. $3 (includes museum admission).

* Sunday ARTS Delight. A family event featuring a juried art show, crafts, exhibits, music and dance, plus a children’s pavilion with hands-on projects. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cypress Community Center/Oak Knoll Park, 5700 Orange Ave., Cypress. (714) 229-6734. FREE.

MONDAY, MAY 1

* West Coast Invitational Orchestra Festival. Top high school bands from Southern California compete, plus performances by local college and university bands. 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.; competition winners perform at 6 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. (714) 556-2787. FREE.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3

* South Coast Repertory’s “Birds of a Feather: A Tale of Community.” Geared to elementary through high school students, SCR’s 1995 Educational Touring Show uses Native American lore and imagery to teach how even the smallest individual can help unite a community. 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Founders Hall. $6

* Le Theatre Sans Fil’s “Lord of the Rings.” West Coast premiere of this adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy features life-sized puppets accented by lasers, fireworks and other special effects (visuals may be too intense for very young children). 7:30 p.m. (runs two hours) at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall. $6 (reservations suggested).

THURSDAY, MAY 4

* “Birds of a Feather: A Tale of Community” (see May 3 listing).

FRIDAY, MAY 5

* Ninth annual High School Choral Festival. Pacific Chorale presents top high school choruses in consecutive performances judged by university choral conductors. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall. (714) 252-1234. FREE.

* Children’s Choral Festival. This showcase of 12 noted children’s community choruses is capped by a concert featuring the San Francisco Girls’ Chorus. 3 to 7 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s Segerstrom Hall. (714) 252-1234. FREE.

* Launch Pad open house. A kid-friendly science center with hands-on stations. 3 to 9 p.m. at Launch Pad science center in Crystal Court. (714) 546-2061. FREE.

SATURDAY, MAY 6

* ImageUparade, with Imaginarium artists and visitors. Starts at 9 a.m. outside Sears, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, and across Bristol to Orange County Performing Arts Center. (714) 556-2787. FREE.

* West Coast Invitational Band Festival. High school and college bands perform, culminating with an evening concert by the El Toro Marine Corps Band. 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. FREE.

* Imaginarium. Daylong “arts playground” with hands-on opportunities in the visual and performing arts plus live performances by Ballet Pacifica, SCR’s Young Conservatory Players and other art groups. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center courtyard and parking lot. FREE.

SUNDAY, MAY 7

* Imaginarium (see May 6 listing). Hours today are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

* Orange County Performing Arts Center tours. Docent-led tours begin every 15 minutes at the center’s box office. Noon to 2 p.m. at the center. FREE.

* Cirque Eloize. A compact and colorful circus troupe founded by former members of the Cirque du Soleil. 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center. $6 (reservations suggested).

ONGOING EVENTS

* Student photography exhibit. Saturday, April 22, through May 7; artists reception Sunday, April 23, from noon to 5 p.m. open to the public. At Blake Gallery, 16062 Beach Blvd., Huntington Beach. (714) 841-7551. FREE.

* 1,000 Pieces of Art at Crystal Court. Exhibit features art in a range of media by students across the county. Saturday, April 22, through May 7 at Crystal Court. FREE.