Plan Ahead

* Voices--Los Robles Master Chorale will return to the concert stage with “Bravo: Opera’s Greatest Moments” at the Moorpark College Performing Arts Center. Guest artists will join the chorale to perform excerpts from “La Traviata,” “Die Fledermaus,” “The Pearl Fishers,” “Lakme” and others. Show times: Oct. 6, 8 p.m.; Oct. 7, 3 p.m. $18 general, $14 seniors, $10 students, $6 ages 12 and under. The campus is at 7075 Campus Road. 497-0386.

* Food Fest--The Captain Morgan Taste of Ventura County Food & Wine Festival will be held Oct. 6-8 at Channel Islands Harbor in Oxnard. Food samples will be prepared by more than 20 area restaurants, and about 30 wineries and brewers will pour their selections. Live entertainment, vendor exhibits, arts and crafts and children’s activities will also be featured. Hours: Oct. 6, 5-11 p.m.; Oct. 7, noon-11 p.m.; Oct. 8, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. $7 general; $5 seniors and military; free for ages 12 and under accompanied by an adult. 985-4852.

* Ballet--Marla Bingham Contemporary Ballet will present “Firebird, a Native American Vision” at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza’s Scherr Forum, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. Show times: Oct. 6-7 and 13, 8:30 p.m.; Oct. 12, 3:30 p.m.; Oct. 8 and 15, 2:30 p.m. $14.50-$31.50. 449-2787.

* Chili Cook-Off--The Big Chili 2000 event will be held Oct. 7 at Lake Casitas near Ojai. Activities: chili cook-off contest, chili-eating contest, beer and wine tasting, free pontoon boat rides, live music, horseshoe tournament, children’s activities and more. Bands: Raging Arb & the Redheads, J. T. & the Zydeco Zippers, Maxxx and Big Chili Tribal Drummers. Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. $7 for adults; 10 and under free. 646-4170.

* Food Benefit--Pier Under the Stars, an annual food and wine fund-raiser, will return Oct. 7 to Ventura’s oceanfront promenade. There will be food and wine sampling, dancing and live music with the Lucky Sevens, a jump swing band. Hours: 5-8 p.m. Proceeds benefit Pier into the Future, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the Ventura Pier. $30. 654-7731.

* Film--The Port Hueneme International Film Festival will kick off Oct. 5 at Beachfront Studio, 575 Surfside Drive. The event will screen several feature films, including titles such as “Being Claudine,” “Vice” and “Enemies Within.” There will also be screenings of creative shorts from local, Canadian and Iranian filmmakers. Dates: Oct. 5-6, 8 a.m.-11:30 p.m.; Oct. 7, 1-10 p.m.; Oct. 8, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Individual screenings, $10. Book of 12 tickets, $100. 488-2787.

* Classical--The Ventura Master Chorale, under the direction of Burns Taft, will be joined by the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra for its season-opening concert Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. at San Buenaventura Mission in downtown Ventura. The program will mark the 250th anniversary of the death of Johann Sebastian Bach. $15-$20. 653-7282.

* Culture--The Ventura County Chapter of the Japanese-American Citizens’ League will hold its annual Japanese Cultural Festival on Oct. 8 at the Camarillo Community Center, 1605 Burnley Ave. Hours: 2-5 p.m. Traditional dance, drumming, storytelling, food and more will be featured. $5 general; $3 seniors and ages 5-17; under 5 free. Families, $10. 655-5559.