Going North

* Film Fest--The 16th Santa Barbara International Film Festival will kick off today with a block party from 4 to 7 p.m. Opening activities will be held along State Street from Figueroa Street to Arlington Way and will include movie-themed exhibit booths, classic and movie-themed autos, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean look-alike contests, food and beverages, live music on three stages, swing dancing and more. Also, “About Adam” (Ireland/United Kingdom, 2000) will be screened at 7 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, 1317 State St. $20. The festival will continue through March 11 around town. For a complete listing of events and screenings, call 963-0023 or visit the festival Web site at https://www.sbfilmfestival.org.

* Art Exhibit--The Atkinson Gallery at Santa Barbara City College on Friday will open an exhibition of works by contemporary printmaker Xiaowen Chen, art professor at the Alfred University School of Art in New York. Through March 30. Viewing hours: Monday-Friday, noon-4 p.m.; Wednesday, noon-8 p.m. Reception Friday, 5-7 p.m. Free. 965-0581, Ext. 3872.

* Choirs--Westmont College choirs will present Faure’s Requiem and Pergolesi’s Magnificat on Friday at Trinity Episcopal Church, 1500 State St., Santa Barbara. Show time: 8 p.m. $7 general, $5 senior citizens and students. 565-6240.

* Theater--Theatre UCSB and Santa Barbara Dance Theatre will open Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” Friday at UC Santa Barbara’s Hatlen Theatre. Show times: Friday-Saturday and March 8-10, 8 p.m.; Sunday, 2 p.m. $16 general, $12 senior citizens and students. 893-3535.

* Classical--The Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Valery Polyansky, will perform Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Arlington Theatre, 1217 State St., Santa Barbara. Denis Matsuyev, winner of the 1998 International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, will be the featured soloist. The all-Russian program will include Tchaikovsky’s “Coronation March,” Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. The concert is being presented by Community Arts Music Assn. $30-$75. 963-4408.