Around Town: French horn ensemble to play in Newport

The all-female French horn octet Playdate will perform at the Newport Beach Central Library on Sunday as part of the library’s Sunday Musicales series.

The ensemble will play classical and popular works.

The performance begins at 3 p.m. in the library’s Friends Room at 1000 Avocado Ave. Admission is free and seating is first-come, first-served.

Pick a pumpkin this weekend at Newport Dunes

The Boots on the Beach Country Pumpkin Patch and fall festival is coming to the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort on Saturday and Sunday.

In addition to the pumpkin patch, activities include crafts, inflatables, live music and seasonal treats and drinks.

Saturday evening will feature a free country music concert featuring Urban Legend with Young Guns, along with the Kelly Boys line dancing and instruction. Sunday will have a display of classic cars from movies and TV, including the Batmobile and the “Back to the Future” DeLorean. A full bar and country barbecue will be available for purchase both days.

Saturday’s hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. for the pumpkin patch and 6 to 9 p.m. for the concert. Sunday’s hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the pumpkin patch and car show.

Admission is free. Parking is $10.

Newport Dunes is at 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach.

War photography exhibit debuts at Heroes Hall

The Heroes Hall veterans museum in Costa Mesa is hosting a new photography exhibit.

“Operation Iraqi Freedom” features images by Newport Beach resident Kimberly Millett when she was on assignment with the U.S. Army from 2006 to 2009.

Heroes Hall is near Centennial Farm at the OC Fair & Event Center, 88 Fair Drive. Hours typically are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with free admission.

Newport Elementary hosts classic car show

The fifth annual Newport El Classic Car Show will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Newport Elementary School, 1327 W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach.

The free event will feature more than 60 classic cars, GT series race cars and a children’s play area with face painting, a picture booth and pumpkin decorating. TK Burgers and Kona Ice will be available for purchase.

Proceeds will benefit Newport Elementary.

Vanguard University receives $3.75-million grant

Vanguard University in Costa Mesa received a five-year, $3.75-million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program.

The grant will help the university establish partnerships with local community colleges such as Orange Coast College to boost transfer rates among Latino and low-income transfer students.

Junior League to present charity shopping event at fairgrounds

The Junior League of Orange County, based in Newport Beach, will present its 42nd annual Christmas Co. charity shopping event on Saturday and Sunday at the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa.

Proceeds will benefit the league, a women’s volunteer organization.

For more information, tickets and a complete list of events, visit jlocc.org or call (949) 262-0823.

Costa Mesa fitness studio hosts open house Saturday

Burn Boot Camp of Newport-Mesa will celebrate its first anniversary with an open house Saturday.

The event will include a family workout at 9 a.m., followed by activities such as a bounce house, an obstacle course and a dunk tank.

The studio is at 2675 Irvine Ave. in Costa Mesa.

For more information, visit burnbootcamp.com/costa-mesa-ca.

Boys & Girls Clubs’ benefit dinner is Saturday

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley will present its 39th annual benefit dinner and auction on Saturday at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa.

Funds raised will benefit youth programs and scholarships. Tickets are available for $175 at bgchv.com/greatfutures.

Broadcaster Ed Arnold, a 50-year volunteer, will be honored at the dinner.

Science lecture dinner in Costa Mesa to feature UCI professor

The Arnold O. Beckman Family Science Lecture and Dinner will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Mesa Verde Country Club, 3000 Clubhouse Road, Costa Mesa.

UC Irvine’s Claudia Kawas, a professor of neurology, neurobiology and behavior, is the keynote speaker.

For more information, email Barbara Hamkalo at bahamkal@uci.edu or visit orange-county.arcsfoundation.org.

Fitness festival coming to Huntington Beach YMCA

The Huntington Beach Family YMCA, in partnership with four-time Mr. Olympia Physique Champ and Huntington Beach local Jeremy Buendia, will host the inaugural Orange County Fall Fitness Festival on Oct. 28.

The free event at the YMCA facility at 8875 Adams Ave. will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with educational and children’s activities, motivational seminars and live music.

Barbecue in Newport will benefit Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

Beach, Brews & BBQ, a benefit for the Orange County chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is set for Oct. 28 at the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort, 1131 Back Bay Drive, Newport Beach.

The event will feature live entertainment along with the food and drinks.

Tickets start at $25. For more information, visit beachbrewsbbq17.eventscff.org.

Former Navy SEAL from H.B. will speak at fundraiser

Huntington Beach resident, author and former Navy SEAL Chad Williams will be the keynote speaker for a fundraiser benefiting KidWorks, a Santa Ana-based nonprofit, on Nov. 2.

Williams served in the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Iraq.

The fundraiser will be at the DoubleTree hotel in Santa Ana from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Laguna College of Art and Design gala raises $315,000

The Laguna College of Art and Design raised more than $315,000 at its 28th annual Collectors Choice gala and live auction on Oct. 7 at the Montage Laguna Beach resort, according to a news release.

The Laguna Beach campus also honored Vans, based in Costa Mesa, with its LCAD Creative Partnership Award.

“Since 2012, Vans has collaborated every semester with LCAD in an honors lab that teaches design students the creative process of footwear design and marketing,” LCAD President Jonathan Burke said in a statement. “The LCAD community has benefited greatly from our relationship with Vans, giving our students internship opportunities as well as employing many of our alumni.”

Newport-Mesa school district to host suicide prevention seminars

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District will host a series of suicide education and prevention seminars starting at 6 p.m. Nov. 7 at Corona del Mar High School.

The other seminars will be Nov. 15 at Newport Harbor High School, Nov. 21 at Costa Mesa High School and Nov. 29 at Estancia High School. Those also will start at 6 p.m. No advance registration is required.