CANCELLED - Monthly Westmont Public Telescope Night

Catch the Plastic Harpoons live in the Barrel Room on Friday night.

The NatureTrack Film Festival, the only nature-focused film festival between San Francisco and Los Angeles, will return to Los Olivos on March 20-22, 2020

The NatureTrack Film Festival (NTFF), the only nature-focused film festival between San Francisco and Los Angeles, will return to Los Olivos on March 20-22, 2020. Festival organizers will build on two successful years, bringing an even more diverse and distinctive selection of outdoor film to the third NatureTrack Film Festival. Entries are thoughtfully curated and selected to “ignite passion for nature through film.”
In just two years, the NatureTrack Film Festival has already attracted the attention of filmmakers around the world. The inaugural festival resulted in more than 1,500 film submissions and featured notable outdoor filmmakers like Chris and Keith Malloy, Jeff Johnson, and Chris Burkard. Other artists traveled from as far away as Germany, England and Pakistan to showcase their films. In 2019, festival producers were delighted when Netflix premiered an episode of its hit documentary series “Our Planet” at the festival. Organizers were further honored when renowned filmmaker and National Geographic photographer, James Balog of “Chasing Ice,” asked to bring his newest film “The Human Element” to the 2019 NTFF.

The town of Los Olivos is located just inland and north of Santa Barbara in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley, gateway to the Los Padres National Forest. With Santa Barbara County being the birthplace of Earth Day and the modern environmental movement, it’s an ideal location for a film festival that has been enthusiastically embraced by locals, filmmakers and visitors alike. In Los Olivos, visitors can enjoy a small-town vibe with world-renowned wineries and restaurants to make their film festival experience even more enjoyable.
There is a variety of packages to suit any budget. Individual ticket price is $10; six and 12-packs of tickets available for $50 and $90 respectively, a VIP All-Access Pass is $200. providing an even more economical way to enjoy multiple films. The festival offers discounted Student tickets as well.

Are you curious about how different religions and cultures deal with end-of-life issues?

This year, Hospice of Santa Barbara will host (8) Friday Learn @ Lunch Sessions, each featuring a leader from a different religious tradition to address death and dying. Each will review common concerns, beliefs and rituals around end-of-life issues and practices within their tradition.

Are you curious about how different religions and cultures deal with end-of-life issues?

This year, Hospice of Santa Barbara will host (8) Friday Learn @ Lunch Sessions, each featuring a leader from a different religious tradition to address death and dying. Each will review common concerns, beliefs and rituals around end-of-life issues and practices within their tradition.

What you Need to Know About Leaf Cutter and Mason Bees
You Will Learn:
How to Attract Leaf Cutter and Mason Bees
How to Create Your Own Native Bee House
How to Increase Fruit and Nut Tree Yield
About the Life Cycle of Native Bees

The Santa Barbara Music Club, the largest year-round concert series in Santa Barbara County, celebrates its 50th year! The program for Saturday, March 21, 3pm, is co-presented by the Santa Barbara Music Club and Santa Barbara Public Library and features songs and solo piano works by various composers through the centuries. The free concert is located at the Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library, 40 East Anapamu St. For more information visit www.SBMusicClub.org.

Notice Of Cancellation, Please Read carefully

"By Hand" co-director Kellen Keene, the documentary's subjects twin brothers Casey and Ryan Higginbotham and the film's composer, Todd Hannigan, will be attending the 3rd Annual NatureTrack Film Festival Saturday, March 21 at the festival's "Spotlight" event (St. Mark's In-the-Valley, Stacy Hall, 2901 Nojoqui Ave, Los Olivos).

Due to Governor Newsom’s declaration that large gatherings in California should be canceled through the end of March, we have decided to postpone this event. We will announce a new date once it’s confirmed. Thank you for your understanding. Ticket holders will be offered a refund or to transfer their ticket to the rescheduled date.

Join the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History for Stuffed, a documentary feature film about the surprising world of taxidermy, with special live appearance by award-winning taxidermist Allis Markham of Prey Taxidermy.

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS. WE PLANT TO RESHEDULE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Botso: The Teacher from Tbllis
Film: Saturday, March 21, 2020, 7:00 - 9:30 pm
Concord Hall, 1407 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA
Special Guest: Temmo Korisheli

This award-winning documentary chronicles the life, art and wisdom of Wachtang “Botso” Korisheli, a Georgian immigrant, who founded a thriving musical tradition in the Morro Bay, California area, and launched the careers of a number of notable musicians and conductors.

Born in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia, young Botso was affectionately treated by Josef Stalin before Stalin’s brutal regime ordered the execution of Botso’s father, popular actor Platon Korisheli. Botso was allowed 20 minutes to see his father one last time. Here, inside a dark prison, Platon communicated to his son his most important life lessons. This powerful moment helped Botso endure years of suffering at the hands of both the Soviet army and Nazis during World War II and continued to inspire Botso throughout his life, up to his death at age 93. He developed an infectious passion for humanity, the arts, and life itself. Eventually arriving in America with nothing but hope, Botso furthered his musical training and became a beloved educator of children. He went on to touch generations of students, inspiring some of the world’s premier musical artists, including five-time Grammy Award winner Kent Nagano.

Filmed partly in the Republic of Georgia, this feature-length documentary captures the rich culture of an ancient country that shaped Botso’s unique way of teaching. Produced under the auspices of the San Luis Obispo Symphony, profits go toward music scholarships for children for years to come!

Questions and discussion will follow the showing of the film.

Botso’s son, Temmo Korisheli, will attend the film showing on Saturday, March 21st, and share his memories and insights of his father’s life and work. He is an active performer in many musical styles, especially medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque. He has been on staff with the Amherst Early Music Festival of New England for the past 22 years, where he has collaborated with many luminaries of the early-music world. Mr. Korisheli has appeared as soloist with ensembles such as the Los Angeles Baroque Orchestra, the New York Collegium under Andrew Parrott, and regional oratorio societies; as a guest artist with several university early music programs around the state and beyond. He sang for many years in the UCSB Cappella Cordina. He is a founding member of the UCSB Middle East Ensemble, sings frequently in the Opera Santa Barbara Chorus, and plays clawhammer banjo.