Around Town: Special pricing for this summer’s Pageant of the Masters ends March 17

Pageant of the Masters is holding a limited time ticket offering to this summer’s production of “À La Mode: The Art of Fashion� that applies to Monday through Thursday evening performances from July 6 to Aug. 30. The specially priced tickets will only be available until March 17.

“In celebration of St. Patrick’s Day, we’re spreading some Irish luck by offering special discounted tickets that will save our patrons some green,� Sharbie Higuchi, marketing and public relations director at the Festival of Arts, stated in a news release.

Tickets can be purchased online at foapom.com or by calling (800) 487-3378. Use promo code GREEN24 for $45 tickets in Main Tier seating, up to a $70 value.

A Pageant ticket also serves as a season pass to the 2024 Festival of Arts Fine Art Show, taking place from July 3 to Aug. 30.

Speak Up Newport meeting on housing

Speak Up Newport is hosting a panel on the Regional Housing Needs Assessment numbers and where 4,845 new housing units can be found and placed in the city. Speaking will be Assistant City Manager Seimone Jurjis, who is also the community development director.

The panel will be held on March 19 at the Civic Center Community Room. The reception will begin at 5:15 p.m. with the program expected to start at 6 p.m. Attendance is free , but those viewing the Zoom simulcast must register at speakupnewport.com/housing-amendments-2024.

Sherman Library & Gardens opens summer internship applications

The Sherman Library & Gardens announced Tuesday it will open its application process for summer internships through March 31. The intensive, six-week paid internship is for high school students who show an interest in horticulture or public gardens. They will be working with the organization’s education team and take field trips to local botanic gardens and nurseries. For more information or to apply, visit thesherman.org/education/high-school-internship.

Newport Beach Arts Commission seeks input on sculptures

A poll is up again for residents of Newport Beach to weigh in on the city’s sculpture garden in Civic Center Park. The poll will close on March 11. Those interested in responding can visit sparkoc.com/nb_sculpture_poll.

Twenty-eight works have been selected for consideration. Of those, 10 will be determined as finalists with three to five others as alternates for City Council consideration. Voters are able to select up to 10 works. When the sculpture selections are finalized, they will be on display for two years as part of the next installment wave.

Banff Film Festival returns to OCC

Orange Coast College announced Thursday the Banff Film Festival, which features films focused on the outdoors, will return to its campus on March 12 and 13.

A screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour will take place both days at the Robert B. Moore Theatre, beginning at 7 p.m. Advance tickets can be purchased for $16; OCC student pricing is $10. On the day of the screening, tickets will be $20.

To purchase tickets, visit occtickets.universitytickets.com/w/event.aspx?id=3376. Free parking will be available in Lots C and D. All proceeds will go to OCC Friends of the Library.

Miracles for Kids marks 20 years

Miracles for Kids is celebrating 20 years of helping children with life-threatening illnesses in partnership with other Orange County entities.

To achieve its mission, Miracles for Kids, headquartered in Irvine, has partnered over the years with Assistance League of Orange, Ashmore Construction, National Charity League and Lion’s Heart.

“The ongoing support we get from the community is everything,� Autumn Strier, co-founder of Miracles for Kids, stated in a news release issued this week. “We could not do what we do without the support we have received over the last 20 years. We are grateful for so much support that we have had the opportunity to help so many families.�

The nonprofit founded in 2024 was established to help families that include youngsters with serious health conditions. The organization has helped them pay bills, provided pro bono medical care for uninsured family members and offered long-term housing assistance, among other related endeavors. More than 2,100 families have benefited from the organization’s efforts over the past two decades. To learn more visit miraclesforkids.org.

Low-cost spay/neuter vouchers for Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods residents

Throughout March, the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter’s Protecting Unwanted Pets (PUP) program will offer vouchers to cover the majority of the costs to spay or neuter local pets for pet owners who live in Laguna Beach and Laguna Woods.

Residents may purchase vouchers — prices range from $30 to $125 for spaying and from $15 to $95 dollars for neutering and are based on an animal’s weight — at the Laguna Beach Animal Shelter, 20612 Laguna Canyon Road. Vouchers must be purchased in March, and all procedures must take place in April.

Each pet will be evaluated by a veterinarian. Any additional medical attention will be the responsibility of the pet owner. Participating vets are the Laguna Beach Animal Hospital and the Laguna Beach Veterinary Medical Center. For more information, call (949) 497-3552.

Laguna Art Museum brings in $450,000 at its annual fundraiser

The California Cool Art Auction + Benefit + Bash held March 2 for the benefit of the Laguna Art Museum raised $450,000, officials reported Friday.

The funds raised during the annual gala, held at the museum, go toward supporting its exhibitions, programs and art education initiatives.

The auction portion of the fundraiser featured artworks from more than 100 prominent California artists including Laddie John Dill, Shepard Fairey, Ed Ruscha, Astrid Preston, Elizabeth Orleans, Cristopher Cichocki, Blue McRight, Ed Moses and more.

“We express our heartfelt appreciation to the extraordinary individuals who attended our event, as well as the in-person and remote bidders whose enthusiasm added to the success,� Julie Perlin Lee, executive director of the museum, stated in a news release. “Our gratitude extends to the museum trustees, the vibrant community and the exceptional artists who generously contributed their artwork for the auction. It was truly a remarkable gathering to celebrate the rich tapestry of California art.�

Costa Mesa seeks applicants for inaugural Poet Laureate program

The city of Costa Mesa’s new Poet Laureate program, which aims to promote the literary arts while increasing appreciation for the reading and writing of poetry and self-expression, will begin accepting applications for the city’s first Poet Laureate from March 11 through April 30.

Applicants must fill out an online application and submit five examples of written published poetry (either professionally or self-published) along with a video recording sample of a reading or performance of one of the written work samples.

Would-be laureates must also compose a 500-word proposal of how they would engage with the public as the city’s Poet Laureate, including an audience and engagement strategy and samples of projects or workshops that would support the focus of their two-year appointment.

Eligible candidates must be 18 years or older, have lived or worked in Costa Mesa for at least one year and be a practicing, published poet. Awardees will be paid two $2,500 stipends per year. For more visit, costamesaca.gov and enter “poet laureate� in the search bar.

Costa Mesa’s Save Our Youth to host pickleball mixer/fundraiser March 22

Calling all picklers! The nonprofit Save our Youth (SOY) — which aims to empower Newport-Mesa Unified students through events, classes and programs on leadership, volunteerism, career and college readiness, health and wellness and more — will host a night of pickleball at the Costa Mesa Tennis Center March 22.

The cost is $60 per player, with games running from 5 to 7 p.m., and includes tacos and beers provided by Taco Mesa, from 7 to 8 p.m. Donations raised will provide scholarships for high school seniors in SOY’s college bound program, who will soon become first-generation college students in their families. Sponsorship opportunities for groups of two, four, six and 10 players are also available. Visit save-our-youth.org/pickleball-mixer to register.

Art and science converge at free Beckman Arts and Science Family Festival Saturday

The Beckman Arts and Science Family Festival — a free day of exhibition booths, interactive experiments and performances that explore the nexus of art and science — returns to Costa Mesa Saturday, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., on the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza.

With over 20 participating community organizations, guests will be able to encounter a wide variety of arts and science topics, from magnetic robots to live animal encounters, as well as free mini train rides, balloon twisters, airbrush tattoos and a bubble play area provided by BubblePOP.

The festival also includes performances from Polyglot Theatre’s BEES at 1 and 2 p.m. and the Side Street Strutters.

Segerstrom Center of the Arts’ Argyros Plaza is located at 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. For more, visit scfta.org/events/2024/beckman-arts-and-science-festival.