Art Workshop

Westminster--Watercolor artist Linda Gunn, who uses glazes, foil and stains in her work, will show how her technique works at a free demonstration tonight.

She’ll bring three versions of one of her paintings. Like a television cooking demonstration, one painting will be finished and Gunn will tinker with the other two as she explains her style.

“The idea is to reach a realistic effect by using all these unconventional effects,” says Gunn, who lists the more traditional Andrew Wyeth and Norman Rockwell among her inspirations.

Creativity would seem to run in Gunn’s family: Her grandfather trained cartoonists for Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

The paintings will be raffled off after the demonstration, and the proceeds will support the Westminster Art Assn.’s scholarships.

What: Watercolor Demonstration.

When: Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Westminster Civic Center, 8200 Westminster Blvd.

Whereabouts: Take the San Diego Freeway (I-405) to Beach Boulevard exit. Head north to Westminster Boulevard and turn right.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 842-4777.

Fair

Huntington Beach--Nobles and peasants alike will be exploring Golden West College’s Renaissance A’Faire this weekend. The 16th-Century Elizabethan shire and marketplace, which will have the theme “Famous Monarchs,” will feature nonstop entertainment, 16th-Century cuisine and game and craft booths.

Visitors will get a firsthand glimpse of the past by encountering gypsies, pirates, warriors, weavers, merchants, craftsmen and royalty, including appearances by Queen Elizabeth I, King Henry VIII, France’s Catherine de’ Medici and Spain’s King Philip.

Proceeds of the event will support student services and college projects at Golden West College.

What: Renaissance A’Faire.

When: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, from 10 a.m. to dusk each day.

Where: Golden West College, 15744 Golden West St., Huntington Beach.

Whereabouts: Take the San Diego (I-405) Freeway to Golden West Street exit and go south. Golden West College will be on the left-hand side at Golden West Street and Edinger Avenue.

Wherewithal: $5 general; $3 students and senior citizens; children 11 years and under free.

Where to call: (714) 548-4942.

Home Tour

Yorba Linda--Those visiting beautiful homes during Littlest Angel Guild’s 17th annual home tour in Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills will also be helping Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

Four modern architect-designed private residences will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday. All proceeds from ticket sales will go to the hospital, which treats children regardless of families’ ability to pay for medical care.

One of the homes on the tour has a children’s wing with a nursery with hand-painted Disney characters, a tiered back yard and a pool with a rock slide. Another house features a gourmet kitchen with granite counters and a stained-glass ceiling. Another home offers views of the hills of the Cleveland National Forest.

The architecture styles of the homes include English Tudor and Mediterranean.

What: Littlest Angel Guild 17th annual Home Tour.

When: Friday, Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills.

Whereabouts: Directions provided with ticket purchase.

Wherewithal: $20 in advance, $25 the day of the tour at San Antonio Catholic Church, 5800 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road in Anaheim Hills.

Where to call: (714) 996-7953.

Festival

Orange--Chapman University will become a small world Tuesday during A Day in the Life of the World, an international fair.

Students will prepare foods of more than 20 nations including Korea, Malaysia, Czechoslovakia, France, Lebanon, Iran, China, Sri Lanka, Kenya and Argentina.

While munching on the myriad international delicacies, fair patrons will be entertained by a Mexican mariachi band, a Lebanese belly dancer and an exhibition of native Maori dancing of New Zealand.

Vendors will also be on hand peddling international artifacts, crafts and jewelry.

What: A Day in the Life of the World international fair.

When: Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Where: Chapman University, Argyros Forum, Orange.

Whereabouts: Take the Garden Grove (22) Freeway to Glassell Street. Head north on Glassell and make a right on Palm Avenue. Make a left on Center Street. The Argyros Forum is on Center Street between Sycamore and Palm avenues.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 997-6829.

Country Festival

Aliso Viejo--You can supercharge your country batteries Saturday at the Country Festival, where there will be free music, dancing, food and crafts all day long.

Square-dancers, barbershop quartets and cloggers will perform in the afternoon, but they’ll make way for dancing amateurs in the evening. The Western Union Band will take the stage at 6 p.m.

For the kids, there will be pony rides, face painting, five-pin bowling, a petting zoo and other events.

What: Country Festival.

When: Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Sheep Hills Park, Aliso Viejo.

Whereabouts: Take Interstate 5 to Alicia Parkway exit, head south, turn right on Moulton Parkway. Park is at Moulton and Laguna Hills Drive. Or take Coast Highway to Laguna Canyon Road and head north. Take El Toro Road exit and continue north. Then turn right on Moulton Parkway.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 837-6050.

Senior Festival

Costa Mesa--The spirit of competition will be captured Tuesday during the Senior Celebration at the Orange County Fairgrounds.

The public is invited to watch people 55 and over test their skills in everything from target shooting to baseball during the daylong event.

The event features Senior Games, which include baseball, basketball, shotput and target shooting. Wheelchair races will also be held. For those with an artistic flair, winning entries in the arts and crafts competitions, which were previously submitted, will also be on display. Winners, who were singled out in categories such as crochet, ceramics, clay, clothing and dolls will receive ribbons and cash prizes for their work.

Entertainment will include country and big band music and performances by senior dance groups.

Senior Games are open to Orange County residents 55 and older who live in retirement home, convalescent centers and board and care facilities. The games are also open to those who attend Orange County adult day-care centers or facilities whose activity directors are members of the Orange County Activity Directors Assn.

What: Senior Celebration.

When: Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Where: Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa.

Whereabouts: From the San Diego (I-405) Freeway take the Fairview Road exit. Go south on Fairview, take a left onto Fair Drive.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 549-9802.

Lecture

Irvine--Author Peter McWilliams, who’s such a positive thinker that he sent 20,000 copies of one of his books to American troops during the Gulf War, will lecture tonight about overcoming negative habits at home and work.

In his book “Do It! Let’s Get Off Our Buts,” he argues that we simply get too comfortable in our old patterns to change--even though we might want to.

Achieving goals, whether professional or personal, takes more than talent. It takes getting up off the couch, he says. But McWilliams promises that it’s more fun to stretch your legs . . . and your wings.

What: Author’s lecture.

When: Thursday, Oct. 22, at 8 p.m.

Where: Crystal Cove Auditorium at UC Irvine.

Whereabouts: Take Corona del Mar (73) Freeway to University Drive. Head east to Campus Drive. Turn right at Bridge Road.

Wherewithal: $6.

Where to call: (714) 856-5000.

Art Show

Costa Mesa--The instructors at Orange Coast College are showing off their artistic talents in the annual Faculty Art Show.

More than 20 instructors have submitted pieces for the event, which runs until Nov. 5 at the college’s gallery.

This year it isn’t just the college’s art department that has decided to take a shot at being creative. While the show features pieces from photography and art instructors, also included is music teacher Joe Poshek’s handcrafted furniture. Math and physics instructor Phil Baily contributes with fractal video images, which use complex mathematical equations to generate video art.

The show includes sculpture, photography, painting, printmaking, watercolors, oils and pastels.

What: Orange Coast College Faculty Art Show.

When: Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Through Nov. 5.

Where: Orange Coast College Art Gallery, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

Whereabouts: Take the San Diego (I-405) Freeway to the Fairview Road exit. Go south on Fairview. The college is at Fairview and Adams Avenue.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 432-5039.

Crafts Bazaar

Cypress--A model home will be turned into a holiday boutique this weekend for Holiday Extravaganza, an arts and crafts fair sponsored by Cypress Homes.

More than 40 artisans are expected to show off their handcrafted wares in the model, which is part of the massive Sorrento homes development.

While strolling through the newly finished home, fair-goers can choose from a variety of holiday gifts for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some of the items for sale include hand-designed sweat shirts, ornaments, dolls, candles, bread dough decorations and baskets.

Local artists from around the Southland were recruited for the show, which continues each weekend through Nov. 14. Early next year the fair will be expanded to include international food tasting.

What: Holiday Extravaganza.

When: Saturdays and Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Through Nov. 14.

Where: Cypress Classics homes, 9807 Fonte Road, Cypress.

Whereabouts: Take the Artesia (91) Freeway to the Valley View Street exit. Go south. Turn right on Ball Road. Homes are near Ball Road and Moody Street.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 826-3512.

Safety Fair

Buena Park--It’s a dream come true for children who have always wanted to drive Barbie’s Beach Buggy, a miniature Corvette or a Jeep. Children ages 3 to 10 are invited to test-drive these and more of their favorite vehicles at Buena Park Mall.

A test-driving school in the mall’s center court will showcase “Power Wheels Vehicles” where participants will receive instruction on driving the vehicles, personalized test-drive report cards and drivers’ licenses.

The event will challenge a child’s driving ability--stressing traffic safety--through a series of tests that include right- and left-hand turns, backing up, hand signals and driving courtesy.

Vehicles will be given away in a raffle.

The Community Safety Fair will also feature “Kindervision,” in which children will be fingerprinted and videotaped and parents take home the results at no charge.

Buena Park Fire and Police departments and the California Highway Patrol will also be on hand to offer safety tips to children. Children can talk to officers, check out the fire engine on display and meet McGruff, the Crime Fighting Dog, and Sparky the Fire Dog.

The mall will also launch its Buena Bunch Kids Club for children ages 2 to 10. The club will meet monthly for crafts, entertainment and fun.

What: Community Safety Fair and Power Wheels Test Drive Extravaganza.

When: Saturday, Oct. 24. Test drives are from noon to 4 p.m.; Buena Bunch club meets at 11 a.m.; fingerprinting is from noon to 3 p.m.

Where: Buena Park Mall, La Palma and Stanton avenues.

Whereabouts: Take the Riverside (91) Freeway west to Magnolia Avenue exit, go south, right on La Palma Avenue. The mall is one block east of Knott’s Berry Farm.

Wherewithal: Free

Where to call: (714) 828-7722.

Music

Tustin--When actor and director Joshua Carr saw the riots in Los Angeles, he thought about starting a theater school in Santa Ana to let local children act out on the stage, not in the streets.

Carr and theatrical friends are presenting “Rodgers and Hart--A Celebration,” on Monday to raise money to support the school. The production is a sampling of love songs from musicals of the 1930s and ‘40s written by Rodgers and Hart.

The school, Santa Ana Summer Stock Inc., will teach kids dance, music, stagecraft, acting, lighting design and costume design. Carr hopes to teach 100 to 150 kids each spring.

Next summer he wants to produce “Hello, Dolly” with students from his school.

What: “Rodgers and Hart--A Celebration.”

When: Monday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m.

Where: Elizabeth Howard Curtain Call Dinner Theater, 690 El Camino Real, Tustin.

Whereabouts: Take the Santa Ana (I-5) Freeway to Red Hill Avenue. Head northeast one block to El Camino Real and turn left.

Wherewithal: $15 to $100.

Where to call: (714) 730-0702.

Festivals

San Juan Capistrano--Not one, but two, events are planned for Sunday to herald the start of fall in San Juan Capistrano’s historic district. Festival-goers can choose a hayride at the Harvest Festival or a swig of German beer at Oktoberfest during the daylong double celebration sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and Franciscan Plaza.

The Harvest Festival, which begins at 10 a.m. at the Mini Farm, will feature hayrides, a pumpkin patch, pony rides and several games. Local schools will also get in on the fun with game and food booths to help raise money for special school-related activities. A number of artisans will also be on hand selling their handcrafted wares.

Just across the way at the Franciscan Plaza Promenade, the festival continues with the oom-pah-pah sounds of the Blue Birds at Oktoberfest. A beer garden will be set up in the patio area of the plaza along with an Art Walk sponsored by the Capo Valley Art Council. The German-style fun begins at 11 a.m.

What: Harvest Festival and Oktoberfest.

When: Sunday, Oct. 25. Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oktoberfest runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Where: The Mini Farm, 31791 Los Rios St. and Franciscan Plaza, 31781 Camino Capistrano.

Whereabouts: Take Interstate 5 to the Ortega Highway exit. Drive west on Ortega Highway. Make a left on Camino Capistrano and a right on Verdugo Street. Park in the lot by the train station.

Wherewithal: Free.

Where to call: (714) 493-4700.