Around Town: Boat parade theme ideas due Wednesday
Suggested themes are due at noon Wednesday for this year’s Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade.
The Chamber of Commerce will award the winner of the public contest a VIP trip for two on Santa’s boat during the parade, which will run Dec. 16 to 20 in Newport Harbor.
According to the chamber, proposed themes should be concise and give parade and Ring of Lights entrants something they can decorate around. Last year’s theme was “Deck the Hulls with Bows of Jolly.”
Contest entries can be emailed to entries@christmasboatparade.com.
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Record Store Day to feature special releases
Music enthusiasts, collectors and bargain hunters will gather Saturday for a day of nostalgia called Record Store Day.
On every third Saturday of April since 2007, local and independent record stores have participated in Record Store Day, featuring special vinyl and CD releases.
This year, Record Store Day’s exclusive limited releases include rare, new and re-released recordings from artists such as the Bee Gees, David Bowie, the Doors, Brian Wilson, Cold War Kids and more. Shoppers are urged to call ahead to see if a store will be carrying a certain release.
Participating stores include Creme Tangerine, Factory Records, Port of Sound Record Shoppe and Analog Record Shop in Costa Mesa.
For a list of all participating stores, visit RecordStoreDay.com/Venues.
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Culinary scholarships, grants available
The James Beard Foundation, which offers programs for aspiring culinary professionals, is accepting applications for its 2015 scholarship program. More than $700,000 in scholarships and grants will be available.
The new scholarship and grant offerings include two from South Coast Plaza restaurants Marché Moderne and AnQi. A third Orange County-based scholarship is funded by Zov Karmardian, founder of Zov’s restaurants.
Applications must be postmarked by May 15. Forms are available at sms.scholarshipamerica.org/jamesbeard.
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Costa Mesa student selected for engineering program
Costa Mesa ninth-grader Zora McPhail was recently selected to participate in a youth engineering program at Michigan Technology University in Houghton, Mich.
The 15-year-old Waldorf School of Orange County student will travel to the campus in July to participate in the university’s Engineering Scholars Program.
Zora, whose father graduated from MTU, will be among the youngest students to receive a scholarship to attend the program.
After an eighth-grade project, she became interested in blacksmith work and participates in the Orange County Blacksmith Guild at the Heritage Museum of Orange County in Santa Ana.
“I really liked working in the forge, the people I met and learning different techniques,” Zora said in a statement. “I’m so happy I got to experience it as my school project. Bending and shaping hot metal looks easy, but it requires a lot of strength and patience.”
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Tickets available for Balboa Island home tour
Tickets are on sale for the Balboa Island Museum and Historical Society Home Tour.
The walking tour will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 20. Participants will visit and learn about eight of Balboa Island’s historical homes.
Tickets are $30 ($25 for museum members) and are available at https://www.balboaislandmuseum.org or by writing to the Balboa Island Museum, P.O. Box 147, Balboa Island, CA, 92662.
For more information, call (949) 675-3288 or email jherdman1@roadrunner.com.
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New scholarship awarded
A Santa Ana lawyer will award a $1,000 scholarship next month at the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity in Costa Mesa.
Eric Traut of the Traut Firm will present the annual award during an Orange County Bar Foundation event on May 20.
The scholarship program is intended to help low-income, first-generation college students. The recipient also will receive mentorship services from the foundation.
“I’ve seen how important it is to level the playing field when it comes to issues regarding access to education, and I support the vision of the Bar Foundation to help students overcome cultural, financial and social barriers to higher education,” Traut said in a statement.
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Play raises $10,000 for victims of sex assault
Volunteers of Community Service Programs raised more than $10,000 through the second annual production of “The Vagina Monologues” on Saturday at the Frida Cinema in Santa Ana. Proceeds will benefit the nonprofit’s services for victims of sexual assault.
Costa Mesa resident Jessica DeSalva, a Community Service Programs volunteer, coordinated the play.
“This production of ‘The Vagina Monologues’ is truly a vehicle of change, helping victims to feel empowered to speak up about their experiences,” DeSalva said in a statement. “The issue of sexual assault can affect anyone, and we wanted the show to offer inclusion for all.”