Book club
Poppies Art and Gifts will hold its monthly book club meeting Nov. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. The selection for November is “The Art Forger” by B.A. Shapiro. The novel is based on the 1990 theft of 13 paintings at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston.
Sing-along at Greater Goods
“American Songbook Today” presents its second monthly Tuesdays at Twilight on Oct. 29, 7 to 9 p.m., at Greater Goods in Meiners Oaks, 145 W. El Roblar.
Sgt. Pepper to spice up Saturday

Submitted photo
Sgt. Pepper band members Dennis Neil Jones (bass and keyboards) of Ojai, Lynn Coulter (drums), Bill Horn (guitar), Tom Kolb (guitar).
Sgt. Pepper will perform at Discovery Ventura on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 5 to 8 p.m.
'80 Words' winners celebrate

Photo by Stephen Adams
The 17-and-under winners, from left: Sam Yarabek, English teacher at Besant High School; Maria M, Ellie A, Ben L, Jessica P, Bibiana, and Portia Johnson, head of Beasant School. (The school asked that the students’ last names not be included.)
A gathering of more than 100 people attended the “80 Words for 80 Years Short Story Contest” award ceremony Oct. 14 at the Ojai Art Center. The contest was held by the Art Center Literary Branch.
Honoring artist Norman Kirk, 95
There will be two receptions this weekend to honor artist Norman Kirk, 95.
The first will be Oct. 19 at the Ojai Art Center, and the second will be Sunday, Oct. 20. The receptions will be held at the Ojai Art Center from 1 to 3 p.m. on both days.
Music Festival names the new 2021 artistic director

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Ara Guzelimian
Ara Guzelimian, provost and dean of the Juilliard School in New York City, has been chosen as the next artistic director of the Ojai Music Festival for the 75th Festival in 2021, according to Ojai Music Festival Board Chairman Jerrold Eberhardt.
Southern flavor spices up Ojai Storytelling Festival

Photo submitted
Tim Lowry
The Ojai Storytelling Festival will bring some Southern flavor to this year’s festival with Tim Lowry of South Carolina. Lowry is a “professional storyteller,” which means that telling the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is … negotiable.
Ojai Pops Orchestra to entertain
Ojai Pops Orchestra will perform a free community concert Sunday, Oct. 20 at 3:30 p.m. at Libbey Bowl in Ojai. This is the final concert for the 2019 concert season.
Mask maker artist at reception

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Mask created by Robert Lamarche
Get ready for Halloween on Third Friday, Oct. 18, at HumanArts Gallery in the Arcade, 246 E. Ojai Ave. Meet Ojai artist and mask maker Robert “Robear” Lamarche at a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Downtown Friday Fun

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Pendant by Sharon Curtis
Cooler temperatures have ushered in the Halloween spirit and spooks, but that won’t stop people from attending Ojai’s Third Friday, Oct. 18, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Downtown Ojai offers extended open venues with light refreshments and live music. OVA Gallery, located at 238 E. Ojai Ave. in the arcade, will be highlighting the work of jeweler Sharon Curtis, potter Carole Paddock, and photographer Deborah Lyon.
Hearing storytellers' tales

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Anne Rutherford
The Ojai Storytelling Festival will present a day of storytelling performances for students at Libbey Bowl on Friday, Oct. 25. Two separate performances are scheduled: the 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. performance for grades K to 3 will feature Peter Cook, Anne Rutherford and Tim Lowry, and the 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. performance for grades 4 to 12 will feature Debra Ehrhardt, Kim Weitkamp, Jennifer Munro and Blind Boy Paxton.