The third annual Thousand Oaks Arts Festival is scheduled for Sat. and Sun., Sept. 16 and 17 at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Mary and Richard Carpenter Plaza Park, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd.

The event will feature more than 80 visual arts exhibitors, live performances, art demonstrations, and children's interactive hands-on exhibits.

This year's honorary celebrity chair is John Schneider, actor and singer.

Ventura County visual artists are invited to be a part of this special event to celebrate the visual and performing arts of the area. There are a limited number of visual arts exhibiting spaces available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Artist prospectus and application are available on the festival website, www.toartsfestival.com.

Performers lined up to appear at the event include California Dance Theatre,

Channelaire Chorus, Oaks Chamber Singers, Debi Lewis Vocal Studio, Westlake High School "Premiere," Academy of Dance and Performing Arts, Bobbie's School of Performing Arts and the band Relish.

Last year's honorary celebrity chair, actress and artist Jane Seymour, will return this year with a booth of her artwork and be present at the booth on Sunday afternoon to greet visitors.

Festival admission is free and hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Refreshments will be available for purchase.

Project Playhouse, a fundraiser for HomeAid, will open their artistic playhouses to the public on Saturday at The Lakes. Suggested donation is $2.

Restaurants at The Lakes will host a beer garden, wine garden and sake garden during the festival and live entertainment will play at that site as well.

The Arts Festival kicks off with the second annual Kids and the Arts Fun Run on Sat., Sept. 16 at The Lakes, featuring a 5K, 10K, and one mile fun run/walk. The Lakes shopping center is at 2200 Thousand Oaks Blvd., adjacent to the Civic Arts Plaza.

Pre-registration is $20 (Tshirt included) and day of race registration is $25 beginning at 6:30 a.m. First and second place medals will be awarded in both men and women's categories for all age groups. For more information, call

the Alliance for the Arts at (805) 449-2590 or register online at www.allianceforthearts.org.

This event is in conjunction with the Thousand Oaks Arts Festival and hosted by the Alliance for the Arts to benefit its Kids and the Arts Outreach Program.