THURS., APRIL 19

Bonsai Beauties Conejo Valley Bonsai Society meets 7:30 p.m., community room, Commercial Capital Bank, 973 S. Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village. Bring tree to work on, get advice from resident pros or watch. Nat Stein, (805) 374-9668.

Garden Club Oak Park Gardeners meet 7 p.m., Mae Boyer Park, Kanan and Conifer roads, Oak Park. Guest speaker Dee Lyon from Audubon Club of Conejo Valley. Topic: native plants that wildlife, birds need for food. Visitors welcome. (818) 879-7446.

Charitable Angels Second annual Angels of Charity Spring Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Moorpark Country Club. Guest speaker Dr. Janice Daurio, philosophy professor. Reservations $100, includes luncheon, membership dues. Angels is women's organization supporting programs of Catholic Charities, Ventura County. RSVP Maria Peate, (805) 497-8343.

FRI., APRIL 20

Classic Comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" opens at Camarillo Community Theatre, 330 Skyway Drive, inside Camarillo Airport. Continues through May 13. Friday, Saturday 8 p.m. Sunday 2 p.m. (805) 388-5716.

Fantasy Painter Simi Valley Art Association meets 7 to 9:30 p.m., Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Artist/ teacher John Sidman creates a fantasy painting in acrylics. Brief business meeting. $5 donation from nonmembers. Michelle Adler, (805) 526-4599.

SAT., APRIL 21

Arbor/Earth Day City of Thousand Oaks, Conejo Recreation and Park District hosts 10th annual Arbor/Earth Day, Conejo Creek Park North, 1379 E. Janss Road. Exhibitors, animal shows, children's crafts, Tidepool Cruiser, new technology vehicles, food vendors, compost workshops, Jolly Jump, free trees and plants. Free. www.toaks.org.

Kids Love To Read Cal State Channel Islands Library sponsors Children's Reading Celebration & Young Author's Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on campus in Camarillo. Display of books by local children, storytelling, art, book fair. Authors Greg Trine, Lisze Bechtold sign books, Malibu Hall 100 and 120. Admission, parking free.

Horsin' Around Equestrian Trails Inc. Corral 37 hosts Playday, Conejo Creek Equestrian Park, 1300 Avenida de Las Flores, Thousand Oaks. Sign up 10 a.m. Playday begins 11 a.m. $10 for all events. All ages invited. Katie, (805) 368-5022, www.eti37.org.

Picnic, Car Show Kickoff Picnic, Classic Car Show begins 51st annual Conejo Valley Days, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Food, live entertainment, vintage car show. $5 car show (proceeds to Rotary services). $100 tickets for car giveaway (benefits Westminster Free Clinic). Vern Miller, (805) 492-5779.

Straight Shooters Conejo Valley Archers of Simi Valley shoot 9 a.m. every Saturday, Tapo Canyon Park, 4651 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley. All equipment provided, certified instructors. All ages welcome. $3/ four hours shooting. (805) 5301339. www.cvarchers.org.

GOP Guest Speaker Conejo Valley Republican Women meet for luncheon 11:30 a.m., Alamo Grill, 2311 Borchard Road, Newbury Park. Speaker Susanne Reyto, author "Pursuit of Freedom: A True Story of the Enduring Power of Hope and Dreams" about turbulent years in Communist Hungary in late 1950s. $20. RSVP Bev Donley, (805) 495-3409.

Stargazers Ventura County Astronomical Society celebrates National Astronomy Day, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., The Lakes, 2200 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks. Telescope displays, children's activities, solar observing. 8 p.m. viewing through telescopes, Charles Temple Observatory, Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Road. Evening event for ages 8 up. All events free. vcas1@aol.com, www.vcas.org.

Scandinavian Festival Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation hosts Scandinavian Festival, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and tomorrow, California Lutheran University. Entertainment, Nordic food, anthems, Old World costumes, marketplace, Saturday evening smorgasbord. Admission $5 adults, $4 seniors, $2 youth, children under 12 free. Dick Londgren, (805) 241-1051, ScanCenter@callutheran.edu.

Beautify Beach California State Parks Foundation hosts Earth Day Restoration and Cleanup. 9 a.m. to noon, Malibu Lagoon State Beach. Volunteers pick up trash, remove large debris, trim plants, paint over graffiti, intersection Cross Creek Road, Pacific Coast Highway. Meet at picnic area. Water, gloves provided. Mo Zuhair, (818) 880-0367, mzuhair@parks.ca.gov.

Flapper Era Dance The Unforgettables Big Band plays for dance, Goebel Senior Adult Center ballroom, 1385 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. Roaring '20s theme. Doors open 7 p.m. Dancing 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Refreshments. Singles, couples. $5 members, $7 nonmembers. (805) 381-2744.

SUN., APRIL 22

Poetic Muse Paradigm Poets presents public poetry reading, "The Many Shapes of Poetry," 2 to 4 p.m., Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road. Refreshments served. Free. (805) 526-1735, www.paradigmpoets.net.

Park Party Conejo Recreation and Park District hosts "Come Play With Us" open house, 1 to 4 p.m., Thousand Oaks Community Park, 2525 N. Moorpark Road. Learn about district programs, summer employment. Swimming tests, summer aquatic registration information. Live entertainment. Free. (805) 381-2793.

Baseball Benefit Westlake Baseball Association hosts annual fundraiser, "Step Up to the Plate" dinner/auction, 5 to 9 p.m., Chapter 8 Steakhouse & Lounge, 29020 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills. Benefits Westlake Baseball, Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo & Las Virgenes. Silent, live auction, including trips to Hawaii, Mammoth. $75. Buy tickets at www.westlakebaseball.org or Jennifer Sutman, (818) 889-6930.

TUES., APRIL 24

Eradicate Plant Pests Organic Garden & Herb Society meets 7 p.m., Newbury Park Library, 2331 Borchard Road. John Miller, Thousand Oaks Public Works Landscape Program, talks on pest management using beneficial insects, nontoxic methods.

WED., APRIL 25

Classical Guitarists Ventura County Classical Guitar Society meets 7 p.m., Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District's Senior Center, 1605 E. Burnley St., Camarillo. Guest guitarist David Adele. Free, open to public. Gail DeWolfe, (805) 4826224.

Effects Of War Global Exchange Ventura County Supporters sponsors Dr. Dahlia Wasfi, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Grant Brimhall/Thousand Oaks Library, 1401 E. Janss Road. Topic is "The human cost of the invasion and occupation of Iraq." Free, open to public. Gordon Clint, (805) 4989401.

Sew Nice

Channel Islands Chapter The Embroiderer's Guild of America meets 9:30 a.m., Camarillo United Methodist Church, 291 Anacapa Drive. Free. Beginners welcome. (805) 498-5956.

Birthday Buffet Brandeis University National Women's Committee of Conejo Valley hosts buffet lunch in honor of 150th birthday of Justice Louis Brandeis, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., North Ranch Country Club, 4761 Valley Spring Drive, Westlake Village. Shelley, (818) 874-0044.