Frankie Avalon Singer and actor Frankie Avalon will serve as the honorary celebrity chair of the fifth annual Thousand Oaks Arts Festival on Sat. and Sun., Sept. 20 and 21 at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, Mary and Richard Carpenter Plaza Park, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

"We are very excited to have local resident and Alliance for the Arts celebrity ambassador Frankie Avalon serve as our honorary chair. He is recognized the world over for his music and movie career. Frankie is one of the original teen idols," said Richard Williams, arts festival cochair.

Avalon's songs "De De Dinah" and "Venus" became the first of many hits of the late '50s and early '60s. He appeared on television programs hosted by Perry Como, Ed Sullivan and Dick Clark.

He has performed in more than 30 movies, including "The Alamo," "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," "Grease," 1960s beach movies and the 1987 reunion movie "Back to the Beach" with Annette Funicello.

Avalon performs in nightclubs across the country, including Las Vegas hotel main rooms. He is the president and CEO of Frankie Avalon Products Inc., a line of health products.

The arts festival will feature more than 60 local visual and performing artists presenting art for sale and live musical performances throughout the weekend on the open air stage at the Civic Arts Plaza and The Lakes.

Artists from California Lutheran University will give demonstrations. New West Symphony, Art Trek and Young Rembrandts have planned children's interactive exhibits. Mimes and jugglers will also perform.

Light refreshments will be for sale, and restaurants at The Lakes will be open.

The weekend includes the Kids and the Arts Fun Run on Saturday at 6:30 a.m. at The Lakes. Run registration is $25 preregistration and $30 day of race.

The festival is free and open to the public. Free parking at the Civic Arts Plaza parking structure will be available throughout the festival.

For more information, visit www.toartsfestival.com.

To register for the Fun Run, go to www.allianceforthearts.org.