Get Out: What To Do This Weekend

Time for your weekend plans ... Patch is checking out the town events and has a few excellent ideas to make your weekend fun and exciting. Swing dancing, Kelpfest, the Laguna Dance Festival, view winning art or kiss a bulldog!


JERRY MANDEL SWINGIN' THE STANDARDS JAZZ BAND
Where/When: Woman's Club of Laguna Beach, 286 St. Ann's Drive. Thursday starting at 6 p.m. with wine tasting and a martini bar. The concert is from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Why go: It's a party with swing dance music by Jerry Mandel. He and his
band will be playing Gershwin, Cole Porter, Sinatra and Tony Bennett. There will be dance lessons and wine tasting, with the proceeds benefiting Laguna Beach music education outreach programs.
Price: Tickets are $40.

LAGUNA DANCE FESTIVAL: COMPLEXIONS BALLET                                                               Where/When: The Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Rd. Thurs.-Sun. each evening at 7:30 p.m.
Why go: Strap your toe shoes on for four evenings of exquisite contemporary dance performances from this New York City-based troupe that will take your breath away. Led by artistic director Dwight Rhoden and the brilliant dancer Desmond Richardson, both Alvin Ailey alums, they will present four different programs which will merge ballet with hip-hop, jazz, and other genres.
Price: $40-$75

KELPFEST                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Where/When: Main Beach, Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Why go: The second annual Kelpfest celebrates the successful restoration of Laguna’s giant undersea kelp forests, which a couple of decades ago were in danger of being wiped out. Environmental groups will have information tables set up, live bands will do their thing, the kids can do painting and sculpting and color in a life-size kelp forest, and free stand-up paddle board tours out to the forest will be given. Our fave event: a live underwater broadcast from the forest via UStream (details at the link).                                                                                                                                                                                        Price: Free

BULLDOGS AND MARTINIS COCKTAIL CHARITY EVENT
Where/When: Madison Square Garden and Cafe, 320 N. Coast Highway.
Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
Why go: Contribute to the Southern California Bulldog Rescue's mission to save
neglected and homeless bulldogs while sipping hand-shaken martinis, dining on fine hors d'oeuvres, and maybe even score a kiss from a bulldog.
Price: $35

2011 ART THAT'S SMALL AT CITY HALL
Where/When: On the walls of city hall corridors, 505 Forest Ave., Monday through Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. until April 28.
Why go: View the winning art for the Art That's Small exhibit. The art must measure 12 inches or smaller and have been created by residents of Orange County.
Price: Free