Big Sunday happily welcomes you to Our Really Big Community Calendar.
We try to include all kinds of volunteering and helping opportunities for all kinds of interests, talents, passions, and ages! As you’ll see, these include volunteering opportunities (one-time and long-term) as well as the chance to support a nonprofit by attending fundraising events. Plus, of course, we include all of Big Sunday’s homegrown events, too! Whoever you are, and whatever you do, there is someone out there who could use your help.
If you have questions about our calendar, or would like to add a listing, please contact calendar@bigsunday.org or submit your event/opportunity via the button below.
Instructor: Crescent Farm Staff
Learn about water conservation and sustainable gardening, with hands-on experience! The Crescent Farm, located in the heart of the Arboretum just west of Baldwin Lake, is a reclaimed landscape where we explore new and ancient horticulture techniques for water conservation and food production. This is an educational training series. Please bring gloves, drinking water; wear close-toed shoes and a hat.
March 11 – California Meadow
Spend a spring morning in a beautiful meadow at Crescent Farm! Last November we demonstrated how to plant a California-friendly wildflower meadow as a lawn alternative and in this workshop we explore its progression. Plant ID, habitat building and meadow maintenance will be discussed.
April 22 – Pollinators
Crescent Farm provides amazing habitat where our local fauna thrives. In the design and development phases of building Crescent Farm special consideration was given to plant selection and how these plants establish superior homes for native bees, birds and butterflies. Introducing pollinators into your yard adds interest, photo and learning opportunities for the whole family.
May 20 – Weaving / Basketry
Learn to use your bio-mass (plant waste) to create garden structures. Simple weaving techniques can use leaves as cordage, branches as trellises, tomato cages, shade shelters, and various long lasting leaves as weavers. Design and build compost structures, plant guards and soil traps in your own Crescent Garden.
June 17 – Crescent Farm Horticulture
Explore horticulture at Crescent Farm. Tour our choices for low water lawn alternatives, California native ethnobotanic plants of our local indigenous tribes, arid climate orchard trees and native wildflowers! Get ideas for your home landscape from our New California Landscape. Growing tips will also be discussed.
This year, Downtown Bookfest at Grand Park is partnering with the City of L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs' Big Read to celebrate the poetry of Emily Dickinson. The annual literary gathering highlights the work of L.A.-based writers and publishers with daylong readings, spoken word and activities featuring members of 826LA, Get Lit Players and others. You can catch performances by Mayda Del Valle, David Prather and Cut Chemist + Hymnal, take part in a book-making workshop inspired by Dickinson's collection of 400 plant specimens, pose for pictures in a Victorian-themed photo booth or write poems on vintage typewriters. And if you want to skip a trip to the bookstore, Red Hen Press, Skylight Books and Get Lit Publications will sell books and other souvenirs in pop-up bookshops. The event is free!
Oil Painting: Capture the Beauty of Nature
Saturdays, (6 week sessions):
January 14 – February 18
February 25 – April 1
April 8 – May 13
May 20 – June 24
1:00pm – 3:30pm
Ron Pettie, Instructor
$69 Arboretum members / $79 non-members (includes Arboretum admission)
All materials are included.
Capture the beauty of nature! The instructor will guide a beginner to draw and paint with confidence. More advanced students will be able to paint independently at their own pace and will be able to choose their own subjects.
Each subsequent six-week class will explore other areas of painting such as landscape, still life, domestic animals, structures, deserts, and seascapes. Master artist Ron Pettie will guide you on this adventure.
At the end of a six-week session students will learn the following:
- Composition styles
- How to read a color chart
- Color mixing
- How to use the grid system and the rule of thirds
- Use of dark and light values and gray scales
- Learn a variety of techniques for painting , including using different brushes and the palette knife for texture and depth
- How to use the magic frame on photographs
- Self-Critiquing – Standing back and squinting
- Choosing a signature
Reservations REQUIRED; To register please call the Education Department at 626-821-4623.
Take part in the PREMIERE of original musical performances stemming from collaboration between Street Symphony, Urban Voices, and Lamp Arts Program musicians! For more info, please visit https://www.facebook.com/LampArtProject/.
Instructor: Master Arnold Chien
Tai Chi is a martial art based on the theory of an ancient classic called “I Ching”. Kinetic Tai Chi is created by Master Chien based on this foundation coupling with contemporary Physics of potential & kinetic energy. The training sessions include striking, throwing & submission techniques. There are 10 levels of form to advance. Combining this advanced physical routine with Tai Chi’s rich thinking, students will benefit lifelong health, achieve mental superiority and enjoy high level combat skills.
Thursdays
9:00am-10:30am
Winter 1st: 1/26, 2/02, 2/09, 2/16
Winter 2nd: 2/23, 3/02, 3/09, 3/16
Spring 1st: 4/13, 4/20, 4/27, 5/04
Spring 2nd: 5/11, 5/18, 5/25, 6/01
Cost for Classes:
- $35 per month – members
- $45 per month – non–members
- $15 Drop In – per day
- 10% discount if you sign up for 2 sessions
Pre-registration preferred; To register please call the Education Department at 626-821-4623.
Grandmaster Arnold Chien is the founder of Kinetic Tai Chi, 2012 & 2014 Kungfu master at USC Pacific Asia Museum & 2008 Chinese idol in martial art category. In 2013, he became the first instructor to teach Tai Chi at the legendary Gold’s Gym Arcadia, CA. Chien’s heavy focus on the principle of softness to conquer hardness has helped students to achieve not only the physical limitations, but their mental ones as well, thereby reach the ultimate level of “soft as silk and hard as steel”.
Attention Schools, Faith Based and Community Supporters! Don’t miss Young Women Empowerment’s 5th Annual Girl Talk V Spring Conference "Beauty in Motion" on March 18. Young women between the ages of 12-21 are invited to attend the free "Girl Talk" 2017 Spring Conference. The event will include guest speakers, workshops, giveaways, opportunity drawings, breakfast, lunch and entertainment. Free t-shirts will be provided to the first 50 girls registered and guests will enjoy a make-up demo, Zumba, and discussions on topics ranging from human trafficking, boundaries, self worth, entrepreneurship, suicide prevention and more! To pre-register for the event, individuals and groups can email ywefoundation@gmail.com. The event is presented by Gwen Rodgers, founder of the Young Women Empowerment Foundation. To register, please click HERE.
Garden School Foundation hosts monthly Community Garden Days. These days are a wonderful opportunity to meet like-minded people from all over the city and spend a morning outdoors helping create and maintain garden classrooms for students at underserved schools. You don't need any experience to join in, just a love of nature and a willingness to get dirty! In the garden, participants will build, plant, weed, water, mulch, and more. GSF will also host workshops, demos, and fun-filled arts and crafts activities for the whole family.
For more info, please contact Elizabeth Hall, Volunteer Coordinator, at elizabeth@gardenschoolfoundation.org.
PROTECT WHAT YOU LOVE
This is a great opportunity for you and your family, friends or associates to get involved. All you need to do is show up…and bring a bucket if possible!
- General Admission: You can register up to 19 people under the General Admission ticket type.
- Group Leaders: You can register groups of 20-100 people under the Group Leader ticket type.
- All cleanup volunteers must have a signed waiver form.
- Bring cash if you plan to park in the lot (there is no discounted parking) or come early to find street metered parking.
- Volunteers 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Volunteers under 18 must have a waiver signed by parent or guardian.
- Service hour forms will be signed by the beach captain at the end of the cleanup. Heal the Bay cannot verify service hours after the event concludes.
- Please try to bring your own reusable garden gloves and bucket or reuse a washable tote bag from home. A small supply of reusable buckets and garden gloves will be available if you forget.
- Please be prepared to be outside for 2-3 hours. Beach weather can be unpredictably hot or cold, so please dress in layers. Also please bring a filled reusable water bottle to stay hydrated and bring a snack in case you get hungry. Water is available at all cleanups.
- If you have any questions or concerns please call 800 HEAL BAY x148 or send an email.
Note: NBS is a rain or shine event. Cleanups are only cancelled for lightning or thunderstorms. The cleanup will still be held in light and steady rain.
More Information
To register, please click HERE.
- $25 Arboretum members / $35 non-members (includes Arboretum admission)
- Reservations are preferred; Please call 626-821-4623 to register or pay at the door
- Laramee Haynes, Instructor
Propagating your own plants can be a rewarding and truly green hobby. Making cuttings, divisions and planting seeds can be surprisingly easy. Like very slow cooking, follow the recipe and Mother Nature will help you succeed. Knowledge makes all thumbs green! The results can be added to your garden or shared with family and friends.
This class will cover and demonstrate basic techniques that you can do at home. A handout is provided with a list of easy to propagate plants. All supplies will be provided.
Aside from being a wonderful landscape designer, Laramee was selected by the Pasadena Showcase House in past years to manage the wonderful glass greenhouse, provide information to visitors and conduct propagation classes.
For more info on Laramee, please visit www.Hayneslandscaping.com.
Oil Painting: Capture the Beauty of Nature
Saturdays, (6 week sessions):
January 14 – February 18
February 25 – April 1
April 8 – May 13
May 20 – June 24
1:00pm – 3:30pm
Ron Pettie, Instructor
$69 Arboretum members / $79 non-members (includes Arboretum admission)
All materials are included.
Capture the beauty of nature! The instructor will guide a beginner to draw and paint with confidence. More advanced students will be able to paint independently at their own pace and will be able to choose their own subjects.
Each subsequent six-week class will explore other areas of painting such as landscape, still life, domestic animals, structures, deserts, and seascapes. Master artist Ron Pettie will guide you on this adventure.
At the end of a six-week session students will learn the following:
- Composition styles
- How to read a color chart
- Color mixing
- How to use the grid system and the rule of thirds
- Use of dark and light values and gray scales
- Learn a variety of techniques for painting , including using different brushes and the palette knife for texture and depth
- How to use the magic frame on photographs
- Self-Critiquing – Standing back and squinting
- Choosing a signature
Reservations REQUIRED; To register please call the Education Department at 626-821-4623.
