ANTIOCH

“Remember, George, no man is a failure who has friends.” That’s a classic line from the most celebrated holiday film of all time, which will return to the big screen Friday, Dec. 23, at El Campanil Theatre in 4K resolution.

As the story goes, George Bailey always wanted to leave the sleepy town of Bedford Falls, but responsibility and duty kept him grounded. After a potentially devastating mix-up, he wishes he had never been born, and it’s up to Clarence (an angel, second-class) to show him the error of such a wish. With iconic performances from Lionel Barrymore, Donna Reed, Henry Travers and the incomparable James Stewart, the Frank Capra masterpiece has become a holiday tradition for millions.

Part of the theater’s classic film series, the movie will be shown a 2 p.m. in El Campanil at 602 W. Second St. in Antioch. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and youth. For more information, visit elcampaniltheatre.com online.

— El Campanil Theatre

BETHEL ISLAND

Frozen Bun Run to ring in new year after COVID hiatus

The Frozen Bun Run is back after its absence due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Now in its 43rd year, the popular event encourages visitors to grab their boards or skis and take the plunge New Year’s Day in the cold waters of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.

Show your tricks, best costume or more as hundreds of people await with two full bars, a Bloody Mary station, beer truck and drinks from the hot bar. Breakfast and lunch will be available at The Rusty Porthole, which sponsors the event.

Dave Jr. Entertainment will make all the jokes as you ski your heart out. Registration is the day of the event, which will kick off at 8 a.m. with registration and continue through 12:30 p.m. The Rusty Porthole is at 3893 N. Willow Road on Bethel Island. For more information, email therustyporthole@gmail.com.

— The Rusty Porthole

DANVILLE

Art gallery’s clay art, technology exhibit to open Jan. 21

The Village Theatre Art Gallery will start the new year with an exhibit featuring examples of different applications in clay alongside detailed information on the process of how they were made and how they are used.

“From Sand to Silicon Chip: New Technology in Clay” will open Jan. 21 and will be curated by longtime Bay Area resident John Toki, who has had a robust career as an artist, arts educator and lecturer and has been the recipient of many accolades and awards.

The exhibit will feature a comprehensive examination of the many uses of clay, how technology has been used to advance clay and vice versa. “From Sand to Silicon Chip” will run through March 18 with an artists’ opening reception from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 21 in the Village Theatre Art Gallery at 233 Front St. in Danville. Toki will be at the reception along with exhibiting artists and engineers. A date for a panel discussion will be announced in January.

The Village Theatre Art Gallery is open Wednesdays through Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Viewings are available by appointment Monday and Tuesday. For more information, contact Visual Arts Coordinator Marija Nelson Bleier at 925-314-3460 or mnelsonbleier@danville.ca.gov. Exhibit details are available online at danville.ca.gov/artgallery.

— Village Theatre Art Gallery

ANTIOCH

‘Humbug!’ runs till Dec. 24 with Ballesteros performing

Frank Ballesteros has revived his role through Dec. 24 as Ebenezer Scrooge in “Humbug!” The Madd Hatters Players production is being performed at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and Dec. 19-23, at 2 p.m. Dec. 17-18 and at 1 p.m. Dec. 24.

Ballesteros is also directing the production, an area tradition since 1976. The performances are at at 300 G St. in Antioch. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, $5 for ages 7 to 12. For more information, call 925-584-9265.

— Madd Hatters Players

WALNUT CREEK

Bedford Gallery to host Fong’s ‘Sensation of Color’ exhibit

The Bedford Gallery will soon present “Erin Fong: The Sensation of Color,” an exhibition that explores how the world’s myriad hues inform day-to-day experiences in subtle, often unconscious ways.

Through dedicated experimentation, the Bay Area artist and letterpress printer delves into how color affects emotional responses. “The Sensation of Color” will transform the Bedford Gallery into a vibrant lab full of the artist’s prints, paintings and installations. Visitors will be invited to tap into their individual and collective experience as they are immersed in hues across the spectrum, considering how colors make people feel and how they foster human connection.

This exhibition will feature several immersive installations, including “The Color Corridor,” a 17-foot maze that gradually changes color, allowing viewers to gauge how their feelings and mood change as they journey through it; and “Color Communion,” a large-scale sensory experience that incorporates light and sound components to let visitors further connect with themselves and the colors that surround them. Paintings and prints from Fong’s studio practice will also be highlighted.

The exhibit will be on view from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from Jan. 14 through April 2 at the Bedford Gallery inside the Lesher Center for the Arts at 1601 Civic Drive in Walnut Creek. For more information or to purchase tickets ($5 for general admission and free for Bedford Gallery members and children younger than 13), visit bedfordgallery.org online. Tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

— Bedford Gallery

Submit area arts-and-entertainment On Tap items to Judith Prieve at jprieve@bayareanewsgroup.com.