“While Brentwood’s Post Office officially opened the town of Brentwood in 1874,” said Darin Gale, Brentwood’s assistant city manager, “we’re celebrating Brentwood becoming a city, which took place in 1948 (when it was incorporated).”

While a lot of press is given to Dr. John Marsh and the restoration of his 1870s home on the outskirts of the city, Brentwood’s history can be traced back even further. Archeologists at the UC Davis Anthropology Department found remnants of cooking fires, sites for making food and tools and nearly 500 human burials along Marsh Creek several years ago. Some artifacts were estimated to date back more than 7,000 years, but radiocarbon dates from more than 130 of the burials returned dates ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 years ago.

While that might go back a little too far, the East County Historical Society offers insight into the Miwok and Yokut Native American tribes that once inhabited what is known today as the city of Brentwood. The organization also mentions Spanish explorer Captain Pedro Fages and his climb up the western slopes of Mount Diablo to become the first European to see the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in 1772.

No matter how far one can go back to lay claim on when Brentwood first became Brentwood, there can be no doubt that the city’s founders laid claim to the area and legally made it their own in 1948. Then, a group of business owners and farmers formed the Brentwood Improvement Association and worked to collect the necessary signatures to sign a petition to incorporate into a city.

Within just two weeks, the group was able to get 170 property owners to sign the petition and present it to the county supervisors for approval. The election for cityhood was held and won on Jan. 15, 1948.

According to the Historical Society, the first mayor of the newly formed city was John Lane. He and a five-member City Council quickly hired a city clerk and set up a Police Department, Planning Department and city court. The rest, as they say, is history.

Gale said that after Jan. 21’s birthday party kick-off, city officials plan to incorporate the 75th anniversary into events and activities throughout the year. One special event will be an anniversary gala scheduled for Oct. 11.

“We’re also hoping to partner with other organizations that are hosting events as well,” he said. “For example, if a group is hosting a 5K run, we’re hoping they’ll change it to a 7.5K run and other ideas like that.”

The city is also looking for local families who might have old photos that tell the stories and history of Brentwood. Gale said they also hope to work with local residents interested in shooting a quick video about their family history in the community.

“We’re calling this our anniversary photo mosaics,” Gale said. “People can go online and add their photos. The photos will be displayed at events and added to the city’s social media sites.”

The website address to send the photos to is https://www.brentwoodca.gov/government/city-manager/brentwood-75th-anniversary-celebration/brentwood-75th-anniversary-photo-mosaic.

All are welcome to the free 75th birthday party, which will feature games, cupcakes the opening of a Brentwood time capsule and an opportunity to learn about the city’s history. The indoor party at the Brentwood Community Center (35 Oak St.) will take place rain or shine.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

“At first, we did think it was a ferret,” said Melissa Ethridge from Antioch Animal Services. “We kept him warm and comfortable overnight until another volunteer came in and said they thought it was a mink.”

It turns out that minks and ferrets do really look quite alike. They’re both from the mustelid family, along with polecats, weasels, badgers, otters, martens and stoats. Many of these mustelid species can be found in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta region, but most are rarely seen.

Perhaps the most common of the mustelid family familiar to East Contra Costa County residents is the river otter. Ferrets are the only domestic species in the family and are generally lighter brown in coloration. Although the body shape is very similar, mink are likely to have slightly longer tails than ferrets, and their fur is typically sleeker.

“Mink also have a little white on their chin,” Ethridge said. “And it is important to note that mink are a little more aggressive than their playful cousins.”

While you probably won’t usually see mink hanging out downtown, the one at Antioch Animal Services (AAS) didn’t wander very far from its general habitat, said Miriam Klingler. Klingler is an East Bay Regional Park District naturalist who works at Oakley’s Big Break Regional Shoreline, where mink have been seen many times over the past few years.

“The mink could have gotten lost while hunting for food,” Klingler said. “Mink hunt on land and in water.”

She said the little critters are very territorial and that the one at AAS may have shied away from another’s territory while out looking for mice and rats. Mink also eat shrimp and other shellfish. Generally just 20 to 30 inches long, mink have even been known to eat other mink or other members of the mustelid family.

“They are opportunity eaters,” Klingler said.

Klingler also said East County has a lot of competition for food for small shoreline animals such as mink. Along the East County shoreline, it isn’t uncommon to find otters, badgers, beavers, raptors and even coyotes — all part of the same food chain as the mink.

One other difference between mink and the rest of the mustelids is that mink are often raised on farms and are legal to hunt in California for their fur. However, there are many restrictions for hunting the small animal in the Delta region. As far as Klingler knows, there are no mink farms in Contra Costa County.

As with all wild animals that eat mice and rats, mink are susceptible to poisons used to kill critters that they hunt, and Klingler asks that people not use poisons whenever possible. As for the little mink found in the AAS parking area, he was transported to Lindsey Wildlife Experience in Walnut Creek as soon as his biological identity was ferreted out.

Ethridge said the people at Lindsey even needed a few minutes to ensure they had the mink correctly identified before treating him. They later released him back into the wild in the wetlands area behind the Antioch Marina.

“It was very special being there for the release,” Ethridge said. “It was a very happy ending.”

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

“There will be a costume contest again this year,” said Kimi Brunham, who owns the Rusty Porthole, which hosts the event, and explains that clothes are optional.

Optional attire has been part of the Frozen Bun Run adventure since the event was started 43 years ago by the restaurant’s original owners. Brunham, who has been around for 24 of the 43 years — 20 years as the restaurant’s owner — loves the idea as long as people are having a great time.

While no snow is expected on the East County island during the New Year’s Day event, the water temperature, according to the state’s Water Resources Department, should be 46 to 48 degrees. Brunham said many people were disappointed that the event had to be canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She expects that the crowds will return this year.

“We can get anywhere from 15 to 35 skiers and boarders to be out on the water,” she said.

All water skiers are asked to sign up on the day of the event with a $10 charge. The Frozen Bun Run starts at 8 a.m. at the dock by the restaurant at 3893 Willow Road on Bethel Island.

The public is welcome to come out and watch from the levees or boats on the river. Those in boats can dock to get food and drinks from the restaurants for short periods. Car parking will be available just down the street from the Rusty Porthole at Russo’s Marina. There will also be a couple of golf carts around to help those who need them to make their way to the event site.

The Rusty Porthole will host two full bars, a Bloody Mary station and a beer truck. There will also be a place to warm up with some drinks from the hot bar that the restaurant will have set up. While the Rusty Porthole doesn’t usually have breakfast, it will serve breakfast and lunch during the Frozen Bun Run.

The crowd can get heavy, with an estimated 1,500 watching in previous years, so Brunham suggests getting an early start. The Rusty Porthole sells T-shirts and glasses with the Frozen Bun Run logo at the event only.

Supporting the troops: Last week, members of the Seams to Help, an East County quilting club, drove out to Central County to meet with the Blue Star Moms, who were organizing the assembly and delivery of individual care packages for deployed U.S. military troops.

The Seams to Help club donated 200 custom-made pillowcases for soldiers to be added to the care packages. While there, the volunteers helped load and seal boxes. The pillowcases were placed with other donations into individual boxes that were part of care packages sent to deployed troops. The Seams to Help volunteers also put together fleece hats for all the children in the Head Start program who live in Oakley and Brentwood.

Ice rink: The Brentwood on Ice skating rink will remain open till Jan. 8. Those interested in skating on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are encouraged to buy tickets online in advance. Hours of operation for the holiday weekend are from 10 a.m. to the end of the 9:30 p.m. session on Christmas Eve and from 2 p.m. to the end of the 9:30 p.m. session on Christmas Day.

The rink will also be open on New Year’s Eve from 10 a.m. to the end of the 9:30 p.m. session and during its regular Sunday hours on New Year’s Day. For tickets, visit eventbrite.com/e/brentwood-on-ice-tickets-452086371507 online.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

One such experience is the recent appearance of large menorahs throughout East County in celebration of Hanukkah. Local cities have begun placing the large decorations beside their festively lit Christmas trees to honor their Jewish residents.

Brentwood is getting ready to host their annual Hanukkah celebration at City Park, which has been the site of the Grand Community Chanukah [sic] Festival for the past decade. This year the event will start at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18, and the whole community is welcome to come and celebrate.

“Everyone will enjoy the festival,” said Mashie Goldshmid from Chabad of the Delta, the event’s host. “It’s a great way to celebrate the holidays and a family-friendly event.”

According to Chabad of the Delta, Hanukkah is the Jewish eight-day, wintertime “festival of lights” celebrated with a nightly menorah lighting, special prayers and fried foods. The Hebrew word Hanukkah means “dedication” and is thus named because it marks the rededication of the Holy Temple in ancient Jerusalem. Also spelled “Chanukah” and several other ways, the Hebrew word is pronounced with a guttural “kh” sound.

At this year’s Grand Community Chanukah Festival, local music teacher Aaron David Smith will “delight the audience” with his festive rap song about Hanukkah. Several East County dignitaries will also be on hand to help light the menorah.

Customary Hanukkah food will be available, including latkes, which are crispy potato pancakes and jelly-filled doughnuts, also called sufganiyot. Children will enjoy Hanukkah gelt, chocolate candy in the shape of coins that are often given to children to celebrate the holiday.

Along with craft projects at the festival, Goldshmid said there would be a chance for young and old to play with dreidels and a contest to guess how many dreidels are in a container.

Playing with dreidels is a traditional Hanukkah game played in Jewish homes all over the world. The word dreidel in Hebrew is “sevivon” and in Hebrew and Yiddish means “to turn around.”

Dreidels have four Hebrew letters on them, which stand for the saying “Nes gadol haya sham,” meaning “A great miracle occurred there.” The letters on dreidels are a little different in Israel. Instead they stand for the saying “Nes gadol haya po” — “A great miracle occurred here.”

To be ready for the turnout, Goldshmid asks that everyone planning to attend RSVP through their website at bayareane.ws/dec18chabadeltafest. For more information about the Chabad of the Delta, see their website at jewishdelta.com or call 925-420-4999.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

Ballesteros and his theater troupe began performing “Humbug!” for audiences throughout the Bay Area in 1976. The company decided to bring the production home to East Contra Costa County several years ago.

The production was doing well in East County, with little variation until 2019, when Ballesteros had to make a few adjustments to the program due to knee and hip surgery just a few weeks before the show. Stating the mantra “the show must go on,” the troupe arranged for Ballesteros to have a specially decorated walker to use while playing the role of Scrooge.

“I did some research and found the English invented the walker in the 1800s,” he said. This turned out to be perfect since Dickens wrote ‘A Christmas Carol’ in 1843.

During COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, Ballesteros experienced more health problems when he simultaneously had COVID and sepsis, causing him to go into a convalescent hospital for nine months. Today Ballesteros finds walking challenging, and doing a nine-day show may prove difficult. He decided he would need to use his electric scooter during the production.

“We’re already working on decorating the scooter to make it fit in with the production,” he said. “Even though I’m handicapped, I will be performing at my best.”

Audiences will witness visits from the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and follow Scrooge on his journey of Christmas transformation thanks to the help of local real estate developer Sean McCauley. McCauley was instrumental in helping Ballesteros and Jim Lanter, a longtime friend and producer of the show, find a place to host the theatrical performance of “Humbug!”

“Sean provided the old Elite Dance Studio on G Street,” Lanter said. “We were able to construct the property into a theater. With the props and everything set up, it looks great.”

“Humbug!” performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16-17 and Dec. 19-22, at 2 p.m. Dec. 17-18 and at 1 p.m. Dec. 24. The production will take place at 314 G St. in Antioch. Tickets, which will only be sold at the door, are $10 for adults, $7 for seniors and $5 for children ages 7 to 12. For more information, email jim@jimlanter.com or call 925-584-9265.

Special performance: Black Diamond Ballet is celebrating its 10th annual production of “The Nutcracker” with weekend performances Dec. 10-11 and Dec. 16-18 at El Campanil Theatre. This year the ballet will offer a special sensory-friendly performance at 2 p.m. Dec. 17.

This special one-hour show is designed especially for individuals with autism spectrum disorders, sensory sensitivities or other disabilities. To provide a supportive and welcoming environment for individuals and families, sensory-friendly performances include house lights at a low level during the show, a reduction of loud sounds and flashing or jarring lights, and a quiet area designated in the lobby.

A tour before the show of the theater space at 3 p.m. Dec. 16 can be arranged by contacting the box office. The ticket price for all seats during this performance is $25. For showtimes, ticket prices for other performances or more information about Black Diamond Ballet, visit blackdiamondballet.org online.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

“While waiting for the tree lighting, community members can grab free hot cocoa and cookies, visit Santa and drop off your letter at his mailbox and enjoy the nighttime decorations we set up,” said Alicia O’Leary, a recreation and events coordinator for the city of Oakley. “This year, we are including an exciting opportunity to support local nonprofits through an online silent auction where the auction baskets will be on display at the Christmas tree lighting.”

The online auction is running this year from Nov. 29 (Giving Tuesday) through Dec. 6. All proceeds will go to the organization that created the basket, and all winners can pick up their baskets at the Oakley Recreation Center.

Main Stage entertainers at the event will include Jabris Rucker Children’s Dance, the Oakley Union Elementary District Choir, Step 2 This Dance, Dance It Up Performing Arts, the Freedom High School Choir and the East County Performing Arts Center.

O’Leary said the fun is just beginning for both young and old. The city is accepting children’s letters to be delivered straight to the North Pole. Letters can be sent until Dec. 6 and include a self-addressed stamped envelope, and the city’s elves will make sure Santa sends a reply before Christmas.

Santa’s mailboxes are at the Oakley Recreation Center, 1250 O’Hara Ave., and Oakley City Hall. Santa’s responses are limited to one per family. For more information, call 925-625-7041.

Next is the chance to participate in the city’s annual Hometown Holiday Decorating Contest. Residents are invited to decorate their own festive house by Dec. 8. Decorations installed by a professional service will not be eligible. This year the city will accept one-minute videos or a single photo with each submission. The entry deadline is Dec. 8. The public can vote on the winners from Dec. 8 to Dec. 14. Winner will be announced Dec. 14

The city is introducing a new elf in town, Oakleigh. New this year is Oakleigh’s Stuffed Animal and Elf Sleepover, set for Dec. 8 from 4 to 5 p.m. Children are encouraged to bring their favorite Elf on the Shelf or stuffed animal for a sleepover at the city’s recreation center. Before they leave their stuffed animal for the night, children get to make a fun craft and a snack.

The stuffed animals will enjoy an evening of fun and games, holiday training from Santa, baking cookies and reading a story. Families who participate will be sent photos of their elves/stuffed animals the next day via email.

“We originally saw the East Bay Regional Park District hold a successful Stuffed Animal Sleepover in May at Big Break. We thought it would be a great opportunity to host a sleepover for the newest addition to our team, Oakleigh the Elf,” O’Leary said.

O’Leary also said that new this year is Cookies and Cocoa with Mrs. Claus, set for Dec.10. The event will include several stations for families to enjoy, including do-it-yourself reindeer food, ornament making, cookies and cocoa and, of course, a meet-and-greet with Mrs. Claus. Community members can sign up for this event online by Dec. 6 at secure.rec1.com/CA/oakley-ca/catalog.

Boat parade: The San Joaquin Yacht Club (SJYC) will host its 25th annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade from 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Dec. 10 on Bethel Island. Santa will arrive at SJYC, l550 Riverview Place in Bethel Island, at 4:30 p.m.

Boats will leave the docks at 5:30 p.m. and head down under the bridge, along Taylor Slough and around the island. The boats will end up back at SJYC for awards and activities. Winners are chosen by the public, viewing the parade from The Rusty Porthole and The Sugar Barge. For more information, email gioscifi@yahoo.com or call 925-262-6166.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

The statue the Elliotts are referring to is called “The Cannery Lady,” located on West First Street near the Amtrak Station. In sixth grade, Lori is just beginning to learn about the local canneries where many of the women whom the Cannery Lady represents used to work. Hoping this statue depicted a specific woman they could learn about, the Elliotts were disappointed that there wasn’t much information online to explain the statue’s background.

This statue, installed in 1996, is not a specific person but represents all women who worked in East County canneries. The figure was the idea of a group of residents called the Friends of the Cannery Workers. The committee wanted to make a monument that honors cannery workers’ contribution.

The bronze statue by international artist Elizabeth MacQueen features an 8-foot-tall woman dressed in an outfit circa 1930-1950 that is similar to a nurse’s uniform worn by the cannery workers from that era. On her arm she carries a tray with tomatoes and asparagus. At her feet are empty cans and a packing box. MacQueen says she remembers creating the statue all those years ago and the controversy of putting her first clay sketch together.

“I spent a lot of time in the library going over the different styles and information about cannery workers,” she said.

At the time, there was no widely available Internet, so pushing a few keys and having hundreds of pictures pop up on a screen was not as simple as today.

“The committee [eventually] sent me a uniform of what the cannery workers looked like from the area,” she said.

Perhaps what MacQueen remembers most is working with the committee, especially one woman named Helen Meagher. She remembers Meagher as the “best and the greatest.”

“Helen explained how these women were proud and heroic, and that is what the committee wanted it [the statue] to represent,” MacQueen said.

MacQueen said this statue was one of the first public art pieces to represent the everyday woman.

“These women had no role models. Their life was going by braille,” she said.

Shortly after the piece was completed, Meagher passed away, and MacQueen dedicated this statue to her and all the work she did to help make the statue what the committee and the people of East Contra Costa County wanted.

During the era, the statue represents East County’s many acres of farm fields that supplied two canneries. One of the canneries was called Western California Canners, later known as Tillie Lewis Foods, and the second was Hickmott Canning Company, also known as Hickmott Foods.

Between the two, located adjacent to the railroad, was the Santa Fe Packing Shed, where vegetables like asparagus were packed and shipped to all areas of the country by the Santa Fe Railroad. With the plentiful fishing on the Delta, Pittsburg offered a few fish canneries, the most renowned being F.E. Booth Canning Company.

During this period, the cannery workers were mostly women looking for seasonal work. While the canneries are now gone, when the statue was being planned for the Antioch waterfront, the closures were still recent enough that many cannery workers were still around to be part of the discussion about what the Cannery Lady should look like. A plaque on the statue’s base tells a brief history and a message from the committee.

“The Cannery Lady statue demonstrates our pride in, and recognition of, the contributions made by our earlier residents, the workers of East County.”

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

As a matter of fact, it has long been the young girl’s dream to become the first girl to play in the NBA, says her mother, Annabel Carvalo. Gipson plays basketball in school and is part of Brentwood’s AA youth traveling team. During the spring, Gibson’s older brother, Isaiah, was also able to make the trip with his eighth-grade class. On that trip, Carvalo was able to attend.

“The program works to spark interest through sports to get the children to start thinking about a path to college,” Carvalo said.

The 1,200 sixth-graders who visited Saint Mary’s College represented Antioch, Black Diamond, Dallas Ranch and Park middle schools, Orchard Park School (in Oakley) and Thomas Gaines Virtual Academy. About 55 Antioch High School officials also helped out.

The middle schoolers were greeted by a group of Saint Mary’s students and counselors and later watched the Gaels women’s basketball team play, listened to speakers talk about the college and courses offered and toured the campus.

Saint Mary’s alum and former Saint Mary’s women’s basketball player Lindsay Wisely, the Antioch Unified School District’s director of educational services, secondary support, said this was a “great opportunity for our students. We really appreciate Saint Mary’s’ generosity and warm welcome.”

The tour coincided with the Saint Mary’s women’s basketball team’s season opener against the University of Nevada. The field trip is part of the Antioch school district’s efforts to expand college and career curricula to middle school students. It comes from a grant they received three years ago to implement a career class, digital curriculum and other work-based learning experiences.

“The kids created a tremendous atmosphere, and our women’s basketball team defeated Nevada, 67-58,” said Ben Enos, the media relations director at Saint Mary’s College.

Holiday chorus: With the holiday season just around the corner, the Brentwood Community Chorus is looking for voices to help share the spirit. Under the direction of Susan Stuart, the Brentwood Community Chorus will perform holiday music for the East County communities.

The music will include a variety of seasonal songs such as “Sing Noel,” “English Carol Medley” and “Keep on Ringing the Bell.” They also plan to bring to life several choruses from Handel’s “Messiah” with a string quartet. The Celebration Ringers Handbell Choir will also join in the festivities.

The community chorus is open for all who wish to apply and get involved. Rehearsals will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, and all ages are welcome. Holiday performances begin at 3 p.m. Dec. 4 at St. Ignatius Church of Antioch, 3351 Contra Loma Blvd. Goodwill offerings for this performance will be appreciated.

Another public performance will take place at 2 p.m. Dec. 18 at the Brentwood Community Center, 35 Oak St. Admission is $10 per person, free for children 12 or younger. Tickets are available at the door or on the website of the chorus at brentwoodcommunitychorus.com.

The Brentwood Community Chorus is also participating in a recycling fundraiser. Bring sneakers, athletic shoes and used or empty inkjet cartridges to the Dec. 18 performance. Collection bins will be available in the lobby of the Brentwood Community Center.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

Around the same time, friends at church started asking her to make quilts for those who were sick. Now years later, she has given away more than 800 quilts, which all started with an anonymous gesture.

“On Oct. 30th, 2013, I received a sewing machine on my doorstep from an anonymous person. I couldn’t believe it,” Norris said.

She remembers that, at the same time, she had wanted to sew Christmas rag quilts for each of her six kids. Several years before, Norris had a severe stroke and does not have full use of her right hand, leg or right side, which makes sewing quilts challenging.

“Sewing quilts had been a dream of mine for quite a while,” she said. “With the help of a couple of friends who answered my questions and watching YouTube videos, I learned to sew simple rag quilts.”

Before she knew it, she was getting quilt requests from many people she didn’t know. Even so, she felt that creating something to make someone feel better, especially when facing her own challenges, was fulfilling.

A few years later, she made her first significant donation of 50 quilts. This donation was made to a group her daughter was involved in called Camp Krem, an All Abilities Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains.

“It was there that I started making special lap quilts that would fit in wheelchairs, along with large twin-sized quilts that campers used for comfort in the cool mornings,” she said. “Sadly, this beautiful special-needs camp was lost in the fires of 2020.”

Many requests continued to funnel in. Norris said she was sending the requested quilts to kids with cancer, veterans and people in hospice.

“I was now making and donating 100 quilts per year,” she said.

In 2020 Norris started “Snug As A Bug,” a program that provides comfort bags, which include her quilts, to children in need. The bags usually contain books, toys, and personal care items. Donations have gone to John Muir Medical Center’s children’s unit and the pediatric infusion center.

Norris also donates quilts to the Foster Youth and Homeless Advocacy Department at the Antioch Unified School District and the Antioch Police Department. So far this year, she has donated 141 bags through her “Snug As A Bug” program.

With Ukrainian children in crisis, Norris wanted to send her comfort bags to Ukraine.

Norris said that her next goals are to offer her bags to surrounding police departments and school districts to reach more children in need. Ultimately, she wants to bring hope and unity to the people of our community.

“I am an example of just an ordinary person who nearly failed sewing in junior high. I’ve had challenges and losses in my life, but none of that matters when you find a purpose in your life,” she said. “Over 300 bags have been given out to people I’ve never met in places I’ve never been.”

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.

Furry Friends Pet Relief is a downtown Antioch nonprofit organization that helps low-income, unhoused and veteran families with pets get help when they need it. Services include vaccines and wellness care for dogs and cats, testing for parasites in dogs and FIV in cats, microchipping pets, heartworm testing, flea treatment and more. The organization also offers a free pet food pantry, dog and cat adoptions, rehoming and training services.

“Furry Friends is all about helping families in need, and this event is a big part of helping us with our mission,” Pina said.

The Oct. 29 event includes a car show with a trunk-or-treat candy handout. Decorated cars will be judged in the category of best decorated along with all the other regular show categories. Register your vehicle at carshowpro.com/event/1008.

Also, part of the fun will be a dog costume parade. There will also be craft vendors, music entertainment and a “pin-up” contest by Victory Bombshells. Downtown businesses and restaurants will be open for events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Furry Friends is at 708 W. Second St. in Antioch.

Celebrate Antioch officials will also be on hand as part of the event to help promote the city of Antioch’s 150th anniversary. Downtown stores will offer trick-or-treating for kids. Don’t forget to have children dress up for the kids’ costume parade and contest. Find out more information on this event and other 150th anniversary Antioch events at celebrateantioch.org.

Fall-O-Ween: The city of Antioch will host its third annual Fall-O-Ween Festival from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Antioch Water Park. The event features a hay maze, pumpkin patch, scavenger hunt, and more. Each child who enters will leave with a pumpkin and a bag of candy while supplies last.

This “spooktacular” family event is open to all ages and costs $5 per person. The water park is at 4701 Lone Tree Way in Antioch. To register, go to antiochwaterpark.com.

Restaurant tour: The Kiwanis Club of the Delta will host a fall Pride of the Delta Restaurant Tour. The event is planned for 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 30, and tickets are $20.

Attendees can sample food from nine Antioch restaurants, including Celia’s Mexican Restaurant, Freddy B’s BBQ, Little Manuel’s Mexican Food, Rivertown Treasure Chest, Rick’s on Second, Chelsea’s of Antioch, Smith Landing Seafood Grill, Hillcrest Taphouse (3 to 6  p.m. only) and Lone Tree Golf Course (also 3 to 6 p.m. only).

The proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit local charities. Ticket holders travel to each restaurant on their own and can visit the restaurants in any order. To buy tickets, contact Kay Power at 925-202-3519 or get them online at bayareane.ws/antiochrestour.

Halloween Bash: Also on Oct. 30, the city of Pittsburg and Small World Park will host their Halloween Bash from noon to 5 p.m. The event is open to anyone.

The annual event features safe trick-or-treating, and admission is from kids 10 or younger who bring in a canned-food item to donate. A costume parade will begin at 2 p.m., and rides are included with admission. Small World Park is at 2551 Harbor St. in Pittsburg.

Roni Gehlke can be reached at oakleynow@comcast.net.