Center of the World Festival Nears Launch–Health Fair, Run to the Pines, Golden Age of Spain Ren Faire this Weekend

Health Fair, Run to the Pines, Spanish Ren Faire this Weekend

This final weekend of summer offers healthy fun galore, with three big events.

At Tait Ranch in Frazier Park a unique Renaissance Faire takes you back to medieval Spain. Entry is affordable ($7.50 adults, $5 students and seniors, children 9 and under, free) Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Bring canned and dry food donations for a local food bank for $2.50 off.

The Community Health Fair in Lake of the Woods at the Shepherd of the Mountains Lutheran Church offers tests on vital health pointers such as cholesterol, stroke risk, free mammograms and more. Militsa Brennan and Lori Hallmark are organizing the event, sponsored by Mountain Memories and the Southwest Health Care District.

Over in Pine Mountain Village, the Run to the Pines Car Show is free (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), with raffles and drawings that benefit local sports teams.

Meanwhile, the Center of the World Festival is in final rehearsals for their three-day celebration of creativity and storytelling applied to saving the planet we call home.

It kicks off on Friday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. in the Pine Mountain Village gazebo with Native American storytelling, a star journey, technowizadry by young storytellers, nature secrets from Naturalist-for-You Joel Robinson and introduction of 10 playwright finalists.

The playwriting contest has attracted national submissions. Performances are Saturday, Aug. 20 at 1:30 and 7:30. The audience votes for the winners. First prize is $500.

On Sunday, Aug. 21 at 1 p.m. there are performances for a new songwriting contest, with a $300 cash prize. The winning playwrights will be announced. The Lori Smith Memorial Performance Scholarship will also be awarded, to help talented local youth advance in getting the training they need to live their dreams.

This is part of the August 12, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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