Tickets available at www.elcampaniltheatre.com or by calling (925) 757-9500.

Fair workers also needed

ANTIOCH – Online entries for the 2022 Contra Costa County Fair exhibit competitions close Friday, April 8th. Imagine the thrill of winning a blue ribbon at the Fair for a special talent. Think you own the best pig, bake the most delicious apple pie, made a beautiful quilt, or have an uncanny knack for making crafts? Want to see who’s the best in all of Contra Costa County? Then be sure to enter the Contra Costa County Fair’s competitive exhibits!

Entry information available on the fair’s website www.contracostafair.com

Cows, Corndogs & Carnival Rides. Oh My!! May 12-15 is sure to be a fun event for children of all ages, with new exhibits & entertainment, the carnival, livestock and the always popular Fair food. Money saving pre-sale tickets will be available starting April 22 and ending May 9.

Are you interested in working at The Fair? We are looking for Parking Attendants, Ticket Takers, Ticket Sellers and Information Booth Attendants. Visit contracostafair.com for details on each job position and to print out an application. Interviews and hiring will be on April 30th from 9am to 2pm at The Fair Administration Office Board Room.

For additional information visit our website at www.contracostafair.com, or like us on Facebook.

The County Fair is held at the Contra Costa Event Park at 1201 West 10th Street in Antioch.

LIFETIME CHANNEL PREMIERE

Film Title: The Lost Girls

Date: Saturday, March 26, 2022

Time: 8pm EST / 5pm PST (Check your local listing for times)

Movie trailer for “The Lost Girls” – https://play.mylifetime.com/movies/the-lost-girls/preview-the-lost-girls

HOLLYWOOD, CA, March 25, 2022: Veteran movie Producer Julia Verdin announced today that the Lifetime Channel premiere of her film “The Lost Girls” will be on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 8pm EST. The film shows the harrowing story of 17-year-old Angie who was befriended by a good looking teen new to her area promising to help her music career and lured into a sex trafficked ring.

Verdin, owner of www.RoughDiamondProductions.net is known for successful films such as “The Merchant Of Venice”, “Stander”, and “2 Jacks”, studded with Academy Award Winning actors as well as producing a host of other great films, directed and wrote “The Lost Girls”.

After volunteering at a runaway children’s shelter and meeting many teenage survivors of trafficking, Verdin became emotionally connected to the cause of fighting for justice for them. This drove her passion to produce, direct and write the film in hopes of making a difference.

“Church groups do a lot to help survivors of trafficking,” stated Verdin.  “When I was doing my research and talking to trafficking survivors, many of them told me that a big turning point in their recovery was reconnecting with their faith.”

Verdin, who is also the President and founder of www.ArtistsForChange.org, says that her hope is that if teenagers, parents and those working with youth can start to understand the signs of a teen being groomed by a trafficker, that teens could be saved from years of hell and trauma. To Verdin, education and awareness is everything. These traffickers prey on innocence and vulnerability. Verdin says they must be stopped.

For more information, please contact Julia Verdin at Julia.Verdin@Artists4Change.org or by phone at (323)848-2900.

About Julia Verdin

Long time filmmaker Julia Verdin is known as an accomplished producer, award-winning Director and screenwriter. Having been in the film business for over 30 years, Julia has established herself as one of Hollywood’s leading independent producers. She has over 36 critically acclaimed feature films under her belt with several currently in the pipeline. She is the founder and owner of Rough Diamond Productions since 1995 and president and founder of Artists For Change plus many other resume accolades. For more information you can visit: www.RoughDiamondProductions.net/julia-verdin or www.imdb.com/name/nm0893845.

Local Organization Works to End Trafficking in Contra Costa County

Pillars of Hope based in Contra Costa County, has been helping trafficking victims since the organization was founded on Sept. 17, 2010.

“We just helped, last night, paying for a room for a victim who was testifying against her trafficker,” said Debra Brown, Executive Director. “The DA reached out to us. We’ll continue to do that until we get our house. There are several we help out, each month, with victim assistance and street outreach.

About the movie she said, “it’s typical of what happens.” She encouraged everyone to watch to see what’s happening in our county and across the country.

“We help women everywhere. We get calls directly from victims, from the Contra Costa and Alameda DA’s offices,” Brown shared. “We had one victim get a tattoo of her trafficker’s name on her chest removed. We do whatever they need. Sometimes it’s a ticket home. Sometimes it’s dental work, or even transportation to and from doctor’s appointments.”

“We have a lot of resources on our website and online training, too for those who want to get involved help end what’s happening in our own community,” she stated. “It’s happening in every community across America and that’s what’s sad.”

“They need to go after the demand side and that’s how they’ll end it,” said Brown. “If you get caught buying a kid, your face and name should be on a billboard and in newspapers in your town. There should also be astronomical fines.”

“They’re already doing heavier prison terms for traffickers. But until they deal with the ‘Johns’ on the demand side, it’s not going to stop,” she added.

To learn more and to help in Contra Costa County visit www.pillarsofhope.us.

 A Cabaret Concert Inspired by the Music of Karen Carpenter

Created by Laurie Roldan

Directed by Rachel Robinson

Musically Directed by Brett Strader

Singer and actress Laurie Roldan shares personal stories and memories in an uplifting evening woven through well-known Carpenters’ songs.

Featuring Special Guest Vocalists and Musicians!

Bass: Pat Tinling, Drums: Dillon Vado

Guest Vocalists: Anita Colotto , Stephanie Hill, Clarisse Nichole, Charlotte Jeffries

SATURDAY, MARCH 26th  2PM

SUNDAY, MARCH 27th  2PM

ADULTS: $35; SENIORS: $30; YOUTH: $20

El Campanil Theatre 602 W 2nd Street   Antioch

Tickets: https://us.patronbase.com/_ElCampanilTheatre/Productions/R014/Performances

“I am dedicating these two shows in loving memory of my incredibly talented friend, co-writer Don Huntington,” Roldan said. “I am also donating a portion of the proceeds to a local community center where Don and his wife donated their time called The Village Community Resource Center in Brentwood. www.vcrcbrentwoodca.org

EL CAMPANIL THEATRE PRESENTS:

ANTIOCH SESQUICENTENNIAL CONCERT

SATURDAY, APRIL 16th at 2:00 PM

ADMISSION: FREE (Tickets still required for entry)

The City of Antioch is 150 years young and deserving of a celebration! Join us for this free concert featuring some of the finest talent in East County! Featuring Antioch native Toree McGee, blues legends Frankie G and Tia Carroll, the Antioch High Jazz Band, Black Diamond Ballet, El Campanil Theatre Academy, and more!

Help us celebrate this landmark anniversary with an afternoon of entertainment you won’t soon forget!

El Campanil Theatre is located at 602 W. 2nd Street in historic, downtown Rivertown. For tickets visit www.elcampaniltheatre.com.

To learn more about Antioch’s Sesquicentennial of Cityhood which occurred on Incorporation Day, February 6, 1872 and see all of this year’s events and activities click here and here.

Will feature Sue Foley and her new album Pinky’s Blues, nominated for three 43rd BLUES MUSIC AWARDS (2022): Album of the Year, Traditional Blues Album and Traditional Blues Female Artist; co-headlining with Chris Cain who also has four nominations from the BMA awards. His album, Raisin’ Cain was just listed as the second most played album on Living Blues Radio Charts for 2021.

Before you get the wrong idea, Sue Foley’s new album, Pinky’s Blues, was not titled such due to her strawberry hair. Nor because of that fabulous pink leather jacket or those amazing boots. Nope. It’s her beloved pink paisley, Fender Telecaster electric guitar for which the new album is the namesake. Pinky has been with Sue for decades and continues to be an almost living extension of who Sue is, as evidenced by it’s strong contribution to the album as well as appearing live with Sue while on tour, guiding her through the rambunctiously deep renditions of everything Sue performs.

And the Blues part of the album title? It just might have something to do with Sue’s sizzlingly smooth voice and her chicly raw, resolute, bad-*ss style of playing, performing and songwriting. Well, check it out for yourself on the below link of one of the new songs on Pinky’s Blues:

SUE FOLEY is “Hurricane Girl” Official Music Video with live footage.

SUE FOLEY Live Interview about the new album, Pinky’s Blues on November 9, 2021.

“I’ve been on the road,” says Sue in trying to explain Pinky’s Blues. “I’ve made dozens of albums of my own. I’ve raised a child. I’ve bought and sold homes. I’ve had great successes and great failures. And all of this just makes my life richer and more colorful.”

And these are the blues Sue Foley brings to life while performing in her own way: compelling, sensual, seamlessly rich, tasty, yet with an undertone of saltiness and challenge.

“It’s a great trip and I never get tired of playing a slow blues. That’s the ultimate.” Today, in 2022, Sue Foley is surely one of the ultimate.

With Pinky right by her side.

Ya gotta come and check it out!

Doors/Show: 6:00pm/7:00pm

Tickets: $15.00 (youth) – $30.00 (Adults) plus fees

https://us.patronbase.com/_ElCampanilTheatre/Productions/R009/Performances

602 West 2nd Street in Antioch in historic, downtown Rivertown.