City Council Update
In July, the City Council agreed to permanently give 3 youths "a seat at the table," deciding to formalize a pilot project to add a youth member to several City Commissions. The Council recognized the value the youth voices have provided for the Transportation, Arts, and Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commissions. Members serve two-year terms and serve in an advisory role.
The Council will meet on August 6 and will consider two appointments to fill vacancies on the Design Review Commission. The next meeting will be on September 3.
You are welcome to attend our meetings in person, or watch on Walnut Creek TV, YouTube live, or video on demand through Roku, Amazon Firestick, and Apple TV. Find out more meeting details by visiting our public meetings and agendas webpage.
Online Permit Portal live
A wide variety of city-issued permits are now available via your computer with the debut of our online permit portal. Homeowners and contractors can easily apply for permits, track status updates, and request and confirm inspections all on the same digital platform. This should streamline the permitting process. Find out more at the permits portal.
First Wednesday returns in downtown Walnut Creek: August 7
Summer continues with another of the popular "First Wednesday" street fest, bringing entertainment, food and more to downtown Walnut Creek. Locust Street will be full of vendors from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. In addition to the food, drinks and unique shopping experiences, there will be plenty of family-friendly activities. Plan to stop by on Wednesday, August 7. This will be the last First Wednesday event of the season.
From the Lesher Center for the Arts
The Lesher Center’s Fiesta Cultural, a celebration of Latin American arts and culture, wrapped up a week of performances from local and nationally recognized artists. It included an all-day street fair that hosted more than 30 local businesses, craftspeople, and artists. The week of events brought thousands of patrons to downtown Walnut Creek and created avenues for new partnerships with business owners, community leaders, and arts enthusiasts from throughout the Bay Area. Also, the Bedford Gallery just concluded a 3-year tour of their popular exhibition, Blow Up—Inflatable Contemporary Art. The exhibition traveled more than 100,000 miles through 10 states and was seen by more than 80,000 visual arts enthusiasts.
Find out what else is coming to the Lesher Center for the Arts on their website.
Public Art accepting submissions for downtown receptacles
Walnut Creek Public Art staff is excited to announce a collaboration between Arts + Recreation, Public Works, and Walnut Creek Downtown with support from RecycleSmart to refresh the Big Belly trash and recycling receptacles throughout downtown. The solar cans that promote proper trash and recycling disposal will be cleaned and wrapped with original artwork. A Call for Artists was published in July, and applications are open through August 7, 2024.
Celebrating 60 years of art in our community
Center for Community Arts is excited to celebrate its 60th anniversary of providing art classes, workshops, and more to the City of Walnut Creek community. Join them for a special Artist Connect event from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on August 28 at Shadelands Art Center, where they will combine the milestone celebration with inspiring artist talks.
This free event will feature celebratory treats, light refreshments, and engaging artist talks. Space is limited, so advance reservations are recommended.
Mark your calendar for Family Art Day: Saturday, August 17, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Bring your family for a free day of creativity and fun with Community Arts. Enjoy various activities at Bedford Gallery and live music on the Rudney Plaza at the Lesher Center. Dive into drawing, watercolor, clay, and more with talented teaching artists from the Center for Community Arts. Discover the magic of collage with "Cut Paste Create: The Art of Collage" at Bedford Gallery and create your own masterpiece. Visit the California Symphony's instrument petting zoo. Enjoy live music and much more.
Application period remains open for Youth Leadership Commission seats
The City of Walnut Creek is currently accepting applications for the Youth Leadership Commission. The Commission engages future leaders by encouraging youth to take an active role in our community and provide a youth perspective on issues to the City Council. Walnut Creek residents who are incoming 9th through 12th graders are welcome to apply online by 10:00 p.m. on August 18.
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