Wednesday | 27

Woodpeckers, parrots, and raptors

This Bird Festival includes keynote speaker Steve Shunk on “How Woodpeckers Can Save the World.” Southern California’s woodpeckers are critical contributors to woodland ecology. Shunk will demystify woodpecker feeding, courtship, and nesting behaviors, including reasons why woodpeckers pound on houses and what we can do about it. Other programs include information about field trips, birds of Southern Portugal, parrots, tree care practices for nesting birds, and raptors.

Saturday | 2

Sword swallowing and knife throwing

See the talents of street performers at this Busker Festival. View 18 acts including sword swallowing, knife throwing, pogo stick tricks, and juggling on unicycles. Vote for best act. Family-friendly during daytime hours, but Busker After Dark is 18 and up.

CRSSD festival at Waterfront Park

Enjoy electronic dance music, DJs, hip-hop performers, and indie rock bands. Mainstage is headlined by Odesza (touring behind their Falls Remixes album) and Phantogram, with support from Jungle, Petit Biscuit, Whethan, Ladytron, and more. The Palms stage features Denver DJ-producer Lane 8 (who just dropped a new single with Rbbts) and Justin Martin, with Armand Van Helden, the 2 Bears, and DJ Seinfeld. City Steps performers include Maetrik, the Martinez Brothers, and Stephan Bodzin.

Sunday | 3

Beethoven

When he was 12 years old, Dr. Gerhard von Bruening saw his father’s friend, Ludwig van Beethoven, for the first time and thought the great (albeit ill-tempered) composer was a derelict. He didn’t expect a musical genius to have disheveled clothes and sprocketing hair. Then Gerhard studied under the master and learned otherwise. Beethoven tells story of Ludwig through Gerhard’s eyes.

Tuesday | 5

Book Club: The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein

For the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, read and discuss The Dark Descent of Elizabeth Frankenstein by Kiersten White. Elizabeth Lavenza hasn’t had a proper meal in weeks. Her thin arms are covered in bruises from her “caregiver,” and she is on the verge of being thrown into streets. She is brought to home of Victor Frankenstein, an unsmiling, solitary boy who has everything, except a friend. Soon she and Victor are inseparable, but her new life comes at a price.