Tickets are selling fast to BLAST! starring Broadway’s hottest star, Raul Esparza, at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Lakeside Theater in Greensboro for a fabulous Independence Day celebration. The event will be held Saturday, July 3 at 8 p.m. Esparza will perform with Symphony Orchestra Augusta for a spectacular night of music and fireworks under the stars. This event is open to the public and fun for the whole family. The fireworks display will begin at 9:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. and tickets $35 for chairs, $20 for adult lawn, $10 for children lawn and $25 for on-site parking. Shuttle parking will be available on the day of for $15 from the Weinberger’s parking lot. A limited number of tickets are left so call the OPAS box office at (706) 999-1518 or go to www.ticketmaster.com to reserve your spot. For more information on this event please visit our website at www.opas.org.

Enjoy a round of golf with your friends while helping to support two local ministries. Join your friends and neighbors for the ATLAS Ministry and Cheerful Hearts Ministry Inc. third annual golf outing on Tuesday, July 13. If you’ve never played Cuscowilla, then the golf round will be a treat! All proceeds benefit ATLAS Ministry, Inc. and Cheerful Hearts Ministry Inc. ATLAS Ministry is a non-denominational, Christian organization serving Greensboro and the surrounding area. ATLAS works with local families who are deeply committed to change, helping them to reach vital life goals. Cheerful Hearts Ministry, Inc. ministers to the spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical needs of women. They are seeing women grow free from depression, addictions, stress, fears, anxiety, hopelessness, lack of direction, and physical ailments. The broken hearted are finding comfort and learning that the promised abundant life can be a reality. The tournament begins at 9:30 a.m. and will be a 4-person scramble. Entry fee is $700 per team or $200 per individual. Prizes will be awarded  to first, second, and third place teams. Also for the longest drive, closest to the pin, and a putting contest. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and Tuesday, July 20 will be the rain date. For additional information, contact Doug Hesse (706) 616-9156 or Rob Mitchell (706) 347-2624. Or you may e-mail them at doughesse@plantationcable.net or RMitchell@

CelebrationAssociates.com.

Art of Oconee is hosting “Secrets to a Sensational Room” with Linda Welde-Fossier, owner of Well Dressed Homes. This four-part seminar is scheduled for the four Mondays in July to those interested in finding their true decorating finesse. The classes will each be an hour and a half in length and will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on the following Mondays: July 5, 12, 19 and 26. The topics covered include: Class #1 (July 5) – Finding Your style & arranging your space; Class #2  – (July 12) Color Confidence & Hanging Art; Class #3 – (July 19) The Finishing Touch/Accessorizing; and Class #4 – (July 26) Creating Vignettes/Accessory Swap; The fee for the course is $40. To register or for additional information call Linda Welde-Fossier at (706) 467-9059 or email her at linda@plantationcable.net.

Presenting Fantasia Jewelry! Saint Joseph’s Hospital East Greensboro is hosting an auxiliary $5 jewelry sale. Take advantage of this two-day sale of beautiful pieces by Fantasia Jewelry June 30 in the Saint Joseph’s East Greensboro conference room located at 1201 Siloam Road, Greensboro.

Magnolia Art Gallery is pleased to present Jim Richards teaching two more seminars this year. Richards is a renowned Plein Air painter and teacher, and we are so fortunate to be able to offer these seminars. He works with the rank beginner as well as the seasoned artist striving to push themselves to a new level. The seminars begin at 9:30 a.m. and continues to 5 p.m. Sept. 24-25. Call Lynn Blair at (706) 454-5050 to reserve your spot. Prices are $300 for the entire seminar.

A summertime tradition continues at the annual Star Spangled Classic, Sunday, July 4 at Bishop Park in Athens. In addition to the popular fireworks, the event will include concessions, face painting, family games, inflatables, and music. Food vendors inside the park will have BBQ, hamburgers, hotdogs, pizza, sandwiches, and ice cream for sale. The Star Spangled Classic is free and open to the public. The event begins at 6 p.m. at Bishop Park with the fireworks set for approximately 9:30 p.m., dependent on weather and darkness. Citizens are reminded that county ordinances prohibit alcohol and smoking in public parks. Pets and grills are not allowed in Bishop Park for this event due to safety concerns and the large crowd. For more information, please call Bishop Park at (706) 613-3589 or visit the Star Spangled Classic page at www.

accleisureservices.com

—-To submit entries for the Calendar of Events, e-mail items to breeze@

unionrecorder.com.