Five ideas for weekend family fun:
Dia de los Muertos: Once the trick-or-treating’s done, head over to the city for a dash of Mexican music and culture at the San Francisco Symphony’s Dia de los Muertos Family Concert on Sunday. The matinee includes family activities, colorful displays, refreshments and, of course, music. Lobby festivities begin at 1 p.m., concert downbeat is at 2 p.m. $15-$65, children younger than 17 get in for half price.
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Misty Brigadoon: A Scottish Highland town that emerges from the mists for a single day, then evaporates once more? This time mystical “Brigadoon” appears in a different woodsy glen — Oakland’s Woodminster Amphitheater — in a Lerner and Loewe musical that runs Sept 4-13. Adults $23-40; one child free with each paying adult.

Railroad Fun: Fremont’s venerable Ardenwood Historic Farm hosts a Historic Rail Fair this weekend. The fun runs Sept. 5-7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $5-$8. Read the rest of this entry »

BIG SCREEN: Catch a show in the Chabot Space & Science Center’s 70-ft. dome screen theater or planetarium. This weekend’s lineup includes “The Secret of the Rocket” about a magical rocket ship and a wild ride through the cosmos (perfect for kids 5-10), and “Sonic Vision,” a computer-generated musical experience designed by Moby (great for tweens and teens). Tickets $11-$15.

SKATE ART: Watch a pro skateboard demo and a full afternoon of skateboard-related art activities Aug. 15 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery. Free.
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HOIST AN UMBRELLA: Oakland’s outdoor Woodminster Amphitheater is staging “Singin’ in the Rain” at Joaquin Miller Park August 7-16. (Tickets $23-40)

BREAK OUT THE POPCORN: Spread your blanket and kick back for a screening of Jack Black’s hilarious “School of Rock” on Aug. 6 at 8:30 p.m. at Pleasanton’s free Movies in the Park summer series at DeLucchi Park. Or head over to El Cerrito’s Cerrito Vista Park on Aug. 8 at 8:30 p.m. for “Back to the Future.”
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MOVIES AT THE MUSEUM: Outdoor movie fests are popping up everywhere! Grab a blanket and head over to Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center for a free screening of “Mary Poppins” this Friday night at 8:30 p.m. on the South Lawn. Bring a picnic or buy a boxed dinner on the spot. (Free.)

PIXIE RIDES: Concord’s pint-size amusement park, Pixie Land, offers mini-train rides and tiny coasters, sized just right for toddlers and their happy parents. Open weekdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., till 6 p.m. on weekends through summer. (Rides are $1.50-$3 each)
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Outdoor movies are popping up in parks all over. Among the upcoming offerings…

Pleasanton’s “Free Movies in the Park” series features Jack Black in “School of Rock” (PG-13) Aug. 6 at dusk, Delucchi Park. The park opens to the public at 4 p.m., screening time is approximately 8:30 p.m. Free - plus free popcorn, courtesy of Thriving Ink.

Walnut Creeks’ “Movies Under the Stars“ features “Kung Fu Panda” on Aug. 15 at dusk at Heather Farm Park, Ballfield #1. Free.
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1. If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to want an adorable theatrical production to go with it. Fortunately, Children’s Fairyland and Active Arts Theatre for Young Audiences are hosting exactly that, July 23-August 16. (Tickets $10-$12)

2. Grab your ruby slippers, spread your blanket and kick back for a screening of “The Wizard of Oz” July 23 at Pleasanton’s free Movies in the Park Summer Series. Films start at twilight — about 8:30 p.m. — on a giant screen in DeLucchi Park. (Free admission and popcorn.)
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1. Second star to the right … Oakland’s outdoor Woodminster Amphitheater hosts those famous pirates, fairies, mermaids and, of course, the star of them all, “Peter Pan,” now through July 19 at Joaquin Miller Park. (Tickets $23-$40, but two kids get in free with each paid adult ticket)

2. Movies at the museum … Grab a blanket and head over to Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center on July 17 at 8:30 p.m. They’re screening that Disney classic “Swiss Family Robinson” on the South Lawn. Pack a picnic or buy a box dinner on the spot. (Free admission and parking; food for sale.)
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1. Join the fun at the Alameda County Fair. Check out the Great American Petting Zoo, the kids’ tractor pull, carnival rides and more, now through July 19 at the Pleasanton Fair Grounds. ($6-$10, plus parking, ride tickets and food.)

2. Pitch a tent in the Teddy Bear Picnic meadow, and slumber in fairytale splendor this weekend at Oakland’s Children’s Fairyland. The summer sleepover fun starts at 5:45 p.m. on July 11 and includes dinner, rides, entertainment and breakfast the next morning. Reservations required. ($20-$40)
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1. Civic Arts Education’s newest musical, “Alice in Wonderland,” puts children into the roles of not just Alice and the White Rabbit, but the Tweedles, the Queen of Hearts, Cheshire Cat and all 50 or so other characters. Two shows, July 2 at Walnut Creek’s Shadelands Auditorium. ($10-$12)

2. Walnut Creek’s Bedford Gallery is hosting a radical skateboard art exhibit this summer. Explore skate art from decks and wheels to sculpture July 5-Sept. 13 at “Full Deck: A Short History of Skate Art.” ($3-$5, kids under 12 are free)
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