Manzanita School and Institute, located under the spectacular “Big Rock” on Old Topanga Canyon road, is opening its doors again to the greater Topanga community on Saturday, December 9, with its fourth annual Acorn Festival from 12-4 p.m.
As in years past, this event promises to be a fun, community get-together for both adults and kids. Manzanita and Cali Camp volunteers will offer crafts and activities such as making pine-needle baskets, drip-wax candles, acorn art, or woodcraft, or the opportunity to get vigorous with a zip-line, ropes climb or archery station.
Music lovers will get to enjoy an acoustic music jam with local musicians or add their voices to the community sing-along, indulge in some stunning henna body art or watch a performance by the Move the World Dance Activism troupe.
And get ready to eat well! Manzanita parents and other community chefs are preparing a delectable homemade feast of acorn pancakes, vegetarian and meat-lovers chili, soups and gluten-free hot sandwiches and salads. There will also be a bake sale and hot drinks station loaded with both sinfully sweet options and a healthy dose of tasty options for those avoiding sugar, gluten or dairy. As a kindness to the environment, the school requests that you bring your own mess kit and utensils, but will also be selling a neat set of portable bamboo utensils that will do the trick!
Now in its fourth year and located among 21-acres of wild chaparral, Manzanita School and Institute is a non-profit, WASC-accredited, co-educational school with just under 100 students in grades 4-12. Two days of every week are spent primarily outdoors combining academics with a distinctive deep nature connection curriculum. Admittance to Manzanita’s Acorn Festival is free, activities and foods for purchase.
Manzanita School is located at 1717 Old Topanga Canyon Road, Topanga, CA 90290; (310) 455-9700. For more information on the festival or the school: manzanitaschool.org.
Sarah Thomas Gulden is a Manzanita parent and author of Balancing The Wheels: A Practical Guide to Chakras in Yoga and Life. (www.sarahthomasgulden.com)
By Sarah Thomas Gulden