Looking for something unusual to do in the New Year? Visit Santa Cruz the weekend of Jan. 13-15 for the Fungus Fair, featuring a fungus exploration area, speakers, face painting, vendors and more.

Throughout the three-day event, participants will be able to learn more about local mushrooms, get mushrooms identified by experts at the identification table, view remarkable mushroom arts and crafts, and taste unusual and exceptionally good fungal fare.

Among the speakers will be nationally regarded mushroom author and expert David Arora, who will present "The Wheel of Fungi," and renowned herbalist Christopher Hobbs, who will discuss the medicinal properties of mushrooms.

Fair hours are 3 to 7 p.m. Jan. 13 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 14 and 15 at the Louden Nelson Community Center, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. For more information, visit www.scfungusfair.org.

First-timers to Italy

If travel to Italy is on your 2012 itinerary, you may want to attend a seminar sponsored by Experience Italy from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 10 in the Luna Lounge at Bella Bru Cafe, 5038 Fair Oaks Blvd., Carmichael.

The event will focus on first-time travel to Italy.

For more information or to register, go to www.experienceitaly.com.

Learn from photographer

The work of photographer Vi Bottaro is on display at the Napa Valley Museum in Yountville through Jan. 30.

Visitors may enjoy an evening with the artist from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 20.

Bottaro will tell how she started her photography career and how she honed her craft. Reservations for this program, which costs $10, may be made by calling the museum at (707) 944-0500.

The photographer also will host a hands-on workshop, "Exploring and Capturing Light on the Landscape," at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 at the museum. Photoshop software and a digital camera are required for the workshop, which costs $85. Space is limited to 10 people and reservations are necessary.

For more information, go to www.napavalleymuseum.org.

Film festival in Stockton

Film fun is as close as Stockton on Jan. 12-15, when the San Joaquin Film Society presents its International Film Festival at the Stockton Empire Theatre and the Janet Leigh Theatre at University of the Pacific.

Festival passes good for all 13 film screenings cost $100. Individual tickets may be purchased for $9. Discounts are available for film society members, seniors ages 65 and older and students ages 26 and younger. Most films are in English. Non-English films will have English subtitles.

For more information, visit www.sjiff.org.

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Travelogue lists travel talks and events, as well as organized day trips with nominal costs up to $100. Send information to travel@sacbee.com. Priority will be given to events free to the public.

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