The 2022 Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp is set to return to the UCSB Recreation Center in Santa Barbara from July 11-15 after a two-year pandemic-induced pause.

The annual camp provides sports and recreation skills development to children, youth, and young adults between the ages of 6 and 21 years old who can use a wheelchair to participate in activities.

A new young adult group has also recently been added for athletes up to 21 years old.

Camp activities range from beginner to advanced wheelchair sports and recreation activities, including rugby, basketball, tennis, hand cycling, swimming, scuba diving, racquetball, power soccer, climbing wall, ropes course, dodgeball, obstacle course, baseball, dance and pickle ball.

The camp will be led by director Rene Van Hoorn, recreation tyes,herapist at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital.

Counselors and instructors are wheelchair users themselves, so they become natural mentors to the campers on how to stay healthy and active while living with a disability.

Event sponsorship is provided by Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital and support from individuals, organizations, and businesses in the community, which enables all campers to attend the weeklong camp at no cost.

Transportation for campers is provided free of charge from Oxnard, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Carpinteria and Santa Barbara.

For more information or to register, visit www.cottagehealth.org/wheelchaircamp.

Musician Mat Kearney is set to make a return to Solvang Festival Theater Saturday, July 16, to perform live onstage in combination with the grand reopening celebration of the newly renovated theater.

Kearney, a Nashville-based and Oregon-born multiplatinum-selling songwriter and producer, last performed in Solvang to a packed house in October 2018, prior to the theater's construction project which broke ground in September 2021.

Kearney will introduce his fifth and newest studio LP "January Flower" — written between an isolated retreat in Joshua Tree and his home studio — that he said represents "his rawest form, distilling the songwriting process and rediscovering the joy of making music."

The musician, according to reports, has claimed the No. 1 spot on iTunes, topped multiple Billboard charts, made four entries into the Hot 100 and amassed over 2.5 billion global streams.

The theater's $5 million rebuilding project, estimated to be completed this month, includes replacement of the theater's 47-year-old utility poles with new steel lighting columns, rebuilding of the rear wall and walkway that surrounds audience seating, and an increase of wall height to over 16 feet to improve audience experience through reduction of wind and noise. The project also includes installation of brand-new theater seats in the color Royal Copenhagen Blue.

The July 16 concert kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Solvang Festival Theater, located at 420 2nd St.

Tickets starting at $77 are available for purchase at www.solvangtheaterfest.org.

Solvang's annual Music in the Park series has returned with a lineup of musical performances held each Wednesday through Aug. 31 at Solvang Park, located at 1630 Mission Dr., on the corner of Mission Drive and First Street.

Following the opening performance by rock bands Echoswitch and Men from Mars on June 22, and David Segall Band on June 29, nine other bands are slated to take the stage over the summer.

The schedule is as follows:

July 13, Sean Wiggins & Lone Goat (Janis, Adel, Guns n Roses, Aretha, Garth Brooks)

July 20, Out of the Blue (classic rock ‘n’ roll)

July 27, Tex Pistols (country, rock ‘n’ roll)

Aug. 3, The Rincons (rock band)

Aug. 10 Leslie Lembo & Raw Silk Funk (jazz)

Aug. 17, Bill Agin & Territorial Law (cowboy rock)

Aug. 24, Sound Investment (dance band)

Aug. 31, Live Wire (local rock party band)

Attendees are invited to bring lawn chairs, picnic blankets and food, and family and friends.

Most bars and tasting rooms will be serving alcoholic beverages in closed containers, which are welcome at Solvang Park, a Solvang Chamber spokesman said.

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