1. SECTION HOME.



2. TO THE COMMUNITY.
   
   
3. A DREAM COME TRUE.
   A history of how the center came to be.



4. IMPORTANT DATES.
   A timeline of the center.



5. FOR THE CHILDREN.
   Center will allow all ages to experience the arts.



6. THE PLACE TO BE.
   Expect more than performances at the center.



7. HOMEGROWN.
   The center will be home to four resident companies.



8. LET THE PARTY BEGIN.
   Art & Wine Festival kicks off events.



9. CURTAINS UP.
   A calendar of events for the coming year.



10. A STORIED HISTORY.
    The arts have long been a part of community.



11. THE PRICE TAG.
    How the center has been funded.



12. MAKING IT HAPPEN.
    The board of directors, board of trustees, donors, contractors and design team.

Let The Party Begin

After three years of watching construction of the Gallo Center for the Arts, the public finally will get to look inside Saturday.

During the all-day Modesto Art & Wine Festival, volunteers will conduct tours of both theaters, the lobby and the backstage dressing rooms.

The festival also is the first time the public can buy most individual tickets to center events. Until now, all that was on sale were season-ticket packages plus artists performing in the grand-opening festivities.

"This is the kickoff of the center being available to everybody," said John Turchon, customer-service director.

The theater stages are not yet complete, but performances will be held in the lobby, outdoors and in the Fat Cat Music House & Lounge.

Local performing groups, including arts center resident companies the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, Townsend Opera Players and Central West Ballet, will perform in the lobby and on the outdoor community stage.

About 30 bands, including well-known swing group Cherry Poppin' Daddies and jazz singer Kenny Rankin, will perform on other stages on the festival grounds.

Sponsored by the Central California Art Association, the third annual art and wine festival is expected to bring more than 10,000 people downtown this year.

"It really is shaping up to be the most important downtown family-oriented event out there," said concert promoter Chris Ricci, who organized the event with Vice Mayor Brad Hawn.

Nearly 150 local artists will sell their paintings, sculpture, jewelry, metalwork and other pieces, and local performance groups will distribute brochures at information booths.

There will be tastings of California wines and a large children's art activity area where kids can complete about 15 different projects.

The Gallo Center for the Arts will open its box office on site and close its temporary ticket office, which has been at Tenth Street Place since March. Beginning Saturday, customers also will get to place ticket orders on www.galloarts.org for the first time. Dave Pier, the center's executive director, said the festival is an exciting event for the center.

"The single tickets going on sale is a major milestone," he said.

The Gallo Center for the Arts will offer free entertainment in its lobby during the Modesto Art & Wine Festival on Saturday. The schedule:

• 11:30 a.m. - River Lights Chorus, a cappella group
• 12:30 p.m. - Townsend Opera Players performing selections from "Miss Saigon" and "The Mikado"
• 1:30 p.m. - Break-dancing show featuring Remington Wood
• 2:30 p.m. - Central West Ballet
• 3:30 p.m. - String quartet from the Modesto Symphony Orchestra
• 4:30 p.m. - Bongo player Asia Muhammad
• 5:30 p.m. - Modesto Performing Arts staging selections from "The Music Man" and "Peter Pan"

The Modesto Art & Wine Festival runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday between 10th and 11th and I and J streets. Admission is $10 for adults and free for children. People who have purchased season tickets to the Gallo Center for the Arts get in free. There is no charge to tour the center or visit the box office. For more information, call 338-2100.