NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Aug. 17, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Junior League of Orange County, Calif., Inc., (JLOCC) has set the date for The Christmas Company, its annual shopping extravaganza. The event will be held Thursday, Nov. 12,-Sunday, Nov. 15, at the OC Fair & Event Center located at Fair Drive and the 55 Freeway in Costa Mesa.
Janine Wald is chairing this year's event themed, "A Vintage Holiday." "In its 34th year, The Christmas Company will feature a variety of exciting new events in addition to the opportunity to shop at more than 90 unique vendors from Orange County and across the United States," says Wald.
The new Junior League cookbook, "Orange County Fare," will be introduced in conjunction with The Christmas Company Opening Night Gala to be held 6:30-10:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12. Restaurants including A Restaurant, Five Crowns, K'ya, Opah, Zov's Bistro, and others, whose chefs are featured in the book, will provide small plate dining for the evening priced at $75 per person. Entertainment and a Silent Auction will also be part of this event.
A Preferred Shopping Breakfast ($35) will start the overall event at 9-11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 13. Guests will enjoy a glass of champagne and breakfast while enjoying their exclusive two hour VIP shopping experience. No baby strollers are allowed at the Preferred Breakfast. At lunchtime on Friday, Dr. Beth Hamilton and Dr. Stephanie McClellan, authors of "So Stressed" will make recommendations for diet, exercise, and relaxation techniques for different types of stress responders. On Friday night, Olympic Gold Medal Winner Janet Evans will speak at a Women's Networking Night. More plans are in the works, including a Saturday morning "Breakfast with Santa," a cooking demonstration on Saturday afternoon, and a Sunday Tea Party with the illustrator of the "Fancy Nancy" book series.
The Christmas Company general admission is $10 per person, which includes entrance to the shopping extravaganza. Parking at the OC Fair & Event Center is $5. General admission hours are 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday, Nov. 13; 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 14; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 15. General admission tickets are available at the door. Tickets for the special events will be available for purchase online at www.jlocc.org or by calling (949) 263-3785.
Funds raised annually by the JLOCC directly impact the community through collaborative projects with partner organizations and support JLOCC's mission of promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community. This year's projects include the Kinship Project and Bridges to Higher Education, both offered through Orangewood Children's Foundation; Higher Education Mentoring Program (in partnership with the Orange County Bar Foundation); Court-Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Emancipated Youth Program; and Bear Hugs, a JLOCC project supporting emancipated teens in Orange County.
About the Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.
The Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc., is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving the community through the effective action and the leadership of trained volunteers. JLOCC has contributed to Orange County by helping found organizations such as Orangewood Children's Home and the Volunteer Center of Orange County. As a solely educational and charitable organization, the JLOCC's trained volunteers actively support the community through collaboration with organizations that promote and support the health, safety and education of women and children. A 501(c)(3) organization, the JLOCC reaches out to women of all races, religions, and national origins. Originally founded in 1956 as the Newport Harbor Service League, the JLOCC is a member organization of the Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. To learn more about the JLOCC, call (949) 261-0823 or visit www.jlocc.org.