It's a new season at the Civic Arts Plaza. What programs would appeal to families?

Ever wanted to run down the middle of Thousand Oaks Boulevard? You can at the Fun Run, a family-oriented 5k-, 10k- and 1-mile Fun Run/Walk that starts in front of the Civic Arts Plaza on Sept. 15. Registration opens at 6:30 a.m., with the first run at 8 a.m. Prizes are awarded and proceeds support the Alliance for the Arts Kids and the Arts School Outreach Program. Visit www.allianceforthearts.org for more information.

The Thousand Oaks Arts Festival is a free outdoor fine and performing arts festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 15-16 in the Mary and Richard Carpenter Plaza Park in front of the Civic Arts Plaza. The park will be filled with music, dance, food, drink and fine art displays. Film and TV star Jane Seymour returns as honorary celebrity chair, and Olympic ice skater Peter Carruthers will emcee Sept. 16's performances. For more information visit www.toartsfestival.com.

The Georgian State Dance Company will bring its exciting dance performance to the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza on Sept. 16. This isn't "Gone with the Wind" Georgia, it's "From Russia with Love" Georgia. The way they dance, you would think Isaac Newton repealed the Law of Gravity.

The London Daily Telegraph describes the Georgian State Dance Company as "Brilliant, Electrifying, Dazzling and Dangerous," and the Brits are known for understatement. The Georgian State Dance Company has performed for more than 50 million people in 87 countries. The dancers will enthrall family audiences with their speed, strength, stamina, precision and grace. Special half-price tickets for students are available.

Acrobatics + Machines + Theatre + Circus = Cirque Works Birdhouse Factory.

Alumni of Cirque du Soleil and the Nanjing Acrobatic Troupe will bring Cirque Works Birdhouse Factory for two performances 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Oct. 5 to the Civic Arts Plaza. Cirque Works Birdhouse Factory is a place where acrobats with rubber bands instead of bones in their bodies and early 20th-century machines come together in a seamless blend of mechanics, acrobatics and performing arts to tell a story of laughter, love, flight and birdhouses. Rube Goldberg's outrageous illustrations and Charlie Chaplin's film "Modern Times" helped inspire the creation of Cirque Works Birdhouse Factory.

Talk about big families. Your family will enjoy Cabrillo Music Theatre's presentation of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" Oct. 25-Nov. 4. Based on the classic MGM hit movie set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" tells the story of a husband who surprises his newlywed bride with the presence of his six uncouth brothers, each searching for a wife of his own. Romance, comedy, sparkling song and dazzling dance bring this celebration of family life on stage for all ages to enjoy. For more information, visit www.cabrillomusictheatre.com.

Did you know that the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving is the biggest pizza delivery night of the year? Nobody wants to cook the night before Thanksgiving. But what do you do with the kids? Bring them to "A Garfield Christmas Live on Stage" for an early curtain at 7 p.m. Garfield is the world's best-loved fat cat movie star. Coming to you with arms wide open in anticipation of all the Christmas presents he's expecting, Garfield will light up your holiday with his wit, wisecracks and wisdom. Everyone's favorite feline is a few gifts short of true Christmas spirit, but with the help of the kids in the audience, Garfield gets an "enlightening" lesson. Join the fun as the coffee-guzzling, nap-taking, lasagna-loving fat cat Garfield decks the halls with boughs of folly!

For a cool holiday treat, check out Broadway On Ice, a one-of-a-kind theatrical event at the Civic Arts Plaza, Dec. 23. Olympic and World Champion figure skater, Dorothy Hamill, Broadway star ("Phantom of the Opera") Franc D'Ambrosio and comedian/piano artist Dale Gonyea and 20 of the best ice dancers this side of the Rockettes will make Broadway On Ice a celebration of the beauty, grace and artistry of figure skating, embraced by the magic of the Broadway musical. Broadway On Ice is the perfect holiday show for the entire family.

For more information on these and other programs, go to www.civicartsplaza.com, click on tickets and click on the season brochure icon or call 449-2787.

— Tom Mitze, is the city of Thousand Oaks community and cultural services director.