This summer, a new and exciting chapter for the park begins. The Presidio Trust is presenting to the public an array of proposals to return the Main Post - the heart of the park - to its former vitality. Proposals are being considered that would renew the Main Post as the heart of a national park, reveal its history to visitors, and create a home for art and culture. Projects include a heritage and archaeology center, a park lodge, and a new building to house a contemporary art collection. We invite the community to learn more about the proposals, and to join us for guided Main Post walks every Wednesday and Sunday from 2 to 3:30 pm through July 30. Meet at the Presidio Officers' Club. No RSVP is required. Comments may be sent to mainpost@presidiotrust.gov. If you have questions, contact the Presidio Trust Public Affairs Department at (415) 561-5418.

Join GGNRA BIG YEAR for a day of field sketching in the Presidio's Lobos Dunes with John Muir Laws. The event will take place on Sunday, July 6, from 10 am to 2 pm. Learn simple techniques to help you quickly and accurately capture nature observations. Practice sketching skills on the San Francisco Lessingia, a beautiful endangered wildflower in the sunflower family. Bring a sketchbook, your favorite drawing materials for working outside, snacks, and water. Meet at the Lobos Dunes parking lot (coming from the 25th Avenue Gate into the Presidio, take the first right into the parking lot). Ages 12 and up. RSVP required: email mbzlat@yahoo.com.

A Presidio Trust Public Board of Directors meeting will be held on Monday, July 14, 6:30 pm. The public is invited to offer comments on the draft Presidio Trust Management Plan Main Post Update Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement. Details about the meeting can be found on the Presidio Trust website (check back for updates). If you have questions, please call the Presidio Trust Public Affairs Office at (415) 561-5418.

Arion Press/Grabhorn Institute invite you to a special event to be held on Tuesday, July 15, at 6 pm. Enjoy screening of the films of Samuel Beckett's works, including performances by Jack MacGowran (in Krapp's Last Tape) and Patrick Magee. Sponsored by the Grabhorn Institute with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Free. Limited seating: phone (415) 668-2548 for reservations. They are located at 1802 Hays Street, near the 15th Avenue Gate. For more, visit www.arionpress.com/events.htm.

A limited engagement exhibit opens this month at the Presidio Officers' Club. 145 Years of Red Cross Photography: A Memory of Humanity runs July 16 to August 17, Wednesdays to Sundays. The exhibit showcases photographs from armed conflict around the world as seen through the eyes of the humanitarian workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Photographs were selected from the archives of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. Special Programs: Journalists on Dangerous Assignment - Friday, July 25, 2 pm; Providing Relief for the Displaced - July 31, Noon; International Humanitarian Law in Times of War Friday - August 1, 2 pm.

The Exploratorium brings its fifth eclipse expedition team to Xinjiang Province in Northwestern China to webcast a total solar eclipse live to the world. They will point four telescopes skywards to capture the eclipse from beginning to end. In addition to live feeds, Exploratorium scientists will provide commentary. An Overnight Eclipse Viewing Party begins July 31 at 9 pm and continues through Friday, August 1, at the Exploratorium. A live webcast begins at 3:30 am. For complete details, visit www.exploratorium.edu/eclipse/2008.

Family fun! The Pacific Islanders of the San Francisco Bay Area offer their talents in music and dance at the Aloha Festival, a two-day celebration of arts. The event, one of the biggest Presidio happenings of the year, will be held on Saturday and Sunday, August 2 and 3, from 10 am to 5 pm on the Main Parade Ground (not far from the Presidio Officers' Club, 50 Moraga Avenue). Admission is free; parking is $10. The festival will also feature arts and crafts vendors, island cuisine, and educational exhibits and workshops. For more information, visit http://www.pica-org.org/AlohaFest/index.html or call (415) 281-0221.

The Presidio's It's Yoga Kids is now hosting classes for adults. "Uplifting Flow Yoga" classes will take place every Tuesday evening from 5:30 to 7 pm. The studio is located at 569 Ruger Street, just inside the Lombard Gate. For more, visit www.itsyogakids.com or call (415) 561-0900.