Heather Farm Community Center 301 North San Carlos Drive • Walnut Creek • CA 94598

Clark Gable was on the brink of becoming a major movie star when he came to Heather Farm in 1931 to make the motion picture Sporting Blood. Of course, that was during the park's former life as a horse ranch and racetrack. The actor was so taken with the place he stabled his thoroughbreds there. Today Heather Farm shows little evidence of its equestrian past, but it retains a country-like atmosphere that draws visitors from all around the East Bay.

Tucked behind a hill on the outskirts of Walnut Creek, the 102-acre park is an oasis of shade trees, green grass and flower gardens. Meandering paths connect the picnic and nature areas with the swim center, tennis courts, and athletic fields. With groves of trees and meadows separating the facilities from one another, it's almost as if each site is a park unto itself. And nestled in one of the most picturesque of these spots is Heather Farm Community Center.

Wedding receptions at the center are held in the Lakeside Room overlooking a large pond. One of our favorite features of this venue is its wraparound deck, which extends over the water. Guests who stroll out here are treated to an unobstructed view of ducks and geese swimming between the two large fountains that aerate the man-made lagoon. On the opposite shore, sycamores, oaks, and pepper trees shade the extensive lawns and create a protective screen around the center. Some couples are so charmed by the scenery they hold their wedding ceremony on the deck followed by the reception inside.

The pond and fountains are also visible from the Lakeside Room through the wide windows along two walls. This spacious venue is enhanced by a coffered ceiling, and warmed by the fireplace nook, where friends and family can gather to toast the couple. Pretty and unpretentious, the room requires very little decorating for those who want to keep their reception simple. Banquet and round tables, along with folding chairs, are provided with the reservation—the atmosphere, be it casual or elegant, is totally up to you.

And you won't have to worry about keeping your reception private in the middle of a park. Tall bushes and trees mask the entrance to the Lakeside Room from the rest of the park and the community center is closed to the public while you celebrate the day or night away.