The most interesting thing playing at the Camera 12 theater Tuesday night wasn’t a movie, but a blues band. Actually, there was a series of blues bands playing at “Start Me Up,” a test to see how it would work if the underused movie house turned one of its third-floor auditoriums into a new live music venue for downtown San Jose.

The Silicon Valley Blues Society provided the bands for the three-hour gig, with the venture’s backers — Camera Cinemas owner Jack NyBlom and Orloff-Williams public relations agency CEO Dan Orloff — monitoring how much sound bled through to the theater one floor below (about as much as you’d get from a superhero blockbuster, it turns out).

Plans are still in the early stages, and NyBlom and Orloff say they hope to have shows there starting in November. Another innovative idea is turning the third-floor concessions area into a lounge with bistro-style food and drinks that would be open to the public, whether they were going to a music show or a movie.

CAT WOMAN RETURNS: Animal lovers turned out in packs Thursday evening at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo for a garden party to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Cheetah Conservation Fund and hear from Laurie Marker, an expert on the big cats.

It was actually a homecoming for Marker, a graduate of Leland High School in San Jose, who has been working with cheetahs in Namibia for the past 25 years. The cheetah population worldwide has dwindled to about 10,000 in 24 countries, she said, making conservation efforts more important. “The cheetah is the fastest land animal, and here in the Silicon Valley, where everything goes fast, we appreciate the support of all of you.”

Heather Lerner, executive director of the Happy Hollow Foundation, says supporting conservation efforts is a major mission for smaller zoos like Happy Hollow. “We don’t have the space to get big animals like a cheetah, but what we can do is protect species in the wild,” she said.

NAMES NEEDED FOR FULL NEST: Clara and Fernando El Cohete, the peregrine falcons who have a roost atop San Jose City Hall, have welcomed three chicks and that means the city’s annual naming contest is underway.

The competition is open to children ages 5 to 18 who either live or go to school in San Jose. Names — along with essays, poems, artwork, videos or songs — is due by April 24. The gender of the eyases isn’t known yet, so names suitable for girls or boys is welcome. Finalists will be determined by a panel of community judges, and then falcon fans can vote online for the winners.

There’s a link to the entry form and guidelines at www.sanjoseca.gov/falcons.

VENTURA-BOUND: Friends and colleagues got together Tuesday at the Hotel De Anza in downtown San Jose to bid farewell to the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Stephanie Caldwell. She spent nine years with the chamber, most recently as chief operating officer, and is leaving to take the top spot at the Ventura Chamber of Commerce.

NORTH POLE RETIREMENT: There have been a number of departures and retirements at San Jose City Hall over the past few years, but the folks behind Christmas in the Park couldn’t let Tom Trafton’s retirement go unnoticed. Trafton worked for the city’s parks and recreation department but he was also the guy who built or restored most of the popular displays at Christmas in the Park for more than 30 years. In recognition for his unmatched impact on the annual holiday tradition, Christmas in the Park Executive Director Jason Minsky announced that from now on the event’s display workshop on Senter Road will be named after Trafton.

MAYORS TOAST LARSON: On Monday, four former Los Gatos mayors held a farewell luncheon at Steamers restaurant for Greg Larson, who recently announced he was stepping down from his position as town manager later this year. Larson, who started out working for former San Jose Mayor Tom McEnery and then-U.S. Rep. Norman Mineta, has held a series of executive positions in the public sector and the nonprofit world.

Everyone at the lunch, organized by former Mayor Diane McNutt, agreed that Los Gatos’ loss will probably wind up as another organization’s gain.

EMERGING ARTISTS, BIG GRANTS: The Leigh Weimers Emerging Artists Awards program, in its third year, is looking to recognize a group of lesser-known talents in Santa Clara County with three $5,000 grants.

Program chair Steve Borkenhagen says applications are open to artists in any field from Santa Clara County and notes that previous recipients have included singers, a stage-lighting designer, a playwright and a hip-hop artist. Applications are due by July 6, and the guidelines are all laid out at www.weimersawards.com.

The Rotary Club of San Jose administers the program in honor of late Mercury News columnist and lifelong patron of the arts Leigh Weimers. (In the interests of disclosure, I sit on the organizing committee, but I’m not part of the selection process.)

SPRING, ITALIAN STYLE: The Italian-American Heritage Foundation is hosting its “Spring Fling” on April 11 at its cultural center at 425 N. Fourth St. in San Jose. The 6 p.m. event includes a dinner catered by Gunther’s in Willow Glen, with dance music cooked up by Alfie Dreifuss and his MVP Band.

The $75 ticket, plus proceeds from a donation drawing, will benefit the foundation’s educational and cultural programs. Call 408-293-7122.

Contact Sal Pizarro at spizarro@mercurynews.com or 408-920-5473. Follow him at Facebook.com/mercurynews.aroundtown and Twitter.com/spizarro.