In cleaning out some folders, I came across a brochure about the 25th anniversary of the California Dancing Raisins. This struck a chord.

Twenty-five years ago, when these TV commercial raisins were beginning to get down, Michael Jackson was, too.

Both of them were pretty hot, the late Mr. Jackson, for all the reasons you well know, and the raisins for the special effects used to create them, the likes of which had not been seen much in the late 1980s. They sing a twist on the Motown hit, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."

As it turns out, Mr. Jackson liked the raisins quite a bit, too.

"Michael called up and I'm sitting there, having small talk with Michael on the phone," says Will Vinton, Claymation and California Raisins creator. "And I'm going, 'What is this about? Why am I having this conversation?' I realized he was talking about the California Raisins.

"I said, 'Michael, we should make you a raisin!' I realized he was heading that way, anyway. And as soon as I said it, he said, 'Yeah!' "

And so he was. Mr. Jackson said he would do the spot without charge, as long as he was involved in the creative end of it and choreography, says Mr. Vinton. The Academy Award-winning artist, director and animated film producer lives in Portland, Ore., where he runs his company, Freewill Entertainment Inc.

Mr. Vinton had previously worked with Mr. Jackson doing effects on his "Captain EO" three-dimensional movie shown at Disney parks. He also worked on Mr. Jackson's "Moonwalker" movie (a 1988 compilation of videos and films that included "Speed Demon," which was directed by Mr. Vinton and used Claymation, the process he patented.)

The California Raisin project, though, "was a dream for me," says Mr. Vinton, whose work has brought in many other awards, including several Emmys.

He worked with Mr. Jackson at Neverland, the singer's ranch in California that at the time was under construction. He says he "was just the sweetest person in the world. A really amazing, gentle soul" who was "misunderstood in many ways."

He was uber idealistic, "probably because he wasn't patterned in the same way most of us were," getting some leavening kicked into us in school and being out in the world.

Despite his idealism, Mr. Jackson would do "anything for the show, for the project to make it cooler, hipper, hotter" and so was eager to tap into the popularity of the Raisins commercials, which also had featured Ray Charles.

They worked to create a bit that captured Mr. Jackson's "Bad" image (the commercial was done a year or so after the 1987 release of that album).

The hardest part was getting "a good likeness and caricature for Michael that he was happy with," says Mr. Vinton, who ended up with a figure that was "slightly more effeminate looking" with heavy eye makeup.

And, of course, a sequined glove, tape around his fingers, a jheri curl and a low-slung studded belt.

In the film, Michael Raisin tosses off a fedora that's covering his eyes and starts to sing about being a sun-raised California raisin, to a "Bad" era beat -- several "woos!" in this. A strawberry in the audience screams "Michael!" and then passes out.

The commercial, which aired only in theaters, ends with a Claymation Mr. Jackson waking up, looking around, seeing a bowl of fruit and saying, "Wow. Must've been something I ate."

See it on youtube, where the Ray Charles version also is playing.

As for Mr. Jackson's passing last week, Mr. Vinton was as shocked as the rest of us. Read more about him at willvinton.net.

The California Raisins are no longer animated, but do represent the product in print ads, as a mascot and as the World's Largest California Dancing Raisin, created by students at California State University, Fresno.

You have to think Mr. Jackson would appreciate the fun.

Summer's been turned on full-force and there's lots to do.

Dormont has launched its Buy Local Campaign, as part of the town's 100th anniversary. Buy Local Week runs today through Tuesday; get a coupon for 10 percent off at participating Dormont businesses (look for posters in store windows) by visiting dormontmainstreet.org. Coupons also are available at the municipal building and at centennial events.

Dormont officials also remind of the farmers market, held from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Oct. 26 at Espy and Potomac avenues. Vendors, contact Juliet Cameron, recreation director, 412-874-6881, juliet@boro.dormont.pa.us.

Last night, revelers cut a full sheet cake in the form of the fabled Dormont pool. The cake was created by Megan Meston, a culinary student at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

On the North Side, a fundraiser will be held from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 19 at Bistro to Go, 415 E. Ohio St., for Chef Alfredo Russell, who was involved in a car accident in May. Chef Alfredo, as he is known, had moved here from New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $5 for children under age 12. Music, poetry readings and a menu ranging from barbecued ribs to fried chicken. Purchase tickets in advance by July 12 and be entered in a drawing for a $50 Bistro To Go gift card. Call 412-231-0218 or go to bistro-togo.com.

In Oakland, celebrate Bastille Day on July 14 at Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh with the Alliance Francaise de Pittsburgh. The event from 6 to 9 p.m. includes a strolling French buffet, wine, music, performances by a Parisian-trained mime, and a French dessert buffet. Tickets are $125 for Bastille Level and $225 for Versailles level.

Versailles level additionally includes, from 5 to 6 p.m., a private champagne reception and lecture by Jason Busch, on "Paris to Pittsburgh: Sevres Porcelain with an American Connection."

Slow Food Pittsburgh, meanwhile, will hold "The Surprising Story of Milk" from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 11 at Brunton Dairy Farm in Independence, Beaver County. Taste-test milks from seven sources and of various types, from raw milk to factory-produced to pasteurized. Includes a dairy tour and organic barbecue lunch. $12 member, $15 nonmembers. Limited to 40 people who must prepay. E-mail Jack Neemes, neemes@aol.com.

Finally, south of here, canning workshops are scheduled for Greene, Washington and Fayette counties next week. Times are 7 to 9 p.m. Workshops are Tuesday in Greene County, Wednesday, Washington County and Thursday, Fayette County. Fee is $10. Call the Greene County Cooperative Extension Office at 724-627-3745 to register. Space is limited.

Picnics! Fireworks! Martha Stewart Living says to "show some patriotic flare with spirited details" such as "place cards wrapped in clip art."

Place cards for the Fourth of July?