Event briefs: Oct. 25

San Diego Pet Con event cancelled

The San Diego Pet Con event, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27, has been cancelled. For more information, see San Diego Union-Tribune story at

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/communities/north-county/sd-no-pet-con-20181025-story.html

Taste of the Village

Take your taste buds on a tour and give back to Canyon Crest Academy at The Taste of the Village on Sunday, Nov. 4 from 2-5 p.m. Hosted by the Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch and the Canyon Crest Academy Foundation for the second consecutive year, this afternoon event helps participants find their inner foodie while supporting a local public school. Canyon Crest Academy boasts dramatic statistics on both ends of the spectrum of school metrics, as both the #1 high school in California and the lowest funded high school in California.

Sample delicious tastes of all that The Village has to offer with a selection of foods from Amici’s Ristobar, Baked Bear, Breakfast Republic, Fresh Brothers, Luna Grill Vitality Tap, Westroot Tavern, and Wokou.

CCA and The Village are also partnering with Mama’s Kitchen, a local community-driven organization that delivers nutritious meals to home bound patients with HIV, cancer and other critical illnesses. The whole family can stop by the Art Station at the Taste of the Village where they can decorate bags for the holidays that deliver not only meals but love and holiday cheer.

Your $25 ticket also includes live entertainment featuring student musicians and singers from Canyon Crest Academy’s Envision program. There will be a special art show featuring the works of CCA’s Envision Visual Arts students. One-hundred percent of proceeds benefit CCA, and participants specify which athletics, Envision or STEM program receives their money..

Purchase your tickets today at canyoncrestfoundation.org or https://goo.gl/L4rL8c

The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch is located at 13490 Pacific Highlands Ranch Pkwy, San Diego, CA 92130. Visit phrvillage.com. Visit canyoncrestfoundation.org.

Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Days

Ghouls, goblins, snakes and alpacas? That only partially spooky but completely fun-filled combination can only mean it’s time for Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Days. The now, yearly eerie Halloween tradition bringing animal-loving thrill seekers to Rancho Santa Fe, has been such a treat that it’s now expanded to a two-day spook-tacular event.

Howl-O-Ween Harvest Family Days are Oct. 27 and 28 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Families are invited to tour the new “Scientist’s Terribly Eerie Monster Lab” or STEM lab for short, explore a mystical maze, ghoulishly fun games, a mini pumpkin patch, costume contest, crafts, face-painting and much more. All this, while meeting creepy critters (and cuddly costumed ones too). Parents and kids of all ages won’t want to miss this autumn-themed day carefully crafted by the Center’s Humane Education Department.

Come in costume and meet slithering snakes, millipedes, lizards, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, Vietnamese walking sticks, miniature horses, guinea pigs, chickens, rabbits, goats and, of course, costumed alpacas.

“This is one of our favorite events of the year,” said Education Manager Haylee Blake. “The kids, parents and staff all have a great time but it’s also a perfect way to address some common misconceptions about some of the ‘spookier’ creatures and teach kids about the wonderful things they provide for our environment. Even though the theme is scary, we actually get to explain that a lot of the creatures we fear are not scary at all!”

The cost is $14.25 per child (which includes animal interactions, all activities, refreshments and a mini pumpkin to take home.). Accompanying adults cost $5. For more information on Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Howl-oween Harvest Family Day, call 858-756-4117 x 319 or visit www.animalcenter.org.

Free Halloween event at Piazza Carmel

Piazza Carmel in Carmel Valley will hold a free Halloween event Saturday, Oct. 27, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Children get a Halloween bucket to decorate and use for trick or treating at stores and businesses throughout the center. Meet a giant Frankenstein on stilts. Show off your Halloween costume at this big community event in Carmel Valley.

Piazza Carmel is located at 3810-3890 Valley Center Drive, San Diego, 92130. Visit www.piazza-carmel.com

Solana Beach 4th Annual ‘Dia de los Muertos’

The Solana Beach 4th Annual “Dia de los Muertos” – Day of the Dead - community event will be held Sunday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m.- 5p .m., at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Avenue. This alcohol-free community event will offer many exciting cultural opportunities for the whole family. Last year, over 3,500 people attended. Highlighting the entertainment stage schedule will be the festive sounds of Banda, Creepxotica, Bulevar Descarga and SantanaWays. Fun activities for the whole family will include Piñata’s for kids, a Scavenger Hunt, a Catrin/Catrina costume contest, commemorative T-shirts for sale, oldies car show, a dance exhibition and kids’ games. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit the city web site at www.cityofsolanabeach.org or call the Parks and Recreation Department at 858-720-2453.

‘Local Author Talks’ to be held in November at Del Mar Library

Del Mar Branch Library recently announced its November “Local Author Talks.”

 On Saturday, Nov. 3 at 1:30 p.m., Tasha Donahue, author of the novel Toward the Sun, will discuss how to write your own book. During her presentation “So You Want to Write a Book? Where to Begin!” Donahue will guide participants through the process of getting started, finishing a book, and marketing it. Donahue will also do readings from each of her three books.

 On Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m., Jim Kempton, author of First We Surf, Then We Eat, will speak. Kempton has been editor and publisher of Surfer magazine; director of Quiksilver’s Crossing Project, a boat that searched the world for the best surf breaks; the director of media for Billabong; and the owner of an award-winning regional Mexican restaurant. He is based in San Clemente.

The Del Mar Branch Library is located at 1309 Camino Del Mar. For more information, call the library at (858) 755-1666. For information about San Diego County Library and other events, visit www.sdcl.org.

TPHS Music Department Fall Concert to be held Oct. 29

The Torrey Pines High School Music Department will hold its Fall Concert on Monday, Oct. 29, at 6:30 p.m. The concert will take place in the Canyon Crest Academy Proscenium Theater. There is a suggested donation of $10 per family at the door.

The concert will feature performances by Advanced Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Choir.

Under the direction of Amy Gelb, all classes have been rehearsing heavily to prepare for the concert.

Families in the community with younger students are encouraged to attend for a firsthand experience of what it is like to be a music student at TPHS.

For more information about the TPHS music program, visit www.torreypinesmusic.com.

Good Earth/Great Chefs series to present author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi Oct. 27 in RSF

The Good Earth / Great Chefs series will welcome author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi and his latest book, Ottolenghi SIMPLE, Saturday, Oct. 27, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Chino Farm in Rancho Santa Fe. Join the event for a festive book signing with the author that includes music, food samples and drinks. The pantry will be stocked with new holiday gift items, including Middle Eastern spices used in Ottolenghi’s recipes.

Ottolenghi is an Israeli-born chef and food writer based in London. He is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential chefs of recent times, often cited as the driving force behind the vegetarian, Middle Eastern cuisine trend.

The Chino Farm is located at 6123 Calzada del Bosque, Rancho Santa Fe, 92091. Tickets are not required, and admission is free (rain or shine). Live bluegrass music by Prairie Sky.

Pre-ordered books are highly recommended at www.goodearthgreatchefs.com and can be picked up at the event or at regular farm hours.

Horizon Church Harvest Festival

Horizon Church’s Annual Harvest Festival will be held Oct. 31, 5:30 p.m. at 6365 El Apajo Road, Rancho Santa Fe. The free event will include a hot air balloon, zip-line carnival rides, games, food trucks, candy and more.

A talk on the ‘wild side’

Enjoy an entertaining afternoon with live animal ambassadors, wild things and wild places. Get up close and personal with bearcats, honeybears, alligators and more while leaving with a better understanding and hope for the future of these amazing creatures.

Bring the entire family on Nov. 3 from 2-3 p.m. at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center in La Jolla.

Tickets for adults are $20 and $15 for children under 12. Special VIP tickets are available for $35, which will have preferred seating and a meet and greet with Jackie and the animals immediately following the conclusion of the presentation. More information, visit www.wildwonders.org.

UCSD economic roundtable

Gordon Hanson, professor of Economics, School of Global Policy and Strategy, UC San Diego, will discuss The Future of Trade Policy at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14 at the UC San Diego Faculty Club. Discounts are available for UCSD faculty, staff, students and alumni.

New technologies and the spectacular growth of the Chinese economy have forever changed the world. What trade policies make sense in this new environment, and who would gain and lose under some of the changes that have been proposed? Hanson has published studies on these questions in the top academic journals in economics. His research is widely cited by scholars from across the social sciences and is frequently quoted in major media outlets. He currently holds the Pacific Economic Cooperation Chair in International Economic Relations at UC San Diego. For more information or to register, visit economics.ucsd.edu/events/economics-roundtable/index.html or email econroundtable@ucsd.edu, or call 858-534-9710.

Earl Warren Reflections Art event

Earl Warren Middle School students are participating in the national PTA Reflections Art Program. This year’s theme is “Heroes Around Me”; all student dancers, musicians, photographers, artists and writers are encouraged to apply. A celebratory showcase and reception will be held on the new campus in the EWMS Cove attached to the Solana Beach Library on Oct. 30, 12:30-1:05 p.m. (Note this time changed from a previous later time.)

For more information visit the Earl Warren PTSA website at: ew.sduhsd.net/PTSA/Reflections--Art-Program/index.html

Solana Beach School District STREAM Festival

The Solana Beach School District (SBSD) and the Solana Beach Schools Foundation recently announced the inaugural SBSD STREAM Festival. This event will take place outdoors Nov. 3 at Solana Pacific School from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at 3901 Townsgate Drive, San Diego, 92130.

Students, STREAM Teachers on Special Assignment (TOSAs), staff, and local community members are joining together to lead the charge. They are sharing their experiences and expertise in the fields of science, technology, research, engineering, the arts, and mathematics (STREAM).

This event is presented by the Solana Beach School District and Solana Beach Schools Foundation.

Visit www.sbsd.net/STREAM and #SBSDSTREAM for more details.

CCA ‘Art Uncorked’ fundraiser

“ART UNCORKED,” the annual fundraiser for the fine arts program at Canyon Crest Academy will be held on Saturday, Oct. 27, from 3-6 p.m. This is the fourth annual cocktail soiree to benefit Envision Visual Arts, a unique program that offers participating CCA students professional artistic mentoring.

This adults-only soiree will be hosted at the private home of Nancy and Drake Coker and will feature delicious tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, delightful champagne cocktails, beer and wine, live jazz featuring CCA’s own Nate Jarrell. The first 16 lucky attendees to sign up can join in a special guided painting class led by EVA Coordinator Jessi Mortensen (no art experience required).

Guests will mingle with Envision Visual Arts teachers and professional guest artists who work with CCA students every day, along with Principal Brett Killeen and other CCA administrative staff and Foundation members. There will be exclusive silent auction items and experiences for students available at the event. Tickets for this event are available at fs30.formsite.com/ccaf/ArtUncorked/index.html

Balboa Park Halloween Family Day

The region’s largest free Halloween carnival celebrates its 10th year of providing families a fun, safe, and culturally inspired kickoff to their Halloween activities. The Balboa Park Halloween Family Day on Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., features dozens of free craft projects for kids, Day of the Dead-themed displays and activities, costume contests and parades, carnival games with prizes, live entertainment, and food trucks. Participating museums also offer free admission to children 12 and under with paying adult. Visit sdmts.com.

Del Mar International Horse Show

The Del Mar International Horse Show Season Finale Week runs Oct. 25-28. Visit www.westpalmsevents.com

Del Mar Family Mile Fun Run

Kick-off Thanksgiving Day with the Del Mar Family Mile Fun Run on the Del Mar racetrack. Begin from the actual starting gate, make a one-mile lap all the way around and finish in the Winners’ Circle where you will get your picture taken. Several Del Mar jockeys will be running, jogging and walking right with you.

Participants receive racetrack admission, parking, and a fun run t-shirt. Registration and pre-race activities start at 7 a.m. and include: games and prizes for kids, face painting, entertainers, holiday arts & crafts, animals from the Helen Woodward Animal Center and more. Participants are encouraged to come in costume. Following the Fun Run, Helen Woodward will conduct a one-of-a-kind Puppy Race. These adorable puppies will be available for adoption the following day.

Proceeds benefit Helen Woodward Animal Center and its equestrian therapy program for children and adults with special needs. Donations are also welcome.Visit bit.ly/2CzsQTB

Up Close and Personal

 For one night only, North Coast Repertory Theatre presents “Rest, In Pieces,” 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 29 at 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. With love, laughter, and a little sarcasm (…okay, maybe a lot), a son and his parents test the strength of the familial bond in a “what if” scenario as we watch how death affects a family when one member is removed. Free. northcoastrep.org

 Marking the 20th anniversary of the murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, La Jolla Theatre Ensemble performs “The Laramie Project” 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 28 at La Jolla Community Center, 6811 La Jolla Blvd. The Laramie Project is a powerful, transcendent and somehow ultimately hopeful story of an American town in the wake of a terrible hate crime and tragedy. Eight actors play more than 50 characters. $10 suggested donation. (858) 459-0831. ljcommunitycenter.org

San Diego Friends of Jung lecture

A San Diego Friends of Jung lecture will be held Friday, Nov. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at The Winston School in Del Mar. Phil Cousineau will speak on “The Secret Life and Death of Sisyphus.”

A close look into the archetypal struggle between life and death, as well as invaluable glimpses into the dynamics of the creative struggle. Through a blend of slides, movie clips, political cartoons, and classical references (Homer, Sophocles, Ovid), this lecture will explore Jung’s themes in the Sisyphean mythos, such as the struggle for consciousness, the enigma of human suffering, and the urge to transcendence. To bring participants into modern times, the lecture will explore Rollo May’s belief that the myth of Sisyphus is an antidote to the isolating and despairing American myth of success (as in The Great Gatsby), and the philosopher Albert Camus’ bold conclusion (at the end of his essay, “The Myth of Sisyphus”) that “The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must consider Sisyphus happy.”

The Winston School is located at 215 9th St., Del Mar, 92014, 858-259-8155.

Musician Robin Henkel returns to Zel’s Del Mar

Solo blues musician Robin Henkel will perform at Zel’s Del Mar Thursday, Nov. 1 from 7-10 p.m.

Address: 1247 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, (858) 755-0076.

Foreign Film: Zelary

A nurse and her surgeon-lover are part of a resistance movement in 1940s Czechoslovakia. When they are discovered, her lover flees and she must find a place to hide. A patient agrees to hide her as his wife. This Czech film with English subtitles will be shown by LIFE San Elijo on the San Elijo campus of MiraCosta College, 3333 Manchester Avenue, in room 204. For more information, email lifesanelijo@gmail.com.

Not-So-Scary Estuary

Enjoy a howling good time in nature on Oct. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center, 2710 Manchester Avenue. The event will include performances about sea level rise, a zero-waste arts/crafts activity and animal meet and greets. Kids in costume can join the parade with prizes awarded, go trick-or-treating with wildlife discoveries and more fun outdoors. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2PMdNJ9.

Family Fall Festival

Come to the San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, and celebrate the season with fall-themed activities like pony rides, Halloween crafts and a petting zoo on Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The O-Truck will offer a selection of delicious farm-to-table entrees. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/2NXXA1Y.

Concert dedicated to ‘Peace, Hope and Remembrance’

The vocal ensemble Cappella Gloriana, conducted by Virginia Sublett, will present a concert dedicated to Peace, Hope and Remembrance on Sunday, Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. at St Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 890 Balour Drive, Encinitas. The performance includes music by Byrd, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Dett, and Dawson. Free, but donations will be appreciated.

Crest Canyon Volunteer Clean-Up

A Crest Canyon volunteer clean-up will be held Saturday, Oct. 27th, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at the corner of Durango Drive and Lozana Road. Bring water, protective clothing, gloves, and close-toed shoes.

This is an outdoor, physical work session. Please protect your skin and eyes. Participants under 18 years of age must provide a liability waiver signed by their parent or legal guardian as provided on SDCL’s event website calendar. Sign up at www.sdcanyonlands.org/events-calendar

Direct questions to: Samantha Collins, sami@sdcanyonlands.org or 619-920-9134.

#BigFertility documentary

Jennifer Lahl, president of the Center for Bioethics and Culture (www.cbc-network.org), will appear at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Encinitas on Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. for a showing of her new documentary #BigFertility. Lahl is also the producer of the award-winning documentaries Eggsploitation (2013), Anonymous Father’s Day (2011), and Breeders: A Subclass of Women? (2014).

Lahl will also stay for Q & A after the film. Like “Big Tobacco” and “Big Pharma,” Big Fertility is what happens “when an industry intentionally disregards—and indeed attempts to distract from—the harm it inflicts on its customers in the pursuit of profit,” according to a press release.

St. Mark Lutheran Church is located at 552 S El Camino Real, Encinitas, 92024. Childcare provided.