Feb. 2: Local and regional events

‘Souper Bowl of Caring’ at the Village Church

The simple act of buying a can of soup can help hundreds of men, women and families who are going hungry in San Diego County. The Village Church in Rancho Santa Fe will deliver the food to area missions as part of Souper Bowl Sunday, a national effort held each year to coincide with the run up to the big game.

(Copyright of the Village Church)

On Sunday, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12, soup will be collected after worship services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Donors can also drive to the church parking lot at 6225 Paseo Delicias on Saturday, Feb. 11, to drop off soup from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. You can also donate to purchase soup by mailing a check to the Village Church, PO Box 704, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067 and mark Souper Bowl in the check memo.

Since 1990, the Souper Bowl of Caring has collected more than $170 million in donations from people in all 50 states. For more information, contact Mary Proctor: mbproctor53@gmail.com.

CCA show ‘Art in the Afternoon at the Athenaeum’ to be held Feb. 5

Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) announced that its “Art in the Afternoon at the Athenaeum” show will return to the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library (1008 Wall Street, La Jolla, 92037), this Sunday, Feb. 5, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The lineup includes performances by the Canyon Crest Academy Envision jazz band in the outdoor courtyard, followed by chamber orchestra and vocal music in the interior performance space. Artwork by students will also be showcased and available for purchase.

Highlights:

-Repertoire standards by Chick Correa, Freddie Hubbard, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, and more will be performed in the courtyard by CCA jazz ensembles

-Indoor chamber concert will be presented by CCA instrumentalists

-Artwork, featuring nature themes, created by CCA visual artists will be for sale

-Midden, the current show of symbiotic human and plant landscapes by Eva Struble, will be on view for all guests

Feature:

For International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Feb. 27), vocalists will perform the tribute: I never saw another butterfly: settings of poems by children of the Holocaust, a four-part chorus for young voices by Joel M. Hardyk. The songs to be presented are based on children’s poems composed at the concentration camp at Terezin. The majority of the Jews sent there were scholars, professionals, artists and musicians. Most did not make it out.

Anne Whatoff, director of Envision, the arts at CCA, shared, “Among the compositions selected, I wanted a tribute piece. The story of Terezin is very much on my mind as we approach the day of remembrance. It will be one vital part of an immersive afternoon at the Athenaeum.”

Tickets may be purchased in advance at fs30.formsite.com/ccaf/athenaeum23

/index.html for $45. San Pellegrino Essenza and assorted sugar cookies or cakes are included in the ticket price. All proceeds go to Envision, the arts at CCA.

Envision, the arts at Canyon Crest Academy, is a rigorous, multi-disciplinary program that encompasses arts day classes and a conservatory designed for students pursuing a keystone project in the arts or humanities. Their work spans interdisciplinary performances choreographed by guest artists to hands-on independent research. Participants are selected by artist-educators based on portfolio review, interviews, and audition.

CCA Spring Parent Happy Hour set for Feb. 8

A Canyon Crest Academy Spring Parent Happy Hour will be held Feb. 8, from 5-7 p.m. The CCA community is invited to eat, drink, and mingle with Principal Brett Killeen, assistant principals, CCA teachers, staff, Canyon Crest Academy Foundation board members and other CCA parents at Pacific Social in The Village at Pacific Highlands Ranch. Attendees who purchase CCA Destination Motown Gala tickets between Feb. 1 and 8 will get a complimentary drink at the Happy Hour.

Help support CCA at Destination Motown Gala

Join the Canyon Crest Academy community to support CCA and have a rockin’ good time at the Destination Motown Gala on March 4. This year’s gala will take place on campus and feature live entertainment by the dynamic R&B group Uptown.

The gala will feature a live auction at the event and an online auction that starts on Feb. 22 and is open to everyone. Consider donating to the online auction (internships, theater tickets, services, etc.). Each donation contributes to the CCA Foundation’s mission to “Enrich the Experience of Every Student, Every Day.”

To be a gala sponsor, buy opportunity tickets, attend the gala or donate auction items, go to ccagala.com.

Upcoming Del Mar Toastmasters meeting theme is ‘Love and Marriage’

Improve your communication and build leadership skills. Del Mar Toastmasters invites you to an in-person meeting with the theme of “Love and Marriage” on Friday, Feb 10, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at St. Peters Episcopal Church Parish Hall, 334 14th St., Del Mar. For details, go to DelMarToastmasters.com or contact kaarenhk@aol.com

The theme for the following Del Mar Toastmasters meeting will be “The Kindness of Strangers” on Friday, Feb 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. at St. Peters Episcopal Church Parish Hall. For details, go to DelMarToastmasters.com or contact kaarenhk@aol.com

Batiquitos Lagoon to hold ‘Watching Whales’ presentation

Batiquitos Lagoon will host a presentation on Feb. 11 titled “Watching Whales” at 10 a.m. Dr. Dave Weller of NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will share decades of research about the gray whales that are seen off the coast as they travel from Alaska to the Gulf of California where females give birth to their calves. This free, family event is interesting for both adults and kids, age 10 and older. Meet at the Nature Center, 7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad. For more information, visit Batiquitoslagoon.org.

Folk, blues and jazz concert

The Friends of the Encinitas Library presents Watson, Beldock & Beach performing an acoustic blend of original folk, blues and jazz from 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 5 at the library, 540 Cornish Drive. The trio will be joined by special guests Memo Acevedo, an internationally renowned drummer and percussionist, and Dave Blackburn, an established record producer-engineer, guitarist, drummer and award-winning songwriter. Admission is free. Visit encinitaslibfriends.org.— Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune

Heart luminary workshop at Botanic Garden

A heart luminary workshop led by Denise McMurtrie is set for 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 4, at the San Diego Botanic Garden, 300 Quail Gardens Drive. Participants will learn how to transform a watercolor painting into a glowing luminary. The class will take inspiration from the red flowers that grow in the garden. McMurtrie will discuss how participants can use something as simple as celery to make heart roses. Cost is $22; $18 for members. Class fees include garden admission and additional supplies. Recommended materials that are not provided are watercolor paints, watercolor paper and brushes. Class is in person and outdoors. Register by Wednesday, Feb. 1, at sdbg.org.

— Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune

Monthly bird walk at botanic garden is Feb. 6

On the first Monday of each month, the San Diego Botanic Garden hosts a bird walk led by birding specialists Rita Campbell, Sue Smith, Gretchen Nell and Jeff Clingan. The next walk is at 8 a.m. Feb. 6 at 300 Quail Gardens Drive. The group typically searches out the largest number of bird species in the native and ornamental gardens. Anyone interested in birding, beginner to expert, can attend. Admission is free for garden members. Visit sdbg.org.— Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune

North County Winds band to present ‘A Musical Bouquet’ concert

The 60-piece North County Winds (www.ncwinds.org) under the musical direction of Vince Hernandez performs “A Musical Bouquet” concert on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 2:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church, 424 Via de la Valle, Solana Beach. Music of several genres will be performed including Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, the Gilbert and Sullivan-inspired Pineapple Poll ballet, ABBA, swing music, American folk, Gaelic, and Middle Eastern inspired pieces - something for everyone. Tickets can be purchased at the door or through the website at www.ncwinds.org and are $20 for general public, $15 for seniors, and free for students.

San Diego International Jewish Film Festival celebrates 33rd season

The 33rd Annual San Diego International Jewish Film Festival (SDIJFF) runs in person from Feb. 15-26, and continues virtually from Feb. 27-March 3. The SDIJFF showcases a selection of the best contemporary Jewish films. Thirty-five feature films will be screened and there will be plenty of free in-person-only screenings at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre.

Film enthusiasts can attend in-person screenings at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre, while virtual film screenings are available on demand beginning on Feb. 27 and will remain available through March 3.

Limited, free in-person screenings which will be held at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre. The Underwriter-exclusive screening of “Remember This,” starring David Strathairn (Good Night, and Good Luck, Lincoln, Nomadland), will be at 7 p.m. on Feb. 15.

This festival is known to be one of the most prestigious Jewish film festivals in the country. Tickets are $18 per program and $15 for JCC members. A virtual only pass is $75 and $65 for JCC members.

Tickets are on sale now. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit https://www.lfjcc.org/film.

Events at the Del Mar Fairgrounds

A variety of events are being held this month at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, including below. For more information, visit delmarfairgrounds.com/events-calendar/

Seaside Equestrian Tour

Nilforushan Equisports Events presents the inagural Seaside Equestrian Tour at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The Seaside Equestrian Tour will feature a wide variety of classes, including everything from Cross Rails to the Grand Prix. In addition to these class offerings, NEE will be waiving class fees for competitors riding OTTBs and young horses. The shows and events will also include dining, entertainment and more.

Tour dates: Jan. 25-29, Feb.2-5, Feb. 9-12, Feb. 23-26, March 2-5, March 9-12.

For more information, visit delmarfairgrounds.com/event/seaside-equestrian-tour/all/

‘Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience’

One-hundred years to the day after the historic discovery of King Tut’s tomb, Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience, a new exhibition created in partnership with the National Geographic Society, will bring the magic and mystery of Ancient Egypt to the San Diego area, opened Jan. 27 at the Wyland Center at the Del Mar Fairgrounds and running through March 26.

The highly anticipated exhibition combines the power of cinematic storytelling and soaring imagery to invite visitors into the golden king’s world like never before. This exhibition goes beyond a traditional artifact display using the power of photography and technology, ensuring that the artifacts from King Tut’s tomb remain in their country of origin.

“Beyond King Tut will be a must-see for anyone interested in Egypt and the history of King Tut,” said Kathryn Keane, vice president of public programming and National Geographic Museum director for the National Geographic Society, in a news release. “New technologies are making it possible to fully immerse people like never before in important stories from our past, allowing us to develop connections and understand history’s influence on our present and future generations.”

The multi-gallery, multi-sensory exhibition whisks guests on a time-traveling adventure to Ancient Egypt. With nine galleries to explore, Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience unlocks the 3,300-year-old story of King Tut – his rule as a child pharaoh, his family, the discovery of his tomb and the mysteries surrounding his early death, and his journey to the afterlife. Tickets are on sale at www.beyondkingtut.com.

Kook Run in Encinitas

The Kook Run will be held in Encinitas on Sunday, Feb. 12. Kick off Super Bowl Sunday by racing an out-and-back 5K or 10K course on Coast Highway 101, taking in epic views of the Pacific Ocean and, of course, the Cardiff Kook.

The race festivities begin under the iconic Encinitas sign in downtown Encinitas. Participants can take part in the famous Kook costume contest— cash and prizes are available in the categories of Individual Kook Costume, Group Costume Contest and Biggest Football Fan. A post-race finish line festival will be held in Moonlight Plaza with live music, beer garden, breakfast tacos, local vendors, games and activities.

This year the Kook Run’s official charity beneficiaries include the Encinitas Ecke YMCA and Cardiff 101 Main Street. To register visit thekookrun.com