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The Kook Run 2026 will be Sunday, Feb. 8 at 7:20 a.m. Both a fun run and a professional race, The Kook Run is a SoCal Big Game Sunday tradition, where thousands kick off the morning with a 5K/10K fun run and costumed race along the Pacific Coast. The 10K race is the fastest on the west coast and will again be made up of an international field of runners, as well as the top runners in Southern California. In 2026, all elite runners will be racing for a cash purse of $3,000 on the most picturesque 10K course on the West Coast. The kids will get their own day to run at the 5th Annual Junior Kook Run, with a modified course for kids, from 400 yards to one mile, on Saturday, Feb. 7 for kids ages 3-12 at the Ecke YMCA, during packet pick-up, starting at 9:00 a.m. The Costume Contest is one of the most entertaining aspects of the event – and that is what makes this event so fun. The contest awards the top three in each of the following categories: “Best Group Theme,” “Best ‘Kook’ Theme,” and “Most Original.” Costume contest participants need to register/check-in at the Costume Contest Registration table between 6:30 a.m. and 7:15 a.m. The costume award ceremony will immediately follow the 5K race. Winners must be present to win. For rules and more info, visit www.thekookrun.com. The Kook Run is proud to donate a portion of all proceeds to the Ecke YMCA of Encinitas. The Right Hand Angels will be the beneficiary of the event’s Beer Garden sales, as well as participating in the event with their chariot runners. Registration is now open – $59.83 ($54.50, today) for the 5K (3.1 miles), $83.26 ($73.67, today) for the 10K (6.2 miles) and $14.56 for the Junior Kook Run. Each participant receives a premium T-shirt and finisher’s medal. The course starts under the world famous “Encinitas” sign on the historic Coast Hwy 101 in beautiful Encinitas, Calif. This scenic loop passes by the famous “Cardiff Kook” statue, rises above some of the most popular surf breaks in the world and heads down to Cardiff State Beach. Water stations are provided throughout the course. Race Day and Costume Contest registration opens at 6:30 a.m. Welcome and introductions take place at 7:00 a.m. The Elite/10K race start is 7:20 a.m., while the 5K and Costume Division race starts at 8:05 a.m. The awards ceremony is at 9:15 a.m. Advance packet and T-shirt pick-up will be held at the Ecke YMCA – 200 Saxony Road in Encinitas (92024) – Saturday, Feb. 7 between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. One of the “coolest” aspects of the race is its Finish Line Festival at Moonlight Plaza – featuring highlights for Kooks of all ages. The energy will be rocking with live music, breakfast tacos, a Vendor Village, games and activities, and a beer garden, featuring local breweries. EVENT PARKING: Public Parking can be found on Southwest corner of S. Vulcan Ave and E st. Encinitas Library Lot (corner of E D St and Cornish Dr) Civic Center parking Lot (East side of S. Vulcan ave between and D St. and E St) Street parking on 2nd and 3rd street (Between C St and K St) Moonlight Beach Parking Lot (corner of C St and 3rd St) TRANSPORTATION: To help with parking on race morning we encourage using a bicycle, carpooling, ride share services, and other local public transportation to arrive onsite. The train and bus station is only 1 block away. If you are using Uber or Lyft we suggest using the Encinitas Library address as a drop and pickup point so you can walk down to the event area. (540 Cornish Dr, Encinitas, 92024) For more information on the event, visit www.thekookrun.com.

Volunteers needed on Stewardship Saturday—a weekly opportunity to help restore and care for the historic montane forests of Volcan Mountain. Join our reforestation team for a full day on the mountain as we plant the next generation of trees. Volunteers will help establish coulter pine, bigcone Douglas-fir, and incense cedar across priority restoration sites. The day begins at 8 a.m. at VMF's Sky Island basecamp with coffee, a short orientation, and hands-on training in silviculture best practices. We’ll introduce the landscape, explain how planting locations are selected, and share how volunteers contribute to our broader restoration strategy. For those interested, optional sessions will also explore place-based decision-making, field data entry, adaptive management, and long-term monitoring. After orientation, volunteers will form small planting crews and head into the field to begin hard, fun work on the mountain! Planting will wrap up around 2:30 p.m. (earlier departures are always fine). Afterwards, we’ll gather just 10 minutes down Wynola Road for an informal Happy Hour at Calico Cidery, an organic orchard-based taproom serving natural wine, farm-style cider, and local non-alcoholic beverages. Whether you’re a seasoned planter or brand new to restoration work, we’d love to have you join us as we rebuild this forest together. MUST REGISTER: www.VolcanMt.org/4-4-26-Tree-Planting Date: Saturday, April 4 Time: 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Meeting Location: VMF’s Volcan Mountain Nature Center, Julian, CA Volcan Mountain Foundation on Facebook

After premiering Off-Broadway last season, "A Taste of Ireland―The Irish Music & Dance Sensation" returns to stages across the USA in 2025, performing the show that has entertained thousands around the globe. Laugh, cry and jig into the night with a production that is Celtic, for this generation. Performed by former World Irish dance champions, and featuring dancers from Lord of the Dance and Riverdance, "A Taste of Ireland" transports the audience through the story of Ireland’s tumultuous history delivered with a pint of Irish wit. Watch world-class performers blend melodic folk mash-ups, live jaw-dropping acapella tap battles and heartwarming storytelling. Featuring revamped classics of Danny Boy, Tell Me Ma, Wild Rover, and many more well-known songs, the show’s reimagined contemporary score blossoms alongside the brash Irish charm of the live dance cast. ‘A Taste of Ireland’ merges cultural traditions, modern flair, and craic galore, to deliver a performance that has been leaving audiences across the globe jigging on their feet for the last decade. With over one hundred and fifty 5-star Facebook reviews, "A Taste of Ireland" is exactly what it promises: a taste of everything you love about Ireland with a generous helping of more! "A Taste of Ireland" is a show with 100% live singing and dancing that bridges the gap between storytelling, modern Irish dance, tap and contemporary dance to tell a historic story, live on stage. **Please note: musical instruments are subject to change from performance to performance Visit: https://sandiegotheatres.org/event/2025/10/taste-ireland Balboa Theater San Diego on Instagram and Facebook

Jacques Demy followed up "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" with another musical about missed connections and second chances, this one a more effervescent confection. Twins Delphine and Solange, a dance instructor and a music teacher (played by real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Françoise Dorléac), long for big-city life; when a fair comes through their quiet port town, so does the possibility of escape. With its jazzy Michel Legrand score, pastel paradise of costumes, and divine supporting cast (George Chakiris, Grover Dale, Danielle Darrieux, Michel Piccoli, and Gene Kelly), "The Young Girls of Rochefort" is a tribute to Hollywood optimism from sixties French cinema’s preeminent dreamer. Digital Gym Cinema on Facebook / Instagram

Winner of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Audience Award and Camera d'Or for Best First Feature. Iraq's Official Submission to the 2026 Academy Awards. While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive the war and food shortages, the President requires each school in the country to prepare a cake to celebrate his birthday. Despite her efforts to avoid getting picked, 9-year-old Lamia is chosen among her classmates. The young girl must now use her wits and imagination to gather ingredients and prepare the mandatory cake in THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE. Digital Gym Cinema on Facebook / Instagram

Nominated for Best Sound and Best International Feature at the 2026 Academy Awards! Luis travels through southern Morocco with his son, Esteban, searching for his daughter, who was last seen at a dance festival in the desert and has now been missing for five months. As the pair move from party to party, they hear of a semi-mythical rave near the border of Mauritania. Descending into the scorched terrain as a not-so-distant global conflict encroaches, Luis and Esteban are soon drawn into a primal landscape in which they must walk a tightrope between heaven and hell. Digital Gym Cinema on Facebook / Instagram

Presented by Quartyard, Wondergate, The Deep End, Posted Music, West Coast Weekender, and Fraktal Talent. Jody Wisternoff (Anjunadeep) A pivotal figure in the UK's rave scene since the early '90s, Jody Wisternoff is renowned for his keen ear for talent and his role in shaping the sound of the Anjunadeep label, where he co-curates the chart-topping annual compilation series. His career began back in 1986 at the age of 13 as a finalist in the DMC World DJ Championship, and he quickly became a mainstay of the UK rave scene, performing at legendary venues like the Lakota club in Bristol and for iconic promoters such as Fantazia and Universe. Jody Wisternoff on Instagram

Join the UC Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation (IGCC) for a conversation with Dr. Thom Mason, Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory and President of Triad National Security, LLC. Dr. Mason will discuss the role of the national laboratories in advancing U.S. national security, the evolving challenges of nuclear deterrence and global nuclear security, and how cutting-edge science and technology—from computing to materials science—are shaping the future of energy and defense. The conversation will also explore leadership at scale: what it takes to guide one of the nation’s premier scientific institutions in an era of rapid technological and geopolitical change. About the Speaker: Dr. Thom Mason became the 12th Director of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and President of Triad National Security, LLC in November 2018. LANL is a principal contributor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s mission to maintain the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile and strengthen global nuclear security through innovative science and technology. Over a 30-year career, Dr. Mason has led the design and construction of major scientific facilities and applied nuclear, computing, and materials science to critical challenges in energy and national security. Prior to joining Los Alamos, he served as Senior Vice President for Global Laboratory Operations at Battelle, overseeing governance and strategy across six national laboratories. He previously spent 19 years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, including a decade as Laboratory Director, and began his career in academia as a faculty member in physics at the University of Toronto. Dr. Mason holds a PhD in Experimental Condensed Matter Physics from McMaster University and a BSc in Physics from Dalhousie University. Visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-conversation-with-dr-thom-mason-director-of-the-los-alamos-national-lab-tickets-1985003253165?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true IGCC on Instagram

Celebrate your special day with the best in dresses, accessories, and everything for Quinceañeras and brides—all in one place! SD Royalty Events Presents: Quince & Bridal Festival-Expo | Spring Showcase Step into elegance at San Diego’s newest event venue! Join us for a FREE, fun-filled Quinceañera & Bridal Festival-Expo at the stunning Liberty Station Chapel, a beautifully restored venue located in one of San Diego’s most iconic historical landmarks. This spring showcase is designed to inspire, connect, and celebrate—whether you’re planning a quinceañera, wedding, or special event. What to Expect: - Quinceañera & Bridal Fashion Show - Exclusive Venue Showcase – Explore this newly opened, breathtaking chapel - Top Event Vendors – All in one place - Dresses & formal wear - Tuxedos - DJs - Limo services - Décor & rentals - Photo booths - Beauty & glam services And so much more! This is truly a one-stop shop for planning your dream celebration. Quinceañera Fashion Show by "Cynderella's" Latest Trends in Quinceañera Fashion Tuxedo Fashion Show by Friar Tux, Bringing elegance, style, and the latest tux trends to the runway. Elaborate Bridal Gown Fashion Show by Brides for a Cause-San Diego featuring a wide variety of unique designers, styles and sizes! Mesmerizing entertainment by Moonveil Aerial, An unforgettable aerial performance you won’t want to miss. Raffles & Giveaways (Yes, BIG ones!) Attendees will have the chance to win: - Free makeup service certificates - Tuxedo rentals - Major discounts on limo services - DJ service discounts Plus many more surprises! Visit: Quince & Bridal Festival-Expo SD Royalty Events on Instagram and Facebook

"Divine Feminine Publishing" has announced launch of "The Villains Club: A Delightfully Devious Anthology." Available on April 16, 2026, the anthology invites readers to take a fresh look into quotidian villainy. With 18 short stories with titles like "Monster Smut is Ruining my Life," and "A Necromancer’s Reprieve," explores themes like imposter syndrome, sibling rivalry, and PTSD from a unique perspective. Through charming and often deeply relatable tales, readers will get to know characters like Luna Duskbane, a young vampire with crooked fangs fighting for equity in education by taking an orthodontic school to court to reverse their “human’s only” admissions policy. “By peeking into the mundane lives of mystical creatures, our authors transform the mundane into magical and invite us into the cozy shadows of the grey area between good and evil,” said Janina Scarlet, Ph.D., founding director of "Divine Feminine Publishing." Scarlet joined forces with fellow author and Divine Feminine’s acquisitions editor, E. M. Noller, to edit "The Villains Club" anthology and co-author one of the short stories. “The villains in these pages are bitter, battered, and bruised, and they make all kinds of questionable life choices as a result,” said Noller. “These stories invite us to question the difference between a villain and a victim, and maybe to fantasize a little bit about what might happen if we made a few questionable life choices of our own.” As a core value of "Divine Feminine Publishing" is representation and empowerment, these stories feature queer supervillains, supernaturals of color, women climbing the corporate monster ladder, and even a member of the Hematomic-Deficient Community, or HDC (colloquially known as “Vampires”) who, in the story, are not considered human according to both state and federal law. The anthology is also accompanied by a mental health resources guide. “We want our readers to use these stories as a charming escape from the soul-crushing reality that we have been facing lately,” said Scarlet, who is also a licensed clinical psychologist. “But while we hope these pages will provide both comfort and introspection, we know that many in our communities— much like ourselves— need a bit of extra help to nurture hope and embrace the promise of a better tomorrow.” Order "The Villains Club: A Delightfully Devious Anthology" through the "Divine Feminine Publishing" Website. Visit: https://divinefeminine-publishing.com/books Divine Feminine Publishing on Instagram