Attendance at the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot has dwindled a bit the last couple of years, and Kathy Kinane, founder of the event, hopes to turn around that trend, she told the MainStreet Oceanside monthly meeting Tuesday.
Kinane said the event attracted some 8,400 participants last year, down from a high of 9,800 in 2015. They came from 46 states and 460 cities.
In the past, the local run has been featured by both the Los Angeles Times and Runner’s World Magazine as one of the best in the country.
This year, for the 14th annual event, Kinane said, the 10-kilometer run has been changed to a 5-mile, and there will be 5-kilometer and one-mile (for children or seniors) events as well. About 80 percent of the participants walk, not run, she said.
Kinane said she still believes in the motto “Move Your Feet Before You Eat” and that’s the name of the foundation she has formed to distribute proceeds to 69 charities.
So far, she said, more than $340,000 has been donated to local organizations with top amounts going to the Oceanside Boys and Girls Club and area schools.
This year’s sponsor of pre-race events is Dick’s Sporting Goods in Oceanside. It’s really a three-day event with many activities in advance. The title sponsor hasn’t changed, but its name has. Pacific Marine Credit Union has become Frontwave Credit Union.
Kinane said she thinks the later Thanksgiving date, Nov. 28, will be a help. Last year’s event was on Nov. 22.
She said the city is providing free parking in all public lots.
Participants can register on oceansideturkeytrot.com, Kinane said, and choose their charity. They also can volunteer to help at the event or become a sponsor, and businesses can purchase booths or provide objects to be placed in goody bags.
In another presentation, Lisa Nava, event director at North County LGBTQ Resource Center, told of the 13th annual Pride at the Beach Festival upcoming from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 12. in the Civic Center Plaza.
PRIDEBYTHEBEACH.ORG
Posters call it one of the largest free family-friendly Pride events in Southern California, and Nava emphasized the family aspect, calling it a “sober festival” where no alcohol will be sold. But there will be free “mocktails”, she said.
American Idol singer Ada Vox is the headliner.
Nava said a dance tent, new this year, will feature country, hip hop and Latino music, and there will be an “education walk” and an “extreme youth zone,” as well as mainstage music and food. In all, she said, there will be 120 vendors.
“I think we are going to get about 10,000 people here this year,” Nava said.
“It’s time for people to step out and be seen – with allies,” Nava said, adding that 12 gay/straight alliance organizations are involved.
Also, she said, the event will be preceded by the second annual “Queer Variety Show this Friday at the Brooks Theatre as well as an art exhibit at the Theatre.
Max Disposti, Executive Director of the LGBTQ center, said 40 percent of homeless youth, many rejected by their families, fit into LGBTQ categories and he is working with local businesses and collaborating with MainStreet to help them.
From the audience, Ken Leighton, an Oceanside native, announced the launch of his Oceansidelocals.net Website.
Leighton, who also writes for the San Diego Reader, noted that several newspapers once covered North County and now a lone reporter for the Union-Tribune, Phil Diehl, is responsible for four cities.
Oceanside, the third largest city in the county, deserves more coverage, he said. “Oceanside is great, is dynamic,” he said.
Leighton promised to welcome a wide range of people’s points of view , as long as they put their names to them.
Rick Wright, MainStreet Executive Director, said he is “looking forward to reading it.”
PRIDEBYTHEBEACH.ORG
Posters call it one of the largest free family-friendly Pride events in Southern California, and Nava emphasized the family aspect, calling it a “sober festival” where no alcohol will be sold. But there will be free “mocktails”, she said.
American Idol singer Ada Vox is the headliner.
Nava said a dance tent, new this year, will feature country, hip hop and Latino music, and there will be an “education walk” and an “extreme youth zone,” as well as mainstage music and food. In all, she said, there will be 120 vendors.
“I think we are going to get about 10,000 people here this year,” Nava said.
“It’s time for people to step out and be seen – with allies,” Nava said, adding that 12 gay/straight alliance organizations are involved.
Also, she said, the event will be preceded by the second annual “Queer Variety Show this Friday at the Brooks Theatre as well as an art exhibit at the Theatre.
Max Disposti, Executive Director of the LGBTQ center, said 40 percent of homeless youth, many rejected by their families, fit into LGBTQ categories and he is working with local businesses and collaborating with MainStreet to help them.
From the audience, Ken Leighton, an Oceanside native, announced the launch of his Oceansidelocals.net Website.
Leighton, who also writes for the San Diego Reader, noted that several newspapers once covered North County and now a lone reporter for the Union-Tribune, Phil Diehl, is responsible for four cities.
Oceanside, the third largest city in the county, deserves more coverage, he said. “Oceanside is great, is dynamic,” he said.
Leighton promised to welcome a wide range of people’s points of view , as long as they put their names to them.
Rick Wright, MainStreet Executive Director, said he is “looking forward to reading it.”
In other business:
– Wright announced that the Taste of Oceanside sales are high for the Oct. 5 event, and Gumaro Escarcega, Main Street Program Director, said he expects 40-45 vendors this year. The cost is $30 for food tasting, $40 with adult beverages.
– Escarcega also announced the Aloha Mixer, 5-7 p.m. Sept. 24 at Pierside South, 115 N. Cleveland St., third floor. “We will be announcing a few of our programs, what we will be doing the next few months” Escarcega said. Music will be provided by the Don Myers Project.
– Cathy Nykiel, MainStreet’s Sunset Market Manager, said it experienced a record number of visitors this summer. She acknowledged the assistance of Kim Heim, MainStreet’s Director of Special Projects, for “a lot of great food.”
– Cerina DeSouza, Director of Marketing and Communications for Visit Oceanside, told businesses to get their holiday hours out to visitors as early as possible. She said, for instance, if a restaurant is going to be open on Thanksgiving, people want to know.
– De Souza also mentioned upcoming surfing and Star Theatre events, and Wright asked her to send the information for MainStreet distribution.
– City Councilwoman Esther Sanchez announced – and distributed fliers – for the 15th annual Noche Mexicana celebration of Mexican Independence Day from 1 to 7 pm. Sept. 15 in the Civic Center Plaza. See information below.
– Sanchez also announced there will be rededication ceremonies, at Balderrama Park Nov. 2, and the family of Joe Balderrama, for whom the park is named, will be present. Balderrama was the first local Latino killed in World War II. Sanchez said he would be 95 if living today. She said the city received a grant to make improvements, on playground equipment, for instance, at the park.
– Sanchez also said extra care will be taken in the upcoming 2020 census to get all the info needed on Latino families and, using satellites, to try to count the homeless.
– Paul Cauthen thanked those who helped with the 35th annual Longboard Surfing Contest last month.
– Tracey Alexander, chairman of the Oceanside Unified School District’s Citizens Bond Oversight Committee, said it needs a member from an organization representing the small-business community. The committee oversees the use of money from Proposition H, which is being used to renovate local schools.
–Colleen Foster from the city’s Green Oceanside program said an evaluation is being undertaken as to whether the community wants more education – or regulation.
–Wright showed a framed photo on the wall to honor the late David Thomas, who passed away in July. He volunteered a lot of photography, particularly of the annual Independence Parade, to MainStreet. “We’re going to miss him,” Wright said.
–In answer to a question from Leighton, Wright and Escarcega said the mural proposed for the That Boy Good building on Horne Street has been held up by the sale of the property but, Wright said, the third MainStreet-sponsored mural – a glass mosaic on the side of The Fin Hotel will be “really awesome.”
–Wright noted the “pretty good turnout” for the day after Labor Day, but joked that “about half the people were fibbing” at the August meeting when they said they wanted to come the day after the holiday. There were about 40 attendees this week.
–Wright said the next meeting, at 8:30 a.m. Oct 1, will feature a report from the consultant that did the recent downtown parking study.
