Downtown Oceanside Survey – Through April 19 Take our Downtown Oceanside Survey for a chance to win! If you live, work, eat, shop or play here, we want to hear from you. Downtown Oceanside has a rich and diverse history and culture — and a strong and passionate community — that sets us apart from other beach towns. You’ve witnessed the growth of Downtown Oceanside, and we would like to know what you think about it now and how to continue to support Downtown. We need your input for branding our Downtown district and subdistricts as we partner with Libre Design and for planning future events, murals and more in a way that remains true to Oceanside’s historical and cultural roots while reflecting all that Downtown now has to offer. Complete our survey by April 19 for a chance to win a one-night staycation at The Seabird Resort or The Brick Hotel. Help us keep it real, Oceanside. TAKE THE SURVEY

Mother’s Day Is Sweet Early Bird Sale Through March 14 –FINAL WEEKEND TO SAVE!  Our spring tasting event is back and sweeter than ever! Experience the sweeter side of Oceanside at the Third Annual Mother’s Day Is Sweet. On Saturday, May 6, from 2-5 p.m., treat Mom to an afternoon of dessert, small bite and craft beverage tasting at Sweet, NEWSavory and Sip Stops throughout Downtown Oceanside while you shop for her and make her day. Bring the whole family and enjoy mobile scavenger hunt fun and sweets while you walk. Tickets for this walkable downtown shopping experience are limited. Save $5 per ticket through March 14 with code SWEET and get ready for the sweetest Mother’s Day yet! Sign up now to take our returning challenge to shop, eat and play local for Mother’s Day, the Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge. FIND OUT MORE

Covering Our Community Oceanside Blanket Drive – Thursdays in March, Sunset Market One Stop Spiritual Shoppe and Oside Handmade are teaming up to collect blankets and warm clothes for Brother Benno’s, Oceanside Homeless Resource or Interfaith Community Services at the Sunset Market to cover the community during the cold and rainy days ahead. From 5-9 p.m. during the next three markets, bring donations — including blankets, winter clothing, winter socks, coats, umbrellas, rain coats and waterproof shoes — to the Oside Handmade Booth in the Dorothy’s Military Shop and Laundry lot. With your donation, receive 50% off make-and-take crafts from Oside Handmade and a free reading from One Stop Spiritual Shoppe. FIND OUT MORE

Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge Giveaway Through March 31 – REGISTER EARLY & WIN! Sign up by March 31 to take our returning mobile challenge to shop, eat and play local with Mom, and you could win a free pair of tickets to Mother’s Day Is Sweet! Download our scavenger hunt mobile app, and get ready to visit Oceanside businesses and destinations during Mother’s Day Is Sweet, May 6, through Mother’s Day, May 14, for a chance to win local grand prizes. The game guides you to local businesses to complete missions by snapping selfies or shooting videos. Each mission you complete earns you one or more points toward our giveaways. You do not have to attend Mother’s Day Is Sweet to participate in this free activity. REGISTER

“Lucky Stiff” March 10-12, 17-19, Oceanside Theatre Company -An absurd musical full of misfits and miscreants trailing along after a dead man on holiday, “Lucky Stiff,” written by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, is “Weekend at Bernie’s” meets “You’ve Got Mail!” A co-production of Oceanside Theatre Company and Scripps Ranch Theatre with 8 more showings over the next two weekends, “Lucky Stiff” tells the story of Harry, an English shoe salesman who receives the unexpected news that he has inherited a fortune from his late Uncle Anthony, on the condition that he takes his uncle’s dead body on a special trip to Monte Carlo. Tickets are also available now for Improv Class on March 21, Vanessa Collier on March 24 and Paint & Sip with Cynthia’s Artistic Expressions on March 25. BUY TICKETS

Dinner & A Show –March 10-12, 17-19, Piper Restaurant and Oceanside Theatre Company -Live life to the fullest with Dinner & A Show in Downtown Oceanside. When you buy your tickets for “Lucky Stiff,” take advantage of elegant pre-show dining at Piper Restaurant at The Seabird for dinner or brunch. For $99 for Dinner & A Show or $77 for Sunday Matinee & Brunch, enjoy fresh, handmade pastas and garden-to-table delicacies in a bright, convivial, California-coastal setting just off the beach before delving into a farcical musical romance. Select Dinner & A Show Tickets, make reservations in advance at Piper for 5-5:30 p.m. on show night or 11-11:30 a.m. for Sunday Brunch. When you arrive for your meal, show you Lucky Stiff Dinner Ticket and select from the preset menu items. BUY TICKETS

Spring Is in Bloom – Through June 18, Bliss Tea & Treats -Experience the new Spring Is in Bloom theme at Bliss Tea & Treats. The Downtown Oceanside tearoom is excited to add a vegan experience to the menu this season — a Vegan High Tea for 12. Save the dates for upcoming events, including National Genealogy Day on March 11, National Girl Scout Day on March 12, an Easter Tea Party on April 9, National Tea Day on April 21 and a Mother’s Day Tea on May 14. See the full list of events below. FIND OUT MORE

Artist Awakening – March 11, Artist Alley Oceanside -Experience a celebration of art, culture and humanity at Artist Awakening XXV. This free monthly community-based pop-up hosted by Downtown Oceanside body jewelry shop Ikigai Artifacts Co. will feature live music and live art from noon.-6 p.m. Saturday. Be sure to stop into Artist Alley businesses to shop and support while you are here. FIND OUT MORE

Women of Note III March 12, Oceanside Public Library -Come enjoy some sweet treats at Women of Note III: Everyday Warriors. From 2-3 p.m. Sunday, this students arts scholarship fundraiser in the Oceanside Public Library Community Rooms will feature local women performers celebrating the Everyday Warriors in their lives, including mothers, grandmothers and teachers. Tickets — $25 for adults and $20 for seniors and kids under 12 — include assorted tea cakes, fruit and beverages to enjoy with the performance. BUY TICKETS

In Conversation with Jezabeth Roca Gonzalez & Edra Soto March 14, Hill Street Country Club -Join Hill Street Country Club next Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. as current exhibiting artists Jezabeth Roca Gonzalez and Edra Soto speak over a game of dominos with scorekeeping and moderation by San Diego artist and writer Akiko Surai. This event is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be provided. Register in advance. See “Agridulce” by Gonzalez through April 2 and “Graft” by Soto through Aug. 6. REGISTER

“Joey Cabell: Legend of Surf” March 15, California Surf Museum – Don’t miss “Joey Cabell: Legend of Surf,” with special guest Paul Strauch. This film, starting at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday, tells the story of the legendary championship surfer who helped revolutionize the sport in the 1960s in Hawaii, while becoming the ultimate renaissance man as a world-class sailor, skier and entrepreneur of the Chart House restaurant brand. Doors open at 6 p.m. RSVP to 760-721-6876 or purchase tickets, $10 (or $5 for museum members), at the museum daily from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. FIND OUT MORE

St. Patty’s Sip & Paint – March 17, Ryes and Grind -Join Ryes and Grind next Friday for a St. Patty’s Day pizza and paint sesh from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Enjoy a live acoustic set by Indica Roots, art instruction by Dominique Arangure, pizza by Saucey Mouths and corn beef specials. Green organic juice, or beer, is included with ticket purchase. Message Ryes and Grind to reserve your spot. Come paint, dance, drink and eat Downtown. FIND OUT MORE

Exhibition Celebration March 18, Oceanside Museum of Art -Join Oceanside Museum of Art next Saturday for an evening of art and drinks as the museum celebrates the opening of five exhibitions from 5-7 p.m. Encounter saucy suits, mesmerizing raw materials, a perspective shift on pigment and the tension between imagination and reality, past and present. Connect with fellow artists, curators, and the community as you explore the art and stories of Southern California artists. Members free; visitors $15. FIND OUT MORE

Beginner Caligraphy at Coomber March 19, Coomber Craft Wines -Join Coomber Craft Wines for pretty lettering and for what is sure to be a fun and interactive calligraphy workshop by Sip & Script next Sunday at 1 p.m. Receive 1.5 hours of instruction and demonstration, a beginner’s calligraphy kit (two nibs, black ink pot, 2 letter guides, tracing paper and straight pen holder) and all materials to write on. Everything is yours to keep at the end of the workshop. Cost is $70 per person. Reserve in advance. FIND OUT MORE

IRONKIDS Oceanside Fun Run –March 31, Oceanside Pier – Registration is open for the IRONKIDS Oceanside Fun Run. On March 31 at 5 p.m. at the Oceanside Pier, this year’s race — consisting of diaper dash, toddler trot, ½ mile and 1 mile entry options — supports the Oceanside Parks and Recreation Youth Scholarship program. $5 of each $25 registration, matched this year by Visit Oceanside, will fund youth recreation programs. Ages 0-17 are encouraged to participate in the Fun Run. Photo by Rich Cruse/Cruse Photo FIND OUT MORE

IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside April 1, Oceanside -Athletes from around the world travel to Oceanside for the IRONMAN 70.3. The course consists of the following: a 1.2-mile swim in the Pacific Ocean, a 56-mile bike loop through Camp Pendleton, and a 13.1-mile run along the coastal community in Oceanside. Everyone is welcome to cheer on the athletes as they complete this intense course at the Oceanside Pier. FIND OUT MORE

Mother’s Day Is Sweet Applications Through April 7– MainStreet Oceanside is now accepting applications to participate in our third annual spring family tasting and shopping event on Saturday, May, from 2-5 p.m. Created in 2019 to encourage residents and visitors to eat and shop local for Mother’s Day, the Third Annual Mother’s Day Is Sweet will include dessert, craft beverage and NEW savory tastings at Downtown businesses and our returning mobile scavenger hunt to bring shoppers into your business for Mother’s Day, the Mother’s Day Is Sweet Challenge. Savory tastings are limited and offered to local restaurants on a first-come, first-served basis. FIND OUT MORE

Oceanside Independence Parade Applications Through June 4, Downtown Oceanside -Applications are now open for the Oceanside Independence Parade, which will return to Downtown Oceanside on Saturday, June 24, at 10 a.m. on Coast Highway Presented by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, the 27th annual parade will once again feature the theme “Honoring Our Hometown Heroes.” Nonprofits, local organizations, community groups, businesses, and car and motorcycle clubs are all eligible to participate in the parade, which draws thousands of North County residents to Downtown. To participate in the parade, complete the appropriate online application. APPLY

BEYOND DOWNTOWN

Informational Meeting on New Police Headquarters – March 15, El Corazon Events Center –

Join the City of Oceanside for an informational meeting on the new Police Headquarters project Wednesday at 6 p.m.

The purpose of the meeting is to answer questions and gather community input for the new headquarters, proposed to be across from the El Corazon property on Rancho Del Oro Road. Since 1999, the Oceanside Police Department Headquarters have been in a shopping center at 3855 Mission Ave. There is also an opportunity to join the meeting virtually with Meeting ID: 822 4564 9228 and Passcode: 868791. FIND OUT MORE

Annual State of California Procurement Expo Celebrating SBDC Day March 15, Handlery Hotel San Diego -The San Diego & Imperial Valley SBDC Network will bring government agencies, prime contractors and resource partners under one roof next Wednesday. From 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m., participants will learn what is expected of vendors, what certifications are and how they work, where to find buyers and opportunities, and how to make an impact marketing their goods and services. Contact the North San Diego SBDC at 760-795-8740 or centerinfo@miracosta.edu with questions about this free event to help small businesses get government contracts. Register by March 14. REGISTER

Main Street America 2023 Small Business Survey – Through March 22 -Small business owners: We want to hear from you! Main Street America’s Spring 2023 Small Business Survey focuses on the hardships and opportunities you and your business are facing. Your responses are valuable to us as we work to improve our advocacy and programming efforts with the aim of strengthening the economic vitality of your Main Street. Please complete this short, 10-minute survey by March 22. TAKE THE SURVEY

NOW OPEN IN DOWNTOWN OCEANSIDE

Ignite Coffee Co. – Ignite Coffee Company, at 605 Mission Ave., was started in 2018 by Tyler Whitehead, an Oceanside native and full time Business Management student at San Diego State University. His love of entrepreneurship was inspired by his Dad, owner and operator of neighboring Downtown restaurant Ty’s Burger House. Whitehead is committed to creating a community where you can pull up a chair and ignite your passions, all centered around a humble cup of coffee. Visit Wednesday-Monday 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. FIND OUT MORE

SCRIPPS HEALTH –What is the best treatment for an ear infection for children?

Five tips to help relieve ear infection symptoms at home – If your little one is cranky, unusually fussy and tugging at his or her ear or is feverish and having difficulty sleeping, chances are it may be due to an ear infection. FIND OUT MORE

SDG&E ENERGY TIP –SDG&E provides $16 million to help customers with bill assistance -Visit sdge.com/assistance to find out if you qualify for SDG&E assistance programs and services including debt forgiveness, monthly discounts and payment arrangements. READ MORE

SUNSET MARKET VENDOR SPOTLIGHT –

Ken Olson, Master Jeweler -Ken Olson, Master Jeweler, is returning to the Sunset Market weekly to provide jewelry services, including repair and polishing, watch battery replacement and more. Olson has more than 45 years of experience in jewelry craft and repair. Visit his booth on Pier View Way by the Main Stage. FIND OUT MORE

NEW WASTE COMPACTORS DOWNTOWN

Bigbelly Comes to Oceanside

MainStreet Oceanside has partnered with the City of Oceanside, Waste Management and Visit Oceanside to find a solution to mitigating litter in Downtown Oceanside: smart technology. Through the use of Bigbelly compactors, litter can be better managed and recycling enhanced. Bigbellies hold up to 150 gallons of uncompacted waste or 33 gallons of compacted waste. These state-of-the-art public recycling and landfill containers showcasing beautiful landmarks across Oceanside will be placed strategically throughout the Downtown District to provide 5 times more capacity for our recycling and trash needs. Preventing litter is a mission that everyone is a part of. Be on the lookout for Bigbelly cans Downtown.

EVERY THURSDAY ALL YEAR ROUND

MainStreet Foundation | 701 Mission Avenue, Oceanside, CA 92054