Come celebrate Easter with Grace Community Church on Sunday, March 23. Services will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 6:30 am, 8:00 am, 9:30 am, and 11 am with great choral music and congregational singing, including the Hallelujah Chorus. There will be two additional services at 9:30 am and 11 am in the Surfside Room as Grace @ Night hosts Cafe Grace. Childcare will be available at the 8:00 am, 9:30 am and 11 am services.

Belmont Shore will host Justin Rudd’s Haute Dog Parade this Sunday, March 23 at 2:30 pm. Drop in to see 300 to 400 decked-out dogs strutting their stuff along a 10-block parade route. The route follows Second Street between Roycroft and Argonne Avenues. Folding chairs are available for rent along the parade route. The rental charge of $5 will donated to Haute Dogs. For more information, visit www.hautedogs.org and www.justinrudd.com.

Belmont Shore is hosting three big events this weekend: a semi-annual clearance sale, the Health & Beauty Fitness Fair and the 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off. The clearance sale gives you a chance to get some huge deals from your favorite 2nd Street retailers. The event begins Friday, March 7, at 10:00am and end on Sunday, March 9, at 6pm.

On Saturday, the newly expanded Belmont Shore Health Fair returns with some added participation from beauty and fitness vendors. St. Mary Medical Center will provide free health screenings, while vendors are on hand to give you the latest tips and tricks on health, beauty and fitness. The event starts at 9:00 am.

The 4th Annual Chili Cook-Off pits kitchen-savvy teams against one another, and everyone has their eyes on the coveted trophy. Buy a wristband for $5 in front of Washington Mutual and be ready to cast your vote for the best chili in Belmont Shore.

The Easter Bunny will arrive at Lakewood Center on Saturday, March 1st at 11am! Don’t miss out on your chance to get a special photo with the Easter Bunny in his beautiful garden!

Easter Bunny Photos!
Saturday, March 1-22, 2008
Monday-Friday: 11am-8pm
Saturday/Sunday: 11am-7pm

Photo Package Prices:

Plan A (1 5×7): $14.99
Plan B (4 Wallets): $14.99
Plan C (1 5×7 and 4 Wallets): $26.99
Plan D (1 5×7 and 8 Wallets): $35.99
Plan E (2 5×7s, 8 Wallets and 2 3.5×5s): $54.99 ($36 savings)

The Annual Sheriff’s 5K/10K Mug Run and Family Fun Run will be held on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 8:00am. The event, which begins at the Lakewood Center, will be presented by the Lakewood Sheriff’s Station and Soroptimist of Lakewood/Long Beach.

The details are as follows:

* Race course is fast and flat, accurately measured (similar to previous year’s courses)

* Individual and team awards and T-shirts to all runners

* Water stops

* Post race refreshments

* Entertainment to include Ronald McDonald

* Registration begins at 6:30 am for the 5K and 10K

* Race starts at 8:00am; Fun Run starts at 9:30am

Rain or shine, the race will begin and end at Lakewood Center. Stay after the race for the fitness expo and award ceremony.

Visit www.ShopLakewoodCenter.com or www.LakewoodMugRun.com for event details and registration forms.