* Send AROUND TOWN items to...

* Send AROUND TOWN items to the Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St.,

Costa Mesa, CA 92627; by fax to (949) 646-4170; or by calling (949)

574-4298. Include the time, date and location of the event, as well

as a contact phone number. A complete listing is available at

www.dailypilot.com.

TODAY

The Young Executives of America will host a morning reception with

Gaddi Vasquez, the new Peace Corps director, from 7 to 8:30 a.m.

today at The Pacific Club in Newport Beach. The club is at 4110

MacArthur Blvd. $16 for members, $25 for non-members. For more

information call (949) 759-5456 or e-mail yeainfo@yahoo.com.

SATURDAY

Macy’s will hold a back to school fashion show to preview the fall

fashions for kids at 1 p.m. today in the newly remodeled Children’s

Department on the third floor. The show will include models from Camp

Fire USA of Orange County and the Street Team from Radio Disney. The

store is in South Coast Plaza at 3333 Bristol St. in Costa Mesa.

Free. (714) 556-0611.

SUNDAY

A one-day wedding planning convention, BrideWorld Expo, will be

held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the Orange County Fairgrounds in

Costa Mesa. The event will include more than 100 local wedding

merchants and experts to help brides and their families plan the

perfect wedding. The fairgrounds is at 88 Fair Drive $7 per person,

free parking. For more information call (800) 600-7080 or visit

www.brideworld.com.

The 41st annual Sandcastle Contest will be held from 11 a.m. to 4

p.m. at Big Corona del Mar Beach. All registered participants will

receive one free round-trip ticket to Catalina. The event, sponsored

by the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, will

consist of four categories. The fee is $30 for the family and

organization categories, $40 for the business category and $60 for

the masters category. Teams may not exceed eight people. Entries must

be received before Sept. 6. (949) 729-4400.

A Balboa Beach Blanket Barbecue will be held from noon to 5 p.m.

today at the Balboa Peninsula Park. The event, hosted by the Divas of

the Balboa Theater Arts Foundation, will include a Surfin’ Ducky Wave

Race, hula hoop and limbo contests and many more family games.

Proceeds from the barbecue and the duck race will go toward the

renovation of the historic Balboa Theater. The park is adjacent to

the pier. Admission is free. (949) 706-7249.

TUESDAY

Mother’s Market and Kitchen will host a seminar on the power of

hyaluronic acid from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Patio Cafe in Costa

Mesa. The cafe is at 225 E. 17th St. Free. (949) 631-4741.

SEPT.11

Our Lady Queen of Angels will hold a special mass and gathering at

8:30 a.m. today to commemorate the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11,

2001. Following the mass, at about 9:15 a.m., families and

parishioners are welcomed to attend a ceremony in the school’s

gathering area that will include releasing doves, a moment of

silence, a prayer and a children’s rendition of “Let There Be Peace

on Earth.” The school is at 750 Domingo Drive, Newport Beach. (949)

644-1166.

The Newport Beach Conference & Visitor’s Bureau will participate

in the Southern California Regional Observance of the first

anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 with a ceremony involving 20 tall ships

in the waters off Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar State Beach. The

ceremony will begin at 8:30 a.m. Wreaths will be placed in the water

and ships and sailboats will enter their site with sails down as a

symbol of respect to honor those individuals that lost their lives.

For more information on how to participate call (714) 557-5100 Ext.

13.

The City of Costa Mesa will hold a “Patriot Day” memorial tribute

at Arlington Theater at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa

at noon today. The program, which will honor the nearly 3,000

Americans that were killed in the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, will

include the Police and Fire Color Guards, interfaith speakers, a

21-gun salute, a moment of silence and release of memory balloons.

The fairgrounds is at 88 Fair Drive (714) 754-5106.

The City of Newport Beach will hold a memorial tribute at 12 p.m.

today at the City Hall flagpole to pay respects to the victims of

last year’s terrorist attacks. The ceremony will begin with the

Pledge of Allegiance led by City Manager Homer Bludau and will be

followed by an invocation, comments from Fire Chief Tim Riley along

with a moment of silence, a rendition of “Amazing Grace” played by

Newport Beach Fire Department bagpiper Brian Slater and a benediction

and singing of “God Bless America” to conclude the ceremony. City

hall is at 3300 Newport Blvd. (949) 644-3031.

The California Retired Teachers Assn. Harbor Division 77 will hold

a meeting and free lunch for members and their guests at noon today

at the Costa Mesa Community Center. Entertainment will be provided by

Dana Loyal and his “Maestro Machine.” The center is at 1845 Park Ave.

Free. (949) 551-5082.

Benefit the Blue, a live concert that will pay tribute to the New

York City’s fallen heroes and their families, will be held at 7 p.m.

at the Harp Inn in Costa Mesa. The concert will include performances

by Citizen Joe, a local band founded by a Costa Mesa police officer,

and opportunities to make donations to the World Trade Center Police

Disaster Relief Fund. The inn is at 130 E. 17th St. Free. For more

information call (949) 646-6966 or visit www.citizenjoe.net.

The Newport Beach Plaza Retirement Community will hold a pancake

breakfast from 7:30 to 10 a.m. and a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 4

p.m. at the plaza to honor those affected by the events of Sept. 11,

2001. The plaza is at 1455 Superior Ave. Free. For more information

call (949) 645-6833.

The Newport Harbor Lutheran Church in Newport Beach will host a

candlelight memorial service of remembrance, music and prayer to

commemorate the events of Sept. 11, 2001 at 8 p.m. today. The church

is at 798 Dover Dr. Free. (949) 548-3631.

SEPT. 12

The Thursday Morning Women’s Club will hold its first luncheon at

noon at the Radisson Hotel in Newport Beach. Entertainment will be

provided by Stephen Plummer, the Los Angeles Opera understudy for

Placido Domingo. The hotel is at 4545 Macarthur Blvd. $23. (714)

842-5863.