COMMUNITY CALENDAR

Dec. 13 MURRIETA Candy Cane Lane

The city of Murrieta is transforming Town Square Park’s loop road into Candy Cane Lane for a free holiday lights drive-thru experience. Drive through the loop between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m. Dec. 13 to see the holiday lights. Cars must enter the park on the Juniper Street side.

Dec. 14 TEMECULA Blood drive

The Promenade Temecula will host a mobile blood drive in partnership with the San Diego Blood Bank from 2 to 7 p.m. Dec. 14. Donors must be 17 or older, weigh at least 114 pounds, and be in good health. The blood drive will take place in the Plaza area in front of Edwards Theatre. Appointments are required. Call (800) 469-7322 or visit sandiegobloodbank.org.

Through Dec. 14 TEMECULA Letters to Santa

Need to get a letter to Santa? Mail your child’s letter (or yours) to the City of Temecula, Attn: Santa’s Workshop, 41000 Main St., Temecula, CA 92590, through Dec. 14. If it arrives early enough, Santa might send a letter back.

Dec. 15 TEMECULA Tedxtemecula Watch Party

Tedxtemecula has moved its ninth annual speaker series online. Speakers were chosen from hundreds of applicants. Upcoming events are:

Dec. 15: Daveed Gartenstein-ross, CEO of Valens Global. Gartenstein-ross has worked on national-security issues related to violence and terrorism for more than 20 years.

Jan. 5: Dan Pettus, retired professional photographer. Pettus weathered a market disruption in his own business and now sees this kind of major change as our new norm.

Jan. 12: Dr. Ernst von Schwarz, an internist, cardiologist, and heart transplant cardiologist. Schwarz is leading an investigation for stemcell-based clinical trial studies.

To register for a Watch Party, visit https://tinyurl.com/tedxtemecula2020. For more information about the series, visit https://tinyurl.com/temeculatedx.

Dec. 19 MURRIETA Toy and food drive

The city of Murrieta’s Parks and Recreation Department will hold a drive-thru drop-off for toy and food donations from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 19 at the Community Center, 41810 Juniper. For information, call (951) 304-7275, or visit https://tinyurl.com/murrieta-fooddrive.

Through Dec. 20 TEMECULA CHIPS for Kids

California Highway Patrol officers in Temecula are collecting toys for needy families and children as part of their annual “CHIPS for Kids” toy drive. Unwrapped toys can be dropped off to any CHP office or Walgreens store. The toy drive runs through Dec. 20.

Dec. 21-30 TEMECULA Winter break camps

The city of Temecula is offering outdoor camps and workshops for youths during winter break, Dec. 21-30. Activities including holiday crafts and carols at the Grizzly Cubs Holiday Workshop on Dec. 21, the Glitz Cheer Winter Recess Camp from Dec. 28-30, a Hip Hop Dance Camp Dec. 28-30, Holiday Art Camps Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-30, and Holiday Baking/cooking Camps Dec. 21-23 and Dec. 28-30. For more information or to register, visit temeculaca.gov/tcsd.

Through Dec. 25 LAKE ELSINORE Community tree decorating

The city of Lake Elsinore invites residents and businesses to hang an ornament on the Community Holiday Tree in Gediman Square in downtown Lake Elsinore. Make or buy an ornament and stop by anytime between now and Dec. 25 to hang your ornament on the bottom 5 feet of the tree. Ornaments must have their own hooks. The city will attempt to keep and store all ornaments for use again next year.

Dec. 31 TEMECULA New Year’s Eve Grape Drop

Ring in the new year at home with a concert and a virtual grape drop countdown on Dec. 31. Watch the concert on the city’s Facebook page at 7 and 9:15 p.m. Watch the countdown at 9 p.m. and midnight. The city’s Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/cityoftemecula