Festivities Get Into High Gear in ‘Finest City’

America’s Finest City Week has swung into high gear in a welter of chocolate-tastings, beauty pageants, ice cream fests and walking tours aimed at promoting America’s most promoted city.

“The ceremony is to celebrate those living and working in San Diego,” said Lori Sheets of the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce, one of the sponsors. She said the aim of the nine-day fandango is promotion, not profit.

Highlights include tonight’s Festival of Chocolate from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the San Diego Hilton on Mission Bay, and a half-marathon set to start at 7 a.m. Sunday at Cabrillo National Monument.

Other events include:

- A celebration at 1:30 p.m. today honoring the County Administration Center’s 50th anniversary, including displays of vintage cars, tapestries and watercolors and a 5:30 p.m. hoedown in Balboa Park at 6th Avenue and Laurel Street.

- A noontime concert Thursday by the Navy Band outside the Bank of America at 450 B St. and a dinner honoring outstanding San Diego citizens at the San Diego Hilton, with Nebraska Gov. Robert Kerrey as featured speaker.

- A Mexican fiesta from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Friday at the Santa Fe train depot.

- Sandsculpting championships Saturday at Ocean Beach from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the pier, and tours of the amphibious assault ship Okinawa Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Broadway Pier.

The Junior Chamber of Commerce has more information on those and other events. Closing ceremonies will be held at sundown Sunday at Kate O. Sessions Park in Pacific Beach.