Weekend Events Wrap Up Finest City Celebration

From sand sculptures and a half-marathon to free ice cream sundaes and a wheelchair baseball tournament, there’s something for everyone as America’s Finest City Week wraps up this weekend.

The more than 75 events included in the weeklong annual celebration, kicked off at Horton Plaza by honorary chairman and America’s Cup victor Dennis Conner, have been well attended, said Lori Sheets, of the San Diego Junior Chamber of Commerce, one of the event’s organizers.

“Every year, the week gets better because we and the community put more time into it,” said Mark Tunney, junior chamber president.

This weekend’s events include:

- K-Lite Kids Day at the Bay: A day of fun for children and their families featuring contests, prizes and food. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at Bonita Cove on Mission Bay.

- San Diego Sand Sculpture Championships: Teams of up to 10 members will compete for prizes in one of three categories--king castles, zoo and free form. The contest will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today by the pier in south Ocean Beach.

- Ninth Annual Wheelchair Over-the-Line Tournament: Sponsored by the San Diego Park and Recreation Department, the tournament will be held today from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the parking lot at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

- Sweet Sundae: Free Baskin-Robbins ice cream sundaes, music and entertainment will be provided from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at the San Diego Princess (Vacation Village) on Mission Bay.

- Tenth Annual America’s Finest City Half-Marathon: The 13.1-mile race, sponsored by Equitable Life Leasing, starts at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Cabrillo National Monument, winds past San Diego Bay, Harbor Island and through downtown, and concludes in Balboa Park, where there will be a 9:30 a.m. awards ceremony. Runners can register at the Holiday Inn at the Embarcadero today. About 7,000 runners are expected.