* Send DATEBOOK items to the Huntington...

* Send DATEBOOK items to the Huntington Beach Independent, 18682

Beach Blvd., Suite 160, Huntington Beach, CA 92648; fax to (714)

965-7174; call (714) 965-7176 or e-mail hbindy@latimes.com.

Submissions must be received two weeks before publication. A complete

listing may be found at www.hbindy.com.

FRIDAY

The Core Tour, an extreme

sports competition, is back for another hair-raising year with BMX

bicyclists flying through the air, skateboard insanity and more at

the Huntington Beach Pier from Sept. 5 to 7. Information:

www.thecoretour.com

The Huntington Beach

Pro/Junior Surf Series on the south side of the pier Sept. 5

through 7 will showcase young up-and-coming surfers as they battle

for waves and prize money. The event is United States Surfing

Federation sanctioned. Information: (714) 596-5019.

SATURDAY

Enjoy “A Romantic Evening

in Central Park” with performer Bobby Lyle and special guests

Michael Lington, Paul Jackson Jr. and Jeff Robinson in the Huntington

Beach Smooth Jazz Festival, 7111 Talbert Ave. behind the Central

Library. This BB Jazz Production will benefit children with autism.

Gates open at 2 p.m. The cost is $20 general admission -- bring your

own low-back beach chair or blanket, $60 for VIP seating and $90 for

up-front seating and dinner. Information: (714) 377-7574.

Saturday Sunrise Car

Cruisers, billed as the best free car show in the world, is a

15-year tradition that brings classic and hot rod car collectors,

known as the Donut Derelicts, to the parking lot near 9025 Adams

Ave., every Saturday from 6 to 9 a.m. Admission is free. Information:

Rodding Around at (714) 963-2928. www.river-road.net/oldcars.

SUNDAY

Surfin’ Sundays presents

a free concert featuring Surf Report from 1 to 3 p.m. at the

Huntington Beach International Surfing Museum as part of its 2003

concert series featuring authentic surfing bands. The museum is at

411 Olive St. Information: (714) 960-3483.

The Pier Plaza Art A-Faire

Weekend will run from 10 a.m. to sunset Saturday and Sunday at the

outdoor Pier Plaza adjacent to the Huntington Beach Pier. The craft

fair features more than 50 vendors selling unique, handmade gifts and

crafts at Pacific Coast Highway at Main Street. Free admission.

Information: (714) 536-2213.

SEPT. 12

The Huntington Beach

Playhouse will present William Inge’s the modern classic “Picnic”

at the Central Library Theater through Sept. 28. Information: (714)

375-0696.

SEPT. 13

The 33rd annual Summer

Surf Contest, sponsored by the city of Huntington Beach and

Huntington Surf and Sport, will start at 8 a.m. Sept. 13 and 14 on

the south side of the pier. The freestyle surfing competition

includes trophies for the top six winners in nine divisions: seniors

ages 35 to 44; masters ages 25 to 34; men ages 18 to 24; junior ages

15 to 17; boys ages 10 to 14; women ages 10 and older; menehune ages

9 and under; grand masters ages 45 to 54; and super grand master ages

55 and older. Information: (714) 536-5486.

The National Scholastic

Surfing Assn. Explorer Division Competition will be held near

Pacific Coast Highway and 9th Street Sept. 13 and 14, featuring the

rising stars of surfing. Attendance is free. The location is subject

to change. Information: (714) 536-0445.

SEPT. 14

Old World Village, a replica

of a Bavarian town, sponsors its annual Oktoberfest through Oct.

26. The event features food, fun, drink and an oompah-pa band from

Germany plays every Wednesday through Sunday. Admission is free on

Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 10 p.m. and on Fridays before 7

p.m., then $10 per person after 7 p.m. Open Fridays from 5 p.m. to 1

a.m. and Saturdays from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. -- must be 21 or older

and have valid identification. Sunday is Family Day with kids’ game

booths and a bouncy house from 2 to 7:30 p.m. General admission is

$4; children under 12 are free. Information: (714) 895-8020.

SEPT. 21

A sandcastle building class will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on

the south side of the Huntington Beach pier. Using plywood and

plastic forms, the class will include form construction, sand/water

mixing, carving techniques, design tips, beach safety and a review of

the Sand Castle Festival contest rules to prepare prospective teams

to enter the Huntington Beach Sand Castle Festival Contest on Oct. 4.

All tools and equipment to create sand castles and sculptures at the

class (shovels, buckets, trowels, carving tools, straws, spray

bottles and rakes) will be provided. The cost is $20 per team (no

limit on team size). Information: (562) 799-0179.

Surfin’ Sundays presents

the Fabulous Nomads and Cocktail Preachers at the Huntington Beach

International Surfing Museum, 411 Olive St. The free concert will run

from 1 to 3 p.m. Information: (714) 960-3483.

SEPT. 26

Poets Suzanne Lummis and

Brenda Yeates will appear as part of a special Tebot Bach poetry

night at 8 p.m. in the Golden West College Community Room 102. Tebot

Bach is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the

community, promoting literacy and broadening the audience for poetry

through community outreach programs and publishing. Open reading

sign-up begins at 7:30 p.m. Parking is free. Information:

info@tebotbach.org

SEPT. 27

The Surf City Art Show and Business Expo Sept. 27 and 28 will

feature a juried art show, business displays from local companies and

entertainment for the entire family with live music, face painting,

balloons and fun for the kids. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 5

p.m. both days at the Pier Plaza, next to the Huntington Beach pier.

Admission is free. Information: (714) 536-8888.

ONGOING

CHILDREN/LIBRARY

The Main Street Library Branch will accept book donations for the

Friends of Library book sales during normal library hours, 10 a.m. to

7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, at 525

Main St. (714) 375-5071.

Saturday Sunrise Car

Cruisers, billed as the best free car show in the world, is a

15-year tradition that brings classic and hot rod car collectors,

known as the Donut Derelicts, to the parking lot near 9025 Adams

Ave., every Saturday from 6 to 9 a.m. Admission is free. Information:

Rodding Around at (714) 963-2928. www.river-road.net/oldcars.

The Huntington Beach Library’s popular Sandcastle story time

series is shown at 10:30 a.m. Saturdays on Time Warner Cable Channel

6. (714) 375-5107.

The Huntington Beach Children’s Library presents Folktale Story

Time, for kindergartners through fourth-graders, starting at 3 p.m.

Thursdays at 7111 Talbert Ave. Information: (714) 375-5107.

Enjoy stories, activities

and fun at a story time held from 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays in the

children’s section of Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 7777 Edinger Ave.

Pajamarama is held from 7 to 7:30 p.m. Mondays and at 11 a.m.

Saturdays. (714) 897-8781.

The Huntington Beach

Library presents Laptime Storytime at 10 and 11 a.m. Tuesdays and

at 10 a.m. Saturdays at 7111 Talbert Ave. for children 18 months to 3

years old. The library’s Preschool Storytime for children 3 to 5 are

held at 10 and 11 a.m. Fridays. (714) 842-4481.

The Main Street Library presents a story time at 3 p.m. Fridays at

525 Main St. The library’s Preschool Storytime will be 10 and 11 a.m.

Wednesdays. (714) 375-5071.

The Tumble-N-Kids program

is offering gymnastics classes for children ages 10 months to 12

years old. Classes run for eight weeks. Three new classes have been

added: Teeny Tumblers, Tumble-N-Yoga and Kiddycise. Classes are held

at Murdy Community Center, 7000 Norma Drive, (714) 960-8895; Edison

Center, 21377 Magnolia St., (714) 960-8870; and City Gym and Pool,

1600 Palm Ave., (714) 960-8884. Class descriptions can be found in

the winter Sands publication. Information: Dayle Lusk, (714)

842-3586.

DANCE

Pacific Dance Center, 9596 Hamilton Ave., holds swing dance

classes at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays and 7 p.m. Saturdays. (714) 964-3354

or sign up at dance.netfirms.com.

FARMERS MARKETS/SWAP MEETS

The Craft Fair and Farmers Market are held from 1 p.m. to dusk

Fridays at Pier Plaza. Information: Craft Fair (714) 846-5509 and Farmers Market (714) 573-0374.

FITNESS

The Vibe Tribe offers free yoga sessions to new students at 12:15

p.m. Wednesdays, 6:45 p.m. Thursdays, and 5:15 p.m. Fridays at 301

Main St., Suite 109. Information: (714) 536-4988.

The Sierra Club’s Orange County Sierra Singles holds a fast-paced

four-mile walk around Mile Square Park at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays. The

group meets in the parking lot at Brookhurst Street and Heil Avenue.

Information: (714) 963-6345.

The Comprehensive Martial Arts and Wellness Center offers free

introductory tai chi chuan classes at 9 a.m. Saturdays at 17308 Beach

Blvd. (714) 841-7129.

HOBBIES/RECREATION

Huntington Beach Disc

Golf Tournaments are held the first Saturday of each month in

beautiful Central Park. Enjoy one of the nation’s first 18-hole

(basket) disc courses for two-round tournaments held the at

Goldenwest Street entrance of the park across the street from the

Huntington Beach Public Library and Cultural Center. Information:

(714) 425-9931.

Surf Academy has designed boys only “Kanaka” and girls only

“Wahine” camps and welcomes all children ages 7 to 17. The camp takes

place north of the Huntington Beach Pier, between Lifeguard towers 8

and 10, and run through the end of August. Fees vary depending on

half- or full-day sessions. For more information and to register, log

on to www.surfacademy.com or call the Huntington Beach Community

Service Department at 714-960-8884.

Centerfield Sportsbar & Grill, 17296 Beach Blvd. in Huntington

Beach, has ceased its live entertainment during the weekends as well

as karaoke on Wednesday nights in favor of video games, an Internet

Juke Box and free wireless Internet access. Information: (714)

848-0113.

The Senior Citizens Club of Huntington Beach hosts bingo at 12:30

p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at the Rogers Senior Center, 1706 Orange

Ave. Bingo cards are four for $1 and prizes are $2 gift certificates

from Ralph’s.

The U.S. Coast Guard

Auxiliary, Flotilla 53, offers an eight-lesson course in “Boating

Skills and Seamanship” at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays at Boat U.S. Marine

Center, 16390 Pacific Coast Highway (Peter’s Landing Marina). Cost is

$25, includes books. Information: Paul Busher, (714) 840-0232 or Sam

Emer, (714) 890-1808.

The Huntington Beach Scrabble Club meets at 5:45 p.m. Tuesdays at

the International House of Pancakes Restaurant, 18782 Beach Blvd.

Information: Penny Baker, (949) 380-1764 or Paul (714) 968-7546.

The Huntington Beach

Concert Band is an all-volunteer community organization with

approximately 70 members, led by music director Tom Ridley. Founded

in February 1973, the band plays a wide variety of musical styles --

from classical to Broadway and contemporary. They perform frequently

at events and locations throughout Southern California, including

Disneyland, Leisure World, the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza and the

Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. The Huntington Beach Concert Band is

open to all interested musicians age 18 and older. Rehearsals are

held at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the band room at Marina High

School at 15871 Springdale St. Information: (714) 963-3681.

The American Shortwave Listeners Club meets from noon to 4 p.m.

the first Saturday of each month at 16182 Ballad Lane. The group will

listen to international broadcasts via the shortwave radio bands. The

public is invited to attend. Coffee and doughnuts will be available.

Stewart MacKenzie, (714) 846-1685 or visit www.ocnow.com/

community/groups/ shortwaveradio.

The Poetry Pleasure

Group meets from noon to 2 p.m. on Thursdays at the Rodgers

Seniors’ Center, 1706 Orange Ave. (714) 842-3479 or (714) 960-4897.