Taste of Carlsbad Village Brunch Edition 2026 The Taste of Carlsbad Village Brunch Edition returns for the 2nd year after its very popular debut in 2025.  The Taste of Carlsbad Village has been very successful year after year after year, and it was only a matter of time before the Brunch Edition was added to the mix. The Taste of Carlsbad Brunch Edition is sponsored by the Carlsbad Village Association. (The feature photo is from Pixabay and not an actual offering for this event). The Taste of Carlsbad Brunch Edition is Saturday May 16th from 11:00 am until 2:00 pm. Come enjoy specialty coffees and teas, pastries, quiches, crepes, breakfast tacos, breakfast sips (e.g., espresso martinis and mimosas) and so much more. So why such an early announcement more than a month in advance? Like th... 03/22/2026

2026 Hot Rods and Cool Treats in Carlsbad is May 9 The Hot Rods and Cool Treats Carnival and Classic Car Show returns to Carlsbad Village on Saturday May 9th. This fun event will be held at the Pine Avenue Community Park at 3333 Harding Street from 11 am until 2 pm. Hot Rods and Cool Treats offers a number of fun activities for all, in addition to the classic car show. In order to participate classic cars must be 25 years or older and there will be multiple awards. The contest is limited to 30 cars. Entries are due by May 7th and are taken in the order received so don’t delay if you want to show off your classic car! (photo is of a classic car from a different car show in Encinitas).  Come check out some beautiful classic cars and vote for your favorite, plus have a great time at the ca... 03/20/2026

2026 Carlsbad 5000 is April 12 Carlsbad has several running events during the year. The Carlsbad 5000 takes place on April 12th and is reportedly the world’s fastest 5K race. Several world and US records have been set, and broken, since the race was established in 1986. No doubt runners will hope to set new records this year! 2026 is the 40th anniversary of the Carlsbad 5000. (Feature photo is from Pixabay). If you are interested you still have time to register online, but don’t wait as this event typically sells out.  Registration closes on April 4. There are multiple races on Sunday April 12th. There is the main event, the Carlsbad 5000 (5K). But other runners may be interested in the All Day 20K (four 5K races) offering 4 categories of runners.  The Elite Invitational races for men a... 03/09/2026

2026 Carlsbad Marathon January 18th  The very popular Carlsbad Marathon takes place this coming Sunday January 18th.  This is also the Martin Luther King holiday weekend with the official holiday on Monday the 19th. The Carlsbad Marathon is a popular world-class event. Plus it’s a qualifying race for the famed Boston Marathon. There are typically lots of runners from other areas of the US participating in this event. The Marathon is limited to 1200 runners. The Carlsbad Marathon also offers a Double Down Challenge. There are 2 races, first the 5K (3.1 miles) followed by the half marathon, a total of 16.2 miles. If you haven’t done so already, you can register online here. But don’t delay since online registration typically closes before the event.  Keep in mind there are limits on the n... 01/14/2026

Carlsbad Village Holiday Window Decorating Contest Carlsbad’s holiday events are in full swing. And that means it’s time once again for the popular Carlsbad Village Window Display Contest. Residents will certainly recall the Holiday Window Display contest in Carlsbad Village from previous years. The Contest is sponsored by the Carlsbad Village Association and there are always some amazing window displays.  There are 22 retailers participating this year according to the website. Public voting online is available now through 5:00 pm on December 16th for the “People’s Choice Award.” The online ballot is on the Carlsbad Village Association website. Here's a holiday window display from a few years ago;  A special panel of judges will select winners of the “Classic Holiday Charm, Children’s D... 12/03/2025

2025 Holiday Tree Lighting in Carlsbad Village~ December 7th ~ The 40th annual Holiday Tree Lighting will take place on Sunday, December 7th in Carlsbad Village. As is the tradition, the Holiday Tree Lighting is held at the front entrance to the Carlsbad Village Faire shopping center, located at 300 Carlsbad Village Drive and just west of the railroad tracks. The photo below is from a prior year event I attended.  This special holiday event runs from 2:00 – 4:30 pm and is always well attended! There will be a holiday music program featuring Adrienne Nimes in the Courtyard from 12:00 until 2:00 pm. The Tree Lighting festivities are sure to put you into the holiday spirit if you aren't by then. Why not come enjoy this popular annual tradition with a crowd of Carlsbad residents in the hear... 11/20/2025

Celebrate Small Business Saturday in Carlsbad Village ~ November 29, 2025 ~ The holiday shopping season is approaching fast - it seems to arrive earlier every year, doesn’t it? Halloween is now a distant memory, and the Thanksgiving holiday is less than 2 weeks away. This means the 16th annual Small Business Saturday in Carlsbad Village will be here before you know it. The first Saturday following Thanksgiving is the traditional day to support small businesses throughout the US. And there are certainly plentiful opportunities in Carlsbad Village to #shopsmall. Plenty of residents and visitors already support small businesses in Carlsbad but this is a special opportunity! And with the holiday shopping season upon us, that’s good news for shoppers. Mark your calendar to #ShopSmall in Carl... 11/14/2025