From the Manhattan Beach 10K to the Hometown Fair, it's a signature weekend in Manhattan Beach for food, fitness, and fun.

While the weekend is filled with tradition, there are also plenty of new attractions to draw visitors of all ages to the event. Highlights from the weekend include:

Manhattan Beach 10K: The 41st running of the Manhattan Beach 10K will take place at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday morning: This volunteer-run, not-for-profit event is one of the oldest such community events in the country. Even if you're not running, come on down to cheer on your neighbors, hear local bands along the route, and join in the post-race festivities at the Manhattan Beach Pier.

Battle of the Bands: Last month, local amateur bands battled for one of the four coveted slots for the Battle of the Bands at the Hometown Fair. On Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to noon, the four finalists will compete for the title on the Main Stage. The four bands in the competition are Pier Pressure (alternative covers and originals), XYZPDQ (classic and modern rock), Emerald Street (fast-paced rock), and Late Ship (alternative rock). 

Beer Garden: The Beer Garden is one of the Hometown Fair's most enduring and popular attractions. Each year, local nonprofit organizations enter a lottery for the right to operate the beer garden and receive a portion of the proceeds. This year the Beer Garden will be hosted/benefiting the Mira Costa Tech/Drama Boosters, the Mira Costa Girls Lacrosse Booster Club, the Mira Costa Surf Team Boosters, and the Mira Costa Boys Lacrosse Booster Club.

Ceramics Sale: Support local artists all weekend, as the ceramics studio at Live Oak Park will be holding a ceramics sale featuring handmade artwork from Manhattan Beach Parks & Rec students, instructors and staff. The sale will take place on both Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Community Showcase: Manhattan Beach has got talent - and lots of it! On Saturday and Sunday at the Joslyn Community Center, come and see the Amateur Art Exhibit with art from South Bay locals on display. A series of amateur performers will also be displaying their talents on the Joslyn Center Stage.

Diaper Derby and Toddler Trot: Even if you don't have little kids, this one is always fun to watch: Come see little crawlers and toddlers compete in their first race - everyone's a winner. The Toddler Trot is at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, and the Diaper Derby is 11:30 a.m. on Sunday at Dorsey Field. 

Free Games: You can play your heart out for two days straight with paid games at the fair, but don't forget that there are plenty of free games for kids as well, including water balloon toss, jelly bean guess, and more on Saturday and Sunday. The full schedule is here.

Food: Don't worry about going hungry at the Hometown Fair - there are enough food booths to satisfy every craving. You'll find hot dogs, hamburgers, tacos, pizza, BBQ, Polish sausage, teriyaki bowls, kettle corn, and more - and don't miss the classics like Trinity Lutheran Church's Pepper Bellies and Grand View Elementary's Tri Tip booth.

Friendship Circle Kids: Kids' Country has a variety of games, rides, and bounce houses on the greenbelt, all free for kids. On Sunday, from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m., the Friendship Circle will host a private event for kids with special needs. All families with special needs children are welcome.

Hometown Fair Merchandise: Got Hometown Fair t-shirts? There's going to be a "blowout" sale of Hometown Fair merchandise starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday morning at the merchandise booth. Look for specials on last year's John Van Hamersveld popular wave design t-shirt.

Police and Pink Patches: The Manhattan Beach Police Department is participating in the Pink Patch Project, through which officers demonstrate their support of breast cancer awareness by again wearing pink shoulder patches on their uniforms. MBPD will be selling T-shirts and challenge coins for $20 each (cash only) at its booth at the fair on both Saturday and Sunday. All proceeds will be donated to the Soroptimist International of Manhattan Beach to make breast cancer comfort bags for individuals battling breast cancer in the South Bay.

Last but not least, don't forget about street closures:

For the MB10K, streets along the race route will be closed on Saturday, October 6, from 4:00 AM to 10:00 AM, and “curb parking” will be prohibited on some streets. See www.mb10k.com for more information.

For the Hometown Fair, the following closures will be in effect:

Friday, October 5 at 7:00 a.m. to Sunday, October 7 at 10:00 p.m.: Valley Drive will be closed in both directions (from Blanche Road to 15th Street)