Beat Back the Gloom with the Weekend Planner

June seems to be settling into its reputation nicely, with overcast skies the past few mornings. The weekend weather calls for more of the same, partly cloudy skies, temps in the mid-60s and general malaise all around.

Not to fear though—here on the ground, there are lots of things to keep you occupied that don't necessitate clear blue skies.

On Friday morning, drop by the . Strawberries have recently come into season, and vine-ripened tomatoes are also appearing. Ah, spring!

Friday afternoon, if you have teenybopper children, or are just really, really into all things Disney, scoot up to Santa Monica Place and watch Marvelous, I'm sure.

For more adult fare, stop by Elvino Wines on Abbot Kinney Boulevard, which is offering tastings from Parador Cellars in Napa Valley. Winemaker Steve Ventrello will be .

On Saturday, join for a from 9 a.m. to noon.

Head over to the boardwalk and help celebrate the first birthday of Pancho and Lefty, the two-headed bearded dragon at the Venice Freak Show! Check out for all the festivities.

This is also the kickoff weekend for at the library. Join professional skater Eric “Tuma” Britton between 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. The are free and sponsored by the Venice Skateboard Association and Friends of the Venice Library.

This weekend, Kimberly Fowler of YAS Fitness is presenting the f0r ThinkCure! Pre-ride cocktail parties, featuring silent auctions, will be held on Saturday evening before the event. On Sunday, riders will pedal for three hours, raising money for cancer research.

As always, if you have events you want to add to our calendar, you can do so here.

Have a great weekend, Venice!