Do you have a lamp that flickers, a sweater with a split seam or a bike that shifts badly? Has a jacket hung in the closet since last winter without being worn? On Saturday, Nov. 14, the City of Solana Beach will take care of all of them at Fletcher Cove. Some of the most useful parts of the day start much earlier, though, and they start on Highway 101.
The City's World Kindness Day 2026 celebration runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fletcher Cove Park. Solana Beach is an official partner of City of Kindness. Donations go to City Hall at 635 S. Highway 101 starting Monday, Nov. 2. City Hall closes for the Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday, Nov. 11. The Saturday itself ends at City Hall with an art reception after the park has packed up.
The drop-off windows are already open
By the time this post publishes on Thursday, Nov. 5, both City Hall collections will have been open for four days. They have different hours and different end dates, so they are easy to mix up.
| Collection | What to bring | City Hall drop-off | Last day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clothing swap | Up to 15 new or gently used items, plus spare hangers | Nov. 2 to 13, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during work hours, closed Veterans Day | Nov. 14, brought directly to Fletcher Cove |
| SBCC Senior Holiday Basket drive | Puzzle books, hot chocolate, warm socks, pens, lotion | Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. | Thursday, Dec. 10 |
For the swap, tell the front desk you are there for the clothing swap. A sustainability staff member will come to the lobby, collect your items and give you a ticket showing you donated. The City accepts tops, pants, sweaters, jackets, belts and bags. It does not want dirty or torn items, underwear, swimwear, socks, shoes or hats. If you drop off on a Friday, check first. City Hall closes on alternate Fridays, according to the City's notice for the basket drive.
The basket drive runs longer and has a specific purpose. Solana Beach Community Connections puts together gift baskets and delivers them in person to "Solo-Agers," older Solana Beach residents who live alone. Some have lost a spouse and some have family far away. The group is also asking for names. If you know a neighbor who might like a basket, you can email their name and contact information to [email protected]. Assembly and delivery start after the drive closes on Dec. 10. On Nov. 14 the group will also take donations at its World Kindness Day booth.
Wednesday at La Colonia Park
Veterans Day falls in the middle of the drop-off window and closes City Hall for the day. The holiday has its own event on the other side of town. The City and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5431 host the annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 11, from 11 a.m. to noon at La Colonia Park, 715 Valley Ave.
The program includes the Camp Pendleton Young Marines as color guard, "Feathers from Heaven" doves, the Santa Fe Christian School Band and a guest speaker. City officials and representatives from every branch of the Armed Forces are expected, and light refreshments will be served. The same partners held the Memorial Day ceremony in May at the park's Veterans Honor Courtyard, where the City named Post Commander Guy McDermott among the participants. Parks & Recreation can answer questions at (858) 720-2453.
That means the week before Kindness Day uses both of the town's civic gathering places, La Colonia on Valley Avenue and Fletcher Cove on the bluff, with City Hall in between on Highway 101.
Saturday, Nov. 14, by the clock
The official hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but several parts of the day run outside that window. Here is the full Saturday in order:
- 9:30 a.m. The San Diego Blood Bank bus opens in the Fletcher Cove Park parking lot. It stays until 3 p.m.
- 10 a.m. The celebration opens in the park. The Fixit Clinic starts inside Fletcher Cove Community Center, and the clothing swap starts on the lawn outside.
- 1 p.m. Last recommended arrival for Fixit Clinic walk-ins, who should come at least an hour before closing. At the same time, the clothing swap opens to the general public.
- 2 p.m. The park celebration and the Fixit Clinic close.
- 3 p.m. The blood bus leaves.
- 4 to 6 p.m. The City Hall Gallery hosts a reception on Highway 101.
So much happens at 1 p.m. because of how the swap is set up. Before then it serves registered participants, and they can take items no matter how many pieces they brought. Anyone can take items after 1 p.m. That hour is also roughly the last chance to hand a repair to a Fixit coach. If you are carrying both a torn item and a bag of swap clothes, the morning is the better time to come. The City suggests bringing torn or broken clothing to the clinic inside, since the swap does not accept it.
What each station asks of you
The stations work differently, and a little preparation helps at each one.
The Fixit Clinic. San Diego Fixit Clinic coaches help with mending clothes, repairing road and mountain bikes, and fixing lighting, gadgets and small appliances. It is not first come, first served. Pre-registered guests get priority, each repair is matched to the right fixer, and wait times vary. Registration is through the link on the City's Fixit Clinic page.
Bikes. The San Diego Bike Coalition will run bike storage in the Fletcher Cove parking lot, and RebikeSD will have a repair shop on site for tune-ups. If you ride in, you can leave the bike with the coalition, or take it to RebikeSD for a tune-up while you walk the park.
The blood drive. You do not have to attend the celebration to donate. November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, so every donor gets a free A1C test. Donors also get a limited-edition memorial blood drive t-shirt. Appointments are encouraged and walk-ins are welcome, according to the City's blood drive page.
The park itself. Kindness Crafting Stations offer kindness-rock painting, friendship bracelets and thank-you notes for teachers, family or community heroes. Rockademy plays live music, Solana Beach Lifeguards teach hands-only CPR, and there are lawn games and light refreshments. Groups that want to host a kindness-themed booth or activity, and anyone who wants to volunteer, can contact the City through the event page.
Back to City Hall, then Cedros on Sunday
When the park closes, the day moves back to City Hall, where the drop-offs started on Nov. 2. The City Hall Gallery hosts a reception for Stephanie Missan's exhibit "Beneath the Palms" from 4 to 6 p.m., with a chance to meet the artist and light refreshments. The exhibit stays up until Dec. 15, so you can also see it on a weekday visit to drop off a basket donation.
Sunday has a familiar option nearby. The Solana Beach Farmers Market runs every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at 444 S. Cedros Ave. Cedros also has a newer stop. Encore Sushi, at 112 S. Cedros Ave., held a grand opening with a Solana Beach Chamber ribbon-cutting on Oct. 23, according to a company announcement republished by HNG News.
Dec. 6 brings snow to Fletcher Cove
The City and its Parks and Recreation Commission host the 21st annual Holiday Tree Lighting on Sunday, Dec. 6, starting at 4:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public. New this year are a snow hill for sledding and a snow play area. There will also be sweets, hot cocoa and cider. Mayor Lesa Heebner and the City Council will turn on the tree lights, and Santa is scheduled to arrive with a fire-truck escort at 5:20 p.m.
Four days later, on Thursday, Dec. 10, the senior basket drive closes at City Hall, and Solana Beach Community Connections begins assembling and delivering the baskets. Puzzle books or warm socks picked up for the drive can go to City Hall any Monday through Thursday until then.
Part of my work in Solana Beach is keeping track of the dates that shape a season here, and the rest of it is helping neighbors with the decisions behind a move. If you would like to talk through your plans over coffee after the Fixit Clinic, or anytime this fall, Lori Puterbaugh is glad to hear from you. Let's Connect.
