Local activist Sara Beth Brooks will host a candle light vigil to honor late GLBT civil rights leader Harvey Milk at the San Diego LGBT Community Center’s parking lot on Friday, Nov. 27 at 6:30 p.m. It will be the 31st anniversary of Milk’s assassination. Those that attend are suggested to bring a candle to hold. The Center is located at 3909 Centre St. in Hillcrest. For more information, call 619-368-9948 or e-mail sarabrooks@gmail.com.

Everyone remembers how exciting Christmas was when you were a kid. The Imperial Court de San Diego hopes to put a smile on a child’s face this Christmas.

The Imperial Courts de San Diego will kick off its 33rd Annual Toy Drive on Saturday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m., at the Redwing Bar & Grill, located at 4012 30th St. in North Park.

The community is invited to join in the festivities, which include food and entertainment. Participants are asked to bring a new unwrapped toy or gift card.

The goal of the Imperial Court’s Toy Drive is to collect enough toys and gift cards for 600 kids aged 1 to 15.

For more information, contact Chris Grinston 619-692-9076, Richard Poole at 619-288-1187, or Carlos Silva at 619-540-8727.

America’s Finest City Dixieland Jazz Society (AFCDJS) will present the 30th Annual San Diego Thanksgiving Dixieland Jazz Festival Nov. 25-29, at the Town & Country Resort and Hotel. The Festival features more than 17 bands and guest artists from across the U.S. playing for dancing and listening in five nonsmoking venues. Food, beverages and special festival room rates are available at the Town & Country Resort Hotel at 500 Hotel Circle North in San Diego, near the intersection of I-8 and SR-163.

Festival hours: Wednesday 7 – 11 p.m. (two bands); Thursday 7 – 11 p.m. (three bands); Friday 10 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. (all bands play Friday and Saturday).

All-events badges are: $90 (5-day), $85 (4-day) and $80 (3-day) Daily badges will be available at the Festival: Wednesday-$15; Thursday-$20; Friday or Saturday-$35; Sunday-$25. Children 12 and under are admitted free accompanied by an adult. Ages 13-22: 5-day $30; 4-day $25; 3-day $20; Wed-$5; Thursday or Sunday $8; Friday or Saturday $10. Festival admission is free to active-duty military personnel, with government-issued ID.

Special events include Centennial celebrations of Benny Goodman and Lester Young; musical tributes to Bing Crosby, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis; a Ragtime Dance Concert; organized jam sessions and more. The pre-festival party on Wednesday night runs from 7-11 p.m. The Town & Country Hotel offers a Thanksgiving Champagne Buffet with live jazz from 3-6 p.m. in the Convention Center. The festival is funded in part by the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.

For more information, contact AFCDJS at 619-297-5277. E-mail jazzinfo@dixielandjazzfestival.org, or visit www.dixielandjazzfestival.org.

North County LGBT Coalition will host, for the second year, the Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) Award. The presentation will take place at the Mira Costa College in the Student Center on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m.

The GSA Award is an event organized to give back to the community some of the proceeds from the Oct. 10, 2009 Pride @ the Beach! event.

Oceanside High School, Carlsbad High School, Rancho Vista High School, Ramona High School and Mira Costa College will be the recipients of a cash donation to stimulate the clubs school presence and activities.

The GSA’s aim to create a safe and welcoming environment for all students within our schools where tolerance, inclusiveness, and acceptance are learned and shared values.

For more information, contact the North County LGBT Coalition by calling 760-672-1848 or e-mail info@northcountycoalition.org. For more information about North County LGBT Coalition, visit www.northcountycoalition.org.

The Greater San Diego Business Association will hold its annual holiday cruise mixer aboard the California Spirit Dec. 2. from 6 to 8:30 p.m. The ship boards at 5:30 p.m. and departs from 1050 N. Harbor Drive at the Broadway Pier.

The mixer features a hosted bar and various food stations that will include pasta, prime rib and desserts. Dancing will be fueled by DJ Laura Jane. The event also marks GSDBA’s annual holiday toy drive for the Imperial Court de San Diego. Attendees are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or blanket, which will be distributed to children in San Diego and Tijuana.

“The cruise is a popular annual tradition that the entire GSDBA community looks forward to every holiday season. Members are encouraged to bring their friends and co-workers for a fun evening of meeting new faces,” said Tom Luhnow, chief executive officer of GSDBA.

The cost is $50 for GSDBA members and their first guest; and $75 for each additional guest. Guests must be 21 years or older to attend. Tickets are available online at gsdba.org, or by calling 619-296-4543.

The County of San Diego has created a new Web site for flu shot information, locations and advice. Flu season is upon us and it is very important to get vaccinated this year. For San Diego County flu shot locations, complete CDC guidelines on when and who should get a flu shot (including H1N1 information), visit www.flucliniclocator.org.

San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride is now accepting applications for its 2010 Youth Organizer paid internship position. The internship for a high school senior is part of Pride’s resolution to further involve LGBT youth into the long-term planning of Pride’s annual celebrations and year-round programs.

The position, which partly involves direct outreach into the youth community, sponsorship involvement and volunteer training, begins in January and runs until the end of July.

Qualified candidates must be in their senior year in high school and able to work through the Pride office for five to 10 hours per week from January through May, and up to 30 hours per week beginning in early summer. Course credit for the internship will depend on the policies of the particular academic institution the student is attending.

The youth organizer position was established to encourage youth representation within the organization’s decision-making process and to increase wider youth involvement in the programs of San Diego Pride.

“Young people are powerful contributors to social change around the world, and their perspectives and ideas are vital to our equal rights movement,”said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride. “The internship program is a way to work together, share and listen while incorporating the unique voices of our youth.”

The selected candidate for 2010 will enjoy frontline exposure in the GLBT community and related events while gaining a professional understanding of the daily operations inside the Pride organization. Other duties will involve collaborating with San Diego area queer youth agencies while participating in the planning of youth events and programming for all San Diego Pride community enhancement activities. Applicants are required to complete a parental consent form and sign a confidentiality agreement.

Applications and a detailed outline about the position are available on the Pride web site under the “About Us”tab at: www.sdpride.org. For more information, call 619-297-7683.