La Jolla Boulevard will shut down Thursday, July 16 from 5 to 9 p.m. as Bird Rock Community Council (BRCC) features the seventh annual Taste of Bird Rock. The event includes live bands as area restaurants and shops remain open in an effort to raise funds to support Bird Rock Elementary School and Cesar Chavez Elementary School. “This year’s theme is ‘Opportunity through Community,’” BRCC President Joe LaCava said in a press release. “Throughout the Taste of Bird Rock event, we will highlight merchants, neighbors and friends in our community who give good will and spread their service, love, time and resources to the organizations and causes they are most passionate about.” Bird Rock Elementary has partnered with Cesar Chavez Elementary School to donate funds raised from the event. “We know how much our own local school needs funding this year, and we also know that there are other schools in the district that are in desperate need of help, too,” said Taste of Bird Rock committee co-chair Celia Sepulveda. Residents will taste fare from local restaurants as they stroll La Jolla Boulevard listening to music. This year, committee members will offer raffle tickets for ocean cruises around San Diego Bay. “We feel that in times of economic uncertainty, we can and should continue to reach out and give to those who need it most, and we would love to be inspired by those who are doing just that right here in our Bird Rock community,” LaCava said. Bird Rock merchants began selling Taste of Bird Rock tickets June 27 at Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, La Jolla Mailbox and Bird Rock Surf. Tickets are $25 for non-BRCC members, $20 for BRCC members and $15 for kids ages 3 to 12. For more information, visit www.birdrock.org. To volunteer or sponsor, e-mail Pamela Garvey at [email protected], Felicia Parker at [email protected] or Celia Sepulveda at [email protected].