It’s not often you get to enjoy an evening of good food and community camaraderie while helping local schools pay for everything from promotion ceremonies to cows’ eyes for the science lab. But that’s just what the annual Taste of North PB Art and Restaurant Walk will offer. The eighth annual event is set for March 14 from 5 to 8 p.m. As in the past, Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools is sponsoring the evening, planning to divide the proceeds among Pacific Beach Middle School, Mission Bay High and Pacific Beach Elementary. With school budgets tight, teachers count on revenue from the fundraiser to help pay for such things as science supplies, books, calculators and school beautification, according to Pacific Beach Middle School principal Julie Martel. The event also helps fund athletics and theater. During the self-guided culinary walk, North Pacific Beach restaurants and a few other businesses open their doors to the community to sample food and drinks, as well as to enjoy student art exhibits and live music by student groups. This year’s event features 17 eateries along Turquoise Street, from La Jolla Boulevard to Cass Street, and along Cass to Beryl Street. The cost is $15 for adults and $7 for children from 5 to 10 years old, the same prices as at the original event, according to volunteer chairman Laura Daly. She said the parent-teacher group purposely keeps prices low so entire families can enjoy the activity. Advance tickets are available at the three Pacific Beach schools, as well as at Java Earth Café, Turquoise Coffee, Pernicano’s Pizza House and Leilani’s Cafe. Tickets also will be available during the event in front of the Turquoise Animal Hospital, which will host musicians from the Mission Bay High School Preservationists, Pacific Beach Middle School Jazz Wave and the Pacific Beach Elementary Pan Band. Daly said there will be a sign-up sheet this year for potential art buyers, and the parents’ group will follow up after the show. New this year to the event is the new chef-owner at Alex’s Brown Bag/Latitude 32°. On his tasting menu are chili and hoagies. Also, joining the festivities this year is Matt Richman, chef-owner of the new Table 926, which moved into the former Chateau Orleans space in December. “Taste of North PB is for a good cause and we want to be supportive of our community and introduce ourselves, let people know we’re here,” Richman said. “We’re excited.” The chef, who specializes in new-California cuisine, will offer samples of his braised lamb shoulder ragu with creamy polenta. Participants may start at any venue and hit as many as they like for the ticket cost, picking up plates, cups and bowls of “more food than anyone can eat,” Daly said. Restaurants will mark tickets before participants move on to their next stop. The evening is a win-win-win celebration, according to Daly. The restaurants showcase their dishes and the community enjoys sampling some of their favorite eateries and some they’ve never tried. Three schools reap the financial rewards. “It’s nice to see local people out on the street, taking advantage of the event and trying all these places, mostly mom-and-pop places with a homey feel,” said Chris Swiec, chef-owner of Chronic Smoothies Blazin Grill, which has participated in the event for several years. “We need this event. We have the car traffic, but not so much foot traffic,” he said, adding that he plans to cook up penne pesto pasta for the evening gala. Despite rain, the 2011 installment brought out 450 people for a profit of nearly $6,500. That compares with almost $7,600 in 2010 and $8,800 in 2008 — the event’s best fundraising year so far. Friends of Pacific Beach Secondary Schools is shooting for 700 participants and a goal of $9,000 in proceeds. For more information, call (858) 270-4947.

FAMILY ORIENTED FOOD AND FUN

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT: • Mission Bay High School 2475 Grand Ave. (858) 273-1313 • Java Earth Cafe 4978 Cass St. (858) 274-0028 • Pacific Beach Middle School 4647 Ingraham St. (858) 273-9070 • Turquoise Coffee 5026 Cass St. (858) 488-4778 • Pernicano’s Pizza House 711 Turquoise St. (858) 488-2900 • Pacific Beach Elementary School 1234 Tourmaline (858) 488-8316 • Leilani’s Café 5109 Cass St. (858) 361-1280 FOOD, ART AND MUSIC VENUES AT EVENT • Pernicano’s Pizza House 711 Turquoise St. (858) 488-2900 • Albertson’s Service Deli 730 Turquoise St. (858) 488-0600 • Silk Café/Axel’s Cicina 841 Turquoise St. (858) 412-3252 • Chronic Smoothies Blazin Grill 865 Turquoise St. (858) 488-2529 • The Turquoise Cafe Bar Europa 873 Turquoise St. (858) 488-4200 • Table 926 926 Turquoise St. (858) 539-0926 • Chocolate Haus 947 Turquoise St. (858) 488-4857 • Turquoise Animal Hospital (music) 950 Turquoise Street (858) 488-0658 • The French Gourmet 960 Turquoise St. (858) 488-1725 • Woodstock’s Pizza 1010 Turquoise St. (858) 642-6900 • Fig Tree Café 5119 Cass St. (858) 274-2233 • Leilani’s Café 5109 Cass St. (858) 361-1280 • Alex’s Brown Bag/Latitude 32° Pub 5019 Cass St. (858) 273-0502 • The Fishery 5040 Cass St. (858) 272-9985 • Turquoise Coffee (student art) 5026 Cass St. (858) 488-4778 • Gallery at Land’s End (student art) 4984 Cass St. (858) 270-7820 • Java Earth Cafe (student art) 4978 Cass St. (858) 274-0028 • 7-Eleven 4983 Cass St. (858) 483-1394 • Anoteca Adriano 4864 Cass St. (858) 490-0085 — Compiled by staff