Bird Rock is taking its community spirit to the streets, combining two of its most popular neighborhood events into one spectacular block party. BirdStock: Takin’ It To The Streets, a free community street fair benefiting Bird Rock Elementary School on Saturday, Aug. 11 will combine the best of previous Taste of Bird Rock and BirdStock fundraisers. “We’re hoping this is ultimately going to become the community event that replaces the Taste of Bird Rock that once was,” said Felicia Parker of Bird Rock Community Council (BRCC), hosts of the decade-long signature community event that will close La Jolla Boulevard between Midway and Camino de la Costa. The school fundraiser started out as Taste Of, a weekday evening block party held for seven years along the community’s commercial strip on La Jolla Boulevard. Unfortunately, the event’s immense popularity led to alcohol- and parking-related problems, causing it to be “reinvented.” It came back the following two years as BirdStock, a community picnic and concert held at the park adjoining the elementary school. Highlights of Takin’ It To The Street’s family-friendly summer extravaganza are to include live music headlined by The Jones Revival, food trucks selling everything from the commonplace to the gourmet, a “chalk la strada” interactive street mural, surf-inspired activities, food and raffles at Bird Rock Surf Shop and a special appearance by “Chopper the Biker Dog,” a motorcycle-riding Boston terrier therapy hound. Specials will be offered by restaurants on La Jolla Boulevard during and after the event. Though free, event donations are welcome. Children’s activities, including jumpees, facepainting and more, are available with the purchase of a wrist-band for $15 the day of the event and $10 prior. Wristbands can be purchased in advance at La Jolla Mailbox Rental, 5666 La Jolla Blvd., and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters at 5627 La Jolla Blvd. “This is going to be a building year for us,” said Parker of 2012’s hybridized fundraiser, which seeks to merge the widespread appeal of Taste Of’s block party with BirdStock’s folksy charm and homegrown feel. Noting problems with Taste Of stemmed from its becoming a weeknight “happy hour-themed event,” Parker said moving it to Saturday afternoon “makes it more available and open so the community can just walk down and enjoy it.” One thing about Taste Of will be hard to duplicate: it’s profitability. “The school really misses the proceeds that were raised from that event,” said Parker, noting Taste Of raised $6,000 its first year, tripling to $18,000 by its sixth year and more than quadrupling to $25,000 its seventh and final year. BRCC is hoping to recapture and rebuild event proceeds with its new summer street-fair concept. “We don’t know if this event will build up quite as fast as to get those numbers,” Parker said. “But we’re fortunate to have the support of community merchants.” Pointing out community events can only exist with community support, something Parker said “Bird Rock prides itself on,” she added, “There are a few people who always stand up to support and donate knowing it will benefit the school despite the fact that they don’t have children at the school.” Parker cited Chuck Patton, owner of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, as a prime example of such community support. “He has been the single sponsor that has never declined to help,” she said. Honorable mentions, she added, go to other local businesses like Square Pegs and Ideaworks, which donated time and expertise to designing and printing posters promoting this year’s revitalized festival. Community fundraising efforts are greatly appreciated — and needed, said Jennifer Ziegaus Wahl, president of the Bird Rock Foundation and a Bird Rock Elementary parent. “The Bird Rock Foundation is so grateful to again have the support of the community,” she said. “The BRCC has donated more than $100,000 to Bird Rock Elementary over the last 10 years from these types of events. This has helped offset the ever-increasing state budget cuts to education.” Without the support of the BRCC, Las Patronas and many local businesses, Ziegaus Wahl said, “Our children would suffer and go without essential things like physical education, computer lab, and art and music classes that the state does not fund anymore.” The school foundation board of directors decides how to spend the money after consulting with the elementary school principal and teachers, said Ziegaus Wahl.   “Largest areas of expenditure have been PE program, art program, computer lab program and music program,” she said. “In addition, the foundation funds class-size reduction by paying for support teachers across grade levels.” BirdStock: Takin’ it to the Streets will run from noon to 4 p.m. on Aug. 11. For community members that can’t make it out to the festival, Bird Rock’s residents-only picnic catered by Beaumont’s Restaurant will be Wednesday, Aug. 29 at 6 p.m. at Calumet Park. For more information, visit www.Birdrock.org o www.birdrockfoundation.org.