The Zoppé Italian Family Circus is back in town and they are taking family entertainment to new heights this year, performing matinée and evening shows from October 7th through the 23rd in Red Morton Park.

Author Jodi Picoult new novel, “Small Great Things,” explores America’s racial divide. Picoult will be at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City to talk about her novel on October 18th. On tackling the subject of racism in America, Picoult says, “The vast majority of Americans are… mostly goodhearted people who just do not know how to talk about racism, even if they feel bad about what’s going on. They don’t have the skills, the vocabulary, to jump into the conversation… My message with this book is, I hope it gives you a springboard. Start talking about it fictionally and then weigh into the non-fiction. I hope it gives you a vocabulary. And I hope it makes you understand that it is better to say something and make a mistake than to say nothing at all.”

The annual OktobeRun is coming up on Saturday, October 29. Runners of all levels and passions can participate in the 5K. All proceeds  go to the Redwood City Education Foundation.

The Welcoming Stars award, given by Redwood City Together, honors local pioneers and programs which help build an inclusive and respectful community. This year’s recipient is Kainos Home and Training Center. The organization serves a diverse, inclusive population of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities through residential, vocational, and senior day programs and services.

Middle and high school students from the Bay Area are invited to the Youth for Environment and Sustainability Conference to be held in February 2017 in San Francisco. The free day-long regional conference will bring together students to discuss topics ranging from climate change and public health to transportation and air pollution. Bonus: Teachers who register their students before Oct. 30, 2016, will be entered into a drawing for a $250 grant!

Check out this weekend’s open houses in Redwood City, like this stunning modern home on Nevada Street or this updated ranch on McGarvey Avenue.