How You Can Observe Sunday, Sept. 11

The following is a list of local observances of the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11.

There are solemn ceremonies at parks and festivals. Some are fundraisers, some are barbecues, some are dinner and thoughtful discussion. Some are church or interfaith services, including the National Requiem.

If volunteering is your desire, some communities are participating in National Day of Service as a forward-looking tribute to sacrifice. 

Santa Cruz County

Aptos 

7:30 p.m. Community Candlelight Remembrance of 9/11: People of all denominations are invited to join clergy from several Santa Cruz County churches at the Aptos United Methodist Church, 221 Thunderbird Dr., Aptos. The evening will include a bell choir, chancel choir and special messages from people of faith from throughout the community, including St. Andrew Presbyterian, Christ Lutheran, Beth El Synagogue. 

Capitola 

Noon-3 p.m.  Arts: This is one of several stations to commemorate the anniversary and share hopeful visions for a peaceful Santa Cruz County community. Participants can record short messages of gratitude to local first responders. Organizers hope to gather more than 200 peace tiles from "Projects for Peace" stations across the country to assemble a traveling "peace tile mural" installation to inspire civic engagement and actions to create greater unity and peace. For information: 831-427-5070, lead@scvolunteercenter.org; 1501 41st Ave., Ste. K, Capitola.

Santa Cruz

4-6:30 p.m. : This is another station that will commemorate the anniversary with recorded messages of gratitude to local first responders and peace tiles from "Projects for Peace" stations. For information: 831-427-5070, lead@scvolunteercenter.org; Memorial Plaza, 1550 Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz (outside of Jamba Juice).

Watsonville

Noon : Fire departments, police agencies and other first responders will be honored at in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11. A fly-over and a 21-gun salute will take place. John Blauvelt, a survivor who escaped the twin towers that day, will be present at the event. The audience will be invited to the speedway infield to plant small flags at the base of the monument flagpole that will stay for the duration of the fair. The agencies and the Red Cross will have information booths. There's also a country-western band and free barbecue. Free. 

Noon : This National Day of Service event is at St. Patrick's Church, 721 Main St., Watsonville, to commemorate the anniversary and share hopeful visions for a peaceful community. For information: 831-427-5070

Selected Locations Elsewhere

San Jose

10 a.m. We Remember: 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Memorial Service Almaden and Cambrian churches will present a faith-based commemoration ceremony at the San Jose Giants-Municipal Stadium. The community is invited to join the service honoring the 3,000 lives lost that day as well as San Jose's police officers, firefighters and residents serving in the military. A band will perform patriotic and faith-filled songs. Children are welcome. People are asked to show up early. A free lunch follows, including hot dogs, chips and fresh-squeezed lemonade. The stadium is at 588 E. Alma Ave. For more information, call 408-499-9790. For more information, contact Capt. Mary Gutierrez at 408-794-6965 or sjfdpio@sanjoseca.gov.

11:30 a.m. 9/11 Patriot Day: San Jose's observance begins with Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, 80 S. Market St., followed at 12:40 p.m. by a memorial march down Market Street to Fire Station One and the Ringing of the Last Alarm at 1:30 p.m. to remember the first responders who gave their lives to save others. Keynote speaker, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, will discuss reflections on 9/11. Mayor Chuck Reed, Supervisor Dave Cortese, Councilman Sam Liccardo, Fire Chief William McDonald, Police Chief Chris Moore and Assemblywoman Nora Campos will also attend.

Participating agencies include the San Jose fire department, the Santa Clara County sheriff's office, the Santa Clara fire department and the city of Cupertino.

Palo Alto

1:30 p.m. Stanford National Requiem of Remembrance: A performance of Mozart's Requiem in D Minor at featuring Schola Cantorum, an 80-member chorus based in Mountain View. Part of the National Requiem, this performance will be the second time Schola Cantorum and Stanford's Office for Religious Life have collaborated in a memorial performance of Mozart's Requiem to honor the victims of 9/11. The event is free and open to the public.

San Francisco

2 p.m. 10th Anniversary of 9/11: Opera in the Park: The city's official event with the San Francisco Interfaith Council transforms the annual Opera in the Park to a citywide observance, featuring Mozart’s Requiem in D Minor, as well as works by Christopher Theofanidis, Harold Arlen, Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and John Williams. Music Director Nicola Luisotti will conduct. During the Mozart Requiem, meditation texts will be read by representatives of various religious traditions that make up the San Francisco Interfaith Council. Sharon Meadows, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Free.

9 a.m. National Day of Service Events: The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department will have three tribute projects in partnership with Hands On Bay Area. Volunteers will gather at the Veterans War Memorial Building courtyard (near 401 Van Ness Ave.) to honor the memories of the victims of 9/11 and then give tribute to the fallen by serving at community projects. Registration and a light breakfast, followed by a 20-minute program. At 10 a.m. volunteers will disperse to their projects. Project sites include Jefferson Park, Margaret Hayward Playground, and Patricia's Green. For more information, visit sfrecpark.org. People must register to take part; registrants receive a free T-shirt.