As of September 1, 2011, ALL 1,875 retail establishments are prohibited from providing light-weight, single-use plastic carryout bags to customers at the point of sale. MORE

By Lookout Staff

September 30, 2011 -- This weekend's calendar in Santa Monica promises something for everyone – from car shows to charity runs, to celebrations of music, art and cinema.

The 6th Annual Alt Car Expo kicks things off Friday at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. “Focus on Fleets” brings together the largest collection of hydrogen, electric and natural gas vehicles available to fleets on the West Coast and features a slate of speakers, with Los Angeles County Mayor Michael Antonovich delivering the keynote address.

Don't miss the chance to test drive the latest models of alternative fuel vehicles, like the Mercedes B-Class F-CELL hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and the first sports luxury plug-in hybrid, the Fisker. To find out more about the Expo, which runs through Saturday, check out its website. Attendance is free.

Those whose taste runs along more old-school lines will want to check out the 6th Annual Pico Festival and Classic Car Show Sunday. The gathering in Virginia Park will feature a collection of classic cars from across Southern California, to the musical accompaniment of Mariachi Alta California and Latin-Ska favorite Upground.

Proceeds from the car show will benefit the Samohi Football Program and the Cody Williams Recovery Fund. Vendor and artists' booths, crafts and activities for kids and glass-blowing and art demonstrations courtesy of Santa Monica College will liven the scene. The Festival lasts from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free to the public. For more information, go to the show's website.

Of course, the ultimate in sustainable transportation is your own two feet – and there will be opportunities to exercise those for a good cause this weekend.

NAMIWalks Los Angeles County 2011 will take place Saturday on the Third Street Promenade. The fundraiser will help National Alliance on Mental Illness “Stamp out Stigma” and winners of an event drawing will win an Apple iPad 2 or an Apple iTouch. Check is at 8 a.m. and start time is 10 a.m. To find out more, click on NAMIWalks.

Sunday, runners in the 6th Annual Santa Monica 5000 will hit the pavement at the intersection of Ocean Park Boulevard and the beach. An assortment of races will cater to all fitness levels, and proceeds will benefit local student athletes and school sports programs. To find out more, and to register online until 6 p.m. Friday see the race's website. You can also register at K-Swiss Santa Monica Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. or Sunday at the race start at 6:30 a.m.

More than 400 artists will gather to honor the sea on the shores of Santa Monica Beach Saturday, as they launch the World Festival of Sacred Music. Tongva elders will lead a procession from Dorothy Green Park – named in honor of the founder of Heal the Bay – as the Agape International Choir, Halau Keali'i O Nalani with Halau O Lilinoe, Kinnara Taiko, the La Canada High School Marching Band, the Sacred Rhythm Drum Ensemble, Swing Brazil Tribe with Viver Brasil and the Ti’at Society unite in song, dance and ritual. The celebration of the bay's spirituality will begin at 3 p.m. and will last until sunset. To learn more, see the festival's website.

Three Santa Monica venues join a collaboration of art institutions from around the region coming together to celebrate the birth of the Los Angeles art scene in Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA, 1945–1980. The Santa Monica Museum of Art of will feature the works of Beatrice Wood both days, and will host a special kids' day Sunday. The Sam Francis Gallery at Crossroads School will focus on L.A.'s pioneering woman gallerists, while the 18th Street Arts Center's exhibit will deal with collaboration labs and the Artist Space Movement. For exhibit details, times and information about a westside shuttle connecting the shows, go to the collaboration's website.

The Aero Theatre hosts the 2011 Los Angeles Irish Film Festival this weekend. A celebration of the Irish storytelling tradition, the festival features a 20th anniversary screening of “The Commitments” Friday which promoters say will be accompanied by tuneful buskers on Montana Avenue's sidewalks. The local premiers of “Parked” – the tale of a wayward middle-aged man returning to Ireland – and “The Runway” – a fictionalized version of the true story of a South American pilot's surprise landing in a small Irish community – will cap the festival Sunday night. For details on these and festival's other offerings, see its website.