Friday Essentials in Newport Beach: Lifeguard Championships, Free Jamba Juice and More

1. Nearly 2,000 junior ocean lifeguards will compete today in the 2013 California Surf Life Saving Association Regional Lifeguard Championships in Newport Beach. Events are underway from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the south side of the Newport Beach Pier between 18th and 20th Streets, adjacent to the Newport Beach Lifeguard Headquarters located at 70 Newport Pier. Read more about the event in our story here.

2. The Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County is collecting food and cash donations today at the Feed SoCal event from 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Vons in Costa Mesa located at 185 E. 17th St. The donations will be used to help replenish the food bank shelves during the summer months, according to event organizers.

3. On Saturday kids can enjoy a free smoothie from Jamba Juice in Newport Beach. The Jamba Kids event will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Jamba Juice located at 4341 MacArthur Blvd. in Newport Beach. Kids must be 8 years or younger to receive a free 9.5 oz Jamba Kids smoothie.

4. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s “Built To Amaze'' Circus begins its run at the Honda Center in Anaheim tonight at 7:30 p.m. The circus continues through Aug. 4. Read more about the circus, which is being directed by a Newport Harbor High School graduate, in our story here. Purchase your tickets at ticketmaster.com.

5. Today will be cloudy with a slight chance of morning showers. The afternoon calls for partly cloudy skies with highs in the low 70s near the coast and mid to upper 80s inland.

Click here for today's top stories on Newport Beach-Corona Del Mar Patch.