Go: Ideas for your weekend — Symphony Young Artist Competition, Race for Warmth

1. Young talent

Nine finalists will perform head-to-head Sunday during the 21st annual Vancouver Symphony Orchestra Young Artist Competition. Three students will win a portion of the $5,000 prize as well as performing spots with the Vancouver Symphony in its April concert. Edmund Stone of All Classical Radio will be the master of ceremonies. The competition is at 1 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 309 W. 39th St., Vancouver. Admission is free. 360-735-7278 or www.vancouversymphony.org

Student musicians of the Portland Youth Philharmonic also will perform at 4 p.m. Feb. 8 at Skyview High School, 1300 N.W. 139th St., Vancouver. The philharmonic’s Conservatory Orchestra and Wind Ensemble will perform, with highlights including Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3. Tickets are $12, and $10 for seniors and students. 503-223-5939 or www.portlandyouthphil.org

2. Community run

Race for Warmth will be open to all to help benefit the customer-funded program Operation Warm Heart, which helps limited-income families pay their electric bills. The race will feature 10K and 5K runs along with a 5K walk and a free kids run for ages 3 to 8. The races start at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 8. Register by Feb. 7 for $30, or register the day of at 7 a.m. Feb. 8 for $40. Each race begins at Clark Public Utilities, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. www.clarkpublicutilities.com

3. Panda wisdom

Tears of Joy Theatre will bring “Zen Shorts,” the picture book by Jon J. Muth, to life with the use of more than 30 puppets. Michael and Addy have a new neighbor, a giant Zen master panda named Stillwater. He begins to share ancient tales with the duo, to help them confront everyday problems. The performance runs 7:30 p.m. Feb. 6; 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Feb. 7 and Feb. 14; and 1 and 3 p.m. Feb. 8 and Feb. 15 at the Imago Theatre, 17 S.E. Eighth Ave., Portland. Tickets are $22; $18 for students and seniors; and $15 for ages 13 and younger. 503-248-0557 or www.tojt.org

4. Power of words

Jess Walter is the author of “Beautiful Ruins,” “The Financial Lives of the Poets” and most recently a short-story collection, “We Live in Water.” The Spokane writer has won the Edgar Allan Poe Award and has been a finalist for the National Book Award. He will talk about his writing process and novels at 1 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Foster Hall Auditorium, Clark College, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver, as part of the Columbia Writers Series. Admission is free. www.clark.edu/cc/cws

5. Rocks from space

Dick Pugh of the Cascadia Meteorite Laboratory at Portland State University will bring the “The Meteorite Petting Zoo” to the Pearson Air Museum. The event is part of the Imaginings of Flight lecture series. Pugh will bring meteorites for the audience to examine up close, along with discussing vital clues about outer space discovered by these extraterrestrial visitors. Attendees are encouraged to bring suspected meteorites for verification. The lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the Tex Rankin Theater, Pearson Air Museum, 1501 E. Fifth St., Vancouver. Admission is free. go.usa.gov/JQGP