Go, Ideas for your weekend: Music, Japanese New Year, Race for Warmth

1. Tribute songs

The Ensemble of Oregon will travel across the Columbia River to Vancouver to perform a 16th-century composition. “Victoria: Officium Defunctorum” was created by Tomas Luis de Victoria in memory of the Empress Maria of Austria. The tribute uses melodies of the Requiem Mass, and a single vocalist will sing each of the composition’s six parts. The concert begins at 7 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater, 218 W. 12th St., Vancouver. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. 503-753-8368 or http://theensembleoregon.org

2. Japanese New Year

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, Mochitsuki 2016 features the Japanese New Year tradition of pounding rice into sticky rice cakes called mochi. Performers include national poetry slam champion G. Yamazawa, shakuhachi flute player Larry Tyrrell and the Minidoka Swing Band. There will be flower-arranging demonstrations, Japanese drumming, musical performances, martial arts, classical dance and cooking classes. There also will be food vendors, a tea ceremony, crafts and games. The festival runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Smith Memorial Student Union, Portland State University, 1825 S.W. Broadway, Portland. Tickets are $10 to $12, $7 to $9 for students and seniors, and $4 to $5 for ages 4 to 12. Admission is free for ages 3 and younger, or ages 88 and older. http://mochipdx.org

3. Share the glow

The Race for Warmth features a 10K run and 5K walk or run through downtown Vancouver and along the waterfront, along with a free kids race, hosted by Clark Public Utilities. Proceeds from the event benefit the Operation Warm Heart program, which helps limited-income families with their electric bills. Day-of-race registration opens at 7 a.m. Jan. 31, with the kids run beginning at 8:30 a.m. and the main races starting at 9 a.m., from Clark Public Utilities, 1200 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver. Participants can enjoy a party after the race with free beverages, soup and bread. Registration is $30. 360-992-3000 or http://raceforwarmth.com

4. All kinds of cars

The Portland International Auto Show offers visitors the opportunity to see the newest cars from a wide selection of auto companies. Sign up for a test drive, explore the Tech Center for the latest in transportation gadgets, or check out the Luxury Lofts with the newest exotic vehicles. The show includes areas such as the Motorcycle Pavilion, Race Garage, The Lumberyard Indoor Bike Park and Kids Zone. The auto show is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Jan. 28 to Jan. 30 and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Jan. 31 at the Oregon Convention Center, 777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Portland. Tickets are $12, $10 for seniors and military, and $7 for ages 7 to 12. www.portlandautoshow.com

5. Aviation and first families

Learn a bit about the people and things that shape local history. Cameron Smith, anthropology professor at Portland State University, will explore the history and technological evolution of pressure garments and space suits used to explore beyond the atmosphere. Smith also will discuss his own project to develop, build and test his own pressure suit. It will be the first of four talks in the Aviation Lecture Series, taking place through the month of February. The lecture is at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 inside the Tex Rankin Theater at the Pearson Air Museum, 1115 E. Fifth St., Vancouver. Admission is free. 360-816-6253 or www.nps.gov/fova/learn/news/aviationlectureseries2016.htm

The Clark County Historical Museum kicks off its First Thursday lecture series for the year with the local history project “First Families of Vancouver’s African-American Community.” The lecture will feature a community discussion with the Rev. Marva J. Edwards, president of the Vancouver NAACP, and Nathan Webster, founding director of the Dream Big Community Center. Doors open at 5 p.m. to explore recent exhibits, with the presentation at 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St., Vancouver. Admission is $4, $3 for seniors, and $2 for ages 18 and younger. 360-993-5679 or www.cchmuseum.org