Tag: costumes

Czech and Slovak culture celebrated in Balboa Park!

The House of Czech and Slovak Republics, a long-time member of Balboa Park’s International Cottages, hosted their annual cultural lawn program today!

I happened by while walking around.

Shortly after 2 o’clock, everyone on the lawn enjoyed an excellent performance by the acclaimed Czech group Mladá muzika Šardice. I see from the event flyer that after the youth brass orchestra was finished, more music and dance would follow!

Sausages with a roll and pickle were being prepared inside one large tent. Almost forgot the pastries! A nearby fundraising table offered crafts for sale, including traditional corn husk dolls (slaměné panenky or panenky z kukuřičného šustí).

The Czech and Slovak Republics cottage was open too, with numerous beautiful displays to be seen, including costumes, dolls, ceramics and art.

The cottage is almost fully recovered from its unfortunate collision with a falling eucalyptus tree. Looks great!

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Warhammer 40k cosplay at Comic-Con Museum!

Some of the most jaw-dropping Warhammer 40k cosplay creations are now on display in San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum! They’re gigantic and amazing in their detail! For an idea of scale, see my first photo.

Head downstairs and walk into the gallery devoted to costumes created for Comic-Con’s world-famous Masquerade. Among other fantastic creations, you’ll see these Warhammer 40k character suits that can actually be worn. They are made out of EVA foam sheets by Joe Ramirez.

Not surprisingly, Joe has won multiple awards for his cosplay productions. His handle is @Beyonderjoe.

The costumes in this gallery change from time to time, so make sure to have a new look every time you visit the museum.

Fun culture at House of Ireland lawn program!

The House of Ireland in Balboa Park hosted their lawn program today, two days before St. Patrick’s Day.

As usual, there was a lot of green, Irish food, Irish dance and Irish fun!

A big crowd on the lawn enjoyed the sunshine anticipating exciting cultural entertainment. Irish stew was being served at the House of Ireland cottage. Tasty baked goods, too!

The cultural program began in earnest at two o’clock. A festive procession onto the lawn and up to the stage was led by the bagpipers and drummers of The Cameron Highlanders. Several dancing groups in colorful traditional costume would follow them.

Soon thereafter, the Irish dancing would begin!

Dancers young and old, including members of several academies of Irish dance, would kick it up on the stage. Reels, jigs and hornpipes had the performers moving energetically to the rhythm of live music.

Enjoy a few photos…

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To follow my blog, find the “Follow” box in this website’s sidebar. Or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing this on a phone, open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

CleanUp Kitsune cleans Balboa Park!

Look who returned to Balboa Park today! It’s CleanUp Kitsune!

Lila and Corey Cleary-Stoner combine performance art with litter removal and call themselves CleanUp Kitsune.

I happened to notice the couple today outside the Japanese Friendship Garden.

They were kind enough to pose in full Japanese costume for a fun photo! Their fox masks come from Japanese folklore.

I first met the the couple about a year and a half ago leading a volunteer clean up in Balboa Park.

Their Instagram is @cleanupkitsune. Check it out!

(My blogging computer is out of action for several days so these posts, made from my phone, are more simple than usual. Stay tuned for more…)

San Diego graced with the Gift of Dance!

Young dancers with the Gift of Dance, a local ballet folklórico school, performed today in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter during the annual Fall Back Festival.

These colorful photographs provide a hint of the dancers’ energy, fluid grace and poise. The dances transmitted pure joy. If you were there, you felt it.

Traditional Mexican dances included La Negra, La Raspa, La Madrugada, Tehuantepec, El Jarabe Tapatio, Los Machettes, and Las Chiapanecas.

Audience members were often clapping along with the music!

I hope you enjoy my photos…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Lion dancers bring Gaslamp Quarter good luck!

Good fortune arrived today in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter.

The San Diego Lucky Lion Dancers brought their good luck to the annual Fall Back Festival!

Shortly before noon, the dancers departed their headquarters at the San Diego Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, crossed Third and Fourth Avenue, and entered the festival with traditional costumes and musical instruments.

Those watching at the Fall Back Festival would be entertained by the performers’ exciting entrance and the following lion dance.

The Lucky Lion Dancers perform at many San Diego events, and I never tire of watching them. The energy, joyfulness and magical good vibes…anyone who watches is indeed lucky!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Fun pics in Balboa Park on Halloween!

Any day in Balboa Park is a great day.

Halloween in Balboa Park makes for a really great day!

Look at all the fun pics I captured while randomly wandering around!

Buzz Lightyear emerged on Halloween from the Balboa Park Administration Building. To infinity and beyond!
There’s a gremlin inside the Museum of Us! And I thought their Egyptian mummies were disturbing!
Looks like the Balboa Park Carousel has been bewitched again.
A spooky photo op backdrop in Spanish Village Art Center.
Lots of Halloween stuff inside the Senior Lounge.
Eek! Who’s this strange character haunting the Senior Lounge?
The San Diego Automotive Museum is home to a friendly ghost.
A fun Halloween costume exhibit inside the Comic-Con Museum.
A spooky jack-o’-scarecrow grins at me in the Comic-Con Museum. I hope a superhero is nearby.
Yes, one can find Cheetos inside the Balboa Park Visitors Center.

Not to be overlooked, I also found some fun Día de los Muertos stuff…

Getting ready for a Día de los Muertos event this weekend at the Old Globe.
A balloon sugar skull outside the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Howl-o-Weenie dog costume parade in Balboa Park!

San Diego Dachshund Club and Friends held their Howl-o-Weenie Parade and Costume Contest in Balboa Park today!

A big group of cleverly costumed dogs and happy humans gathered near the Fleet Science Center and Bea Evenson Fountain, then proceeded down El Prado to the delight of everyone watching!

Some fun photos!

(Yes, there were more than a few hot dog weenie dogs!)

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Fun characters root for Padres at watch party!

Is that Fernando Tatís Jr. in my above photo?

The big crowd of fans gathered in Gallagher Square for today’s Padres watch party did their best. Closely watching the giant videoboard, they cheered their team, whirled rally towels, and some fans (and the Padres mascot Swinging Friar) excited the crowd as costumed characters. Alas, it wasn’t enough.

The Padres were eliminated this evening from the 2025 MLB Postseason. The Chicago Cubs took the Wild Card series, 2 games to 1. Ouch.

Our team: pitching good enough to win, but sketchy offense. Failure to make clutch hits. Like certain periods during the regular season.

It would’ve been a thousand times more fun if the Padres had won and advanced in the playoffs. The young kids running about and playing catch in Gallagher Square didn’t seem to mind, however. They were simply having a good time.

Of course, Dude Vader was present!

Two Manny Machados are better than one!

This awesome, masked lucha libre Padres fan brought his big swag chain!

I loved this Día de Muertos costumed Catrina!

Well, as they say, there’s always next year.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Historical folk dance art in San Diego!

Last weekend the annual Harvest Festival at the Balboa Park Club featured folk dance and dancing workshops. Sadly, few people arrived for an event that has greatly faded in popularity over the years. I’m told young people are no longer taught folk dancing in school, as they once were years ago.

Shortly after entering the Balboa Park Club building, I discovered historical art painted on old signs, from the days when folk dancing brought both young and old together for a fun social gathering.

I learned that the wonderful graphics in my first photos were painted to promote the now defunct Kayso Folk Dance Club, which thrived in San Diego back in the 70’s and 80s. A gentleman named Kayso, originally from Armenia, painted the costumed dancing figures himself. The images might have become a bit worn over the years, but they still have great personality!

I also love the following old sign, which I learned is from the 1950s. It promotes the Cabrillo International Folk Dance Club, which is still alive and well!

The International Dance Association of San Diego County has a website here that lists dance clubs currently operating in Balboa Park and elsewhere around the city. You’ll find many opportunities to learn different dances, and to dance at every level of experience!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!