Tag: costumes

Fantasy characters roam San Diego County Fair!

Take a look at these very colorful fantasy characters! They were spotted roaming about the San Diego County Fair, thrilling children and adults alike!

The San Diego County Fair’s theme in 2026 is Once Upon a Fair.

The Del Mar Fairgrounds in summer is where San Diegans go for boundless fun. This year the magical place has been infused with fantastic characters from human imagination and the pages of beloved books!

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Photos of 15th Annual Vista Strawberry Festival!

Strawberries here, strawberries there, strawberries everywhere!

At today’s 15th Annual Vista Strawberry Festival in historic downtown Vista, tens of thousands would crowd into multiple city blocks, exploring over 500 vendors, buying strawberry-themed gifts, enjoying live entertainment, having bushels of fun, devouring every sort of strawberry treat imaginable!

Families wore strawberry costumes, strawberry hats, strawberry dresses and shirts. Dogs often resembled berries. The standout color at the festival was red, not surprisingly.

Kids filled with sugar didn’t need the bounce houses to get jumping.

Smiles and funny surprises everywhere!

Almost forgot to mention–there were loads and loads of actual fresh strawberries for sale, too!

Photographs…

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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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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!