Tag: costumes

Comic-Con Shrine returning for 2021!

The San Diego Comic-Con Shrine is returning for 2021!

Just like last year, when Comic-Con was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, a fun, free, semi-spontaneous, fan-centric celebration of the popular arts will be taking place during Comic-Con week just outside the Tin Fish restaurant. You know, in Gaslamp Square, the public plaza across from the convention center, next to the trolley station. There will be cosplay, chalk art, a blood drive . . . even nightly dance parties!

I saw a couple of banners at the Tin Fish this morning and took the next photo. It looks like Dude Vader and the Science Fiction Coalition will once again be a big part of the Shrine experience.

While San Diego Comic-Con was cancelled again for health reasons in 2021, a Special Edition of Comic-Con will be coming to the convention center this November.

If you live in San Diego, make sure to check out the Comic-Con Shrine this summer from July 23-25. I see they have a website here!

Meanwhile, enjoy a sample of the photographs that I took last year at and near the Shrine…

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

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Photos of San Diego Archers King Arthur Tournament!

I was lucky to get some photographs of the San Diego Archers annual King Arthur Tournament in Balboa Park today!

I was walking near the Rube Powell Archery Range behind Balboa Park’s Alcazar Garden when I noticed some archers dressed in medieval costumes. So I had to check it out!

One friendly archer posed for the above cool photo. I then watched a bit of the tournament from the top of the canyon and took a few distant shots.

I was told the San Diego Archers is one of the oldest organized archery clubs in California, having been established in 1938. Since 1962 their King Arthur Tournament is a popular annual event full of Arthurian costumes, pageantry and family fun!

(I didn’t notice any knights wearing shining armor. Perhaps I missed them.)

Interested in participating or learning more? Check out the San Diego Archers website here!

UPDATE!

I received a great Facebook comment concerning the San Diego Archers:

For your readers information. Archery has been practiced in Balboa Park since 1917. The archery range is open to the public and membership with the San Diego Archers is not required to participate in tournaments. The San Diego Archers host four novelty tournaments each year. In addition, there are more than twenty regular competition tournaments throughout the year. Participants are only required to show up with their own gear, sign a waiver, and pay a small fee.
For more info: https://sandiegoarchers.com/

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

Black Widow appears at San Diego Convention Center!

Black Widow of Marvel’s Avengers made an appearance this afternoon outside the San Diego Convention Center!

She passed me in a big hurry, no doubt pursuing a crafty supervillain, but was nice enough to pose a few seconds for my camera.

I noticed that Black Widow is wearing her white costume in San Diego, so I’m assuming she recently arrived in the Avengers Quinjet from snowy Russia.

Yes, Black Widow’s upcoming movie features this white costume, so I’ve concluded that in her rush to intercept some despicable villain she probably didn’t have time for a change. As for the Quinjet–perhaps she landed it atop the Convention Center. I looked up and down but didn’t see it anywhere.

Most everyone knows that San Diego Comic-Con was cancelled for 2021 due to uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic and its trajectory. So I really enjoyed snapping this unexpected cosplay photograph.

Hopefully during traditional Comic-Con week in July there’s some outdoor cosplay by the Tin Fish just like last year. If there is, you can bet I’ll be taking photos!

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

Halloween costumes and cosplay in Balboa Park!

Superman, Loki and Catwoman cosplay during Halloween in Balboa Park!

I walked through Balboa Park late this Halloween afternoon and spotted a number of people and pooches dressed up for the occasion!

I saw creative costumes, superhero (and villain) cosplay, and lots of people simply walking about the park enjoying the day. Unfortunately, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was no park-wide event scheduled this year for Halloween.

But people still couldn’t resist having a bit of fun!

Does that skull belong to Yorick? Where’s the gravedigger?
The Little Mermaid poses outside the House of Hospitality.
It’s a plague doctor! Unfortunately, this year the costume seems less preposterous.
A nice skeleton family was walking down El Prado.
A pumpkin pooch and one with a mounted cowboy!
This dog just got his Bad Pet mug shot. Now it’s off to the pet-itentiary.
I didn’t quite catch the name of this group cosplay at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, but it’s bloody good!

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

The colorful Catrinas of Old Town San Diego!

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is coming up on Sunday. This popular Mexican holiday is a special time to remember and pray for loved ones who’ve passed on from this world.

Día de los Muertos has many rich traditions that have evolved over time, and one is the Catrina. Elegantly dressed skeletons with sugar skulls symbolize death. In Mexico, Day of the Dead is a time for the celebration of past lives, not mourning.

This year, celebrations of Día de los Muertos will be limited because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In Old Town San Diego State Historic Park the annual procession and festival have been cancelled.

But I did notice during a walk through Old Town late this afternoon that many very colorful Catrinas are on display in the large outdoor courtyard of Fiesta de Reyes!

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

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Awesome cosplay group poses for Comic-Con!

An awesome group of cosplayers assembled near the San Diego Convention Center late this morning!

Members of the Science Fiction Coalition arrived for the special occasion from all around Southern California. It’s Sunday, and while there’s no ordinary Comic-Con in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, local fans have been visiting the Comic-Con shrine during Comic-Con@Home week by the Tin Fish Restaurant.

I was lucky to walk through the Gaslamp Quarter as this fantastic cosplay event was underway. I’ve had a number of encounters with this fan group in the past, most notably in Balboa Park and at the future home of the Comic-Con Museum.

Check it out!

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

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Cosplay by the expanding Comic-Con 2020 shrine!

Dude Vader was eating lunch at the Tin Fish when I happened by Thursday afternoon!
Dude Vader was eating lunch at the Tin Fish when I happened by Thursday afternoon!

I stumbled upon some great cosplay this morning and afternoon! A news reporter and a couple of Comic-Con fans were dressed up in costume to celebrate this year’s unusual Comic-Con!

As everybody knows by now, Comic-Con isn’t being held at the San Diego Convention Center this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event for 2020 is entirely virtual, and you can enjoy live panels, visit an online Exhibit Hall, view cool art, play video games, participate in a cosplay contest, and enjoy many more unique experiences at the Comic-Con@Home website here.

A shrine was set up several days ago by the Tin Fish where Comic-Con fans in San Diego could leave messages and mementos from their past experiences. This morning I noticed several items had been added, then when I walked by this afternoon the shrine had extended outward in the plaza as it continues to grow each day!

Is that Batgirl or a reporter for the local Fox TV news station?
Is that Batgirl or a reporter for the local Fox TV news station?

Thursday morning some more swag bags had been added to the Comic-Con 2020 shrine.
Thursday morning some more swag bags had been added to the Comic-Con 2020 shrine.

In the afternoon the Comic-Con shrine had enlarged!
In the afternoon the Comic-Con shrine had enlarged!

Some comic books were added! And I see a Syfy thumbs up!
Some comic books were added! And I see a Syfy thumbs up!

The Tin Fish Restaurant across from the San Diego Convention Center still has its The Good Place decor from last year's Comic-Con.
The Tin Fish Restaurant across from the San Diego Convention Center still has its The Good Place decor from last year’s Comic-Con.

It's a great Alvin cosplay! Alvin . . . Alvin . . . Aaaaalvin!!!
It’s a great Alvin cosplay! Alvin . . . Alvin . . . Aaaaalvin!!!

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

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Photos of the annual Rendezvous in Poway!

Today I headed up to Old Poway Park to enjoy a very cool event. Scenes from the 19th century were being reenacted at the annual Rendezvous in Poway!

History enthusiasts had set up tents and tipis under large beautiful sycamore trees in the park’s grassy area. I learned that the rendezvous participants had been camping in Old Poway Park for several days already, and that local school students came by during the week to learn about life in the Old West during the 1800’s.

The Rendezvous in Poway, which continues this Sunday, features people in costume representing vaqueros, mountain men, cowboys, pioneers, and even members of the cavalry during the Civil War. For a few bucks kids can pan for real gold and families can ride the park’s fun Poway-Midland Railroad loop and watch a mock train robbery! Many of the attractions are free to the public, including a realistic cannon firing demonstration and Professor Tru Lee Bogus’ Traveling Medicine Show.

I also discovered that the Heritage Museum in Old Poway Park is open on weekends. There are many fascinating exhibits inside, and visitors can learn a good deal about the early history of Poway, back when people reached the once-tiny town by stagecoach.

On a pleasant early October afternoon I walked about the Rendezvous in Poway, enjoying many unique sights–and of course I took photos!

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

Folk dance and smiles at House of Ukraine!

Balboa Park’s House of Ukraine had their lawn program today at the International Cottages.

I don’t know a whole lot about the culture and history of Ukraine, but I could see one thing very clearly. The Ukrainian love for food, uplifting song, bright colorful costumes and folk dance shows an enduring, passionate love of life.

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

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

Comic-Con cosplay photos and more on Pinterest!

If you like to use Pinterest, you might enjoy checking out a bunch of pins that I just now added to my San Diego Comic-Con Pinterest page!

The special page now contains almost 450 cosplay and other fun photographs that I’ve taken while walking around Comic-Con during the past five years!

To see all these cool photographs in one place, click here!