This evening I enjoyed a really great Return of the Jedi concert by the San Diego Symphony. The popular John Williams score was performed live at the outdoor Shell as the film played on a big screen above the musicians.
Before the concert began, Star Wars cosplay could be seen throughout the crowd. Dude Vader (pictured above) and several local Star Wars cosplay groups were in attendance.
Fans eagerly posed for photographs with Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, Princess Leia, bounty hunter Boba Fett, evil Emperor Palpatine and other favorite characters.
During the movie, at triumphant moments, scattered lightsabers in the audience rose glowing in the darkness!
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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!
Some passengers who embark on a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder don’t realize there’s another “Disney ship” that makes San Diego its homeport. And it’s docked just a stone’s throw (or cannon shot) away!
HMS Surprise, of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, was one of the ships used in the filming of Disney’s 2011 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The museum ship portrayed Captain Hector Barbossa’s HMS Providence.
HMS Surprise, a beautiful replica of the 18th century Royal Navy frigate Rose, spent three months off Long Beach during the Pirates of the Caribbean filming.
HMS Surprise is better known for its leading role in another film. The tall ship co-starred with Russell Crowe in 2003’s epic, multiple Academy Award nominated Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.
Going on a Disney cruise out of San Diego? Are you a fan of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise? Walk a short distance along the Embarcadero and step aboard a cool Disney movie ship!
Learn more about HMS Surprise at the Maritime Museum of San Diego website here.
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What word best describes an extraordinary experience that is free to music lovers in San Diego?
When the San Diego Symphony rehearses at The Shell at Embarcadero Marina Park South, anybody can sit mere feet away from the musicians. Just walk on up and take any seat. And listen. You’ll hear some of the finest music ever composed, played by a world-class symphony orchestra.
Sit close and feel the thunder!
This morning I sat in front of The Shell and felt the power of music wash through me, while I enjoyed the sunshine, the gleaming downtown skyline, and boats of every kind sailing by on San Diego Bay.
UPDATE!
Here come more pics! I took these during another sunny weekend rehearsal…
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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!
This year, the festival is primarily taking place in Memorial Park, where families can enjoy Arts in the Park. A full day of entertainment is scheduled for the big stage, and artist booths abound. The event is produced by the people of OnStage Playhouse, which is a community theatre located in Chula Vista.
I enjoyed the first hour or so of the festival, which included an inspiring dance performance as you’ll see in the upcoming photos!
Lots of family fun can be enjoyed at Arts in the Park during the 2021 Chula Vista Lemon Festival.Artes en el Parque includes music, dance, and an evening performance by the Fern Street Circus!A familiar piratical smile. I believe I’ve spotted it during past Comic-Cons!A smiling mermaid!Volunteers from Arts in the Park pose for a photo!Students from Chula Vista Learning Community Charter Middle School were making art! And the community joined them!Painting our beautiful Earth.A String of Stories at one of the school’s tables is about Sharing in Community.Unidos por la paz. United for peace.I took some photos as I waited in Memorial Park’s amphitheater for the entertainment on stage to begin.The helpful Honda people came by and offered me a water bottle! Thank you!
Do you know anyone who could use a helping hand? Check out the San Diego Honda Dealers “Random Acts of Helpfulness” web page here. Maybe they’ll provide some assistance! I hope so!
Okay! The program begins with a couple of short speeches…
Ashley Gardner from OnStage Playhouse is introduced. She was instrumental in organizing this great event. Hopefully it becomes a long-lived community summer tradition!
Then the entertainment begins!
An amazing, super positive and energetic hip hop dance group from Steele Canyon High School takes the stage! They’re the Club Groove Dance Team!
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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!
Today history was made in San Diego. This evening, the San Diego Symphony performed their opening concert at the new Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.
I arrived a good hour before the concert began and wandered around. I even walked out onto the nearby pier. From the Embarcadero Marina Park South fishing pier The Shell is gorgeously framed by San Diego’s skyline.
The Shell is simply wonderful. It has immediately become one of our city’s treasures. Its beauty, the sparkling bay views, the sunset and sailboats, the world-class music…
Large screens on either side of the stage allow guests to watch the performers up close. You see their facial expressions. You see the emotion.
The photos I took this evening provide just a small taste of the incredible experience you’ll have should you attend a concert at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.
One great thing about this fantastic new outdoor venue is the public can freely watch and listen from the periphery. I found a bench beside the water and simply melted into the music.
Please enjoy a few photos of this evening’s historic event taken by my small camera.
Young volunteers greet visitors in line for the concert.People eagerly file in for an historic concert.Some guests walk up to the box office to purchase tickets.The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park has many places to sit, eat, or simply relax before or during a concert. All sorts of food is available–from gourmet to pizza.Friendly waves from San Diego Symphony folks!A wave and smile!A few are already seated well before the concert begins.Martha Gilmer, Chief Executive Officer of the San Diego Symphony welcomes guests to the historic concert.Meanwhile, people have found a great place to sit and listen at one end of the fishing pier.Sailboats pass on San Diego Bay. During the concert, many boaters anchored nearby to listen.A photo taken from the pier. The Marriott Marquis becomes silvery as the sun falls toward the horizon.Musicians arrive carrying their instruments.I’m back near The Shell and its sloped seating area. People awaiting the concert gaze out toward the bay.Many have taken their seats. Anticipation builds…The sun will soon be setting.The silhouette of San Diego Symphony conductor Rafael Payare appears on The Shell’s curtain! Everyone applauds!The curtain suddenly drops open!And there is the San Diego Symphony!Beautiful music begins…
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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!
Today I headed to the annual Ramona Country Fair and stepped through their gateway to adventure!
In addition to lots of friendly people and a fun slice of Americana, what did I find?
At the Ramona Country Fair, which is held each summer in rural San Diego County, there is plenty of adventure! And it’s free!Young and old were trying to shoot bows and arrows, just as folks did once upon a time.I was greeted by a smiling medieval archer! I declined to pick up a bow. I’m bound to shoot myself in the foot.Members of The Sovereign Kingdom of Terre Neuve, a subdivision of The Adrian Empire, had gathered at the Ramona Country Fair. Perhaps they arrived by time machine. But seriously, this friendly group recreates Western European culture between the First Viking Raid on Lindisfarne in 793 to the death of King James I of England in 1625.Chain mail, steel helmets, swords and other instruments from the Age of Chivalry displayed on one table.A demonstration of medieval combat fascinates those watching.Getting a bit more intense…That was a close call!Meanwhile, adventurous shoppers had much to explore on the grounds of the Ramona Country Fair.These super friendly folks from the California Avian Health Education Network were informing the community about prevention, early detection, and rapid containment of foreign animal diseases. They also had to endure a couple of my awful chicken jokes. Artists had their work for sale at the fair. I spotted a cool Yoda created by Boyd’s Crafts!These two cool guys represented Triple B Adventures, an organization that takes Veterans, including wounded warriors, on hikes, campouts and other adventures around San Diego County.It’s the 50th Annual Ramona Country Fair as you can see from their poster! Entries into the fair’s art show were displayed nearby.Some tape prevented my closer approach, but you can see these are winning art entries!Talk about a gastronomical adventure! Super Burritos. Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs. Decisions, decisions…The Ramona Chamber of Commerce, who puts the annual fair together, greeted me!Love Ramona is a bunch of friends and neighbors who do good deeds in the community. They began as a local church group.And, of course, what is a country fair without a huge Fun Zone! I couldn’t believe all the carnival rides. I was told it really gets active later in the day, and in the evening when the outdoor temperature cools. (It was in the 90’s during my late morning visit!)Look at all the fun prizes!This four-legged fair-goer was having more fun than some of the two-legged types.Folks were bringing in horses for the noontime Cowboy Challenge. I’m afraid I didn’t stay for that. Places to go. Things to do.A good photo caught by sheer chance.Folks get the arena ready for cowboy action!
Not only did I miss the Cowboy Challenge, but I was disappointed that the Irish Dancing in the fairground’s pavilion had been cancelled for Sunday. Oh, well. I guess that means a future adventure awaits!
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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!
I encountered several dramatic scenes during my walk through Balboa Park this Friday evening!
First, as I passed the Old Globe Theatre complex, I noticed some sort of live event had begun in the plaza. I had stumbled upon the AXIS Free Performing Arts Series titled WORD UP!
As I understand it, the Old Globe’s summer AXIS program intends to engage the community, to make theatre matter to more people. The theme this evening was storytelling and community.
After a very brief, vague talk about the importance of oral tradition, the audience and online participants were asked an odd string of personal questions. Many shared how they feel about aspects of their lives and the people in their lives. I realize people communicating thoughts and feelings eye to eye in this age of isolated people staring at phones is a good thing. But the small audience appeared to be a clique of regulars.
I saw very few visitors in the park taking seats during my time in the audience. I’ll bet if there had been an exciting performance of live theatre in the plaza, many more casual passersby would have been drawn in and become engaged.
Next, as I wandered into the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, I was thrilled to see an enthusiastic group of young dancers rehearsing for the big Reopening Celebration Concert tomorrow evening at 5:30 pm!
I asked a member of the Spreckels Organ Society who was helping with the rehearsal who this group was on stage, and he didn’t know.
Finally, look what I spied in one arm of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion’s beautiful colonnade!
An absolutely fantastic photo shoot by Living World Entertainment!
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!
Yesterday afternoon the House of Korea in Balboa Park hosted a big lawn program! Traditional music, colorful fan dance, K-pop, martial arts and more took the stage in a wonderful celebration of Korean culture!
Participants in the event gathered at the International Cottages from all around Southern California, including representatives from the Korean Cultural Center, Los Angeles. As you might expect, many were in the audience!
It was interesting how some of the performances were a fusion of both Korean and American culture. When an expressive solo dancer began to dance with great emotion to the Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody, there was loud applause from the audience!
Enjoy these photographs!
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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!
This evening, about an hour before sunset, after the daytime crowd had greatly thinned, I walked through Balboa Park.
In the Plaza de Panama some guys were producing beautiful music. The group is called the Sunshine Brass Quintet. I’ve seen them other days playing in the plaza.
When I finally walked past the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, I was excited to see the Twilight in Balboa Park concerts are returning for 2021!
The evening concerts will take place Tuesdays through Thursdays during the month of August. They start at 6:30 pm in the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
Performers include Marine Band San Diego, Mariachi Estrellas de Chula Vista, the Coronado Concert Band, and many others! Check out the photo I took of the sign below, or visit the concerts page here.
Here are a few more photos of the Sunshine Brass Quintet this evening in the Plaza de Panama…
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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!
An exciting community celebration will be held in Balboa Park at the end of July!
Everyone is invited to gather at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion on the evening of Saturday, July 31, 2021 to enjoy this amazing free event, featuring notable performers from all around San Diego.
Participating in the celebration will be Opera4Kids, San Diego Civic Dance Arts, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Grupo Folklórico Sabor de México, San Diego Master Chorale accompanied by San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez, and the fun Organ Pavilion Rock Band! The entertainment starts at 5:30 pm!
Cool San Diego Sights! 