Tag: festivals

San Diego Wave FC Season Kick-Off Rally!

San Diego Wave FC held their 2026 Season kick-off rally this evening in Balboa Park! A bunch of fans came together at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion to root for the team and make great memories!

Activations around the pavilion included unique giveaways, a merchandise station, kids activity station, and numerous photo ops. The San Diego Sirens independent supporters group was present. So was Forever Balboa Park. Upbeat music gave the event a fun, festival vibe.

When the players filed into the pavilion around 5:30, everyone cheered! The players would then pose for photos with fans at the different stations, and even autograph posters and clothing before photos were taken.

I saw many families. Young ladies were particularly excited to see their sports idols.

San Diego Wave FC is celebrating their fifth year. They’ll have their Home Opener in several days at Snapdragon Stadium.

The club made the National Women’s Soccer League playoffs last year. Hopefully in 2026 they’ll have even more success!

…

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.)

Photos at Balboa Park Chinese New Year!

It’s 2026, the Year of the Horse! Chinese New Year was celebrated all this weekend in Balboa Park!

With plenty of tradition, food and cultural entertainment, the House of China hosted their big Balboa Park Chinese New Year Fair at the International Cottages!

I arrived late this afternoon, shortly after the festival got underway. The Southern Sea Dragon and Lion Dance Association were entertaining a large crowd, bringing everyone good luck.

After the National Anthem was sung by young Norah Lu, students from the San Diego Wushu Center performed up on the stage. Their Chinese martial arts performances were incredible. Some of the students looked like Jet Li, effortlessly jumping and twisting their bodies in mid-air, wowing the audience. Very exciting!

I took some photos. My current, too-old PowerShot camera seems to be on its last legs, but I managed to capture some good images that convey the colorful atmosphere…

…

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.)

Year of the Horse charges into San Diego!

A big Lunar New Year celebration is taking place this weekend in City Heights. The Year of the Horse–Fire Horse to be exact–is charging into San Diego!

The Fire Horse in the Chinese zodiac represents energy, excitement. Walking through the event as it got underway today, I could feel the energy. It would be a very fun day for many families!

Lion dancers were already performing to the delight of kids. Many booths, displays and food vendors were set up and ready.

The event is being held at Officer Jeremy Henwood Memorial Park. For more info concerning the free festival, a celebration of San Diego’s Little Saigon, read the banner in my next photo…

Whale Watch Festival at Cabrillo National Monument!

Whale Watch Festival 2026 will be held tomorrow at Cabrillo National Monument, Saturday, January 10th, 9 am to 4 pm.

Visitors to the National Park will have panoramic views of passing whales from the high Kelp Forest and Whale Overlook. During the day there will be exhibitors, speakers and activities, and people with good eyes pointing out distant spouts and flukes.

It’s now the peak of the winter migration of gray whales from Alaska to Baja California. I’ve heard reports of many sightings off our coast.

I’ll be busy elsewhere tomorrow, so I headed to Cabrillo National Monument today to see what I might see.

I noticed the tall ship America out on the wide Pacific Ocean. Assuming it was on a whale watching excursion, I watched the water in its vicinity for a while. I think I glimpsed a spout. An expert at my elbow would’ve helped me with sightings!

It was a beautiful sunny day and the weather should be the same for the festival. If you go, have fun!

…

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.)

La Mesa celebrates Holiday in the Village!

I saw Mrs. Claus today! She was reading a storybook at the big, colorful Holiday in the Village event in downtown La Mesa!

I also saw multiple Santas, a couple Grinches, lots of Christmas trees, families and kids having tons of fun, and vendors selling food and festive gifts along several blocks of La Mesa Boulevard! A stage featured entertainment, and an ice rink featured slippery fun!

(Unrelated, but I also saw a poster in a window indicating the La Mesa landmark arch sign is now being fabricated!)

Look! A friendly writer!

Reina Salome is an author of inspirational fiction and poetry. One of her books is Finding Christmas in the Heart. Check out her stuff on Amazon by clicking here.

Be Merry and Bright!

These kids who love sewing made amazing “travel dollhouses” that festival-goers could purchase!

Check out their “My Darling Home” creations on Instagram here!

Smiles from The Salvation Army Kroc Center!

Feeling inspired this holiday season? Help them do good in the community by clicking here!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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

Fun, festive photos at December Nights!

December Nights has arrived!

I walked around Balboa Park this afternoon and into the early evening. There were so many colorful sights to be seen in San Diego’s big holiday festival…

First up, a couple of Santa’s helpers with Save Starlight smiled for my camera. If you’d like to help this worthy organization revive the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park, please check out their website here.

I was completely surprised to find a honest-to-goodness live reindeer! His name is Murphy. He’s visiting San Diego from Wild Things/Conservation Ambassadors.

Checking out Spanish Village Art Center during December Nights…

This beautiful little Christmas tree was created by artist Helen Munroe, who works out of Studio 34B and 25 in Spanish Village.

Okay, what was going on in the Plaza de Panama?

What was going on at the International Cottages?

I swung by the Spreckels Organ Pavilion when the Peninsula Singers were performing on the stage by the big Christmas tree…

Folks were checking out the Community Christmas Center nativity scenes…

I bought a soda at the Gingerbread House.

Entry to the San Diego Natural History Center was free, so I had to check it out. There’s a dinosaur Santa!

And a Homo sapiens Santa (and friends) by the elevator!

View of Plaza de Balboa and Bea Evenson Fountain from the museum rooftop. December Nights is just getting underway…

Now I checked out the Festival of Trees in the Casa del Prado. The theme for 2025 is Rooted in Wonder!

This cool gentleman is with San Diego Civic Dance Arts. Youth would perform on the nearby stage later in the evening.

Inside the Municipal Gymnasium, families were lined up to greet Santa Claus at the North Pole!

Dozens of food vendors filled the Palisades parking lot!

Superheroes greet visitors to the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park during December Nights!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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

Balboa Park almost ready for December Nights!

With two days to go until December Nights, activity in Balboa Park was in high gear today!

I enjoyed another walk through the park with my camera, catching much of the action. There isn’t much time to finish the immense preparation.

December Nights, one of the largest holiday festivals in the United States, will take place Friday December 5th from 3 to 11 pm, and Saturday December 6th from 11 am to 11 pm.

Make sure to give yourself extra time for traffic and to find parking. Better yet, use public transit or one of the free shuttles. You can find the “Getting to December Nights” webpage by clicking here.

Festive red ribbons are now on the Cabrillo Bridge lamp posts.
A sign and wreath bids Welcome to December Nights at Balboa Park’s west entrance.
Huge crowds will stream into December Nights by foot, passing the Museum of Us and the archways of the California Quadrangle.
Workers getting strings of holiday lights ready in the Plaza de Panama.
Cheerful lights will be strung everywhere!
Sadly, I suppose San Diego’s Community Christmas Tree encircled by its historical fence will be forgotten again. (I’ve spoken to multiple people about this over the years, but nobody seems to know or care.)
The Community Christmas Center’s traditional Nativity scenes are set up already. They must have done that during the last couple days.
I saw the enormous Christmas tree on the Spreckels Organ Pavilion stage being assembled!
One might say the Organ Pavilion will be at the center of December Nights, with many special holiday performances.
Barricades being readied in the Palisades area of Balboa Park, where there will be plenty of December Nights activity, too!
Signs are up at the various parking lots.
San Diego Parks and Recreation workers were all over the place, cutting grass and making everything perfect.
I noticed one of the fences on the west side of the Lily Pond has been removed, now that this section of the new Central Gardens outside the Botanical Building is ready.
Getting the annual San Diego Floral Association Festival of Trees ready in Room 101 of the Casa del Prado. There will be a special free preview on Thursday December 4, from 4 to 7 pm!
These smiling Balboa Park Garden Stewards were on their way out to beautify the park when I happened by with my camera!
Hanging stars at the Museum of Photographic Arts inside the Casa de Balboa!

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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

Holiday Season sights in downtown Chula Vista!

I went on another fun “Holiday Season” walk today–this time in the South Bay through downtown Chula Vista.

Given that Christmas is about three weeks away, it wasn’t surprising that I found lots of holidays related sights!

Most of my photos are of shop windows along Third Avenue.

Can you believe the Grinch, Gingerbread Man, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Charlie Brown were painted all in one window? Those characters together would make a very inventive, peculiar Christmas television special!

Wandering through Chula Vista’s historic downtown, I discovered plenty of great stuff…

Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año!

I know, I know–Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin is more of a Halloween thing, but I liked this anyway…

Downtown Chula Vista will celebrate the holidays on Saturday, December 6, 2025 with the Starlight Festival from 3 – 9 pm, and the Starlight Parade at 6 pm!

Find out more by clicking here.

…

If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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

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!

…

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!

Tasty sights at the Escondido Tamale Festival!

Do you love tasty, award-winning tamales? If you went to the Escondido Tamale Festival today, you were in heaven!

The annual event, held in Grape Day Park, brings out families for good times, great food (many types), and lively entertainment.

Some of the tamale vendors had impressive displays of trophies they’ve won! These are the best of the best!

They came well equipped, too, serving tamales of every variety fresh on the spot. (Even pineapple and strawberry tamales!) A substantial quantity would be consumed by the large, hungry crowd!

Some fun photos from my afternoon visit…

…

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!