The House of England in Balboa Park celebrated the 250th birthday of Jane Austen today!
Dressed in Regency attire, members of the Jane Austen Society of North America San Diego Region assembled outside the House of England cottage and listened to beautiful music performed by Amanda Fagan. Many of the ladies were wearing bonnets!
Jane Austen was a major literary figure who wrote such famous novels as Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Emma. Songwriter and prolific creator Amanda Fagan (@amandafaganofficial) entertained everyone with original compositions inspired by Jane Austen novels!
I learned that Amanda Fagan is writing a screenplay for a musical based on Austen’s satirical novel Northanger Abbey. I suspect it will include a good deal of humor! See her YouTube page here.
Inside the House of England cottage they were serving Victoria sponge cupcakes and scones with proper British jam and cream, and, of course, a cup of tea. I noticed that a few displays in the cottage pay tribute to Jane Austen and her importance to world literature.
Heading into the cottage…
Back outside. (Did they have smartphones at the turn of the 19th century?)
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The magical world of Harry Potter has invaded San Diego’s Balboa Park! An incredible, epic display has materialized just in time for Halloween, courtesy of the House of England at the International Cottages!
Check out all these awesome Harry Potter props inside and outside the House of England cottage!
Is that Sirius Black in dog form?A friendly witch welcomes everybody to the House of England cottage before Halloween.The four houses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry have banners hanging.The Sorting Hat is ready to sort you!Ready for class to begin?Nagini is on the loose near the Monster Book of Monsters!Watch out! Voldemort likes unicorn blood.It’s a mandrake root! Are your earplugs in?Thank goodness, this Cornish Pixie isn’t loose!Get some dark magic artifacts at Borgin and Burkes.Looks like the Goblet of Fire and tiny Patronuses.Get your Essence of Bat Wings! Full Strength!Hedwig has brought a letter.Must be Snape’s class. Pick your poison!We must be in the Owlery on the top of Hogwarts Castle’s West Tower.Dark wizards are on the loose!Ready for a game of Quidditch?Perhaps you’d like to battle these chess pieces. They don’t seem terribly large.Books can contain so much magic! (Uh, oh–tell Ron that Scabbers is loose.)Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix, is ready to help Harry.Gigantic spiders! Are we in the Forbidden Forest? No, just outside, in the rear of the House of England cottage in Balboa Park.Can you see this Thestral?WATCH OUT! It’s a Death Eater!!!
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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.
Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away earlier this month, is being memorialized inside the House of England at Balboa Park’s International Cottages.
Inside the cottage visitors will find notes of sympathy and bits of artwork accompanying photographs of the late Queen. During her long reign, through seven decades of the world’s turbulent history, Queen Elizabeth II remained beloved by many.
I stepped into the House of England’s cottage during my walk through Balboa Park today and took 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!
Knights in armor engage in mock battle during the House of England’s lawn program.
The House of England in Balboa Park hosted a really great lawn program today!
As I lingered on the grass at the center of the International Cottages, I saw historical costumes, several mock knight battles, a Beatles tribute band, and even a parade of Welsh Corgis! I also stepped into the House of England’s cottage to check out a bunch of cultural displays!
These photos show what I experienced…
The annual House of England lawn program drew a good crowd to the International Cottages in Balboa Park.
A member of the group Swords of Chivalry removes her steel helmet after some mock medieval combat.
Other members of Swords of Chivalry have donned historical armor during the House of England’s lawn program.
Kids had fun learning about the Age of Chivalry, a time long ago that now seems like pure fantasy.
Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter welcome visitors to the House of England’s cottage. Join us for a cup of tea.
The House of England’s small cottage is full of interesting photos, artwork and cultural displays.
One wall features the Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. A nearby poster traces The Royal Lineage.
A Briton’s Creed, Big Ben,Winston Churchill and more!
I soon spotted a bunch of Harry Potter stuff. It’s the Sorting Hat from Hogwarts!
One chart shows how the name Luna has become increasingly popular due to the Harry Potter books and films.
It’s all of the Doctors from the popular Doctor Who series!
A large display in the cottage is devoted to the British royal family, and Princess Diana in particular.
An article about striving to keep Diana’s legacy alive by eliminating landmines around the world. (Click image to enlarge for easy reading.)
Look at all the fun, unique teapots!
Back outside, the House of England had a food tent up. Delectable treats for sale included Hagrid’s Dragon Eggs!
All sorts of tents along the grass. Many contained information about English culture and history.
Some attending the cool event wore historical costumes.
A parade featuring dozens of cute Corgis caught everyone’s attention.
Some guys rode penny-farthings to Balboa Park’s wonderful House of England event.
Four gentlemen and their high wheels.
This elegant lady had a table that concerned the show Victoria on PBS.
Images from 19th century England.
Claudia Previn Stasny, daughter of André Previn, sang The Star Spangled Banner and God Save the Queen to begin the program of afternoon entertainment.
A happy group of Welsh Corgis hangs out by the stage.
The Baja Bugs, a great Beatles tribute band, rocks the House of England’s lawn program.
I think I see Ringo at the drums!
Battling knights entertain an outdoor audience at the House of England’s lawn program in Balboa Park!
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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!
House of England tent featured British food in San Diego, a distant corner of America.
As you might have read in my last post, lots of folks converged upon Balboa Park today in a variety of historical costumes. They were celebrating the beautiful park’s one hundred year anniversary.
Most of these participants headed to the International Cottages area in the early afternoon, where a costume parade, chivalry event, dramatic performance from Shakespeare, and other activities took place. The House of England held an English Village Fete on the lawn.
I missed most events but did capture some fun pics…
Buckingham Palace Queen’s Guard in front of the House of England cottage.
British bobby on patrol talks to a gentleman at unique Balboa Park event.
Attire from different periods of history were seen at the English Village Fete.
Lots of Union Jacks and gifts celebrating England were for sale.
This nice lady in a bonnet was selling honey produced in San Diego.
There was even a model train display on the lawn during the fun event.
England is a member of the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom inside the House of England cottage.
People in period costumes enjoy some treats inside the small cottage.
Beatles display on a wall inside the House of England cottage.
A cool Alice in Wonderland exhibit features the Mad Hatter.
Some guys are re-positioning the Union Jack at cottage door.
Sherlock Holmes tries to unravel a mystery. Who’s that scruffy, suspicious-looking guy walking around taking pictures?
Local Shakespeare expert talks about the Bard and his contributions to literature and our everyday language.
Event attendees listen intently to a talk about the Elizabethan era.
Many penny-farthing bicycles could be spied around Balboa Park today.
Join us for a nice cup of tea!
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