Tag: house of panama

Panama’s colorful culture celebrated in San Diego!

A big celebration of Panama and its culture was held today in San Diego. The House of Panama brought food, dance, folk costume and family fun to the International Cottages in Balboa Park!

Before the speeches and entertainment commenced, I visited the House of Panama cottage, then walked about the International Cottages lawn. Lots of people were lined up for traditional Panamanian treats like empanadas and arroz con pollo. There were also many flavors of piraguas.

At one table, author Tamika Burgess told me about her new novel, Sincerely Sicily. It’s about a young Black Latina who learns about her Panamanian heritage. Check out her book here.

Another table celebrated the relationship between San Diego and Panama City. The two are Sister Cities. A cool LEGO model demonstrated how the Panama Canal works!

What is Panama City’s connection to San Diego? San Diego is the first American port-of-call after ships pass into the Pacific Ocean and head north. Balboa Park during its 1915 Panama-California Exposition promoted this fortuitous geographical fact.

At another table a raffle was being held to support the House of Panama. If you want to offer your support, or simply are curious, visit their website here.

Then speeches . . . and dancing! Several cultural groups participated in the lively folkloric dancing. Performers came to San Diego from as far away as San Francisco and Los Angeles! Everyone watching applauded loudly. Smiles were in the dancers’ eyes.

Between dances there was a fashion show. We were shown different types of beautiful pollera dresses, and quickly could see why some of the elaborate polleras could cost several thousand dollars. So many different colors whirled on the stage!

As you can see from my photographs, the annual House of Panama lawn program in Balboa Park is an exceptionally festive and colorful event!

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A festive summer Sunday in Balboa Park!

Summertime? A sunny Sunday? San Diego’s always amazing Balboa Park?

Combine these three to discover lots of fun, festive stuff!

Come with me. Let’s walk around Balboa Park this afternoon, taking in various cool sights…

Performers on and off stage in Balboa Park at the 35th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival.

A big outdoor audience enjoys Filipino culture in Balboa Park.

Kids dance on outdoor stage at the SAMAHAN Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center’s annual festival in Balboa Park.

Filipino food was plentiful at the 35th Philippine Cultural Arts Festival, in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

Walking around Balboa Park at the Plaza de Panama.

Super cool guys promote the San Diego Loyal soccer team. They’ve got a home game coming up on August 24th versus Oakland. The team is currently in second place!

An amazing film about Balboa Park plays in the auditorium at the San Diego History Center.

A beautiful summer day near the Japanese Tea Pavilion.

Visitors walk toward the Exhibit Hall at the Japanese Friendship Garden. There’s a new exhibition concerning Japanese dolls that I will blog about soon.

People sit in the shade of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion colonnade during the Sunday two o’clock concert.

Colorful rented umbrellas provide more shade for the pavilion benches.

Organist Amanda Mole plays a musical piece on the Spreckels Organ. It’s a preview of her Monday night performance for the 34th San Diego International Organ Festival.

A variety of lowriders were parked between the Spreckels Organ Pavilion and the Plaza de Panama.

Taking photos near flowers at one end of the Balboa Park Lily Pond.

A Spanish speaking church group sings joyfully along El Prado, hoping to attract passersby.

Dancers in folk costume perform for the House of Panama lawn program at the International Cottages.

Cultural lawn programs can be enjoyed almost every weekend in Balboa Park during summer months!

If you’d like to see more colorful photographs from today’s House of Panama lawn program, click here!

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House of Panama celebration in Balboa Park!

A big celebration brought many smiles and a joyful whirl of color to Balboa Park today! The House of Panama hosted a lawn program at the International Cottages!

A good crowd turned out to enjoy cultural entertainment, and to share excitement over the recent opening of the House of Panama’s new cottage.

Dance groups came down to San Diego all the way from Los Angeles and San Francisco. There were performances by Panamá Lindo; Panamá, Molas, Polleras y Tambores (the official House of Panama Dancers); Congo Istmeño; and Viva Panamá. Many local dignitaries also attended the event.

As I walked around Balboa Park, I swung by the International Cottages a few times to enjoy the lawn program. The next three photos were taken outside and inside the beautiful new House of Panama cottage…

On the lawn stage, there was a sea of colorful Panamanian folk dance costumes!

I caught the singing of National Anthems, then an emotional speech concerning the hard work done to open a new cottage in Balboa Park…

Then the dancing began!

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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!