A brand new performance stage is being built in Balboa Park!
The stage, when finished, will occupy a corner of the San Diego Sculptors Guild outdoor courtyard, in Spanish Village Art Center!
Funny how history can repeat. Many years ago an outdoor stage occupied the same courtyard.
During a historical tour of the neighboring artist studios, I learned that today’s Studio 36 Sculptors Guild was an outdoor theatre in the early years of Spanish Village. The front was a lobby and ticket booth. Writers, actors and set designers would act out plays on the inner patio.
Today I was told performances of every type will be welcomed at this newly constructed stage. One member of the San Diego Sculptors Guild, Justin Hammond, is part of a band that will play here! The band’s name is Auva Xuln (@auvaxuln).
What a super cool venue!
Imagine wildly creative sculptures all around, like a fantastic, silent audience!
…
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.
Grant Park and its new River Studio are almost ready to open by the San Diego River!
Finishing touches are being put on the public park and educational center in Mission Valley. The River Studio at Grant Park will start educating local school students in mid-October.
As you can see from today’s photos, sun-filled Grant Park is receiving new greenery, while its amphitheater, shade structure and River Studio building have already been completed.
Over a year ago, before much construction had begun, I posted photos of a tour of the site and wrote about the initial plans. At the beginning of this year I walked outside the project again and posted these photos of work underway.
If you’re curious about the mountain lion and bear in today’s photos–the sculptures will be positioned inside the park to delight visitors. Grass and native plants will fill the outdoor spaces. You’ll notice I spotted some tile art created by kids, too!
(You might find it confusing–the project has also been called “The San Diego River Discovery Center at Grant Park” and “San Diego River Center at Grant Park.”)
Approaching the outdoor amphitheater and River Studio from the nearby parking lot…
Grant Park dedicated July 25, 2025.
The amphitheater is home to The Conrad Prebys Stage. Kids will learn about the San Diego River and its life here.
A beautiful fountain at one end of the amphitheater.
Looking across Grant Park areas that still need to be planted.
Turn left here and what will you encounter?
A bear!
Bears no longer live around here. Human activity is to blame.
Walking beside the McGrath Family Commons. There will be a big grassy area ideal for picnics or play.
A shady place to sit, while gazing out at nature and river vegetation.
Walking along. A friendly worker was busy digging holes and putting in plants.
Wooden benches for relaxation.
Here’s that tile art I mentioned. Each tile depicts a river plant or creature…
Those vertical posts to the right of the River Studio will support a shady canopy.
Now let’s walk back to the River Studio…
I was privileged to be shown the interior of the River Studio, where student groups will learn about the San Diego River environment.
Students from local schools will observe the effects of urban runoff. Using microscopes they’ll examine water samples. They’ll learn how the organisms they observe reflect the health of the nearby river.
Those aquariums will contain live fish.
Also inside the River Studio, there’s a gallery wall with art created by members of the San Diego River Artists Alliance. The group celebrates the San Diego River ecosystem.
The works of art will change from time to time and will be available for purchase. Sales will help fund the San Diego River Park Foundation.
When it finally opens in mid-October, this important addition to Mission Valley is going to be amazing!
…
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.
I visited the historical park, at the edge of San Diego’s Old Town, earlier this year. My wanderings then were limited by a construction fence.
Back then I noticed how paths had been created, new plantings were underway, a new gazebo had been built, and an outdoor classroom was almost finished. See those past photographs, taken from behind the fence, here.
Today I discovered the construction fence is down! The grassy expanse at the south end of Heritage County Park is open once again and everything is fresh, new and beautiful!
…
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.
Today is the 238th anniversary of the drafting of the Constitution of the United States. September 17th was the date in 1787 when delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the historic document in Philadelphia.
The City of San Diego has issued an official Proclamation that celebrates Constitution Week. I was fortunate to see it close up!
The City of San Diego Proclamation, signed by Mayor Todd Gloria, includes the following words:
…celebrating Constitution Week serves as an important reminder of the historic rights, privileges and responsibilities the Constitution affords us…
…Constitution Week commemorates the week the Constitution was signed and delivered to the Continental Congress. It laid the foundation for the birth of a new nation and became one of the most significant chapters in United States history…
…the Constitution lays out liberties like freedom, opportunity, and rule of law…
As a writer and individual who loves to create, I cherish freedom.
…
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.
The new Navy SEAL Museum San Diego is almost ready to open! Opening day is Saturday, October 4, 2025. That’s less than three weeks away!
This afternoon, walking past downtown’s One America Plaza building, I noticed the black marble pedestal that will support a Navy SEAL frogman statue has been installed outside. You can see it in my first two photographs. The nearby America Plaza trolley station is in the background.
I also observed new graphics have appeared near the museum’s front entrance!
Abandon Self – Embrace Team… The Deed is All – Not the Glory… Be Someone Special… The Only Easy Day was Yesterday
Responsibility – Service – Commitment – Discipline
How often do you see artwork made by visitors to a fine art museum–displayed prominently at that museum?
Should you visit the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park, that’s what you’ll find!
Composed of squares decorated by visitors to the museum, Make the Sun Shine is displayed in the Timken’s elegant Central Gallery.
Marisol Rendón, the museum’s resident artist this summer, furnished the golden circles, and the public, using markers, stamps and pens, created the surrounding rays. People took their inspiration from the many masterpieces that fill the museum galleries.
I was told Make the Sun Shine will be on view for a few more weeks.
The amazing Timken Museum of Art is always free to the public. It might be small, but it’s loaded with Old Master masterpieces. In fact, it’s the only museum in San Diego with a Rembrandt in its permanent collection.
Look how beautiful these shining suns are!
…
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.
Here’s a collection of photographs for you to enjoy. I took them in Balboa Park today. Mexican Independence Day was celebrated in the Old Globe’s outdoor Copley Plaza!
I lingered for a little over an hour, listening to rousing mariachi music and watching joyful, colorful baile folklórico dancing.
A good crowd at tables around the outdoor stage enjoyed free Mexican candies and played Mexican lotería too! Many families enjoyed the festivities!
Anyone wandering about could also check out artists at their table. I recognized Maricruz Alvarado! You can see some of her beautiful work here and here!
What entertainment did I enjoy at this great Mexican Independence Day Celebration? Música Del Barrio with their pre-show music, Mariachi Continental SD, DanzArts folklórico dance, and the Radican Ensamble choir. There would be even more groups after I left to resume my Balboa Park walk.
The cultural celebration was produced by the Old Globe’s AXIS performing arts public engagement program. Learn more about AXIS here.
…
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.
The 19th Annual Walk in Remembrance with Hope will be held in San Diego tomorrow morning, Sunday, September 14, 2025.
The Walk in Remembrance with Hope celebrates the lives of loved ones lost to suicide. It also raises awareness about suicide prevention.
The walkers and others will gather in Balboa Park on the grass near Sixth Avenue, south of Laurel Street. Registration begins at 7 am.
I met the good people setting up for the event this afternoon. The Walk in Remembrance with Hope is organized by Survivors of Suicide Loss. See their website here.
All ages, friends, family and pets are welcome to join! Start a team and invite your friends & family, or walk individually.
The event is a helpful resource fair, too, with vendor booths and more.
Even if you’ve never been personally affected by the tragedy of suicide, you can still help out these good people with a donation. Make your donation here.
…
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.
The nonprofit Save Starlight organization has been working for years to save the historic 1935 Starlight Bowl amphitheater in Balboa Park. Perhaps you’ve been following the news concerning their heroic efforts.
An email blast that I received today reads:
Dear Friends of Starlight,
The moment we’ve been working toward for years has arrived. The City of San Diego has officially opened a 30-day window for Save Starlight to submit our Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) — the critical first step toward securing a long-term lease of the historic Starlight Bowl in Balboa Park.
This is our opportunity to finally bring Starlight back to life. But we cannot do it without you.
A key component of our submission is demonstrating strong fiscal support from our community. That means two things:
Donations now – Every contribution, large or small, shows the City that San Diego is ready to invest in the future of Starlight.
Letters of intent – Written commitments from individuals and organizations who pledge to donate once the lease is secured will help prove the depth of support behind this project.
We have just 30 days to make our case. The more momentum we show now, the greater our chance of success.
Together, we can ensure that the Starlight Bowl is not just preserved, but revitalized as a thriving cultural landmark for generations to come.
If you love the historic Starlight Bowl as much as I do, and want to help restore it to life, now’s your opportunity!
Did you know that many music legends have performed in the Starlight Bowl? They include Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Diana Ross, The Doobie Brothers, The Rolling Stones, Jewel, Cheap Trick, Beastie Boys and more!
Also, did you know that Wayne Nelson from the Little River Band has recently joined the Board of Directors of Save Starlight?
Click here to help save a true San Diego treasure!
…
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.
Do these works of art represent the “real” world? Are they entirely fantastic?
Surreal pieces now on display in the San Diego Central Library’s art gallery might seem strangely familiar–but why and how?
The free exhibition is titled Uncharted Elsewhere. Stimulating pieces created by nine regional artists transport the viewer into uncharted territory located somewhere in the human mind.
I visited the Central Library’s 9th floor Judith Harris Art Gallery this afternoon and was wowed by the creativity of artists who have a special gift. Through sculpture, textile, painting and works on paper, they make curious people stand a very long while and wonder.
Are those eggs? Are those faces? Are those webs? Is that plant life? Are those landforms? What are these weird, oddly familiar things?
How did these fantastic visions come into existence? And what in our complex world is possible or real?
How, I wondered, might these visions relate to my own experiences in life?
The artists themselves, in their descriptions, explain how, through abstraction, they aim to produce enigmatic, mysteriously organic environments. Their works induce introspection, and perhaps enlightenment.
If you like weird, imaginative works of art, you’ll love Uncharted Elsewhere. For me, it’s one of the most engaging exhibitions I’ve experienced in this gallery.
You can check the artwork out for yourself through January 4, 2026. Learn more about the exhibition, the artists and the gallery hours by clicking here!
…
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.
Cool San Diego Sights! 