Nick McPherson (a.k.a. Nicholas Danger) paints a cool mural on a North Park wall during the 23rd Annual San Diego County Credit Union Festival of Arts.
Today I headed over to the 23rd Annual San Diego County Credit Union Festival of Arts in North Park. (Say that ten times fast!) My favorite part of this huge, super popular street festival is its emphasis on local artists and their amazing creativity.
Friendly artists were at work all over the place!
In the Live Art Block, a series of large canvases were being colorfully painted, including the wall of one building!
The Live Art Block at the North Park festival was presented by VISUAL.VISUAL helps connect local artists to public art projects. They also feature a gallery in North Park and sell art supplies.A number of local artists were creating new art to the delight of those walking about the festival.
At this very popular festival in North Park, people steer their feet past yummy food, assorted vendors, and a happy crowd of art-loving neighbors.A live music performance at the San Diego County Credit Union Festival of Arts.The Gallery in the Street featured lots of artwork for sale, plus artists working live on amazing pieces.
Creativity thrives in North Park!
UPDATE!
I took a photo of Nick McPherson’s completed Nomad Donuts mural years later…
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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!
A very cool mural spray painted on the wall of The Land Barbershop on Adams Avenue.
During a recent walk along a stretch of Adams Avenue, I was excited to discover some very cool sights!
I photographed several great examples of street art, plus a tranquil park with a beautiful bronze sculpture.
My journey started in North Park, near the intersection of Adams Avenue and 30th Street. I proceeded west along Adams Avenue until I reached the Texas Street bridge, then I continued a couple blocks farther into University Heights.
More colorful artwork on the front of The Land Barbershop in North Park.A bold, contented face painted by the entrance to Dia Del Cafe.Faded mural depicting two classic cars, next to a repair bay at Advantec Auto Repair.It’s HYPNOSIS CAKE TIME at Twiggs Bakery and Coffeehouse!Fun art on the exterior of Mona Lizzy’s.More fun artwork at Mona Lizzy’s.Meditation is invited on Adams Avenue at the Sri Chinmoy Peace Garden, maintained by the San Diego Sri Chinmoy Centre.Plaque in a small park dedicated to Sri Chinmoy. STUDENT OF PEACE–CHAMPION OF THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF MANKINDA fine bronze statue of Sri Chinmoy.Sign on Adams Avenue marks the west end of Historic Antique Row.Looking north into Mission Valley on a spring day. Photo taken from the Adams Avenue bridge over Texas Street, as I walked west from North Park into University Heights.Some stylish artwork painted on the wall of Grains vegetarian restaurant.
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The 2nd Annual Day of the Dead North Park Festival had a couple blocks of Ray Street overflowing with color and life!
Today I checked out the Day of the Dead festival in North Park!
The annual festival, which is only in its second year, was held on two blocks of Ray Street just south of University Avenue. I couldn’t believe the size of the crowd enjoying this relatively modest event celebrating Día de los Muertos!
All of the cherished Day of the Dead traditions could be found, including a large, beautiful altar and lots of face painting, and, of course, some elegantly dressed Catrinas strolling about. There was also abundant Mexican music, themed artwork and yummy food!
This is definitely a festival that should grow in popularity!
Many costumes celebrating Día de los Muertos (and also Halloween) could be seen about the fun North Park festival.Boy poses for photo as a Day of the Dead skeleton with top hat.A traditional Día de los Muertos altar remembers loved ones who’ve passed from this life.Kids and adults could color a calavera, or decorative skull.Lots of Day of the Dead merchandise could be found at various vendor tables about the festival.Some Día de los Muertos items for sale included Catrina dolls, orange marigolds and colorful calaveras.Many faces at the festival had been painted to resemble sugar skulls.Characters from the popular culture have been transformed into these Day of the Dead refrigerator magnets!I see a hanging shirt printed with the image of a Mexican lucha libre mask. Seems appropriate in this photo!Another small altar (or ofrenda) includes photos of deceased loved ones, papel picado, and pan de muerto.Mariachis performed joyful music for the crowd at one end of the city block.Día de los Muertos is celebrated in North Park. It’s a new local tradition that promises to grow even more popular!
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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!
Some panels on a mural on Gunn Street west of 30th Street have been repainted. The two shown are by Jorge Gutierrez and Maxx Moses.
North Park is brimming with street art. During a walk yesterday down 30th Street, from University Avenue to Upas Street, I encountered fresh artwork that I haven’t blogged in the past. You can see some of those old photos here and here and here.
As I proceeded down the sidewalk I noticed that a number of electrical boxes and walls have been repainted in the past couple years.
Enjoy these new photos. North Park is alive with creativity!
This box showing the four cardinal directions has been repainted by Jonny Alexander.East.South.West.A scary purple claw has emerged from this crate-like electrical box!The yellow eyes of a mysterious monster peer out!Let’s be friends. That love potion appears intoxicating . . . and possibly toxic!A skull in a bottle. Sink or swim.More fun street art on the same utility box on 30th Street in North Park.Stenciled on a wall. For my hustlers, here’s some motivation. He who has begun is half done.A cute little critter that seems to be inside a living heart.Exotic street art on an electrical box.Strength through Peace.Three sitting female figures contain spiritual symbolism.A wild splash of color.Mural on side of 30th Street Laundry. A Beautiful Morning by Sentrock.An ankh symbolizing life in the hand of a lady with colorful abstract hair.Fun robot graphic on the front wall of Soi 30th, a North Park Thai Eatery.A cool Pangea Seed Foundation Sea Wall created in North Park by Lauren YS. A beautiful underwater mermaid is contrasted with a skeleton.The mural concerns ocean acidification and the resulting death of kelp and sea life.San Diego Padres baseball player under painted fireworks.This final North Park electrical box was painted last month. You can find it on Upas Street east of 30th Street, in front of The Taco Stand.An old salt by the ocean and a sailing ship.A friar by the old mission.Hecho a Mano. Made by hand.
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
A dapper gentleman with an elegant automobile looks at a lady with a bottle.
According to this morning’s weather report, it’s supposed to rain in San Diego for most of the day. We can always use more water in dry Southern California. But rain, and a bit of a sore throat, means I probably won’t go out walking today.
Meanwhile, here’s some fun artwork that I discovered yesterday while walking through North Park. Both works of art were on the sidewalk in the vicinity of El Cajon Boulevard and 30th Street.
Enjoy!
I’m sorry love, the only rubbish I have time for is in this bin.Tile mosaic of a motorcycle and rider. A very cool sight in the sidewalk in front of Belching Beaver Brewery in North 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!
A cool mural on the Supercuts building in North Park depicts sexy lady space warriors and wacky, menacing aliens!
There’s a relatively new mural in North Park that replaces a cosmic mural that I blogged about here. This cool spray paint street art features two sexy space warriors and several wacky aliens! You can find it near the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 30th Street.
It appears to me that certain elements of the old mural have been preserved. Have you “eyed” it?
I recently learned that a special utility box painting event will be taking place in North Park all along University Avenue and 30th Street tomorrow, and I hope to be there for the creativity, live music and fun! But right now I seem to be coming down with a cold, plus rain is predicted–so we’ll see. If I go I’ll take photos!
Ten street artists have their names on one side of this fantastic, complex spray paint art in North Park.Looks to me like a sexy lady Boba Fett and Marvel’s lethal super villain MODOK in his hover chair.Two weird, wacky space aliens and a sexy female warrior holding two ray guns.Looks to me like a cross between an evil green Jar Jar Binks and a toothy Alien or Venom.Two elements of the fun spray paint mural located near the corner of El Cajon Boulevard and 30th Street in North 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!
Gazing down at San Diego Bay from Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma.
Here is a modest gift for my readers, and for the city I love.
This small taste of San Diego has been assembled from a variety of photos. A few are recent; others are from the past couple years.
Walk around San Diego and you will never go hungry. Every day presents a new feast for the eyes!
A couple rides bicycles along the Mission Beach boardwalk on a perfect day.Someone reads daily information posted on Mission Beach’s lifeguard station.A big peace sign atop the roof of USA Hostels Ocean Beach.Walking slowly near the surf along Torrey Pines State Beach.A bicycle, a fine way to travel through a sunny city.Diners sit outside the West Coast Tavern in North Park. The building is a former movie theater.Fun street art in North Park, one of many cool neighborhoods in San Diego.Visitors on a tour in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park learn about our city’s unique origin and early years.Colorful, festive Mexican-themed artwork adorns a gift shop in Old Town.A small memorial among fallen blooms on Presidio Hill above Old Town.Guns once used to train Navy sailors. Relics from military history at Liberty Station, site of the former Naval Training Center San Diego.Visitors to Balboa Park enjoy a walk along El Prado, near the Casa de Balboa and House of Hospitality.People play Jenga on the grass near Sefton Plaza in Balboa Park.The iconic El Cortez rises in the blue San Diego sky. I feel very fortunate to live on Cortez Hill, a beautiful corner of downtown.A small produce business in East Village.The historic Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Little Italy.A fountain on the east side of the County Administration Building.Volunteers work on the Star of India, world-famous tall ship of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.A busker and bicycle near the USS Midway Museum and Greatest Generation Walk.Sunset and sailboats on San Diego Bay.People have fun boating out on the water.Feet dangle over the water at Embarcadero Marina Park North.The classic Broadway Fountain and nearby downtown buildings. Photo taken one morning in Horton Plaza Park.The moon in the sky above a historic building in the Gaslamp Quarter.Life and color at Lane Field Park on San Diego’s Embarcadero.Riding recreational watercraft past the beautiful downtown San Diego skyline.
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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!
Street art spotted during a walk along North Park Way. This masked face looks a bit like a cosmic ice cream cone.
I really don’t know what the correct definition of street art is. All I can say for certain is that I was walking along a short stretch of North Park Way last weekend when I spotted these creative works. All were in the vicinity of Ray Street and 30th Street.
A cool street art face in North Park.Love More Than Ever stenciled on a wall.Two silvery reindeer sculptures on the sidewalk, near a mailbox that receives Letters to Santa. You’ll find these in December outside Pacific Drapery.Three somewhat sickly smileys on a Have a Nice Day sticker.A colorfully painted You Are Radiant. Yes. You.
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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!
Refugee high school students grow and sell vegetables in North Park. They are Youth FarmWorks interns receiving a helping hand from the International Rescue Committee!
I was walking around North Park yesterday when I stumbled upon a small farm on a dirt lot north of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. I crossed 30th Street to see what was going on, and noticed a bunch of youth working the soil, and sitting at a table selling vegetables!
It turns out these super friendly new San Diego residents are refugees attending local high schools. As Youth FarmWorks interns they are learning job skills and gaining confidence in their new country. This urban farming project was created by the International Rescue Committee, which helps refugees adjust to life in the United States, where they are safe and free from persecution.
I was given a tour of the small farm by a super cool young man–he’s the guy who gave me a thumbs up in that first photo! He showed me the various vegetables they were growing, including different types of lettuce, beets, squash, cherry tomatoes, and much more. My tour was awesome!
Good luck to everyone!
Sign by the large vegetable garden reads Youth Farm Works – Job Training Urban Farm.Many large planters contain all sorts of growing vegetables.Students at work on the urban farm.A very cool smile!
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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!
A cool sight before the 54th Annual North Park Toyland Parade gets started!
Here are lots of photos from today’s 54th Annual North Park Toyland Parade!
This was my first year watching the Toyland Parade. I headed to North Park and walked about a little before the parade began. Then I found a spot on the sidewalk and got my camera ready!
Kids head toward the parade route, which begins along University Avenue in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood.These kids were selling fresh mistletoe before the parade got started.Folks chat in the staging area before the hometown holiday parade begins in the late afternoon.And here we go! Boy Scouts lead the parade carrying flags.After a bunch of local San Diego politicians go by, here comes the Grinch!It’s the Gift of Dance! Some very lively Mexican folklorico dancing adds zest to the parade!Whirling color.A fun truck with a Christmas tree in back.Looks like Santa-clown.This fun parade entry sported a miniature North Park landmark sign.I believe this is a student attending Saint Didacus Parish School.Lots of candy was being handed out to thrilled kids along the parade route.Kimberly Wong was the 2017 Miss Toyland Parade Queen!Friendly folks from the Cambodian Nazarene Church.This silly guy with the John P. Squibob group posed for my camera.Happy people go by.San Diego’s Al Bahr Shriners seems to be in every parade around the city.More goofy clowns.Here come those fun little parade vehicles the Shriners always drive.Here come some North Park Little Leaguers.A Mexican and Canadian flag, and a really good time. I believe these are kids at Jefferson Elementary Steam Magnet.Everyone loves a parade. Including the participants!Here comes the Madison High School marching band!Marching cheerfully down University Avenue wearing Santa hats. Many familiar holiday tunes were performed during the parade.Yikes! It’s Bumble, the Abominable Snowmonster of the North! Watch out Rudolph!And here comes another fierce Grinch! Is nobody safe?Here comes a bunch of super cool vehicles. Check this out…Check out the hydraulics action of this awesome lowrider! These guys were bouncing their cars like mad all along the parade route!The parade crowd loved these crazy cars.It’s the Sweetwater High School Red Devil Corps!Here comes Charlie Brown, Snoopy and Woodstock on an elf-driven motorcycle!These are members of the Realm of Andor, part of the Belegarth Medieval Combat Society. They meet Sundays in Balboa Park at Morley Field.Everyone is in the North Park holiday parade. Even the Junk King!This guy’s cool Star Trike appears to be modeled after the Starship Enterprise. I wonder if it’s difficult to obtain dilithium crystals?And at the end of the North Park Toyland Parade, good old Santa Claus waves to everyone from atop a fire engine! Merry Christmas!
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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!
Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts. If you’re using a small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!
To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
Cool San Diego Sights! 