Star Wars stormtroopers riding Segways patrol the parade route during the Fourth of July in Coronado.
Check out these cool Star Wars cosplay photos! During today’s Independence Day parade in Coronado, a group of Star Wars enthusiasts strutted their stuff to the delight of the huge crowd lining Orange Avenue! It seemed to me the adults were just as excited as the kids! I was able to snap a few quick photographs. Enjoy!
A TIE fighter heads down Orange Avenue! Has the Galactic Empire taken over Coronado? Is there no hope?Uh, oh. Look who I spotted. Darth Vader! Let’s hope it’s just a guy enjoying Star Wars cosplay.Fear not! Rey is here to fight against the dark side of the Force!And here comes Princess Leia in some sort of futuristic vehicle! I don’t think that TIE fighter has a chance.I believe that is one of the Rebel Alliance’s ace pilots.Are those a bunch of clones? No, just young kids who’ve turned into Star Wars fans!
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A horse is prepared in a corner of Balboa Park for San Diego’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade along Sixth Avenue. San Diego Bay and Point Loma can be seen in the distance.
Here are some fun photos!
Look what I discovered this morning as I walked through Marston Point, heading into the heart of Balboa Park. Horses and riders had gathered in the southwest corner of the park and were preparing for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Every year the big parade heads down nearby Sixth Avenue.
Both horses and riders would be wearing green today during the parade.Horse and rider get ready in Balboa Park’s Marston Point parking lot.Folks dressed in cowboy attire watch the proceedings.A couple of horses from Valley Center wait by a trailer for the start of the parade.A nice smile from a rider!Law enforcement would ride in the parade, too. These two horses were wearing some green shamrocks.A horse and rider with braids and curls.This elegant carriage would soon be watched by thousands during the big St. Patrick’s Day parade.A rider heads across the grass of Balboa Park’s beautiful green Marston Point.
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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!
People gather together along Harbor Drive and await the start of the 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade in San Diego.
San Diego’s 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade started this afternoon at 2 o’clock. I arrived a bit early and made my way onto the tall ship Star of India. Best seat in the house!
What all did I see? Read the photo captions!
Lots of friendship and smiles up and down the street.Some Navy officers gather near the MLK Day Parade’s starting area.The San Diego Padres would be in the parade. They were waiting with some baseball balloons by the Maritime Museum.One benefit of being a member of the Maritime Museum of San Diego–I could freely watch the parade from atop one of the world’s most famous tall ships–the Star of India!Now I’m looking down from the deck above the historic ship’s forecastle. Joe who works at the museum and I had the best view of the parade all to ourselves!Look at all the folks gathering for the big MLK Day Parade. Every year, it’s one of the most popular parades in San Diego.From the Star of India we overlooked the parade’s starting point. Lots of groups were waiting by their vehicles, including these Homeland Security guys posing for a picture.I also spotted law enforcement officers from around San Diego and the Border Patrol.A pigeon joined us on the tall ship’s rigging. Funny how the politicians manage to always go first. I spotted Todd Gloria, Toni Atkins, Susan Davis and Shirley Weber.Tending to the flags.The parade has begun and here comes the Padres’ happy mascot, the Swinging Friar!The Chargers might be history, but San Diego’s beloved Padres remain a strong part of our wonderful community.I think those guys marching are the San Diego County Sheriffs.Oh, goodness! It’s the Geico gecko.Fellowship and laughter in one group before beginning down the parade route.From our cool vantage point above the starting point, sometimes the big event seemed like two parades in one!It’s a small planet. Perhaps we humans ought to be nice to one another. Martin Luther King, Jr. knew that love overcomes hate.I realized my small camera struggles at a distance, so after a bit I said bye to Joe and headed down to Harbor Drive to get closer shots.Here comes the Saint Peter Grand Lodge!Hello!Here comes a bright yellow float carrying some beauty queens!Wow–look at all the happy people. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Parade is a joyful celebration of human diversity and togetherness.Here come some drummers!I believe these guys are students from UCSD. The County Administration Building rises in the background.Lots of colorful costumes and finery representing different experiences and cultures. San Diego comes together as one family.Smiles, happiness and togetherness. May the parade go on and on…
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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 merry sight along the La Jolla Christmas Parade route!
Today I enjoyed watching the annual La Jolla Christmas Parade! After walking a bit around La Jolla, I settled onto the curb and watched Christmas-themed floats, vintage cars and marching bands celebrate the merry season.
It’s a wonderful parade that I hadn’t seen before. Very glad I did this year!
Here are my best photos. Read the captions to follow along.
The Community Christmas Tree is hung with lights and ornaments at the La Jolla Recreation Center park. A festival would be held here at the Christmas Parade’s conclusion.This Community Christmas Tree is dedicated to the people of La Jolla this day, October 27, 1984, by the La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club.As I walked before the parade down Girard Avenue, I spied some colorful Christmas cookies in a shop window!In the parade staging area, various floats and groups were assembling before the scheduled early afternoon start.A kid checks out the bright red OMBAC Fire Department engine, which is seen in many San Diego area parades.The participants are getting ready for the big Christmas parade in La Jolla!I saw these folks driving a vintage car to the staging area while I walked back to the parade viewing area.In 2016, the theme of the La Jolla Christmas Parade is Christmas in the Future. A special newspaper was printed up for the event by the La Jolla Village News.While people gathered along the parade route, these four guys in Santa hats came strolling along. They were singers!A musical quartet belonging to the Pacific Coast Harmony of La Jolla serenades people along the parade route! Great voices!Pre-parade entertainment included some lion dancers coming down Prospect Street.Residents revel in a time-honored tradition. 2016 is the 59th year of the La Jolla Annual Christmas Parade!Just before the parade started, restored old biplanes flew overhead. They were billed as the Antique Aircraft Flyover.The La Jolla Christmas Parade gets started! It is sponsored by The Dr. Seuss Foundation. The popular children’s author lived in La Jolla.Cool aircraft continue to pass overhead as enthusiastic parade groups march and dance on by.Here come the costumed Sons of the American Revolution parading down Prospect Street!The Stella Maris Academy won Best Overall award. Their float featured an astronaut, a Christmas nativity scene and music lyrics. We believe the children are our future…The La Jolla Presbyterian Church had Joseph, Mary, shepherds, an angel, and two live camels!A young elf hands out Christmas candies to people watching La Jolla’s joyful holiday parade.A horse and carriage and folks dressed in Victorian garb for Christmas.Every parade must have marching bands!Here comes a Girl Scout Troop and a friendly dog.I guess metallic robots will celebrate Christmas in the future! Or wait. It just occurred to me those might be gift-wrapped boxes.Here come the Sweetwater High School Red Devils!The Red Devils band marches by playing Christmas tunes!Just a fun float featuring a surfboard and Dr. Seuss characters. Like many, it was created by a local business. I’ve photographed the guy in the crazy Darth Vader outfit at other cool San Diego events!The La Jolla Sunrise Rotary Club was spraying snow onto the onlookers with their Christmas stocking-covered fire truck!There goes The San Diego Golden Retriever Meetup Group with lots of canine pals!Another cool sight at the annual La Jolla Christmas Parade.Merry Christmas!
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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!
Before the official start of the 2016 MLB All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade, team mascots begin down a winding route through downtown San Diego.
Here are some fun photos! I took them before and during the 2016 MLB All-Star Game’s Red Carpet Parade!
The unique pre-game parade took place at noon today. I’m watching the All-Star Game right now, so I’m not going to write much. Read the captions for explanations!
Fredbird of the St. Louis Cardinals heads across Harbor Drive from the Manchester Grand Hyatt.Here comes Dinger of the Colorado Rockies. I first met him about 20 years ago, when we exchanged high fives as he entered a Denver hospital.I see Pittsburgh’s Pirate Parrot, Sluggerrr of the Kansas City Royals, and the “south side” of Southpaw, mascot of the Chicago White Sox!The Padres Pad Squad was on hand and smiling!Sluggerrr poses for the camera while lots of happy people gather around!The beginning part of the parade route was less crowded, so I followed the mascots and enjoyed the fun. Here comes Mr. Met of the New York Mets!A riot of happy baseball mascots in San Diego for the 2016 MLB All-Star Game! Now I spot Florida’s Billy the Marlin!A New York Mets fan in San Diego gets a photo that he’ll cherish forever.Suddenly the parade arrives! Here are the Grand Marshals, Padres legends Dave Winfield and Trevor Hoffman!The first couple vehicles in the parade have passed. I’ve taken position next to the red carpet in San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter.It’s Mark Trumbo of the Baltimore Orioles.Here comes Eduardo Nunez of the Minnesota Twins.Being driven down the All-Star Game Red Carpet is Kelvin Herrera of the Kansas City Royals.And here’s Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers.Orbit, the crazy mascot of the Houston Astros, greets Jose Quintana of the Chicago White Sox.Carlos Beltran of the New York Yankees rides down the Red Carpet a few hours prior to the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game in San Diego.David Ortiz, of the Boston Red Sox, waves to the crowd as he travels down the Red Carpet toward Petco Park. This might be Big Papi’s final All-Star Game.Baseball fans line Fifth Avenue in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter. They’re all excited to see today’s greatest Major League players parade on by!Turning the corner at the intersection of Fifth and Island is Marco Estrada of the Toronto Blue Jays.Here’s Aaron Sanchez of the Toronto Blue Jays.Now National League players have begun to head down the Red Carpet. I see Madison Bumgarner of the San Francisco Giants.Lots of fans have converged along the parade route to enjoy one of the most popular MLB All-Star Game events in San Diego.It’s Jay Bruce of the Cincinnati Reds.And here is our local baseball hero, Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres!Here comes Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals.Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants passes in front of the William Heath Davis House Museum in San Diego.Anthony Rizzo of the Chicago Cubs appears to be enjoying his experience at the All-Star Game Red Carpet Parade!I’ve spotted Thor, or Noah Syndergaard of the New York Mets.And finally, here comes what all the players want. The Commissioner’s Trophy, which will be presented to the team that wins the 2016 World Series!The Red Carpet Parade for MLB’s 2016 All-Star Game in San Diego is over. Now all that’s left to be done is play the big game.Thousands turned out in downtown San Diego today to pay tribute to their favorite Major League Baseball teams and players.
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! 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 fun photos for you to enjoy!
Kid pulls a Radio Flyer during Floral Wagon Parade. The fun family event was part of Balboa Park’s big 2016 Garden Party!
I took more fun photos! They capture a bit of the cheerful color from this morning’s Floral Wagon Parade in Balboa Park! The unique flower-themed parade kicked off the park’s Second Annual Garden Party!
I’ve got even more pics of the 2016 Garden Party, which I’ll post later tonight on my new Beautiful Balboa Park blog! The event included dancing, butterfly releases, and all sorts of delightful stuff. You might enjoy checking it out!
Here comes the Floral Wagon Parade down El Prado. Lots of colorful blooms have been arranged to delight onlookers!An elaborate Friends of Balboa Park display near the front of the parade. Today was the park’s Second Annual Garden Party!Here comes more of the morning parade! The Garden Party was just getting underway at nine o’clock, and the later crowds hadn’t quite materialized yet.This cool musician was playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow on a ukulele!Towed by young people, floral displays head down Balboa Park’s central El Prado.Even though the sky was gray and overcast, these flowers brightened the day like small suns.A terrible disaster! A basket-trailer containing fruit overturned during the parade!Here comes Botany for Kids! (It seems the adults were having the most fun.)These young ladies informed me that they were dressed as garden fairies.Is that a digital Sheldon Cooper on the screen? No! It’s a funny remote-control parade “float” created by the Balboa Park Online Collaborative.The colorful Floral Wagon Parade enters the Plaza de Panama, where speeches will kick off the day’s big 2016 Garden Party.Looks like parade participants had lots of fun decorating their flower-laden wagons!
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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!
Very elegant Celtic damsels on horseback linger before start of the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day Parade in San Diego.
Here come a bunch of fun pics! I took these this morning as folks were getting ready for the big annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival in San Diego. I saw all sorts of Irish pride on display. Lots of smiles. Lots of laughter. Enjoy!
Members of the 3rd West Cork Brigade were dressed in period costume to demonstrate their Irish pride.Irish gentlemen in green jackets cross the grass at the west end of Balboa Park. The festival was just getting started.An Old Irish Pub sign at the big St. Patrick’s Day Festival next to the parade route.This funny fellow was carrying the Morning Paper down Sixth Avenue.I see this friendly smiling clown every year at the parade!Young and old alike celebrate Ireland and wear the green.I saw lots of Irish Setters, of course.Someone watches as members of local United States Marine Corps band rehearse. Photo taken near Balboa Park’s lawn bowling green.Marine Band San Diego gets ready to participate in the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day Parade.Irish dancing was being performed on one stage an hour before the parade got underway.Bagpipe players and drummers form a circle as they practice for the big annual parade.One of several large Irish Wolfhounds that were checking out the festivities.Some musicians get ready on a trailer beside the parade route. They’re advertising Rope the Musical.And here are some old-fashioned penny-farthing enthusiasts.Folks prepare their float for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It will feature a big orange shamrock.The mascot of a local business gets a necklace of shiny green beads!Smiles, laughter, great fun, and lots of Irish pride.
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Getting a balloon ready for today’s Holiday Bowl “Big Bay Balloon Parade” in San Diego!
The Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade kicks off this morning at 10 o’clock on Harbor Drive near the County Administration Building!
At this very moment, folks are busily inflating the many fun balloons that will be parading down the Embarcadero to the delight of thousands of onlookers.
I can’t make it to the Big Bay Balloon Parade this year because I have to work. But I did get some cool photos that you all might enjoy!
People were out early this morning filling balloons with helium in the parking lot north of the County Administration Center.A truck hauling helium. Numerous big balloons await, ready to be filled.This fun-looking one is inflating!Looks to me like Humpty Dumpty. With all that gas inside, I think he’ll bounce should he fall.A balloon has been wheeled on a platform across the parking lot, waiting its turn to be inflated.Meanwhile, on Pacific Highway next to the County Administration Building, marching bands have begun to arrive for the parade! Highland High School came all the way from Ewing, Missouri!Band members get off the bus with instruments.The balloon-filling had just begun when I walked by. Then I had to rush home to share my pics!It’s a happy Gingerbread Man rising in the blue San Diego sky!
Shriner clown gives high fives to crowd during the 2015 Mother Goose Parade in El Cajon, California.
The 69th Annual Mother Goose Parade was held today in El Cajon, out in San Diego’s East County. The popular parade, which originated in 1947, is a highly-anticipated local tradition that marks the beginning of the holiday season. This year the theme was super heroes, both fictional and real.
The Mother Goose Parade has become the second largest parade west of the Mississippi . . . and until today I’d never seen it in person! So I figured I had to go check it out! Here are a few fun photos…
Mother Goose Parade, A Celebration of Children, is the second largest parade west of the Mississippi. It’s celebrating its 69th anniversary this year!A young boy hugs Mother Goose before the parade begins.And here comes a live goose! It was honking in a friendly way, much to the delight of everybody.Kids gravitated toward the goose. It gravitated toward some offered food.Dave Scott from KUSI News was introducing television viewers to Mother Goose and “Other Goose”! It was the funniest thing I saw all day!An inflatable Mother Goose balloon floats in the blue sky as the parade is ready to begin.The Mother Goose Parade is underway! The fun annual tradition in San Diego’s East County draws enormous crowds.These friendly guys on horseback are from the El Cajon Mounted Police.Truck 6 of Heartland Fire and Rescue sounds its loud horn and siren as it passes by!A big, patriotic American Legion float in the Mother Goose Parade.The Boy Scouts parade the colors down Main Street in El Cajon.The marching band of Christian High School in El Cajon provides stirring music during the parade.Cal Fire had a huge bulldozer in the parade! Wildfire poses a big threat to San Diego’s East County neighborhoods.Families have gathered on a beautiful Saturday morning. Kids and adults watch the Mother Goose Parade, which this year has a super hero theme.The Lions Club showcased America’s true super heroes–those who serve to defend our freedom.Kids wave from a float dedicated to raising awareness about childhood cancer.A bunch of wacky clowns following the Scooby Doo Mystery Machine made lots of people smile.This equestrian group had superhero horses! Now I’ve seen everything!And at the end of the parade, as always, there was Santa Claus. The jolly old elf and Mrs. Claus seem to be enjoying the sunny Southern California day. Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!
A colorful religious procession makes its way through San Diego’s culturally rich Little Italy neighborhood.
Early this afternoon, the historic Our Lady of the Rosary Parish in Little Italy celebrated Catholic Mass then held a grand procession. Parishioners marched from State Street in front of their church down to San Diego’s Embarcadero, where a fishing boat representing the local tuna fleet was blessed. I witnessed the procession a few years ago, but took no photos. So today I decided to walk along the sidewalk with my camera.
Forgive me for not knowing the details of the religious procession. I do know a large host of the faithful, in all manner of dress, many of Italian descent, and many carrying images of Jesus and Virgin Mary, marched joyfully north up India Street, then turned west down Hawthorn Street until they reached Harbor Drive. At the Hornblower dock, the fishing boat Patty Jo, which is a common sight out on San Diego Bay, was blessed by the priests of Our Lady of the Rosary. It’s a unique San Diego tradition that dates from the early 50s. At the completion of the religious ceremony, which was not open to the public, fireworks resounded in the overcast October sky!
In the early afternoon few were near the front entrance of the Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Little Italy. That would soon change.Plaque on Our Lady of the Rosary Church. Historical monument dedicated December 20, 1925.Banner declares Sunday, October 4 is Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church’s much anticipated Festa 2015.Mass was celebrated at noon in a large outside tent in nearby Amici Park.
The procession slowly assembles after Mass in front of the church.An elegant canopy emerges from the Catholic Church.The colorful religious procession, led by a youthful band, is ready to begin.
The procession is now heading north up India Street.
Approaching a banner announcing that next Sunday is Little Italy’s popular neighborhood Festa.Passing under the landmark Little Italy sign on India Street.
I caught an airplane coming over Bankers Hill preparing to land at Lindbergh Field.Now proceeding down Hawthorn. The threatened rain held off for the event!You can see that hundreds participated in this truly grand spectacle.
Finally arriving at San Diego Bay.A Harbor Patrol boat gives a water cannon salute for the occasion.Priests and those instrumental in blessing the tuna boats head onto the Hornblower dock at Grape Street.My camera could just catch a glimpse of the elaborate Catholic ritual beside the Patty Jo fishing boat.Fireworks launched from a nearby pier burst loudly in the air like exultant sparks.Little puffs of smoke hover in the heavens after the fireworks.The Patty Jo now confidently heads off across the gray water, hoping for safe ocean journeys and bountiful catches.
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