Tag: witches

Images from Witches’ Night in San Diego!

It’s April 30. Tonight is Witches’ Night!

Certain witches in San Diego haven’t gathered on a dark mountaintop or in a deep forest to work their magic, however. I know this because I spotted them this evening in Balboa Park’s Federal Building, future home of the Comic-Con Museum!

For an enjoyable hour and a half I listened to San Diego State University history professor Elizabeth Pollard and Beth Accomando of KPBS discuss the ancient belief in witchcraft, what distinguishes it from superstition, religion and science, and how witches have been characterized and dealt with by the people of different eras.

Fictional witches discussed ranged from Erichtho and Meroe of ancient Roman literature, to the three witches of Macbeth, to Circe as envisioned by the Pre-Raphaelites, right up to the Wicked Witch of the West, Maleficent, and others we readily recognize today in our popular culture.

Before sitting down in the Comic-Con Museum’s auditorium, those in attendance were able to look at some cultural artifacts, a chilling video loop of Häxan from 1922, and several rare books in the collection of the San Diego State University Library. The main attraction under glass was a scarce early edition of Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of Witches) printed in 1494–only fifty years after the Gutenberg press!

Here are a few images from tonight. But please excuse me–I have to go make sure my door is locked, because it’s getting close to midnight!

…

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!

Harry Potter characters cosplay at Comic-Con!

Professor Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore cosplay at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.
Professor Minerva McGonagall and Albus Dumbledore cosplay at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.

I missed the Harry Potter cosplay meetup today at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con, but I did manage to photograph many of the characters when I happened to see them walking about the Gaslamp Quarter!

Of course, wouldn’t you know, the one character I didn’t find was Harry himself.

Hermione Granger cosplay.
Hermione Granger cosplay.
Newt Scamander cosplay.
Newt Scamander cosplay.
Knight Bus conductor and Hogwarts Express conductor cosplay.
Knight Bus conductor and Hogwarts Express conductor cosplay.
Molly Weasley cosplay.
Molly Weasley cosplay.
Bellatrix Lestrange cosplay.
Bellatrix Lestrange cosplay.
Dolores Umbridge cosplay.
Dolores Umbridge cosplay.
Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy cosplay.
Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy cosplay.
Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody cosplay.
Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody cosplay.
Rubeus Hagrid cosplay along with "Mad-Eye" Moody at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.
Rubeus Hagrid cosplay along with “Mad-Eye” Moody at 2018 San Diego Comic-Con.

…

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!

Signs of Halloween in downtown San Diego.

Scarecrow and hay bales at pumpkin patch in San Diego's new waterfront park.
Scarecrow and hay bales at pumpkin patch in San Diego’s new waterfront park.

During my mid-afternoon walk around downtown San Diego today, I was watching for fun Halloween photo opportunities. It’s less than two weeks away!  I had a little bit of luck…

(The above pic was taken after all the pumpkins were snatched up, but lots of families were still about enjoying the pleasant day!)

Spiders on side of Little Italy building wrap a skeleton.
Spiders on side of Little Italy building wrap a skeleton.
Spooky shredded sails of haunted Star of India on Embarcadero.
Spooky shredded sails of haunted Star of India flutter in wind on the Embarcadero.
Gaslamp parties celebrate Halloween and Day of the Dead.
Gaslamp parties celebrate Halloween and Mexico’s Day of the Dead.
Alamo Flags at Seaport Village has a smelly witch foot!
Trick or treat?  Alamo Flags at Seaport Village has a smelly witch foot!
Just relaxing on a nice Autumn Sunday by the Seaport Village carousel.
Just relaxing on a nice cool Autumn Sunday by the Seaport Village carousel.
Kid checks out pumpkins and colorful display at Seaport Village.
Kid checks out pumpkins and colorful leafy display at Seaport Village.
Gaslamp banners advertise a monster bash block party.
Gaslamp banners advertise a monster bash block party.
Donut Bar window contains a scary skull-headed server!
Donut Bar window downtown contains a scary skull-headed server!

…

To enjoy future posts, you can “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Halloween art on display at Seaport Village.

halloween art on display at seaport village

Here’s a fun pic of an artistic Halloween display seen on a random shop wall in Seaport Village. I don’t recall the name of the store. The colorful arrangement of crafty witches, owls and pumpkins is a feast for the eyes!

I notice this morning that temperatures outside are cooling. Autumn is in the air and Halloween is around the corner!

Wind-driven witch in front of Kite Flite shop.
Wind-driven witch in front of Kite Flite shop.