(View as a Webpage)Friday May 23, 2025
Participant Observer

Dear San Diego,

This Memorial Day weekend and the week ahead, you’ll find San Diego alive with all manner of vibrant multicultural events to enjoy. From international-themed festivals and global music to theater, dance, art, and community celebrations, there’s so much more to explore than just the beach (but of course, a bit of sun, sand, and the sound of waves is always a tonic).

The San Diego International Fringe Festival continues at various venues around town and will be wrapping up on Sunday. There will be an Asian Pacific Cultural Festival at the International Cottages on Saturday and an Asian Cultural Festival at Mira Mesa Park on Sunday. The WorldBeat Center will host an African Liberation Day Celebration on Saturday. Sunday, at the International Cottages, the House of Czech and Slovak Republics will hold their annual Lawn Program.

Music and dance options include concerts featuring regional (Sinaloa) as well as fusion Mexican music, Indian classical music, Polynesian dance, traditional Scottish music, and the "All About the Blues" musical.
There are a generous number of theatrical productions, both single performance and longer run, to enjoy, including Wada Chirebandi, Jaja's African Hair Braiding, Twelfth Night, The Mountaintop, Fade, House of India, One of the Good Ones, and Bridging Communities.

Add to this author talks, workshops, art and special exhibits, and you will find lots to do in our lovely city by the sea!

On to the events!

Festivals, celebrations, and community events: Balboa Park Asian Pacific Cultural FestivalSan Diego Fringe FestivalAfrican Liberation Day CelebrationAsian Cultural Festival of San DiegoHouse of Czech and Slovak Republics Lawn ProgramKuumba Festival.

Music and/or dance performances: Musical: All 'Bout the Blues, Back Down Memory Lane Kūhai Hālau O ʻIlima Pā ʻŌlapa Kahiko Amrutha Venkatesh Tannahill Weavers Son Rompe Pera Grupo Bella A Night of Tasnifkhani Miguel Mateos Tres Souls Isabeau Waia'u WalkerTreasures of the Jewish Music CollectionMusic and Dance: Authentic Flamenco.

Interesting talks around townArtist Talk: Jackie Amézquita.

Film festivals and special movie screenings:  School in the Crosshairs.

Books and literature lovers are sure to enjoy: Book Presentation & Calligraphy WorkshopBook Talk: Zaragoza TijuanaBook Talk: Viet Thanh Nguyen.

Local theatrical productions:  Fade Jaja's African Hair Braiding Twelfth Night House of India The Mountaintop One of the Good Ones Bridging Communities L’elisir d’amoreBallet: Don Quixote All’s Well That Ends Well.

Visual Arts events: Exhibit Reception: Remembering Humanity.

Special Exhibitions: Exhibit: Memories of Venezuela.


Everyone here at the San Diego Participant Observer and the Worldview Project wish you fulfilling, illuminating, and culturally-rich experiences in the days ahead. See you next week!

Upcoming Events:
Image Denotes multi-day (3+) event. Only first instance from today is displayed.

Friday, May 23

6:00 PMSan Diego Fringe Festival Image
Venues Vary
7:00 PMStage: Wada Chirebandi
California Center for the Arts
7:30 PMStage: Fade Image
San Diego City College
"Stage: Jaja's African Hair Braiding Image
La Jolla Playhouse
"Stage: Twelfth Night Image
Grossmont College
"Stage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
8:00 PMStage: House of India Image
Old Globe Theatre
9:00 PMMusic: Los Cuates De Sinaloa
Blue Agave

Saturday, May 24

11:00 AMBalboa Park Asian Pacific Cultural Festival
International Cottages
1:00 PMAfrican Liberation Day Celebration
WorldBeat Center
2:00 PMBook Presentation & Calligraphy Workshop
Chinese Historical Museum
"Exhibit: Memories of Venezuela
Bonita-Sunnyside Library
5:00 PMDance: Kūhai Hālau O ʻIlima Pā ʻŌlapa Kahiko
Carlsbad City Library
"Musical: All 'Bout the Blues, Back Down Memory Lane
Legacy Pavilion Theater
6:00 PMExhibit Reception: Remembering Humanity
Bread & Salt Art Gallery
"Music: Amrutha Venkatesh
Seaside Center for Spiritual Living
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
"Music: Tannahill Weavers
Pilgrim United Church of Christ
8:00 PMStage: One of the Good Ones Image
Old Globe

Sunday, May 25

10:00 AMAsian Cultural Festival of San Diego
Mira Mesa Community Park
11:00 AMHouse of Czech and Slovak Republics Lawn Program
Balboa Park
2:00 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
7:00 PMStage: Bridging Communities
Brooks Theater

Tuesday, May 27

6:30 PMArtist Talk: Jackie Amézquita
UCSD

Thursday, May 29

6:00 PMBook Talk: Zaragoza Tijuana
San Diego History Center
"Music: Son Rompe Pera
Quartyard
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre

Friday, May 30

6:00 PMKuumba Festival
Black Arts & Culture District
7:00 PMMusic: Grupo Bella
California Center for the Arts
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
"Music: A Night of Tasnifkhani
Iranian American Center

Saturday, May 31

11:00 AMKuumba Festival
Black Arts & Culture District
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
8:00 PMMusic: Miguel Mateos
House of Blues

Sunday, June 1

2:00 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
3:00 PMStage: L’elisir d’amore
Villa Montezuma Museum
5:00 PMMusic: Tres Souls
Prebys Performing Arts Center

Monday, June 2

7:00 PMStage: L’elisir d’amore
Villa Montezuma Museum
7:30 PMMusic: Isabeau Waia'u Walker
Soda Bar

Tuesday, June 3

7:00 PMFilm: School in the Crosshairs
Digital Gym Cinema

Wednesday, June 4

7:00 PMBook Talk: Viet Thanh Nguyen
Coronado Public Library

Thursday, June 5

2:00 PMTreasures of the Jewish Music Collection
Lawrence Family JCC
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre

Friday, June 6

5:00 PMMusic and Dance: Authentic Flamenco
USD
6:30 PMBallet: Don Quixote
California Center for the Arts
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
8:00 PMStage: All’s Well That Ends Well Image
Old Globe Theatre

Saturday, June 7

11:00 AMStage: Thinking Shakespeare Live
Old Globe Theatre
6:00 PMIndian Classical Music Concert
Seaside Center for Spiritual Living
6:30 PMBallet: Don Quixote
California Center for the Arts
7:30 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
"Music and Dance: Authentic Flamenco
USD
"Music: Stephen Marley
Humphreys Concerts By the Bay
"Music: Gelareh Sheibani
Iranian American Center
8:00 PMMusic: Pato Banton
Belly Up
"Music: Eden Munoz
Frontwave Arena

Sunday, June 8

11:00 AMHouse of the Philippines Lawn Program
International Cottages
2:00 PMStage: The Mountaintop
New Village Arts Theatre
5:00 PMMusic: Gabino Palomares
Centro Cultural de la Raza
7:00 PMMusic: Klezmer Summit
First Unitarian Universalist Church

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Recipe of the Month

Pad Thai
Pad Thai

Our Recipe for this Month is for Pad Thai, arguably Thailand’s most internationally recognized dish. It's a stir-fried noodle dish that embodies the country’s culinary principles of taste harmony. Sweet, sour, salty, and umami flavors blend with chewy rice noodles, crunchy peanuts, tangy tamarind, and garlic chives to create a delightful melody of flavors.


CD of the Month

Sahrawi singer-songwriter activist Aziza Brahim's fifth album Mawja (Wave in Hassaniya Arabic) is fashioned from a simple but powerful foundational palette: Saharan and Iberian percussion entwining with stately guitars and warm, enveloping bass - Co-produced by Brahim with long-time collaborator Guillem Aguilar, the record from her oeuvre that Mawja most sonically resembles is her revered and graceful debut Soutak (2014).


Book of the Month

A dazzling story of modern Nigeria and two families caught in the riptides of wealth, power, romantic obsession, and political corruption from the celebrated author of Stay with Me, "in the lineage of great works by Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie" (The New York Times).


International Films

Final Notes

Important Disclaimer: While as a public service we list political, religious, spiritual, consciousness-raising, and commercial events in our calendar, this does not mean that The Participant Observer necessarily endorses or otherwise supports any of the views, sentiments, beliefs or products presented or promoted in such events. We endeavor mightily to ensure that our calendar listings are accurate, but please confirm dates and times of events.


The San Diego Participant Observer is Published by:
The Worldview Project
www.worldviewproject.org
2445 Morena Blvd. Suite 210
San Diego, CA 92110

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