Local Cross-Cultural Events
* Upcoming Events *
Thursday, October 8
| 5:00 PM | Music: Shabaka Shabaka brings his groundbreaking new album, Of The Earth, to San Diego for one unforgettable night. On October 8, FUTURE IS COLOR® Studio Sessions welcomes Shabaka for a special live performance centered on his latest album, Of The Earth. Shabaka is a multi-instrumentalist and composer who came to prominence within the London scene playing bands Sons of Kemet, the Comet is Coming and Shabaka and the Ancestors. At the start of 2024, he announced a hiatus from the saxophone, and since then has been composing material for the various flutes he is engaged in studying. Collaboration and the idea of developmental change being central to artistic practice is the driving force behind Shabaka’s live sets, which are constantly evolving and striving to reflect an up-to-date account of a creative mind in flow. Join us for an evening of with one of the most vital and ever-evolving artists of our time.
Quartyard |
| 6:00 PM | Latin Author Book Fair Join Southwestern College for an inspiring evening celebrating the transformative power of storytelling, education, and cultural representation. Featuring nationally recognized author and mentor Erica Alfaro as moderator, this special event will bring together Latina/o authors from the Rising Latino Authors Mentorship Group for a dynamic conversation on resilience, leadership, higher education, entrepreneurship, and the journey to publication. The evening will also include a vibrant Book Fair featuring more than 25 Latina/o authors, local writers, and Southwestern College alumni. Attendees will have the opportunity to meet authors, purchase signed books, learn from their personal journeys, and connect with mentors and community leaders who are shaping the future through the power of stories.
Southwestern College |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Italian Film Festival: Fuori Fuori is a moving drama about friendship in adversity, female solidarity, and anti-conformism, inspired by the life of one of Italy’s most iconic authors, Goliarda Sapienza. Rome, 1980. After the magnum opus The Art of Joy she has been working on for a decade is rejected by the Italian publishing world, writer Goliarda Sapienza ends up in prison for stealing jewelry, but the encounter with some young inmates turns out to be a life-changing experience. After their release and over the course of a scorching summer, the women continue to meet, and Goliarda forms a deep bond with Roberta, a repeat offender and political activist. A connection no one on the outside can truly understand, but through which Goliarda rediscovers the joy of living and the drive to write again.
In Italian with English subtitles.
A special introduction and post-screening Q&A with Professor Clarissa Clò (San Diego State University).
Museum of Photographic Arts |
Friday, October 9
| NOON | Brazilian Children's Day Celebrate Brazilian Children’s Day with Do Re Tree! Join us for a joyful celebration filled with Brazilian music, movement, Capoeira, storytelling, and Portuguese! Bring the whole family and experience the joy of Brazilian culture together! Free community program — everyone is welcome! Let's play and have fun!
Mira Mesa Library |
| 2:00 PM | Filipino American History Month Festival October is Filipino American History Month, a celebration and recognition of the achievements, contributions, history, culture, and resilience of the Filipino community. This free event will feature Philippine folk dancers, singers, food, and fun for the whole family!
La Jolla/Riford Library |
| 6:00 PM | Fundraiser: La Convivencia Join us for CPMCC's inaugural annual fundraiser and 4 year anniversary celebration! Guests will enjoy a curated artisanal culinary experience, live music, cultural performances, exciting opportunity drawings—including free rental packages by some of San Diego’s most sought-after favorite local DJs. This year, we are celebrating our 4th anniversary with an inaugural annual fundraiser—The Convening: of the Four Directions. Across many traditions, the four directions remind us that all is connected—people, land, history, and future generations. Inspired by Mexihcah teachings, this year's theme reflects the energies of the four sacred directions: the (black) North symbolizing reflection & our ancestors; the (white) West embodying transformation & growth; the (blue) South representing community, creativity & action; and the (red) East fostering new beginnings & understandings. Together, they complete a circle, to remind us that no single path exists in isolation and that our strength comes from gathering in relationship with one another. CPMCC will also host an exhibition and silent auction featuring diverse creations generously donated by our artist community and inspired by this year’s theme of the Four Directions. Artworks will be available for purchase via an online auction.
Barrio Station |
| 6:30 PM | Film: Kuessipan The Alliance Française screens Kuessipan, a French-language Canadian film with English subtitles about two Innu girls growing up in Québec's Côte-Nord and negotiating friendship, identity, tradition and personal aspirations.
French American School Auditorium |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Italian Film Festival: La Grazia As his tenure as President of Italy nears its end, Mariano De Santis faces wrenching decisions-both political and deeply personal. Amid these moral quandaries, he must confront his own conscience and seek guidance from those closest to him, including his confidante and daughter, Dorotea.
In Italian with English subtitles.
A special post-screening Q&A with Beth Accomando of KPBS and Film Geeks San Diego.
Museum of Photographic Arts |
| Film: Persona Ingmar Bergman's 1966 Swedish film follows a stage actor who has stopped speaking and the nurse caring for her at an isolated seaside cottage, where the boundaries between their identities begin to blur.
Digital Gym Cinema |
| 8:00 PM | Comedy: Fil-Am Month of Laughs Come enjoy some amazing laughs with some amazing Filipino Comics for Fil-Am Month! With headliner Rex Navarrete and more !
The Search Bar |
Saturday, October 10
| 11:00 AM | Día de los Muertos Marigolds Help the History Center prepare for Día de los Muertos by contributing to our community ofrenda. Families are invited to create vibrant paper marigolds that will become part of the altar later in the month while learning about the traditions, symbolism, and meaning of this important celebration. Through hands-on art and historical exploration, visitors of all ages can connect with local history and the people who have helped shape our region.
San Diego History Center |
| House of Spain Lawn Program Join us for paella, dancing, and more!
International Cottages |
| Music: Zimbabwe and Bali The Del Mar Library is celebrating 30 years and has invited the Center for World Music to bring music to the festivities. Enjoy a free concert of music from Zimbabwe and Bali and, try your hand at playing instruments from around the world with our Musical Instrument Petting Zoo. 11:00 – 11:45: Mbira performance with Garit Imhoff. Following the presentation, audience members will be invited to learn a song on mbira, which is played by plucking metal tines with the fingers. 12:00 – 12:45: “Wayang Kulit” performance with the Jangkrik Punyah ensemble featuring Geoff Dent. Wayang Kulit features beautiful interlocking melodies played on Balinese gamelan instruments with bronze keys over bamboo resonators. 11:00 – 1:00: Musical Instrument Petting Zoo – a hands-on experience for musicians of all ages.
Del Mar Library |
| Pinstriping Workshop Join us for a hands-on Introduction to Pinstriping Workshop facilitated by Manuel Cisneros. This engaging workshop will introduce participants to the fundamentals of traditional pinstriping, including proper tool and brush use, paint application, brush control, linework techniques, and time-tested tricks of the trade. Participants will have the opportunity to explore the foundational skills behind creating clean, expressive lines and decorative designs while gaining insight into the patience, practice, and creativity that the art form requires. Through hands-on instruction and practice, participants will leave with a deeper understanding of the pin striping process, a greater appreciation for the artistry behind the craft, and increased confidence to continue exploring and creating their own expressive pinstripe artwork.
CPMCC Community Room |
| 1:00 PM | BlacktoberFest Mark it in ink — Blacktoberfest is back Saturday, October 10 at S&S Friendly Ranch, San Diego's oldest Black-owned farm. Live DJ sets, spades, dominoes, line dancing, and a straight-up Black-owned vendor market — your people, all in one field. From the creators of Kinfolk Fest: black like we never left.
S&S Friendly Ranch |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| 2:30 PM | Gyotaku Workshop Dive into the world of creativity by learning the basics of Japanese fish printing, a rich art form that involves inked fish pressed against paper. This Japanese tradition is typically printed on rice paper. as accurately as possible, Fisherman exhibited their prized catches. Practice is put into the art of gyotaku as some prints come out sleeker than others. Whether you are fishing or not, participate in the art of gyotaku and print your own fish with simple ink and paper.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 5:30 PM | Italian Film Festival: 2026 feSta Join us at our feSta for an exquisite night at the Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art and celebrate as we gather to announce the 2026 Ristretto Award winners!
The evening will begin with the screenings and awards, followed by a lively celebration featuring music from the S.T. Cats, food by Zafferano Catering, and a silent auction.
Museum of Photographic Arts |
| Fundraiser: NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner Freedom Fund Dinner! We are excited to announce our National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) San Diego Branch will host its annual Freedom Fund Dinner on Saturday, October 10, 2026, 5:30 PM at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel San Diego – Mission Valley, located at 7450 Hazard Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92108. Our theme is “Celebrating 107 Years of Excellence: Honoring the Past & Shaping the Future.” We would greatly appreciate your support of this important event to help us carry out the mission of the NAACP to “ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.” Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest, largest, and most effective civil rights organization. Don't miss out on this special event - mark your calendars now!
DoubleTree Mission Valley |
| 7:00 PM | Music: Nathan Aweau Nathan was born into a musical family, his grandparents could play various instruments as well as performing with a band, his mom a piano player and his father for many years taught music and was a choir director as well as a Polynesian music teacher at various high schools. Nathan’s early years consisted of piano lessons, learning the guitar and ukulele and having the natural ability to sing. From grades seven through twelve his main instrument was the saxophone. In college he performed in the jazz ensemble as a bass player and the wind symphony as a percussionist. By this time his passion for the electric bass made him decide that this would be his main instrument. In 1983, during his college years, he started his professional career accompanying performers such as Gabe Baltazar, Henry Kapono, Loyal Garner and Nohelani Cypriano to name a few. He was a member of the Hoku award winning group, Ka’eo, as well as with the award winning group The Ali’i’s. He also did a 16 year stint with the legendary Don Ho. He’s done various high school and college level seminars, covering subjects from writing, arranging and sequencing to computer music. For a few short years, Nathan was a music teacher at various schools in Hawai’i. He’s even done a project with students from Campbell High School. The students had a chance to see the workings of what goes on in producing a song and recording it. Other than being a stage musician, Nathan has performed on commercials for Windward Mall, Meadow Gold, JCB credit card co., etc. He’s done background music for various T.V. shows for the Travel Channel, and has done music beds and liners for various radio stations.
California Center for the Arts |
| Music: Maná Maná is a Mexican pop rock band formed in 1981. Originally called Sombrero Verde, the current lineup of members is vocalist-guitarist Fher Olvera, drummer Alex González, guitarist Sergio Vallín and bassist Juan Calleros.
North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre |
| 8:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Music: Edgardo Nuñez and Kane Rodriguez Edgardo Nuñez is a leading figure in Regional Mexican music, known for blending traditional sounds with urban styles. Kane Rodriguez brings a fresh voice from Houston, mixing cumbia, banda, and norteño with modern influences. Together, they offer a dynamic concert experience that highlights the evolving landscape of Mexican regional music.
Civic Theatre |
Sunday, October 11
| 10:00 AM | Hello Japan! Class: Japanese Autumn Tradition A perfect starting point for new learners who want both language skills and cultural understanding. Students will learn simple grammar, paired with cultural lessons about food, festivals, manners, and modern life in Japan. By the end of the course, students will feel confident using basic Japanese and more connected to the heart of Japanese culture. October 11th Theme: Japanese Autumn Tradition & “There is / There are” Expressions In this lesson, students will explore Otsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival), a traditional Japanese autumn celebration that honors the beauty of the full moon. Students will read a short story about Otsukimi and learn about cultural traditions such as tsukimi dango (moon-viewing rice dumplings), seasonal decorations, and festival customs. A perfect starting point for new learners who want both language skills and cultural understanding. Students will learn simple grammar, paired with cultural lessons about food, festivals, manners, and modern life in Japan. By the end of the course, students will feel confident using basic Japanese and more connected to the heart of Japanese culture.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 11:00 AM | Día de Muertos Vista Día de Muertos Vista is the inaugural city-scale cultural street festival honoring one of Mexico’s most meaningful traditions through remembrance, art, heritage, and community connection. Set to take place on Sunday, October 11, 2026, this landmark event will transform South Santa Fe Avenue in Vista into a vibrant cultural corridor spanning from The Commons Venue and Ascend Coffee Roasters through approximately two city blocks of small businesses, creating the first official Día de Muertos street closure and celebration of its kind in the city.
Ascend Coffee Roasters |
| House of Norway Lawn Program Leif Erikson Day (second weekend in October) Viking music, food, crafts and activities at the lawn by the House of Norway.
International Cottages |
| 11:15 AM | Hello Japan! Class: Moon Viewing Festival Building on the basics, this course takes students deeper into Japanese grammar and sentence structure while developing real conversational fluency. Through dialogue, role-play, and cultural context, learners will move beyond textbook phrases to express ideas and navigate everyday situations with confidence. By the end, students will hold conversations more naturally and connect with Japanese culture on a more meaningful level. October 11 — Otsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival) Theme: Japanese Autumn Traditions Learn about Otsukimi (Moon Viewing Festival) through a short reading and cultural discussion. Students will explore the history and customs of moon viewing, seasonal foods such as tsukimi dango, and the importance of autumn in Japanese culture.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 1:00 PM | Exhibit: The Gathering Punjabi-American artist Rupinder Kaloti leads a walkthrough of The Gathering, her exhibition exploring the Punjabi-American immigrant experience, ancestry, family traditions, and connections between Punjab and California.
Oceanside Museum of Art |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| 3:00 PM | Masu Workshop Join us for a special evening exploring masu, the traditional Japanese wooden measuring box with a history spanning more than 1,300 years. Masashige Kodama, President & CEO of Kodama Manufacturing Co., Ltd. and founder of Masu Kukan, will join us live via Zoom from Japan to share the story behind this iconic craft — from its ancient origins to his own journey reviving and modernizing the tradition, including his innovative Harinuri glass-coating technique that made masu dishwasher-safe for the first time in the industry's history. After Kodama-san's presentation, participants will roll up their sleeves and make their own hinoki (Japanese cypress) masu cup to take home — a hands-on way to connect with a piece of Japanese heritage and craftsmanship. Whether you're drawn to Japanese culture, woodworking, or simply want to try something new, this program offers a rare chance to learn directly from a master craftsman carrying forward centuries of tradition while shaping its future.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Film: 964 Pinocchio Shozin Fukui's 1991 Japanese cyberpunk film follows a discarded cybernetic android and an amnesiac homeless woman as they attempt to recover their pasts while fleeing the android's creators.
Digital Gym Cinema |
| 9:15 PM | Film: House Nobuhiko Obayashi's 1977 Japanese cult film House follows a schoolgirl and six classmates whose visit to an aunt's country home becomes a surreal encounter with supernatural forces.
Digital Gym Cinema |
Tuesday, October 13
| 5:30 PM | San Diego International Film Festival Night of the Stars Tribute The San Diego International Film Festival opens its 25th anniversary celebration with the Night of the Stars Tribute, featuring a red carpet reception, awards honoring actors and filmmakers, the FOCUS on Impact Student Art Exhibition, and an after-party.
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center |
| 6:00 PM | Book Talk: The Serviceberry This three-week community book club discusses Robin Wall Kimmerer's The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, exploring relationships with the natural world, extraction, reciprocity, and Indigenous perspectives on giving and receiving.
WorldBeat Cultural Center |
| 6:30 PM | Book Talk: 50 Years of Even the Rat Was White Fisk University professor Ricardo Guthrie and Mesa College professor and clinical psychologist Judy Sundayo discuss the continuing relevance of Robert Guthrie's 1976 book Even the Rat Was White, which examined racism in American psychology and documented the contributions of Black psychologists.
San Diego Central Library |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| 4:00 PM | Sugar Skulls Craft This all-ages workshop celebrates Día de los Muertos with a hands-on sugar skull craft activity.
North Park Library |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
Thursday, October 15
| 5:00 PM | Talk: PARA/normal Borders Conversation II Filmmaker Sky Hopinka and writer Maggie Nelson discuss how film, writing, memory, language, Indigenous knowledge, and artistic practice shape understandings of place and borders. The program is part of the MexiCali Biennial's PARA/normal Borders project.
UCSD |
| Food: Friuli-Venezia Giulia Join Chefs Tim Kolanko, Wesley Remington, and Tony Coito for a multi-course meal inspired by the flavors of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, for our October ARTIFACT at Night. Not seeing a reservation time? Email ARTIFACT at Mingei at .
Mingei International Museum |
| 6:00 PM | Paint and Sip Alebrijes Workshop Artist Maira Meza leads a painting workshop on alebrijes, colorful creatures rooted in Mexican folk art, with discussion of their cultural significance and association with Día de los Muertos.
Mujeres Brew House |
| 6:30 PM | Noche de Mole Fundraiser Sherman Heights Community Center opens its annual Día de los Muertos season with regional mole tastings, drinks, live entertainment, and a preview of more than 25 community altars.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
Friday, October 16
| 11:00 AM | Music: Bereza/Beryoze Zozulka Trio performs a new song cycle drawing on Ukrainian and Yiddish folk traditions from the territory of present-day Ukraine, using songs about plants, birds, and the natural world to explore shared ecological knowledge and cultural history.
UCSD |
| 6:00 PM | Dance: Sacred Movement, Painted Prayers Japanese classical dancer Ichinosuke Umekawa performs Nihon Buyo, followed by curator Meher McArthur's preview of an exhibition on ema, traditional Japanese painted wooden prayer plaques.
Mingei International Museum |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| 7:30 PM | Dance: Roots of Loving Us CONTRA-TIEMPO Activist Dance Theater presents the world premiere of Roots of Loving Us, a contemporary dance and storytelling work exploring adoptees, foster families, chosen families, belonging, and the ways people create family and home.
Epstein Family Amphitheater |
Saturday, October 17
| 10:00 AM | Tohoku Day The Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum's Journeying Japan series explores Tohoku, the northeastern region encompassing Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, and Fukushima, with crafts, workshops, lectures, and a regional stamp rally.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 11:00 AM | Galbani Bella Vita Fest This Italian Heritage Month festival features Italian-themed chalk art created live in the streets, Italian food and wine, cooking demonstrations, Italian merchants, and live music.
Little Italy |
| House of Czech and Slovak Republics Lawn Program The House of Czech and Slovak Republics presents two days of Czech and Slovak cultural entertainment, including music and dance, along with traditional pastries, drinks, and heritage items.
International Cottages |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Food: Taste of City Heights This culinary walking tour features dishes from locally owned restaurants representing the Asian, Mexican, African, and other culinary traditions found in City Heights.
City Heights University Avenue |
| 8:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
Sunday, October 18
| 10:00 AM | 2026 Guelaguetza Festival San Diego's Guelaguetza celebration presents Oaxacan dance, music, traditional foods and products made in Oaxaca.
Palomar College |
| 11:00 AM | Galbani Bella Vita Fest This Italian Heritage Month festival features Italian-themed chalk art created live in the streets, Italian food and wine, cooking demonstrations, Italian merchants, and live music.
Little Italy |
| House of Czech and Slovak Republics Lawn Program The House of Czech and Slovak Republics presents two days of Czech and Slovak cultural entertainment, including music and dance, along with traditional pastries, drinks, and heritage items.
International Cottages |
| NOON | Tianguis de la Raza Market Centro Cultural de la Raza's monthly community artisan market features local artists and makers, arts and crafts, self-care products, jewelry, live music, children's art workshops, and a community healing clinic.
Centro Cultural de la Raza |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
| Tropical Star's 40th Anniversary Celebration Tropical Star Restaurant and Market marks 40 years in San Diego with live music, dancing, food and activities celebrating the cultures of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Tropical Star Restaurant & Specialty Market |
| 7:00 PM | Stage: Topdog/Underdog Broadway director Steve H. Broadnax III returns to the Globe after last season’s thrilling Appropriate to direct an intimate new staging of Suzan-Lori Parks’s Pulitzer Prize–winning modern classic, which The New York Times hailed as the greatest American play of the past 25 years. Brothers Lincoln and Booth hustle for survival through the street con game of three-card monte. Their bond is tested by rivalry, resentment, and the elusive promise of the American Dream. By turns funny, provocative, and charged, Topdog/Underdog charts the razor-thin line between ambition and self-destruction.
The Old Globe |
Monday, October 19
| 6:00 PM | Calavera Mask Workshop This Día de los Muertos workshop provides materials for participants to make a calavera mask that can be carried in the Sherman Heights candlelight procession.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
Tuesday, October 20
| 2:00 PM | Visiting Las Ofrendas More than 25 Día de los Muertos community altars fill the Sherman Heights Community Center while additional front-yard altars appear throughout the surrounding neighborhood for self-guided viewing.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 5:00 PM | Talk: Between Political Liberalism and Dictatorship This talk examines the crisis of political liberalism in interwar Greece by analyzing the recurrent intervention of the military in politics as a structural consequence of the failure to establish a durable bourgeois hegemony after 1916, with particular emphasis on the Second Hellenic Republic (1924–1935). It argues that the frequent military interventions in the political scene of the period were not an episodic disruption of an otherwise functioning parliamentary order, but rather conceptualizes the army as a structural political actor within a fragile liberal regime.
UCSD |
| 5:30 PM | Film: Sun Ra Sun Ra: Do The Impossible dives into the groundbreaking work of the visionary jazz musician and Godfather of Afrofuturism From swing to bebop to free jazz, Sun Ra bridged myriad musical styles to form his own avant-garde sound. With his ever-evolving collective, the Arkestra, he stretched the boundaries of jazz and self-produced more than 200 records, in addition to being one of the first Black artists to have his own record label. Remembered today as the “Godfather of Afrofuturism,” Sun Ra weaved ancient Egyptian and interstellar metaphors into a definitive musical and spiritual vision that resonates across generations. Discover the extraordinary life of this poet, philosopher, and musical visionary.
Central Library |
| 6:00 PM | Calavera Mask Workshop This Día de los Muertos workshop provides materials for participants to make a calavera mask that can be carried in the Sherman Heights candlelight procession.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 6:30 PM | Film: Panther Veterans in Tanzania Join us at WorldBeat Cultural Center for a special evening with Mama C, Charlotte Hill O’Neal, as she returns to San Diego for a screening of her latest documentary, “Panther Veterans in Tanzania: The Legacy Continues. The film highlights the accomplishments and ongoing work of the United African American Community Center (UAACC) in Tanzania, founded by Charlotte Hill O’Neal and Pete O’Neal, former members of the Black Panther Party, and the community they have helped build through decades of cultural, educational, and grassroots work. The documentary offers a look at their continuing legacy and commitment to Pan-Africanism and community empowerment.
WorldBeat Center |
| 7:30 PM | Book Talk: The Four Wives and Five Deaths of Richard Milford Rich Milford is dead. At last. We find ourselves in 1920's Oklahoma, just far enough out of Tulsa, just long enough after the Race Massacre of 1921. For as long as anyone can remember, the Milfords have led plentiful lives on the backs of the townspeople of Newville. Now, on the ominous brink of the Great Depression and at the height of Prohibition, Richard Milford was an infamous moonshiner and womanizer who, it seems, finally crossed the wrong person at the wrong time. He's dead and buried with only his women to mourn him, but a question remains: Who killed him, and why? Top suspects are his four "wives," Lally, Sophronia, Georgette, and Vivianne. But as their stories burst to light, the very idea of a true story comes apart before our eyes. In an electric follow-up to her acclaimed debut collection, Nafissa Thompson-Spires once again serves up a brilliant distillation of front-of-mind happenings—think, cults of personality, capitalism run amok in politics, and rampant societal distrust—structured like a stupefying line dance. In her uniquely powerful, humorous manner, Thompson-Spires takes on the interdependent clash of the traditional and the newfangled in this gobsmackingly excellent novel.
Warwick's |
Wednesday, October 21
| 2:00 PM | Visiting Las Ofrendas More than 25 Día de los Muertos community altars fill the Sherman Heights Community Center while additional front-yard altars appear throughout the surrounding neighborhood for self-guided viewing.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 4:00 PM | Carmel Valley Diwali Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights with us. Activities include Bollywood dance performances and arts & crafts.
Carmel Valley Library |
Thursday, October 22
| 2:00 PM | Visiting Las Ofrendas More than 25 Día de los Muertos community altars fill the Sherman Heights Community Center while additional front-yard altars appear throughout the surrounding neighborhood for self-guided viewing.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 6:00 PM | Pan de Muerto Workshop An artisan baker leads a bilingual Spanish-English workshop on the history and cultural meaning of pan de muerto on Día de los Muertos altars, with participants shaping their own bread from scratch.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
Friday, October 23
| 10:30 AM | Talk: Japanese Ema Votive Plaques Ema (literally, "picture horse") are wooden votive plaques on which visitors to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have for centuries written their prayers and wishes for the _kami _or Buddhist deities to read. Though these plaques originally featured horses, they evolved to feature many different images associated with various wishes, from good fortune to health to love and relationships. In conjunction with the exhibition Painted Prayers: The Japanese Folk Art Tradition of Ema, exhibition curator and Japanese art historian, Meher McArthur will explore the history of these votive plaques, the meanings behind some of the images, and their role in contemporary Japanese spiritual culture.
Mingei International Museum |
| 2:00 PM | Visiting Las Ofrendas More than 25 Día de los Muertos community altars fill the Sherman Heights Community Center while additional front-yard altars appear throughout the surrounding neighborhood for self-guided viewing.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
| 7:30 PM | Music: La Santa Cecilia Celebrate Día de los Muertos with La Santa Cecilia, the Grammy Award-winning band returning to the ArtPower for the fourth time. With songs from its latest album, Los Años, the group looks back on nearly two decades of friendship, shared experiences, and the memories that have shaped its journey. Known for performances filled with joy, heart, and irresistible energy, La Santa Cecilia invites audiences to dance, sing, and feel it all. Join us for an evening that honors memory, celebrates life, and pays tribute to the people and experiences that stay with us through the years.
UCSD Epstein Ampitheater |
| Stage: Rigoletto Making jokes is what Rigoletto does for a living, serving as court jester to the predatory Duke of Mantua. But the joke may be on him when one of his jests enrages Count Monterone, the father of the Duke’s latest victim, unleashing a curse with dangerous consequences for Rigoletto and his beautiful daughter Gilda. Packed with spectacular arias like “La donna è mobile,” “Caro nome,” and the stunning quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore,” Verdi’s sublime tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and revenge will hold you spellbound from start to finish.
San Diego Civic Theatre |
Saturday, October 24
| 11:00 AM | House of Scotland Lawn Program Listen to relaxing and joyful Scottish harp music! Come view traditional Scottish spinning and fiber arts! Take a bite of delicious our delicious sausage rolls and Scottish meat pies
International Cottages |
| 5:00 PM | Music: Frank Lazzaro and the Middle-Earth Ensemble The Middle-Earth Ensemble performs world music drawing on Arabic, Persian, Turkish and Mediterranean traditions, accompanied by percussion and belly dance.
Carlsbad City Library |
| 6:00 PM | Buy Filipino Heritage Night Three years of community, culture, and connection — and we’re celebrating in style. Join us on October 24, 2026 for Heritage Night, a benefit dinner marking the Third Anniversary of the Buy Filipino Network. This year’s celebration features a stunning fashion show collaboration with Herrera Filipiniana and Barong Warehouse, showcasing the beauty, pride, and creativity of Filipino design. Come gather with friends, support our mission, and enjoy an unforgettable evening honoring the spirit of the Filipino American community.
Kusina San Diego |
| 7:00 PM | Music: Let Her Sing For the first time in San Diego, Diaspora Arts Connection in collaboration with the Persian Cultural Center of San Diego presents Let Her Sing: A Celebration of Female Voices. Every year we gather in celebration and support of the female voice, suppressed and censored in parts of the world. Let Her Sing: A Celebration of Female Voices is an event that aims to promotes female artists from all over the globe to come to stage in celebrating their ability to perform freely. The show’s lineup will be provided when it becomes available.
California Center for the Arts |
| 7:30 PM | Stage: Rigoletto Making jokes is what Rigoletto does for a living, serving as court jester to the predatory Duke of Mantua. But the joke may be on him when one of his jests enrages Count Monterone, the father of the Duke’s latest victim, unleashing a curse with dangerous consequences for Rigoletto and his beautiful daughter Gilda. Packed with spectacular arias like “La donna è mobile,” “Caro nome,” and the stunning quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore,” Verdi’s sublime tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and revenge will hold you spellbound from start to finish.
San Diego Civic Theatre |
| 8:00 PM | Music: WAR WAR’s signature fusion of funk, soul, jazz, Latin, rock and street music is what first propelled them to prominence over 5 decades ago, but it was their ability to craft songs of social consciousness that further cemented their place in the modern American songbook. The immediate global impact of “Why Can’t We Be Friends?” was so profound that NASA transmitted the title track into space during the historic Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975. Since then, WAR have continued to sing out against racism, hunger, crime and conflict, while their music has been sampled by Janet Jackson, Tupac, Beastie Boys, Method Man, Sublime, Redman, Cypress Hill, Shaggy, A$AP Mob, Scarface, The Geto Boys, De La Soul, Flo Rida, Liam Payne, Thomas Rhett and more, and covered by everyone from Willie Nelson to The Muppets, George Clinton, Phish, ZZ Top and The Isley Brothers.
Belly Up |
Sunday, October 25
| 11:00 AM | 2026 Kiku Matsuri Get ready for a festive celebration of Japanese culture at the 2026 Kiku Matsuri event - it's going to be a blast! 2026 Kiku Matsuri Join us at the Hangar 858 Venue for the 2026 Kiku Matsuri – a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture, cuisine, and entertainment! Enjoy a full day filled with traditional music, dance, and art. Savor authentic Japanese dishes, browse unique merchandise, and let the kids have fun with family-friendly games and activities. From captivating performances to hands-on cultural experiences, there’s something for everyone. Food, Beer and sake will be available for purchase.
Hangar 858 |
| House of Türkiye Lawn Program House of Turkiye’s mission is to promote universal awareness of the diversity and richness of the Turkish culture, country, traditions, and its people. Along with a consortium of ‘houses’ representing 32 cultures, House of Turkiye participates in special events and cultural activities including educational and social events, music, arts & crafts, traditional dances and food. These activities help educate visitors, promote multicultural goodwill, and unite people of all cultures in friendship.
International Cottages |
| 2:00 PM | Stage: Rigoletto Making jokes is what Rigoletto does for a living, serving as court jester to the predatory Duke of Mantua. But the joke may be on him when one of his jests enrages Count Monterone, the father of the Duke’s latest victim, unleashing a curse with dangerous consequences for Rigoletto and his beautiful daughter Gilda. Packed with spectacular arias like “La donna è mobile,” “Caro nome,” and the stunning quartet “Bella figlia dell’amore,” Verdi’s sublime tale of betrayal, sacrifice, and revenge will hold you spellbound from start to finish.
San Diego Civic Theatre |
| 3:00 PM | Music: An Evening with Celtic Thunder 2026 Irish music ensemble Celtic Thunder presents a concert drawing on traditional Irish music and contemporary arrangements while reuniting past and present members of the group.
California Center for the Arts |
| 4:30 PM | Talk: The Moods of Early Russian Art Art historian Justin Willson examines fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Russian icon painting, tracing changes in style, patronage and religious culture through works in the Timken collection.
Timken Museum of Art |
| 6:00 PM | Food: Kamayan Dinner Join award-winning Chef Spencer Hunter of Lia’s Lumpia on October 25, 2026, from 6:00–8:00 PM at the San Diego History Center for a Kamayan feast celebrating Filipino American History Month. A San Diego native and finalist on Food Network’s Great Food Truck Race, Chef Spencer honors his Filipino grandmother’s culinary legacy while blending it with his African American roots. He has taken first place for his Sisig Lumpia, cheffed for distinguished clientele ranging from corporate leaders to members of the British Royal Family, and continues to redefine what modern fusion cuisine can be.
San Diego History Center |
Tuesday, October 27
| 2:00 PM | Visiting Las Ofrendas More than 25 Día de los Muertos community altars fill the Sherman Heights Community Center while additional front-yard altars appear throughout the surrounding neighborhood for self-guided viewing.
Sherman Heights Community Center |
Follow Us!
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Book of the Month
The Summer My Mother Had Green Eyes
Recipe of the Month
Music of the Month
Nacarile