Local Cross-Cultural Events
October 2026
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10:00 AM -
Leo Carrillo Ranch Día de los Muertos
10:00 AM -
Exhibit: My Bed
11:00 AM -
Old Town Día de los Muertos
11:00 AM -
City Heights Day of the Dead Festival
1:00 PM -
Spooky Shakespeare
... and 3 event(s) more.
* Upcoming Events *
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 |
| Music: Blacktronika Blacktronika: Afrofuturism in Electronic Music (MUS 19R) honors the innovators of color who have been instrumental in the advancement of electronic music. Since the course is synchronous but remote across all UC campuses, we present two dance events each quarter as a physical extension of the classroom. These events build community through movement and, most importantly, allow the music discussed in class to be experienced as it should be: in context, collectively, and on a proper sound system in UCSD Music’s Experimental Theater. Music is presented by world-renowned producer/DJ Professor King Britt alongside special guests.
The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center |
| 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 |
| Talk: A Chinese American Woman’s Journey at NASA Join us for this month's The Chinese American Experience & Beyond lecture titled "A Chinese American Woman’s Journey at NASA" The lecture is free and held on Zoom!
Online |
| 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 |
| 5:00 PM | Film: Poetic Justice African American Writers & Artists San Diego celebrates National Black Poetry Day with an open mic and an outdoor screening of Poetic Justice, a film in which poetry plays a central role. Community members can sign up onsite to participate in the open mic.
Marie Widman Memorial Park |
| 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 |
| 4:00 PM | DIY Dia de los Muertos Come celebrate Dia de los Muertos with us in the Pauline Foster Teen Center with a new craft every week. October 6: Marigolds. October 13: Clay food offerings. October 20: Nicho boxes. October 27: Sugar skull planter. Add what you've made to the Teen Center ofrenda!
Central Library |
| 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 |
| 4:00 PM | Rancho Bernardo Filipino American Heritage Celebration October is Filipino American History Month! Celebrate Filipino heritage by making a macaque (monkey) craft and a torn paper flag. Enjoy music by Filipino American artists while you work!
Rancho Bernardo Library |
| 5:00 PM | Talk: Anne Frank Ruth Franklin, author of “The Many Lives of Anne Frank” (2025), will discuss some lesser-known aspects of the diary’s creation and reception as well as the urgency of Anne Frank’s story in our current moment. Last January, as videos of violence by ICE agents made international headlines, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz noted the similarities between the raids on immigrants and “that story of Anne Frank.” Meanwhile, antisemitism is on the rise around the world, including in Amsterdam, Anne’s adopted home. Can Anne’s story still speak to the experience of persecuted Jews even as it becomes a metaphor for racism and xenophobia of all kinds?
Online |
| 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 |
| 5:30 PM | A Conversation Exploring African and Diaspora Experiences A cultural salon exploring African and African-diaspora experiences through discussions of identity, belonging, storytelling, and cross-cultural connection. The evening includes a keynote address, panel discussion, cultural storytelling, and African heritage-inspired food.
Downtown |
| 6:30 PM | Food: Sicilian Seafood Class Hands-on Sicilian seafood cooking class where guests prepare two seasonal dishes and dine together. Join us for a hands-on Sicilian seafood cooking experience where guests prepare two fresh, seasonal dishes together while exploring the flavors, traditions, and cultural influences that shape Sicily’s coastal cuisine. Along the way, you’ll learn how to recognize fresh fish, hear about San Diego’s local seafood system and fishermen, and enjoy a relaxed evening cooking and dining together. All cooking equipment and ingredients are provided, and the experience includes an appetizer, dessert, a welcome wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. Guests are also welcome to bring their own beverage of choice, and dietary restrictions can be accommodated if specified at the time of booking.
Cucina Migrante |
| 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
| 9:00 AM | Larry Itliong Community Breakfast A Filipino American History Month gathering celebrating the life and legacy of Filipino American labor leader Larry Itliong. The program also recognizes participants in the Virgil Yalong-Larry Itliong Filipino American History Month Essay Contest and addresses educational issues in the Filipino American community.
Kusina: A Taste of the Pacific |
| 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 |
| 2:00 PM | Latine Pride As San Diego’s official Queer Latine Pride event, this is a space for folx to embrace the vibrancy of our community and celebrate the pure joy of our Queer Latinidad. Join us for music, food, community resources, vendors, performances, opportunities to connect, and more! Don’t forget to add Latine Pride to your calendar!
Liberty Station Central Promenade |
| 4:00 PM | Music: Buddhist Temple of San Diego Taiko Join us for an afternoon of Taiko: a traditional Japanese practice involving drumming, chanting, and choreography. Members of the Buddhist Temple of San Diego will lead a Q&A after the program.
First United Methodist Church of San Diego |
| 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 |
| Music: Allan Phillips Composer and multi-instrumentalist Allan Phillips presents a program exploring Afro-Indigenous Caribbean traditions and the intersections of jazz, Latin American music, African diasporic rhythms, Brazilian music, reggae, and other musical traditions. UC San Diego professor Kamau Kenyatta moderates a discussion providing historical and cultural context for the music.
UC San Diego Park & Market |
| 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 |
| Music: Confluence Featuring Amjad Ali Khan The La Jolla Symphony presents a cross-cultural program culminating in Samaagam, which brings Indian classical music together with the Western symphonic tradition. Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan performs with Ayaan Ali Bangash and Amaan Ali Bangash; the program also includes music by Dukas, Juhi Bansal, and Enescu.
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| 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 |
| xxKiku Matsuri A Japanese cultural festival featuring traditional music, dance, art, Japanese food, merchandise, family activities, and hands-on cultural experiences. The event is modeled on the tradition of Japanese autumn festivals.
Hangar 858 |
| 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 |
| Film: The Yellow Magic Orchestra Mixtape Formed in Tokyo in 1978, Yellow Magic Orchestra seized upon rapidly evolving electronic technology to open up new possibilities for popular music. Synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines, samplers, and computers met pop melody, funk, disco, exotica, and irreverent humor to create a sound—and a world—entirely their own. The reverberations were enormous. YMO’s music would prove foundational to synth-pop, electro, hip-hop, techno, house, video game music, and countless strains of electronic music that followed, while Hosono, Sakamoto, and Takahashi each pursued remarkably diverse creative lives far beyond the group itself. Nearly half a century later, YMO’s music still feels startlingly alive: playful and sophisticated, futuristic and human.
Digital Gym Cinema |
| Music: Confluence Featuring Amjad Ali Khan The La Jolla Symphony presents a cross-cultural program culminating in Samaagam, which brings Indian classical music together with the Western symphonic tradition. Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan performs with Ayaan Ali Bangash and Amaan Ali Bangash; the program also includes music by Dukas, Juhi Bansal, and Enescu.
UC San Diego |
| 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 |
| 6:30 PM | Afro-Cuban Dance Workshop Join us at the WorldBeat Cultural Center for a special Afro-Cuban Dance Workshop with Indira “Laroye” Leneman, also known as Laroye Aña, Cuban choreographer, professional dancer and instructor born and raised in Havana and now based in Los Angeles. Through movement and rhythm, Laroye will share the richness of Afro-Cuban dance and its deep connections to African cultural traditions. Her extensive career as a performer and educator has taken her across the U.S. and internationally, with performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Ford Theatre, Disney California Adventure and Grand Performances, as well as appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Late Show with James Corden. She has taught at UCLA, USC, CSU Fullerton, UC Riverside and numerous national and international dance festivals. Come ready to move, learn and experience Afro-Cuban dance with an instructor who brings both cultural knowledge and extensive professional experience to her teaching.
WorldBeat Center |
Monday, October 26
| 5:00 PM | Talk: Securing the Future Securing the Future: U.S.-Korea Cooperation in Defense, AI and Trade examines how the United States and the Republic of Korea are navigating critical shifts in economic and national security. As geopolitical competition accelerates, aligning strategic industrial policies and defense capabilities is essential to building enduring alliance resilience. This public roundtable brings together top policy, industry and defense leaders to unpack three interconnected fronts: the strategic landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), the impact of maritime trade policy and the Jones Act on shipbuilding and logistics, and evolving security dynamics in the Indo-Pacific.
UC San Diego |
| 6:30 PM | Film: You're No Indian Come attend a screening of “You’re No Indian,” which is not just a film – it’s a call to action. At the heart of this 2025 documentary lies a battle for identity and justice, where militias storm casinos, graves are pillaged for DNA evidence and even proven lineage cannot save individuals from disenrollment. More than 10,000 people have been disenrolled from their tribes in recent years, eviscerated from their communities and families. Research confirms disenrollment’s relationship to tribal gaming and even the corruption of tribal politicians. Not only does it result in financial ruin for the disenrolled, but immeasurable psychological harm when they are now told “you’re no Indian.” This film exposes the dark intersection of power, greed and cultural erasure. It’s a powerful stand for those whose voices have been silenced, urging viewers to join a growing movement for truth and accountability.
CSU San Marcos |
| 7:00 PM | Film: The Yellow Magic Orchestra Mixtape Formed in Tokyo in 1978, Yellow Magic Orchestra seized upon rapidly evolving electronic technology to open up new possibilities for popular music. Synthesizers, sequencers, drum machines, samplers, and computers met pop melody, funk, disco, exotica, and irreverent humor to create a sound—and a world—entirely their own. The reverberations were enormous. YMO’s music would prove foundational to synth-pop, electro, hip-hop, techno, house, video game music, and countless strains of electronic music that followed, while Hosono, Sakamoto, and Takahashi each pursued remarkably diverse creative lives far beyond the group itself. Nearly half a century later, YMO’s music still feels startlingly alive: playful and sophisticated, futuristic and human.
Digital Gym Cinema |
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 |
| 4:00 PM | DIY Dia de los Muertos Come celebrate Dia de los Muertos with us in the Pauline Foster Teen Center with a new craft every week. October 6: Marigolds. October 13: Clay food offerings. October 20: Nicho boxes. October 27: Sugar skull planter. Add what you've made to the Teen Center ofrenda!
Central Library |
| 6:30 PM | Talk: Filipino Ethnic Enclave in the Gaslamp Quarter The Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation, in collaboration with the San Diego Central Library, is proud to present a special presentation by award-winning journalist-author, Marivi Soliven in conversation with UCSD professor K. Wayne Yang about the history of the community of Filipino migrant workers who lived and struggled in downtown San Diego during the 1930s. What were the living conditions faced by the community while racial discrimination and anti-miscegenation law brought intense societal pressure and physical hostility against Filipinos in San Diego? Marivi’s exciting new novel Taxi Dancer is based on a true story set in the historic downtown Stingaree District.
Central Library |
| 7:00 PM | Film: The Legend of the Stardust Brothers Taking inspiration from PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE and THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, Macoto Tezka (son of manga legend Osamu Tezuka) and friends transformed the soundtrack to a movie that didn’t exist into a real-life motion picture. And THE LEGEND OF THE STARDUST BROTHERS was born! The story follows a shady music mogul who brings together a punk and new-waver to form the Stardust Brothers—a silver-jumpsuited, synth-pop sensation. A wild cult hit in Japan, this newly-restored, unsung gem returns to the big screen for the first time in decades.
Digital Gym Cinema |
Wednesday, October 28
| 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 | San Ysidro Sugar Skull Workshop Sugar skull decorating is a traditional activity for Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Learn how to make sugar skulls and decorate one as you like. A favorite! If you have done it before, is it not the time to renew your ofrenda skulls? They are easy to make, delicious, and if cared for and kept dry, they can even last years. All materials are provided by Back From Tomboctou!
San Ysidro Library |
| 6:00 PM | Madre Cumbia MADRE CUMBIA—a historic collaboration between Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, Fruko, and Carmelo Torres. More than an album, Madre Cumbia brings together the living roots of Colombian cumbia with the artists who have carried, transformed, and preserved its legacy across generations. From the ancestral sounds of the gaitas and drums to the accordion of the sabanas and the electric bass that helped redefine tropical music, this record celebrates the full arc of cumbia's evolution. La Diabla: Born from the San Diego–Tijuana borderlands, La Diabla delivers a gritty, rebellious take on northern cumbia. Blending Colombian, Mexican, and Chicano influences with the raw energy of garage and punk, the group transforms cumbia sonidera and norteña traditions into a powerful, dance-floor-filling sound. REZA is a San Diego brass-and-percussion project bringing cumbia into the streets. Fusing Afro-Indigenous percussion, tropical brass, Colombian rhythms such as cumbia and porro, and the explosive energy of a New Orleans street band, REZA creates a communal, high-energy celebration built for dancing.
Quartyard |
Thursday, October 29
| 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 | Book Talk: The Stories Women Carry Join us for The Stories Women Carry, a thought-provoking ABTB Book Club Adventure celebrating two captivating memoir-in-essays by bestselling author Reyna Grande and acclaimed comedian and podcaster Courtney Kocak. Through stories that are candid, intimate, and deeply personal, these two writers explore the experiences that shape identity, belonging, resilience, and the lives we ultimately claim as our own. Our esteemed ABTB Ambassadors Debby Stone and Dorothy Minor will lead a lively conversation with the authors, taking us beyond the page and into the stories behind the stories. Come ready to listen, reflect, connect—and perhaps see your own story a little differently.
Online |
| 7:00 PM | Music: Epik High Epik High is an alternative hip-hop group from South Korea. Since their inception in 2001, they have been internationally acclaimed and became the first Korean act to perform at Coachella. "Can You Hear My Heart," "Rosario," and "Rain Song" have been their most popular tracks.
The Observatory North Park |
| 7:30 PM | Music: Lila Downs Lila Downs, one of Latin America’s most influential voices with a singular sound and magnetic stage presence, is bringing a powerful live performance that seamlessly blends the essence of her 2026 album, Cambias mi Mundo (You Change My World) with the rich traditions of Día de Muertos. Rooted in Oaxaca and celebrated on prestigious global stages like Carnegie Hall, Downs turns this show into an intimate, fearless, and deeply human gathering. Audiences will experience a voyage of emotions, movement, and sound where her most acoustic and intimate original songs from Cambias mi Mundo meet deeply personal renditions of classic rancheras. Through this unique musical fusion, the concert invites the audience to dance, feel, and honor the sacred tradition of remembering the departed on both sides of the border.
Balboa Theatre |
Friday, October 30
| 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 |
| 3:30 PM | Mira Mesa Diwali Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. It is one of the biggest festivals in India. The festival lasts for five days. Diwali (or Deepawali) means the “Row of Lights”. This celebration symbolizes, the victory of good over evil and it also represents the New Year in the Hindu calendar.
Mira Mesa Library |
| 6:00 PM | Tallk with Artist Betsabeé Romero Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero discusses her work with San Diego Museum of Art director Roxana Velázquez, including themes of memory, migration, identity, cultural heritage, and Romero's Día de los Muertos installation for the museum.
MOPA |
| 8:00 PM | Music: Yandel Llandel Veguilla Malavé, best known by his stage name Yandel, is a Puerto Rican singer who is a member of the reggaeton duo Wisin & Yandel. He released his first solo album, Quien Contra Mí, in 2003. His second solo studio album, De Líder a Leyenda, was released in 2013 and was certified Gold by the RIAA in 2014.
Viejas Arena |
| Music: Caifanes Caifanes is a Mexican rock band formed in Mexico City in 1986. The group achieved commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The original lineup of members consisted of Saúl Hernández, Sabo Romo, Alfonso André and Diego Herrera. Alejandro Marcovich later joined as lead guitarist
Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre |
Saturday, October 31
| 10:00 AM | Exhibit: My Bed Presenting the original artwork featured in the beloved children’s book, My Bed: Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World, illustrated by artist Salley Mavor, this exhibition consists of eighteen hand-embroidered, three-dimensional tableaus. Each intricately rendered scene captures the spirit of a different place and way of life, while illuminating the universal theme of children falling asleep. Scenes range from children falling asleep on a houseboat in the Netherlands, in hammocks in Brazil, on a rooftop in Morocco, on futons in Japan, and on an intricate carpet in Afghanistan, to name a few. Mavor lives and works on Cape Cod, in Falmouth, Massachusetts. She was studying illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design in the 1970’s when an insightful teacher encouraged her to tap into her playful side. She discovered that working with stitching and soft sculpture allowed her ideas to come alive in new and unexpected ways. For most of her career, she has followed this path, creating stitched scenes in bas-relief, much like miniature, shallow stage sets, with figures imposed on embellished fabric backgrounds.
Mingei International Museum |
| Leo Carrillo Ranch Día de los Muertos Celebrate the vibrant Mexican holiday of Día de los Muertos at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park. The event honors tradition, community, and remembrance with music, storytelling, arts and crafts, and a traditional ofrenda. The park will be decorated for the holiday the week before and after, inviting guests to explore and enjoy the festivities on October 31.
Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park |
| 11:00 AM | Old Town Día de los Muertos Old Town San Diego transforms into a vibrant tribute to Día de los Muertos, with fanciful and visually striking décor filling the Fiesta de Reyes courtyard from September through early November. The main fiesta weekend brings free music, food, and cultural celebrations across two days at the end of October. Families can wander through this immersive experience together, taking in the playful and artful displays that honor the tradition.
Old Town State Historic Park |
| City Heights Day of the Dead Festival City Heights Day of the Dead Festival
Our traditions bring us together. At a time when so much around us can feel uncertain, coming together as a community matters more than ever. For 26 years, City Heights has gathered to celebrate Día de los Muertos, honoring the loved ones who came before us, sharing our cultures, and reminding one another that we are stronger when we come together. This year, we invite you to bring your family, bring your friends, and celebrate the traditions that connect us.We cannot let uncertainty keep us from celebrating who we are. Our traditions, our culture, our music, our art, and our stories belong in our community — and they deserve to continue.
City Heights Performance Annex & IDEA Lab |
| 1:00 PM | Spooky Shakespeare Celebrate Halloween with the San Diego Shakespeare Society as actors present spine-chilling performances that connect to works of art from across the Museum’s collection. Enjoy scenes from works such as Richard III, Hamlet, Titus Andronicus, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth. Look for the meeting point sign inside the SDMA rotunda prior to each one-hour performance.
The San Diego Museum of Art |
| Talk: Yokai Join us this Halloween for an afternoon of strange and scary tales from old Japan, told and discussed by Katie Clark. Through these stories we will encounter spirits, ghosts, monsters, and everything else that goes bump in the night! Tea will be served to calm your nerves and warm your bones as you meet some of the most fantastical characters from Japanese folklore that you’ve ever seen.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 6:00 PM | Yokai Masquerade You’re invited to this year’s Halloween celebration, the Yokai Masquerade, an evening of artistic wonder, and festive programming inspired by the storied spirits of Japanese folklore. Guests are encouraged to arrive in costume and to explore all that the evening has to offer. From the intimacy of after-hours exhibit viewing to the exciting carnival games, the Yokai Masquerade offers an experience unlike any other.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
Sunday, November 1
| 9:00 AM | Shichi-Go-San Celebrate Shichi-Go-San, where children will have the opportunity to be dressed in traditional kimonos and photographed in the beautiful Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum! Traditionally in Japan, girls (ages three and seven) and boys (age five) are dressed in traditional kimonos and brought to the nearby shrines in order to pray for good health.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 10:00 AM | Exhibit: Bonsai Reimagined Bonsai has been part of the artist’s life for many years, both in his artistic work and as a practitioner of the craft. He has studied the art of bonsai with teachers in Southern California and in Japan, learning not only how trees are shaped, but how time, patience, observation, and thoughtful intervention become part of their character. Those same ideas have increasingly found their way into his artwork. The works in this exhibition represent his exploration of bonsai over the past two years through oil painting, mixed media, woodblock printing, and monoprint. Some works begin with a particular tree and remain closely connected to its individual character. Others move further from direct representation, using color, pattern, texture, and layered processes to explore the presence and energy he experiences when looking at bonsai.
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum |
| 11:00 AM | Old Town Día de los Muertos Old Town San Diego transforms into a vibrant tribute to Día de los Muertos, with fanciful and visually striking décor filling the Fiesta de Reyes courtyard from September through early November. The main fiesta weekend brings free music, food, and cultural celebrations across two days at the end of October. Families can wander through this immersive experience together, taking in the playful and artful displays that honor the tradition.
Old Town State Historic Park |
| Old Globe Día de los Muertos The Old Globe Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead Celebration) in San Diego, California, invites the community to honor loved ones through a lively blend of music, dance, and traditional altars. Hosted at the iconic Old Globe, this event features performances, art workshops, and opportunities to learn about the rich cultural significance of Día de los Muertos. Families and visitors of all ages can participate in hands-on activities and enjoy colorful displays that celebrate life and remembrance. This annual gathering fosters connection and cultural appreciation in a welcoming, festive atmosphere.
The Old Globe |
| Día de los Muertos at SDMA A community Día de los Muertos celebration featuring live performances, art activities, and an ofrenda designed by Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero in collaboration with San Diego students. The event explores remembrance and the traditions surrounding the Mexican Day of the Dead.
The San Diego Museum of Art |
| NOON | 26th Annual Fall Back Festival A living-history festival exploring San Diego's past through demonstrations and family activities. Cultural programming includes Kumeyaay bird songs and dances, a Kumeyaay drum circle, and demonstrations of Native California tools, along with blacksmithing and other historical activities.
Gaslamp Museum |
| 3:00 PM | Chula Vista Día de los Muertos Experience the spirit of Día de los Muertos as Downtown Chula Vista, San Diego, transforms with colorful cempasúchil flowers, lively music, and community altars. This free, family-friendly celebration features an Ofrenda Competition, Catrín and Catrina Ensemble contests, live performances across multiple stages, a car show, and hands-on kids' crafts. Stroll through Mercado by Las Jefas Market to discover artisan vendors and enjoy delicious food and themed photo opportunities throughout the neighborhood. Guests are encouraged to bring a photo to contribute to the Community Ofrenda at Davidson, honoring loved ones in a meaningful, shared tribute.
Downtown Chula Vista |
| 4:00 PM | Center for the Arts Día de Muertos Festival Celebrate culture, art, and community at the 31st Annual Día de Muertos Festival! This beloved community celebration brings traditional and contemporary expressions of Día de Muertos together through art, music, dance, food, and remembrance.
California Center for the Arts |
| 6:30 PM | Día de Muertos Gala A Día de Muertos celebration bringing together Mexican culinary traditions, chefs from both sides of the border, cultural elements of the holiday, and a fundraiser benefiting Fundación Tijuana Sin Hambre.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar |
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Book of the Month
Ali and Nino: A Love Story
Recipe of the Month
Music of the Month
Mahagita: Harp & Vocal Music From Burma
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