Visual art
'ARTwear'
Produced by Fiber Art Now, a gorgeous magazine dedicated to textile arts, the Visions Museum of Textile Arts is hosting an exhibition version of work that appeared in a recent issue. The show features pieces designed to be worn — extreme, wearable art.
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Through Jan. 31, 2026 | Visions Museum of Textile Art, 2825 Dewey Rd., Ste. 100, Liberty Station | Free | MORE INFO
'Otoño: A Printmaking Exhibition'
Printmaker Kelvin Lopez has curated this San Diego Printmaking Society exhibition at The Chrysalis, the Monarch School's arts center. The show comes from an open call for printmakers beyond the region, bringing together work from Paris, the U.K., Mexico City, New York, Portland and more — including local artists. The event also features a community ofrenda hosted by artists Xareni Lizarraga and Ricky Gutierrez.
5-7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2. On view through Nov. 16 | The Chrysalis, 1805 Main St., Barrio Logan | Free | MORE INFO
'Location Location Location'
Curator Bilal Bikile's Deixis Gallery has a new location and will open a group exhibition to commemorate the space. The theme, location, references both the new gallery and the search for a sense of home in an untethered world. Artists include Gracie Moon, Neville Greene, Bikile, Elizabeth Juarez and more.
Reception 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1. On view through Dec. 20 | Deixis Gallery, 2173 Logan Ave., Barrio Logan | Free | MORE INFO
Music
Fresh Veggies Micro Brass
This lively band combines jazz and brass instrumentation with effects pedals and pop-punk sensibilities. They perform two free shows at Lou Lou's on Halloween — so make sure your costume is dance-floor ready.
8 p.m. and 10 p.m Friday, Oct. 31 | Lou Lou's Jungle Room, 2225 El Cajon Blvd., North Park | Free | MORE INFO
Happy Halloween at The Casbah
Featuring spooky standards by The Creepy Creeps alongside Mistress 77, Scary Pierre and Wild Wild Wets, this Halloween show is basically a big party. Costumes are strongly encouraged.
8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 | The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., Little Italy | $36.60 | MORE INFO
'The French Connection'
The La Jolla Symphony, under the direction of Sameer Patel, will present a concert of diverse French and French-inspired works, from Claude Debussy's dramatic and sweepingly pastoral "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun" to Erik Satie's minimalist, surrealist ballet "Parade," which calls for oddball instrumentation like sirens, ticker tape and typewriters. When it debuted, Pablo Picasso painted the sets.
7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 | Mandeville Auditorium, 9500 Gilman Dr., UC San Diego | $22-$48.50 | MORE INFO
Theater
'Rent'
New Village Arts presents the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical "Rent," adapted from the Puccini opera "La bohème." The story follows struggling artists in New York City as they balance their creativity, dreams and relationships with a need to survive in a community still reeling from the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Lower-cost previews run through Nov. 7.
Oct. 31 through Dec. 24 | New Village Arts, 2787 State St., Carlsbad | $35+ | MORE INFO
'Something Rotten'
This musical comedy follows two brothers in the 1590s as they attempt to write the first-ever musical — in Shakespeare’s time.
Nov. 1-9 | Star Theatre, 402 N. Coast Hwy., Oceanside | $22-32 | MORE INFO
AXIS: Día de los Muertos Celebration
The Old Globe's free community engagement program presents a performance of the new CoLAB play, plus live music, a puppet parade, hands-on arts activities and more in the outdoor Copley Plaza.
11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2 | The Old Globe, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park | Free | MORE INFO
Books
Mysterious Galaxy Halloween Party
What better place to celebrate Halloween than being surrounded by all the ghost stories, vampire lore, zombie tales and paranormal horror your heart desires? Mysterious Galaxy, San Diego’s independent genre bookstore, will host trick-or-treating, bookseller storytime and crafts.
4-6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31 | Mysterious Galaxy, 3555 Rosecrans St. #107A, Sports Arena/Midway | Free | MORE INFO
Dance
‘Ghost Light Masquerade’
Inspired by the longstanding superstition of leaving a single lamp burning in a theater to fend off ghostly spirits and bad luck, contemporary ballet company The Rosin Box Project returns with its spooky season production “Ghost Light Masquerade.” It poses a heavy question: What if the light instead invites the spirits in? The Rosin Box Project routinely produces some of the most inventive, narrative dance in San Diego, and this annual concert is its tour de force. It is a promenade-style performance, where audience members wander in groups through the theater space, stumbling upon performances. Color-coded masquerade masks are provided — one indicates your willingness to interact with the performers, the other signals you'd prefer to spectate. One final show remains.
7:30 p.m. Oct. 30 | The Soap Factory, 2995 Commercial St., Logan Heights | $71.21 | MORE INFO
Malashock Dance: 'Seed'
It's the final weekend of this showcase of emerging local talent and creativity. Choreographers Giovanna Francisco, Iverson Harding, Nick McGhee and Lexii Regina will present new works of contemporary dance, shown alongside work by Malashock's artistic director, Christopher K. Morgan.
Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 | Malashock Dance Studio Theater, 2650 Truxtun Rd. Ste. 200, Liberty Station | $10-$35 | MORE INFO
Film
'The Harvest/La Cosecha' Screening and 'Because We Eat' Opening Reception
Director Robin Romano's 2011 documentary "The Harvest/La Cosecha" will screen at the opening reception of San Diego artist and activist Antonia Davis' mixed-media installation "Because We Eat." The exhibit explores how food-growing practices impact farm workers.
5:30-8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 | Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, 5998 Alcala Park, University of San Diego | Free | MORE INFO
Family, festivals and more
For a full list of Día de Muertos events across San Diego County, check out our roundup.
Sherman Heights Día de Muertos
The Sherman Heights Community Center is hosting a vibrant, weekslong celebration honoring the Day of the Dead tradition. Visitors can explore community and neighborhood altars, participate in craft workshops, take student tours and watch movies.
The procession event (PDF) is held 2-10 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, with a 7 p.m. guided departure from the Sherman Heights Community Center to tour and bless neighborhood altars. Walkers will return to the center by 8:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 - Nov. 2. Sherman Heights Community Center. 2258 Island Ave., San Diego | Prices vary | MORE INFO
Chula Vista Día de Muertos
Downtown Chula Vista will be immersed in vivid colors, scents and sounds for its fifth annual Día de Muertos celebration. The event will include an ofrenda competition, a Catrín an Catrina ensemble contest, live music and dance performances at four different locations, a car show, kids’ crafts and more. You can even bring a photo of a lost loved one and pin it on the community altar at Davidson.
3-8 p.m. Nov. 1. | 353 Third Ave., downtown Chula Vista | MORE INFO
Old Town Día de Muertos
Old Town will hold its celebration with a Mercado del Arte and procesión to the cemetery. If you go between now and Nov. 2, you can visit museums and see altares de muertos — or altars of the dead — participate in art activities and sign up for a sugar skull painting workshop. Other activities will be spread out through October leading up to the weekend when Día de Muertos is observed.
10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., Nov. 1 and 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., Nov 2. | 4300 Taylor St., Old Town | MORE INFO
