Art showcases
APERTURA
The Athenaeum Art Center will host the APERTURA showcase this weekend, celebrating βpoetry, zines, music and community resources.β The event is a companion project to San Diego Poet Laureate Paola CapΓ³-GarcΓaβs video poetry exhibition, βApertura.β
For the initial project, CapΓ³-GarcΓa collaborated with poets from San Diego and Tijuana to bring their work to the screen β all with the intention of broadening how poetry and art can be experienced.
"It is an opening. It's an invitation to people to experience poetry in a different way, and to open themselves up more to the possibilities of poetry," CapΓ³-GarcΓa told KPBS arts reporter Julia Dixon Evans.
The APERTURA showcase takes place Saturday and is free to the public.
Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 | Athenaeum Art Center, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights| Free | MORE INFO
βSan Diego Artist Incubatorβ at Bread & Salt
This Saturday, Bread & Salt in Logan Heights will host the second round of the San Diego Artist Incubator. Led by the city of San Diego and funded by the California Arts Council, the program supports the professional development of artists in the region, helping them share their work with the public and adapt their work to different environments.
Audiences can expect to see work by five artists: hip-hop musician, poet and spoken-word artist Mike Vale; movement artist Miguel Galvan; sound and installation artist Joe Cantrell; painter Cathy Carey; and mixed media artist Alexandra Carter. You can also check out other exhibitions currently on display at Bread & Salt. The event is free and open to the public.
Saturday, Nov. 14 | Bread & Salt Gallery, 1955 Julian Ave., Logan Heights | Free | MORE INFO
Theater
βArrowheadβ
Local LGBTQIA+ theater company Diversionary Theatre is presenting βArrowhead,β written by Catya McMullen and directed by the companyβs artistic director, Sherri Eden Barber. The play follows Gen, a lesbian who, after finding herself unexpectedly pregnant, brings her college friends together for a secret abortion party. The result is a bold, comedic exploration of bodily autonomy, the intricacies of identity, queerness and community expectations. Diversionary describes the cast of βArrowheadβ in an Instagram post as βa little bit of βFriends,β a dash of βAdults,β a LOT of chaos, and enough messy energy to make Central Park look peaceful.β
Nov. 12 - Dec. 6 | Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. Suite 101, University Heights | $32-$65 | MORE INFO
Music
Los Tigres del Norte β βLos Tigres del Mundoβ tour
This Saturday, Mexican norteΓ±o band Los Tigres del Norte will bring its βLos Tigres del Mundoβ tour to Pechanga Arena. The band has spent the last six decades gathering stories from its communities β including the struggles of the working class and the nuances of the immigrant experience β and weaving them into song. Their musicianship and storytelling are why listeners have dubbed them βLa Voz del Pueblo,β or βThe Voice of the People.β
In October, NPR premiered Los Tigres del Norteβs Tiny Desk Concert as part of its annual βEl Tinyβ series. The video opens with an emotional introduction from the two hosts of NPRβs βalt.Latinoβ show β a departure from the usual Tiny Desk format. As the band launches into its hit song βSomos mΓ‘s Americanos,β you can feel the emotion sweep through the office and the power the group continues to hold today.
Saturday, Nov. 14 | Pechanga Arena, 3500 Sports Arena Blvd., Point Loma | $114-$358 | MORE INFO
Las Migas
Spanish all-women ensemble Las Migas returns to San Diego for another performance with ArtPower. Founded more than 20 years ago, the group has helped shape the world of flamenco, giving it a more contemporary, feminist identity. On this tour, the group will perform songs from its latest album, βFlamencasβ which pays tribute to the essence of the genre. The album also won a Latin Grammy for Best Flamenco Album in 2025.
Friday, Nov. 13 | Epstein Family Amphitheater, 9480 Innovation Ln., La Jolla | $37-$57 | MORE INFO
The Tallest Man on Earth
Folk musician and singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson, who performs under the stage name The Tallest Man on Earth, will perform at the Observatory North Park this Saturday. While American rock and folk music had a major influence on much of his earlier work, Mattson embraces his Swedish roots on his eighth album, βJust Beyond Endless Mountain,β drawing inspiration from Swedish folk songs.
Saturday, Nov. 14 | The Observatory North Park, 2891 University Ave., North Park | $45.20 | MORE INFO
Film
La bola negra
The Spanish queer historical drama βLa bola negraβ opens at Digital Gym Cinema this Friday. Directed by the Cannes-winning director duo Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, also known as βLos Javis,β the film interweaves three timelines in Spanish history, spanning the years before the Spanish Civil War, the war itself and the present day. It was inspired by the work of Spanish poet and playwright Federico GarcΓa Lorca, specifically his unfinished play of the same name.
I got the chance to catch βLa bola negraβ at an early screening last month, and I was struck by its scale and deeply moved by its intimacy. I really appreciate how the film honors the existence and resilience of queer art and history in times of oppression, serving in large part as a tribute to our queer ancestors.
Beginning Friday, Nov. 13 | Digital Gym Cinema, 1100 Market St., downtown | $9-$13 | MORE INFO
Books
βTall Tales Books and Moreβ grand opening
San Diego has a thriving independent bookstore scene, and itβs time to add another one to the list. Tall Tales Books and More will be celebrating its grand opening in Normal Heights. The bookstore started out as Komorebi Bookshop in 2024, popping up at events, markets, schools and more. You can expect lattes, flash tattoos, vinyl jams and, of course, plenty of books at the grand opening.
What I find cool about Tall Tales Books is how itβs already building community. The bookstore hosts reading parties called Disco Libreria, where you can bring your current read, listen to music and meet fellow bookworms. And while I havenβt been yet, I love that there are so many opportunities to mingle with other readers in the region.
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 | 3131 Adams Ave., Normal Heights | Free | MORE INFO
Conventions
TwitchCon
The annual convention returns to the San Diego Convention Center this weekend. Hosted by streaming platform Twitch, it is an opportunity for online creators and fans alike to build community, whether through meetups, workshops or gaming sessions.
KPBS arts reporter Audy McAfee has a breakdown of some of the top events to check out at this yearβs convention, from competitive Minecraft to a massive Get Ready With Me (GRWM) event to sessions on mental health in gaming and accessibility in the streaming space.
Nov. 13-15 | San Diego Convention Center, 111 W. Harbor Dr., downtown | $32-$65 | MORE INFO
Holiday shopping
Mission Trails Holiday Marketplace
Looking to knock out some early holiday shopping or interested in what local makers are selling this season? Mission Trails Regional Park is hosting its annual Holiday Marketplace this weekend. Vendors include local woodworkers, ceramic artists, sourdough bakers and more. (You can find the full list of vendors here). Another plus: You can surround yourself with nature afterward. A portion of vendor sales will go directly to the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation.
Canβt make it this weekend? No worries. KPBS has compiled its own guide to holiday markets across San Diego, complete with a virtual map.
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Nov. 14-15 | Mission Trails Regional Park Visitor Center, One Father Junipero Serra Trail, San Carlos | Free | MORE INFO
For more and ongoing arts events, visit the KPBS/Arts Calendar.
