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The 50th Annual San Diego Serbian Festival will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, from Noon to 11 p.m. at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, conveniently located near I-5 & Clairemont Dr. at 3025 Denver St., in Bay Park. This annual event is always held on the second Saturday in October. Admission: $5.00, Military, First Responders, and Children 12 & under FREE. The 50th anniversary of the Serbian Festival marks a significant milestone for the over 7,500 Serbian-Americans and immigrants here in San Diego County. The vibrant Serbian culture is centered on its Orthodox Christian faith, food, and music. Many Americans have come to savor the flavor of Serbian food. Attendees will continue to enjoy some of their favorite foods such as burek (pastry filled with meat or cheese), cevapcici (barbequed minced beef & pork sausage), raznjici (BBQ grilled pork); Sarma (Serbian cabbage rolls) plus a number of pastries (apple and cherry pita); palachinke (Serbian crepes), baklava, and Serbian Coffee (Serb version of espresso). There are vegetarian options like Vegetarian Musaka and Sopska Salata (similar to a Greek salad). The spirit of Serbian ethnic heritage is expressed and instilled through dance, song, and music. The 50th anniversary will feature folklore dance performances from folklore groups arriving from all over the Southern California including St. George’s own award-winning Morava folklore group. The ensembles’ primary goal is to present Serbian folklore in as original a form as possible in the context of the Serbian cultural mosaic. Morava and other folklore groups pride themselves on preserving Serbian heritage by maintaining authentic choreography and costume design aligned with the different regions of Serbia. Folklore dancing will begin at 2 p.m. with exhibitions continuing through 8 p.m. Additionally, two renowned live bands will perform Serbian music throughout the day expressing Serbian culture through storytelling songs. St. George in San Diego is said to be the only Church in North America that is completely covered in mosaic tile (from floor to ceiling). Church tours will be offered beginning at 2 p.m. and at regular intervals until 8 p.m. Vespers/Evening Service will be held at 5 p.m. The tour will explain church architecture, worship, symbolism, and basic precepts of the Orthodox faith. St. George uniquely has magnificent Venetian glass mosaics resplendent with color that covers the entire interior of the church. This unique architecture can only be found in southeastern Europe’s cathedrals and churches, not in North America. Clergy and laity from all denominations are welcomed and encouraged to share in tours. Finally, speakers will talk about Serbian history and current Serbian culture so visitors can learn about Serbia’s proud heritage and diverse regions. The San Diego Serbian Festival started in 1972 and has been an integral part of the Southern California community. St. George Serbian Orthodox Church is the oldest Serbian Church in San Diego County founded in 1952 and is located at 3025 Denver Street, San Diego, CA 92117. Because of its beautiful mosaics, St. George is included in many historical and architectural tours of San Diego County.

Opening reception: 4-7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5. Exhibition on view October 2 - 26. "Glimmers of Grace" is a brief survey of the artistic career of Grace Gray-Adams covering works produced from 1976 to the present. An art student at San Diego Mesa College from the first day it opened on Feburary 1964, we are honored to welcome Gray-Adams back with an exhibition that spans multiple themes. As many other older artists, Gray-Adams is grappling with her legacy and the final destination of her works, this is an opportunity for the San Diego audience to get familiar with her work. Centered on spirituality and the female body, Gray-Adams has created pieces such as an installation that exposes sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and a video celebrating the freedom and creativity of twelfth-century nun Hildegard of Bingen. Her artmaking process is guided by a fundamental desire to find ‘glimmers of grace’ in life. Parking is FREE during opening reception, 4-7 p.m. on Thursday Oct. 5. Park in Lot #1 on STAFF spots. Visit exhibit during regular gallery hours, M-TH 12 - 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information visit: sdmesa.edu

A rarely-shown 1926 silent film version of the famous legend of a man’s bargain with the devil, “Faust,” will be screened by the Theatre Organ Society of San Diego (TOSSD) on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 3902 Kenwood Dr, Spring Valley 91977. Music to accompany this heralded example of early horror movies will be played by expert organist Rosemary Bailey on the TOSSD vintage 1927 Wurlitzer organ. General admission tickets of $20 per person may be purchased at the door or online at www.tossd1.org. The program begins at 6 p.m. preceded by a display of vintage autos at 5 p.m. by the San Diego chapter of the Antique Automobile Club of America. “Audiences should prepare for more than the usual fun-filled night of music and motion pictures,” says Bailey, who serves as the volunteer president of TOSSD. “This cinematic medieval folktale is still as thought-provoking and unsettling as it was nearly a hundred years ago.” The Faust Legend: The German literary giant Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published two volumes on Faust between 1808 and 1831; the first volume relating the tragedy of Faust’s bargain with the devil has inspired countless other stories, dramatizations, and musical works including two grand operas. Charles Gounod’s opera premiered in Paris in 1859, based on a French play titled "Faust et Marguerite." An earlier opera by German composer Louis Spohr premiered in Prague in 1816; he later reworked it for a London premiere in 1852. Among the classical composers who took up the Faust story were Beethoven, Berlioz, Liszt, Mahler, and – in 1995 – Randy Newman. Significance in Silent Film: The Halloween season offers an opportunity to review the evolution of horror films and their effect on audiences. This film, directed by Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau and produced in Berlin, is among the early landmarks of the horror genre, prior to the development of movie sound tracks in the late 1920s. “Faust” followed Murnau’s 1922 “Nosferatu,” which introduced the legend of Bram Stoker’s Dracula to movie audiences. In this film, Murnau used state-of-the-art special effects inspired by artists from Caravaggio to the German Expressionists. Dramatic lighting, scenes of flying, depth-of-field shots unique in their day, and billows of smoke and flame contribute to the film’s visual excitement. Not only the heavy theme of the Faust legend but also the exhilaration of youth and frantic celebrations in the face of death bring forth the highs and lows of the horror genre. Film critic Roger Ebert praised Murnau’s skills in creating “a landscape of nightmares.” Theatre Organ Society of San Diego on Facebook

In honor of Día de los Muertos, the historic adobe hacienda at Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park will be dressed up with colorful decorations and a customary ofrenda table dedicated to the Carrillo family. On Saturday, Oct. 28, the park will open after hours for a family-friendly celebration that includes dinner, a no-host bar, crafts for kids and the movie “Coco,” all set in the beautiful historic home and gardens of a Hollywood legend. Dinner: 5 - 6:15 p.m. Movie: 6:30 p.m. (running time 109 minutes) Tickets are available by pre-sale only. Admission is $25 per person; children 3 years and younger are free but still need to register. Enjoy a Mexican-themed picnic dinner. A no-host bar featuring prickly pear cactus margaritas, spirits, beer, wine and soft drinks will be available. Mexican hot chocolate, popcorn and snacks will also be available for purchase. Crafts will be provided for kids and Leo’s historic hacienda will be open for touring prior to showtime. The movie, activities and dinner are included with admission, you will select your meal when you register, children 3 and under will automatically be given a toddler meal. Bring a low-backed chair and/or blankets for picnicking and movie watching under the stars. Registration will close at 11 p.m. on Monday, October 16, or when event sells out. Meal options: Adobada chicken tacos (2) or Fajita style fresh vegetable tacos (2) or Cheese quesadilla Includes refried beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, salsa bar, cinnamon sugar churros and a non-alcoholic beverage. Toddler meal – small quesadilla

The Arab American community is angry that Biden has not called for a ceasefire in Gaza despite a rising civilian death toll. Some leaders said no to meeting his campaign manager.

The Hillcrest Wind Ensemble presents "Autumn Leaves", on Saturday, October 21st. at Linder Hall at the First United Methodist Church of San Diego, 2111 Camino del Rio South, in Mission Valley. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online or at the door. Join us in the courtyard for complimentary hors d'oeuvres at 6:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and concert begins at 7:00 p.m. Under the direction of Artistic Director, Christian Tordahl, the ensemble will perform contemporary pieces evoking an autumnal feel. Music from Rogers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma" will be a highlight of the evening along with other more reflective pieces. A fabulous bake sale featuring homemade desserts and beverages will be available at intermission. The 45 piece Hillcrest Wind Ensemble is in its 37th. year of performing and is proud to be a musical ambassador for the community as a whole. For more information look us up online at www.hillcrestwindensemble.com.

A South African musician, music therapist, and humanitarian, Sharon Katz was born in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth during the Apartheid era and began her anti-Apartheid activism as a teenager. In the decades since, she has used her music for social activism around the world, has recorded with Sting, and received the Phil Ochs “Music for Political and Social Change” award. After Mandela’s election, Sharon Katz & The Peace Train became the country’s first musical ambassadors of the new democracy. Their United States tours have included performances for the Getty in Los Angeles, Disney World, the Duke Ellington Center for the Performing Arts, the Smithsonian, the New Orleans Jazz Festival, and Carnegie Hall. They have been featured at numerous clubs, universities, and festivals throughout the country. Recently, Sharon has appeared in San Diego at the Central Library, La Jolla Library, Worldbeat Center, and the Sam Hinton Folk Heritage Festival. Sharon performed with the legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba and was featured on Sting’s Carnival! album with Elton John, Tina Turner, Annie Lennox, Ruben Blades, and Pavarotti. Grammy-award-winners Ladysmith Black Mambazo also joined Sharon on The Peace Train. Several of Sharon’s albums have been featured on the Grammy ballot for Best World Music including Imbizo, Side-By-Side, and We Can Be The Change. At this concert, Sharon and her band will perform songs from her brand-new album, For You, (which will be available on CD and all streaming platforms) as well as a tribute to Miriam Makeba. The album features six brand-new original songs including What Can We Do, an anthem for our times recorded with a South African choir, Thee Legacy, as well as Think It Over, a song about human rights for all people. When Voices Meet, a documentary film about Sharon’s music and humanitarian work with The Peace Train project, was released in 2015. Through archival footage and the twenty-year retrospective words of the original choir members, musicians, and other South African personalities, this critically acclaimed documentary went on to receive numerous awards at over thirty film festivals around the world. It has been shown on TV in over fifty countries and is now available on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and DVD. Continuing her reputation of “converting gang members into band members,” Sharon is currently practicing music therapy in the border region between San Diego and Tijuana where she has been forming choirs and teaching music to youth in some of the most gang- and drug-infested areas. She has also been working in shelters for migrant children and families, a safe house for girls rescued from trafficking, and a program for survivors of torture. Related links: San Diego Folk Heritage: website | Instagram | Facebook

Sonic Youth's co-founder took her cues from a '60s girl-group but forges a new lane. NPR Music producer Lars Gotrich functions as your antidote to the algorithm in eight tracks to know this week.

Meet a steel pan artist that will knock you out of your shoes. Jonathan Scales provides new angles to hear and appreciate his enigmatic instrument.

The TV adaptation of the 2016 novel The Expatriates is set in Hong Kong and tells the stories of several women navigating expat ennui. The show is also a strangely displaced form of prestige TV.