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Join us on Saturday night, December 13, from 6–10 p.m. at Distinction Gallery in Escondido, California, for the opening reception of “Besties and Beasties,” a solo exhibit of new works by celebrated sculptor Valency Genis. Genis’ whimsical sculptures of creatures continue to delight art lovers, her strange and endearing works are sought by collectors all over the world. For more than 20 years, Distinction Gallery has been a beacon of the Southern California art scene, specializing in representational painting—ranging from surrealism and realism to figurative works. Guests aged 21 and over can also enjoy drinks available for purchase from Last Spot Bar during the event. Last Spot Bar has a curated selection of wine, beer, sake, cider and non-alcoholic options. The rest of the gallery will be open for view during the reception and guests are welcome to explore exhibits. Distinction Gallery, 317 E Grand Ave, Escondido, CA 92025 Valency Genis on Facebook / Instagram Distinction Gallery on Facebook

The La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival is a cherished annual celebration that brings the community together for a full day of festive entertainment, family-friendly activities, and holiday spirit. The event features the beloved La Jolla Christmas Parade, showcasing marching bands, creative floats, equestrian units, vintage vehicles, canine groups, community leaders, and local schools and service organizations. The Holiday Festival surrounds the parade with activities offered in two locations. Santa’s Workshop on Wall Street (1008 Wall Street in front of the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library) provides hands-on arts and crafts, educational exhibits including robotics and coding demonstrations, and pre-parade visits with Santa. Santa’s Village at the La Jolla Recreation Center (615 Prospect Street) continues the celebration with games, live music, inflatable attractions, pony rides, face painting, and post-parade Santa visits. Admission is free, and families may reserve complimentary Santa visit time slots in advance on our website: www.ljparade.com We invite the entire community to join us for a joyful and memorable holiday tradition in the heart of La Jolla. La Jolla Christmas Parade & Holiday Festival on Instagram

The exhibition "Race: Power, Resistance & Change" shares stories of how the construction of race has shaped laws, institutions, and daily life in San Diego and the broader multinational region. Presented in English and Spanish, the exhibition highlights key moments in this region’s complex history of race. Experienced through mixed media, artworks, and accounts from regional archives, the exhibition brings forward important stories and voices often left out of mainstream narratives. Created in collaboration with local artists, researchers, and community leaders, this experience highlights stories, past and present, of how communities have resisted oppression and worked for change. "Race: Power, Resistance & Change" is an invitation and a call to action. It is a space to reflect, connect personal experiences, and take part in ongoing conversations about racial justice and building a more equitable future together. La exposición "Raza: Poder, Resistencia y Cambio" comparte historias sobre cómo la construcción social de la raza ha moldeado las leyes, las instituciones y la vida cotidiana en San Diego y en la región multinacional más amplia. Presentada en Inglés y Español, la exposición destaca momentos clave en la compleja historia racial de esta región. Experimentada a través de medios mixtos, obras de arte y testimonios de archivos regionales, la exposición da voz a historias y perspectivas importantes que a menudo han sido excluidas de las narrativas dominantes. Creada en colaboración con artistas locales, investigadores y líderes comunitarios, esta experiencia resalta historias–pasadas y presentes–de cómo las comunidades han resistido la opresión y han trabajado por el cambio. "Raza: Poder, Resistencia y Cambio" es una invitación y un llamado a la acción. Es un espacio para reflexionar, conectar experiencias personales y participar en conversaciones continuas sobre la justicia racial y la construcción conjunta de un futuro más equitativo, juntos. Museum of Us on Facebook / Instagram

iris yirei hu will share the work she's created as the 2025 Longenecker-Roth Artist in Residence at the Department of Visual Arts, UC San Diego. iris is a multidisciplinary journey-based artist from Los Angeles who works across paintings, installations, intercultural collaborations, writing, and public art. She roots her art practice in processes of material and spiritual transformation, as evidenced in labor intensive pieces and installations that explore the subterranean realms of grief and loss, cycles of life and death, the earthly and the otherworldly, and the infinitely evolving self. Central to her practice is working across territories and peoples, through which she investigates how geography, kinship, and the sacred are reflected in cultural technologies and ecological practices. A lifelong learner, she has undertaken rigorous study of ceramics, weaving, and papermaking by being in community with culture bearers and experts, and proposes that the preservation of craft is integral to bridging cultural, geographic, and generational divides. In 2022, LA Metro commissioned iris to design a large-scale mosaic artwork for the future UCLA/Westwood Purple Line Metro Station slated to open for the 2028 Summer Olympics. She has exhibited at the Armory Center for the Arts (Pasadena, CA); Center for Arts, Research, and Alliances (New York, NY); Museum of Contemporary Art (Tucson, AZ); Plug In Institute for Contemporary Art (Winnipeg, MB, Canada); John Michael Kohler Arts Center (Sheboygan, WI); Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery; among many other venues. Notable awards and residencies include: John Michael Kohler Arts Center Arts/Industry Artist-in-Residence in Pottery (2025), Meztli Projects Cultural Worker Fellowship (2024), California Community Foundation Fellowship for Visual Artists (2022), Headlands Center for the Arts Artist-in-Residence (2022), California Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship (2021), and Foundation for Contemporary Arts (2020 & 2018). iris yirei hu on Instagram

George and Lennie are migrants with a dream; a dream of a better life, a place where they can belong, where Lennie feels safe and George can be somebody. But this is the Great Depression, not many dreams come true in a time where a few have plenty but most have nothing. When the friends take a job on a farm in Salinas, tragedy unfolds leading to a heart-breaking decision. A story of enduring friendship, John Steinbeck’s classic novel is more than 85 years old, but with themes of economic migration, racism and prejudice, it remains a parable for our times. DIRECTOR: Teri Brown PRODUCERS: Cydney King & Nancy Roger CAST: John Carroll, Nicolas A. Castillo, David R. Crowell, Tom DeLorenzo, Aion Harrison, Steven Jensen, Tom Kilroy, Knight Padilla, Michael Rodgers, and Alyssa Salacup "Of Mice and Men" contains adult themes, language and racial bias. This production is best suited for those over the age of 13.

This weekend in the arts in San Diego: Digitally inspired art in Escondido, exploring "joy futurism," festive ska, a San Diego Scrooge, boat parades, Hanukkah and more.

We reflect on a headline-filled week following a special election, National City's rejection of a controversial biofuel depot and a season of arts reporting from our colleagues with "The Finest."

Get ready for an evening of gloriously off-the-wall holiday cheer, because the Kitschmas Pageant is BACK and bigger, brighter, and more bonkers than ever. On Friday, December 5, Project [BLANK] teams up with the Athenaeum and San Diego’s legendary art duo Brian & Ryan for a one-night-only, celebration that kicks off their 10th Annual Kitschmas Exhibition! Whether you’re a true tinsel-lover or a holiday skeptic, "It’s Kitschmastime Again!" is a family-friendly extravaganza that promises to send you home grinning and ready to deck the halls with reckless abandon. Expect singing trees, mutant gingerbreads, puppets, krakens, noodle dances, and a forecast that includes an unexpected chance of snow. Arrive early to make ornaments, decorate cookies, sip festive drinks, and immerse yourself in a fantastically plastic winter wonderland. Rounding out the Pageant is a merry band of special guests—Cheyenne Avila, Charles Black, Joe Cantrell, Yvette Dibos, Víctor de la Fuente, Teri Hughes-Oelrich, Moni Light, and Michelle Montjoy—coming together to make this Kitschmas the most joyful and delightfully unhinged yet. Project [BLANK] on Facebook / Instagram

Join us in beautiful, historic downtown Escondido, for a festive vibe, filled with holiday magic! Besides our many small businesses and restaurants, you'll find an outdoor roller rink, Maker's Market, and a nearby Winter Wonderland at the California Center for the Arts, with lots of holiday ambiance, to make your season bright! Great days and nights for families to come and take advantage of all the season has to offer in Escondido! Escondido Downtown Business Association on Facebook

Join Revision as we participate in the nationwide Small Business Saturday event, in Hillcrest San Diego! Our Gift Shop will be open from 12-4 p.m. for a special kick off to the holidays, with new artwork and products made by the artists in residence. Bring a friend, enjoy a beverages and shop local, handmade items that benefit our non-profit arts organization. All items are created by professional artists with developmental disabilities. Revision Creative Workspace on Facebook / Instagram