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Built for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition, a complex of now 32 single-story cottages, known as the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages, occupies an area of under two acres. The variety of cultures represented is matched by an equally diverse floral landscape from around the world. While the charming buildings draw most visitors’ attention, it’s worth taking a closer look at the rich variety of trees and other flora. Forever Balboa Park offers thematic park tours that focus on the park’s unique biodiversity and highlight the park’s horticultural wonders on the second Saturday of each month. Led by park volunteer and horticultural enthusiast Bill Edwards, the free tours leave from the Visitors Center at 10 a.m. unless otherwise indicated. Walks last 1.5 to 2 hours and are typically less than 1 mile on level terrain. It is advised that potential attendees contact the Balboa Park Visitors Center prior to the scheduled walk to determine if there are any last-minute changes or cancellations to the tours. Visit: House of Pacific Relations International Cottages Forever Balboa Park on Facebook / Instagram

Casa de Amparo hosts its 26th annual Crystal Ball Gala. Enjoy an elegant evening featuring a lavish cocktail reception, gourmet dinner by Chef Jeffrey Strauss of Pamplemousse Grille, dancing, and exciting auctions. Since 1998, visionary Crystal Ball patrons and community members have raised substantial funds to help Casa Kids look into their own crystal ball and see a brighter future. All proceeds raised at the Crystal Ball Gall directly benefit Casa de Amparo’s programs. Visit: Crystal Ball Gala Casa de Amparo on Instagram and Facebook

The Persian Cultural Center and San Diego Central Library present an unforgettable celebration of Hafez, the 14th century Persian poet of love, peacemaking and reconciliation. UCSD world history and cultures librarian, Dr. Farshad Sonboldel will lecture on Hafez and his his enduring appeal, and his central place in the literature of Iran and the rest of the world. Live Persian classical music by Dornob Trio. 700 years after his death, Hafez is the only writer to have a national holiday named after him. The Persian Cultural Center is a non-profit, non-religious and non-political national organization. Our mission is to provide an enriching and welcoming environment for all who seek to strengthen the bonds of community, culture and cross-cultural understanding. Subscribe to our Peyk Magazine published in print and online in both English and Persian. Persian Cultural Center on Facebook / Instagram

By William Shakespeare Directed by Sam White With no male heir and the weight of the nation on his shoulders, King Henry VIII seeks to divorce his wife Katherine so he can marry Anne Boleyn. But Henry’s trusted advisors have plans of their own, and the consequences of his decisions will change their lives—and the history of England—forever. The talented students of The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program perform Henry VIII for the very first time, bringing to thrilling life this final installment of Shakespeare’s history plays. Visit: https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/24-season/henry-viii/#?startDate=2024-11-01&%3FendDate=2024-11-30 The Old Globe on Instagram and Facebook

By Jefferson Mays, Susan Lyons and Michael Arden Directed by Barry Edelstein This holiday season, Mays will return to The Old Globe after his San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award–winning performance in "A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder" in 2013. He will portray over 50 beloved characters from Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol"—from Scrooge and Marley to Tiny Tim and the three Ghosts. In this new version of his acclaimed one-man show, Mays showcases Dickens’s text with his virtuosic performance. Visit: https://www.theoldglobe.org/pdp/24-season/a-christmas-carol-a-ghost-story/#?startDate=2024-12-01&%3FendDate=2024-12-31 The Old Globe on Instagram and Facebook

Growing up around Washington, D.C., Edward Wong didn’t know about his father’s past in the People’s Liberation Army. As an adult, he probed those secrets over decades, including during his nine years as a New York Times correspondent and bureau chief in China, when he reported widely across the country, including in the frontier regions where his father had served. He talks about researching his father’s role in the air force and the army of the 1950s, the initial military occupation of Xinjiang, and the reconstitution of the Qing Empire under Communist rule from Mao to Xi. This public lecture is organized by the 21st Century China Center at the UC San Diego School of Global Policy and Strategy. For more information on China activities, please visit china.ucsd.edu.

Join leading paranormal investigators Dave Hanson, Tim Mountain, and Karl Sherlock of Pacific Paranormal Investigations for a discussion about ghosts and paranormal activity in San Diego including the city's most scary haunts. They will discuss how serious paranormal investigations rely less on ghostly methods, such as séances, psychic readings or Ouija boards, and more on evidentiary and investigative analysis to uncover rational and objective causes for anomalies thought to be paranormal. From 6 to 6:30 before the talk, there will be a display of modern ghost hunting technology and equipment.

Join journalist, writer, and filmmaker Frank Abe for a discussion of his new book, “The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration” on the experiences of the over 125,000 Japanese Americans expelled from their homes during World War II by the U.S. government and incarcerated in American concentration camps, based solely upon the race they shared with a wartime enemy. Co-sponsored with the Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego. UCSD Ethnic Studies Professor Christen Sasaki will be in conversation with the author.

Join us on Free Second Sunday for our free family series, Play Day! Inspired by the piece Medicine Woman (1993) by Beverly Buchanan, on display in MCASD’s new exhibition For Dear Life: Art, Medicine, and Disability, we will make sculptures using recycled materials, popsicle sticks, clay, and seeds that will blossom into plants. Art Activity: Create your own sprouting sculpture and learn about the cycles of life. Schedule: At 11 a.m., explore works from MCASD's new exhibition For Dear Life: Art, Medicine, and Disability through a kid friendly tour. At 12:30 p.m., listen to stories, songs, and rhymes in Storytime with Librarian on the Go, Ms. Katia Graham From 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.,enjoy music by a local DJ, a cozy book nook, sketching with water, and book recommendations from the Librarian on the Go. Participate in a communal art project on McGrath Terrace and create a sprouting sculpture. *Museum admission is free from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. for all visitors, with Play Day offerings happening between 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. No RSVPs are required for Play Day admission. Visit: https://mcasd.org/events/play-day-10-13 MCASD on Instagram and Facebook

Join multi-hyphenate artist Gill Sotu for the launch and celebration of his debut book of performance and page poetry, “Equally Strange, Beautifully Different.” Gill’s first solo collection celebrates our differences while seeking out the things that hold us together. It’s meant to be read out loud, with spirit, and with a goal to touch, challenge, and light up something inside readers. Gill Sotu on Facebook / Instagram