Friday, Nov. 1

Dia de los Muertos
Old Town’s Bazaar del Mundo and Casa Guadalajara are teaming up Friday through Sunday, Nov. 1-3, to celebrate Día de los Muertos – or “Day of the Dead” – the traditional Mexican holiday that honors friends and family members who have passed on. The entrance to Casa Guadalajara will transform into a lively marketplace of artisans displaying their Day of the Dead-themed wares. Guests will delight in performances from traditional ballet folklorico dancers and Casa Guadalajara’s world-class mariachi band – all in painted skeleton faces. Face painting and photo opportunities with a life-size Catrina (a female skeleton figure donning a Mexican folkloric dress and hat) sitting in an 1800s carriage will also be available. In the Bazaar del Mundo Shops, at 4133 Taylor St., guests can peruse additional artists displaying Día de los Muertos-themed work and collectables, plus additional altars and opportunities to participate in free family-friendly activities – including sugar skull decorating, mask making and more.

Saturday, Nov. 2

Camino de Almas
The community is invited to join in the procession led by Day of the Dead mariachis from El Borrego to Fair@44, where the family-friendly celebration will include face painting, music, food and drinks and a free viewing of the Disney Pixar movie “Coco.” Meet at El Borrego at 5 p.m.

Local author book signing
Local author Elizabeth Earley will be at The Book Catapult at 7:30 p.m. to discuss and sign her new novel, “Like Wings, Your Hands.” Elizabeth will be in conversation that evening with Lily Hoang and Kazim Ali. 3010 Juniper St.

Junior League Gala
The Junior League of San Diego (Junior League) is holding one of its largest fundraising events, the fourth annual Gala, which supports youth transitioning out of foster care, assists San Diego County partners in reducing human trafficking and empowers women to becoming strong volunteer leaders in the community. Attendees interested in supporting Junior League in its mission-based projects are welcome to join this evening event in masquerade fashion at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., guests will gather at Balboa Park in black-tie attire for an extraordinary evening of dining, dancing and auctioning. Tickets are $150.

Marston House 10 Year Anniversary
To thank our visitors and supporters for a historic 10 years, The Marston House Museum will be celebrating with free general admission all day on Nov. 2, for all San Diego residents. SOHO operates and manages the museum for the city of San Diego, for the benefit of all San Diegans, and visitors. Enjoy light refreshments and one of San Diego’s most pleasant public spaces, the home and gardens of the Marston family. The museum has a dedicated group of well-trained volunteer docents, who will be on hand to answer questions and provide tours. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 3525 Seventh Ave.

‘Twelfth Night’
The classical actors of tomorrow will bring to life a world filled with some of the Bard’s most unforgettable characters and memorable moments. “Twelfth Night” will run Nov. 2-10, 2019, in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Opening night is Saturday, Nov. 2 at 8 p.m. Tickets to “Twelfth Night” are now on sale and can be purchased online at TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at 619-23-GLOBE, or by visiting the box office.

Sunday, Nov. 3

Race for the Cure
Susan G. Komen San Diego will hold their 23rd annual Race for the Cure on Sunday, Nov. 3, in Balboa Park. This event is key for raising funds that are utilized directly in the San Diego community for research and to help fund important breast health resources for those in the community who face barriers to care. The vendor expo will be open at 6:30 a.m. along Balboa Drive, and the walk will begin at 8 a.m. Start at Sixth Avenue at Palm Street. KomenSanDiego.org/walk.

Monday, Nov. 4

Toddler Story Time
A story time designed for toddlers, featuring songs, rhymes, and finger plays at the Community Room in the Mission Valley Library. 11 a.m.-noon. It will also be held on Nov. 18 and 25.

Tuesday, Nov. 5

Baby Time!
Baby Time is a weekly program at the Mission Valley Library, which is perfect for babies and young toddlers: short, fun and interactive. 3-3:30 p.m. on Nov. 5, 12, 19, and 26.

Thursday, Nov. 7

Dance Pants Party
Recommended for toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary-school age kids, this simple dance program will feature the hokey pokey, the chicken dance, and more. Families, it’s time to get your groove on! 10:30 a.m. at the Mission Valley Library.

Friday, Nov. 8

Zoohackathon weekend
More than 70 programmers, designers and strategic thinkers will gather at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research to take part in the fourth annual Zoohackathon in San Diego. At this unique event, tech-savvy participants from throughout the region will work together to help find solutions to problems facing wildlife around the world, specifically involving international wildlife trafficking. Participants will be divided into teams, they will be presented with conservation challenges from experts around the world, and then teams will work for 48 hours to hack their way toward solutions. At the end of the hackathon, the teams will be asked to present their ideas, and a panel of judges will nominate a winner for San Diego. A global panel of technology and conservation experts will review and select the top submissions for further development and possible market deployment. For more information about Zoohackathon and how to sign up for the event, visit zoohackathon.comzoohackathon.com.

Saturday, Nov. 9

Youth Leadership Academy
The Youth Leadership Academy was created to bring LGBTQ+ youth together from across the region to engage, educate, and inspire our next generation of leaders. This academy is free and open to junior-high to high-school-aged LGBTQ youth and YLA alumni. 8:30 a.m.-5:15 p.m. at San Diego History Center.

Kate Sessions Birthday Celebration
The Balboa Park Conservancy encourages San Diego families and tree lovers of all ages to help us ‘Plant It Forward’ at a new annual event in honor of Kate Sessions’s birthday and Balboa Park’s vital urban forest from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. The family-friendly celebration in Morley Field at Jacaranda Place is the perfect opportunity to take a guided tree tour, dig into the park’s horticultural history, learn about the important role trees play in preventing climate change, watch tree-planting demonstrations, make sunprints, and enjoy live bluegrass music and gourmet food truck fare under the park’s forest canopy. Kate Sessions is known as the “Mother of Balboa Park.” Those who sign up ahead of time can plant new trees in Morley Field.

Quest Space Kit: Heat Experiments on the ISS
In this workshop, middle school students will build and program experiments to see how microgravity affects three types of heat transfer – radiation, convection and conduction. Students will build the hardware for each experiment using heating bulbs, resistors and temperature sensors. They will write code for their experiment in the Arduino environment and C programming language. Finally, students will upload their code to the International Space Station and analyze the resulting data to see how microgravity affects the different types of heat transfer. Registration is required. For more information, go to sandiego.librarymarket.com. 2-5 p.m. at Mission Valley Library.

Sunday, Nov. 10

UH Arts Open/Taste of University Heights
The 14th year of this combined arts/taste annual event will start at the ticket will call, information booth located at Kairoa Brewing Company, 4601 Park Blvd. Pick up a free event map to artist studios and exhibitions in businesses and restaurants along and around Park Blvd. Join the community in celebrating the culinary flavors and local libations that make UH so unique. Taste tickets are $20 in advance or $25 event day. Included with your ticket is a free chance on a big assortment of prizes held at 3:30 p.m. upstairs at Kairoa Brewing Company. The Taste of UH hours are noon-3 p.m. UH Arts Open is a self-guided, free tour of artists’ studios. Open Studios is a chance to experience first-hand how, where, and why art is created and provides a glimpse into the life of the working artist. The UH Arts Open hours are 11-4 p.m. with free shuttle service for both events. For more information, contact UHCDC offices at 619-297-3166 or UHarts.org for the UH Arts Open.

Tuesday, Nov. 12

Forgotten Tragedy: The Sultana Disaster of 1865
On April 27, 1865, the paddle wheeler Sultana was chartered by Union officials to carry released POWs back to the north. The boat, already fighting a flood, was loaded with 2,000 Union soldiers, each desperate to see home after a brutal civil war and imprisonment. Just after midnight, the boilers exploded and the Sultana was torn apart. Many died, and to this day, it remains the worst maritime disaster in American history. Join historian and author Mark Carlson to hear the history of this tragic event and discover what happened to the Sultana. This event is free and open to the public, and there is no need to pre-register. 12:30-2:30 p.m. at the Mission Valley Library.

Wednesday, Nov. 13

Our Neighborhood Stories: Old Town
The Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Library proudly presents a series of programs highlighting the rich history of the neighborhoods in the Uptown area, in partnership with the Mission Hills-Hillcrest/Knox Friends of the Library, and the San Diego History Center. Bring your passion for history and community to these interactive and thought-provoking conversations about our communities. This month’s event at 6:30 p.m. will focus on the history of Old Town.

Thursday, Nov. 14

Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Gather in OLP’s outdoor amphitheater for an evening of Shakespeare in the Park! Please join us this November as The Academy of Our Lady of Peace presents William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Due to construction, this performance will be held outdoors in our amphitheater. In an effort to provide more comfortable seating, stadium chairs and cushions will be sold at the event. Supplies are limited, so they will be sold on a first come first serve basis. We encourage you to bring blankets and sweaters to stay warm and comfortable during the show. Tickets are $8-$12. Academy of Our Lady of Peace, 4860 Oregon St. Nov. 14-16 at 6 p.m.

Hullabaloo!
Join us for a toe-tapping good time with family favorite and local band Hullabaloo! No sign-ups required. 10 a.m. at North Park Library.

Saturday, Nov. 16

C-Note Pop-Up Art Sale
The event hosted at San Diego Art Institute connects budding art collectors with local artists selling their pieces for just $100, $200, or $300. More than 300 works from nearly 100 artists will be available for sale. General admission to the C-Note is $5 and free for youth 18 and under, students, and military. Doors open at noon on Nov. 16 and 17, and collectors are encouraged to arrive early to beat the crowd.

‘Awkward but Graceful’
A one-woman show written and performed by Nataša Warasch and directed by Grant Gelvin. Nataša is from Slovenia. She came to the United States with a one-way ticket, $200 in traveler’s checks and a dream. 8 p.m. at the North Park Vaudeville Theatre, 2031 El Cajon Blvd. Admissions is $18 at the door.

LEGO Mindstorms!
In collaboration with All Girls STEM Society, Mission Valley Library presents a fun and accessible robotics program featuring Lego Mindstorms! Get ready to build and program autonomous robots while studying the basics of mechanics, electronic design, sensors, and programming! This workshop is recommended for girls in third through eighth grades. Registration is required. Sign up online at allgirlsstemsociety.org/san-diego.html or contact Marika Jeffery at 858-573-5007. For more information about the All Girls STEM Society, go to allgirlsstemsociety.org. 1:45 p.m.-4:30 p.m.

Recurring events

Mondays

Lestat’s West Open Mic
Weekly open mic event hosted by Robby Robertson every Monday, 6:30-11 p.m. at Lestat’s, 3343 Adams Ave.
bit.ly/LestatsWest

Tuesdays

Introduction to Buddhism & Meditation
Join an all-ages introductory class to learn the basic Buddhist concepts as well as participate in a discussion and silent meditation. Weekly event led by Jeff Zlotnik. Free. 7-8 p.m. at Dharma Bum Temple 4144 Campus Ave. Also held on Saturdays at 11 a.m.-noon
bit.ly/dharmabum

Thursdays

North Park Thursday Market
Shop at more than 90 tents for locally grown produce, seasonal grocery items, fresh food and hand-crafted arts and crafts. 3-7:30 p.m. at 3000 North Park Way, stretching from 31st to Utah streets in North Park.
bit.ly/ThursMarket

Thursdays at the Ken
San Diego’s late-night jazz jam convenes every Thursday night at the Kensington Club. Hosted by musicians Ian Buss, Robert Dove and Hugo Suarez. $5. 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. 4079 Adams Ave. bit.ly/ThursKen

Fridays

Free Friend Friday
Looking for a co-working space with value-aligned social entrepreneurs, artists, nonprofit professionals and local startups? Collective Impact Center offers a complimentary day pass to use shared desks and office space. Bring your laptop and check in on social media with #cicfreefriendfriday for free Wi-Fi. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Collective Impact Center, 3295 Meade Ave.
bit.ly/free-Fridays

Saturdays

Old Town Saturday Market
This street market features original works from local artists including paintings, jewelry, photography and more. Every Saturday and Sunday. 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at Harney Street and San Diego Avenue in Old Town.
bit.ly/OTMarket

Sundays

Hillcrest Farmers Market
About 175 venders offer a variety of locally grown produce, hand-made arts and crafts, and fresh-cut florals at one of the city’s largest open-air markets. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Normal Street between University and Lincoln avenues.
bit.ly/HillcrestMarket