My Town Monday: Spreckels Organ Pavilion, San Diego, CA
Welcome to another My Town Monday post!
If you ever visit San Diego, you must make a point of spending time at Balboa Park. And while you're there, wander by the
Spreckels Organ Pavilion. In fact, you won't be sorry if you plan your day around a free concert at the Pavilion. These mostly occur on Sundays from 2:00 - 3:00. Here is the 2010 calendar
Some fun facts about the Spreckels Organ Pavilion:
-John Spreckels, (1853-1926), donated this outdoor pipe organ for the Panama-California Exposition, held in San Diego in 1915
-This is the world's largest outdoor musical instrument.
-The organ weighs almost 100,000 pounds and has over 4,500 pipes. Some are 32 feet high, while others are the size of a pencil. A super huge rollaway door, weighing over 20,000 pounds) protects the organ from weather when not in use.
-The Pavilion seats over 2,400 and is located in Balboa Park
-There will be a special Mother's Day program this coming Sunday.
-San Diego has had a civic organist since 1917 to perform the Sunday concerts. Dr. Carol Williams is our current civic organist.
Here's her website.
Don't these posts make you want to visit San Diego? ;)
Please check out posts by the other My Town Monday participants by clicking here.
sources:
http://www.sosorgan.com/history/history1.htm
http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/detail.php?OrgID=75
Posts
Yes, these posts do make me want to visit San Diego!
ReplyDeleteSomeday… :)
What an incredible pipe organ. I’d love to hear the music it creates – live.
I visited San Diego a long long time ago (with a crazy guy I used to know). what I remember most was the glorious weather. And I remember a visit to Balboa Park. A beautiful place!
ReplyDeleteThat organ is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI love Balboa Park, but I never knew it had a place with free organ concerts. Yet another reason to go to San Diego :)
ReplyDeleteI've been here! But not for a performance... It was very cool.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was a music teacher/organist. I bet she could have rocked this place. :)
I love the filigree work on that building
ReplyDeleteI love the filigree work on that building
ReplyDeleteI went to school in San Diego and LOVED it. This post makes me yearn to visit!
ReplyDeleteI wondered briefly why we didn't have one of these in Utah until I realized that all the snow/ice would kill it but probably would make great popsicles.
ReplyDeleteWow, this is the first one I've seen outside of an actual shop that builds them (My boyfriends family builds pipe organs in Rocky Mount, VA) and churches. They are amazing.
ReplyDeleteThe coolest thing happened at my house tongiht. I was walking to the fridge and looked down at this little cabinet nearby and there was your book!!! Ask my daughter, Alexis, where she got it and she said she bought it at the bookfair recently! Was so proud to tell her I knew the author! She's really liking it so far, and I plan to read it after her! Just thought I'd tell you this story - because I'm so proud of you!!
ReplyDeleteTake care - Kellan