San Diego Weekend Guide: March 21-23 – Angels & Arias

Spring has officially sprung! There’s a lot out there to enjoy this San Diego weekend, especially for film fans, but music lovers get their share of the pie too – ranging from country to opera to punk.

The San Diego Latino Film Festival continues, with a full slate of feature films and shorts – they’re getting some buzz this year – through Sunday. Venues include AMC Mission Valley and Digital Gym Cinema in the East Village. Showcases include a focus on the border, youth and films made in the U.S. Five-ticket passes cost $50, with individual screenings at $13.

Other film buffs might want to see icons on the big screen – one whom we recently lost and another, a Navy perennial.

• The Blue Angels – the documentary, on the Navy’s famed elite flight squad, takes over the Imax screen at the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. There are three showtimes daily throughout the month, at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. “Fleet Experience” admission, including entry to the museum and show, costs $25.
• Gene Hackman – Reading Cinemas Town Square in Clairemont is featuring four of the Oscar winner’s top films, including, appropriately enough for March Madness, Hoosiers. Also in the mix: The Conversation and The Birdcage. Screenings continue through Thursday. Tickets cost $10 at the box office.

Think square dancing is just for folks down south? Think again. Dancers from San Diego and beyond will gather for the 75th anniversary of Fiesta de la Cuadrilla – yes, that means square. There will be multiple events, including at Balboa Park and in La Mesa. Watch the afternoon square dance, billed as an “all-level fun dance,” at 1 p.m. Friday, at the Balboa Park Club. Register for free access to all events or pay $10 for the dance at the club.

The San Diego Opera season continues with the sinful Salome, opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with a special local twist – Oceanside resident Nina Warren plays the role of Herodias. Tickets for the show, with additional performances Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, start at $49.

The 13th annual Chamorro Cultural Festival celebrates Chamorro culture, music, dance and more. Sample the traditions of the Mariana Islands with live performances, workshops, and local foods too. Head to the Oceanside Pier Amphitheater at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The Old Globe Theatre’s AXIS community program honors local Indigenous culture at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Outdoor Copley Plaza. Enjoy free performances from flautist Little Wolf and guitarist Paul Cannon, along with the Blue Eagle Bird Singers and Sam BearPaw drum and dance troupe. Try workshops too, including sage bundling, rock painting and basket weaving. Kenny Ramos hosts the free event.

Slabratory & 7 Siblings Hot Sauce host the first Punk Rock Rodeo in Ocean Beach at noon Saturday. The block party runs along Newport Avenue, split among five venues, The Holding Company, Winston’s, The Harp, Humble Heart and Hodads’ parking lot. A mechanical bull will add to the rodeo vibe. Day passes are sold out, but tickets are available for individual shows, starting at $15.

Petco Park’s about to get really busy as of next week, but here’s a heck of a pre-show for Opening Day: KSON 103.7’s CountryFest begins at the park’s Gallagher Square. The bill features headliner Justin Moore, Nate Smith, Warren Zeiders and the Morgan Leigh Band. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Tickets start at $79.