San Diego, CA
‘It gets a bad wrap:’ East Village block party aims to change the narrative
East Village came alive Saturday, hours before the San Diego Padres game.
The 12th annual East Village Block Party, on J Street between 7th and 10th avenues, featured food, music, games and plenty of Friar Faithful. In the morning, it was mainly residents attending who said they were happy for a community event and hoped it might change the perception of the neighborhood.
East Village has San Diego’s largest homeless population and can be jarring to new visitors to Petco Park, or the upcoming Comic-Con International. Still, it’s not the same as East Village of 15, 10 or five years ago, with the addition of 22 apartment complexes added in the last decade and an estimated 20,000 residents.
“The (block party) helps to rehabilitate that perception,” said Dominic Li Mandri, district manager for the East Village Association. “We want people to know it isn’t just a business district, but a residential district now.”
Li Mandri credits the opening of Petco Park in 2004 as the catalyst in the revitalization of the area. In fact, the block party was a bit of a mix between a community event and a Padres fan festival. Li Mandri said they expected 5,000 and 10,000 people to attend the event, with the majority coming in the hours before the 4:15 p.m. game between the Padres and Atlanta Braves. The block party was originally scheduled for the start of the Padres season but was canceled due to rain.
J Street was filled Saturday with the smell of grilled food, two DJs playing pop hits and plenty of venders. Some of the food options included Bosforo, with wood-fired pizza; Doggus Gus, with bacon-wrapped hot dogs; and Pacific Island Crave, with Hawaiian and other types. As the sun came out and the temperature hit 80 degrees, Topo Chico was on the case, handing out bottles of its sparkling water.
Jesse Fuentes, 40, and his wife Brittany Fuentes, 39, were at the event with their Padres jerseys on. They rent an apartment a few blocks away and Jesse Fuentes works at the nearby San Diego Central Library.
“I wish there were more events like this to highlight how great this community is,” Jesse Fuentes said.
East Village pride was a common theme among many participants. Jill Benbow, 46, was at the event with her husband and two senior dogs, Huey, 13, wearing a Padres bow tie, and his sister Ruby 14, who was too hot to wear her regular Padres shirt.
Benbow, wearing a Manny Machado shirt, said they have lived in the Legend Condominiums building — overlooking the ball field — for two and a half years. She said they love living downtown and its access to plenty of things to do.
“I think it gets a bad wrap,” Benbow said of East Village. “It’s fun, safe, and let’s go Padres.”
Other sports teams were on hand to promote upcoming events and build awareness. SD Legion, the city’s professional rugby team, had an inflatable wall with holes where participants tried to throw or kick a rugby ball into. It also sold merchandise, including jerseys ($100), hats ($35) and flags ($25).
San Diego FC, the new Major League Soccer team beginning play next year, had a spinning wheel where participants could win sunglasses, a flag, scarf or tote bag. It also had hats (around $30) and key rings from $5 to $7.
San Diego Mojo, a professional indoor volleyball team, just finished its inaugural season and was in East Village to spread the word. The team also had a spinning wheel, with the the chance to win a Mojo embroidered towel, T-shirt, bag or sunglasses. Team spokesperson Ryan Tewes said they were grateful to have the opportunity to be at the block party.
“We’re here to introduce ourselves,” he said. “We’re trying to get to as many events as possible.”
Next up for East Village is Comic-Con, which has stretched beyond the convention center and the Gaslamp Quarter. In addition to events at the library, last year featured a mini-Jurassic Park (complete with animatronic dinosaurs) at a warehouse on 15th Street.
Paul Motl, 42, recently moved into an East Village apartment because he wanted to live downtown for all the attractions. He was wearing a yellow Padres shirt and a classic brown hat. Motl said he is slightly nervous about how big the Comic-Con crowd will be but thinks it might be OK.
“To me, the Comic-Con crowd seems very respectful,” he said.
Originally Published:
San Diego, CA
EXCLUSIVE: Ignition Press Welcomes eBay Live & Revenge Of to San Diego Comic-Con Ignition Pavilion
The Ignition Press – Ignition Pavilion is leveling up in a big way for San Diego Comic-Con this year.
Following last year’s successful debut, Ignition Press is expanding its offsite with several major new partners, transforming the Ignition Pavilion into a hub for comics, collectibles, livestream shopping, food, and drinks. The free experience at the San Diego Wine & Culinary Center (200 Harbor Dr.) will now feature activations from eBay Live and Revenge Of, alongside the return of Seven Seas Roasting Company and several new fan experiences.
One of the biggest additions this year is a dedicated eBay Live selling lounge, where livestreams will broadcast throughout the convention, bringing Comic-Con to fans around the world.
Stop by throughout the week to find live sketches and signings with comic legends Bill Sienkiewicz (hosted by Big Clutch) and Jim Lee (hosted by ANZ Collects), while Storage Wars star Rene Nezhoda will showcase a rare PSA-pedigreed collection of vintage, Silver Age, and Bronze Age comics.
Fans can also tune in for the debut of an exclusive DC x eBay Live Absolute Batman & Absolute Catwoman connecting cover, shop signed Ignition Press SDCC exclusives, rare comics, and other collectibles, and catch appearances from fan-favorite creators and influencers throughout the weekend.
The Pavilion also welcomes Los Angeles lifestyle brand Revenge Of, making its San Diego Comic-Con debut with a curated comics and pop culture experience, while its sister company, FTB.Design, is handling the Pavilion’s production design.
“Both eBay Live and Revenge Of TV are going to give both fans onsite and at home the opportunity to get in on special programming and chances to get SDCC exclusive merchandise,” said Creative Director Jeremy Haun. “We’re doing something new, big, and different here at the Ignition Pavilion. You’re not going to want to miss it.”
Coffee lovers can once again grab a free drink from Seven Seas Roasting Company between 12pm-4pm, Thursday through Sunday, by signing up for the Ignition Insiders newsletter. The first 200 fans each day can redeem a voucher for coffee, espresso drinks, chai, or tea.
Later each afternoon (Thursday-Saturday, 5pm-7pm), the coffee bar transforms into the Ignition Pavilion Happy Hour, serving themed cocktails, beer, wine, mocktails, and complimentary drink tickets with qualifying purchases. Fans can also preorder a limited-edition bottle of Ignition Proof Rum, created in partnership with Los Angeles distillery The Obscure.
The Ignition Pavilion is free and open to the public at the following times:
- Wednesday, July 22: 5:00pm-9:00pm
- Thursday, July 23: 12:00pm-8:00pm
- Friday, July 24: 12:00pm-8:00pm
- Saturday, July 25: 12:00pm-8:00pm
- Sunday, July 26: 12:00pm-6:00pm
Karepango, the colorful and unapologetic brand that aims to bring a smile in the most unexpected time, is coming to Comic-Con to spread joy, and give attendees the chance to show the world they are imperfect, yet still proud.
Find them at booth #5034, located in the Hall G area of the convention center, and will have dozens of their classic bestsellers, recent products and even a brand new exclusive (and very limited) shirt.
All purchases will receive free gifts, with an extra special gift for purchases over $100.
All clothing is available in sizes XS through 2XL, but in limited quantities per size.
Let’s get shopping:
Have A Good Day Shirts – $48
Limited to 75 pieces
Purple or brown with front and back printing
100% Cotton Knit Sweaters – $88
Oversized and pre-shrunk
100% Cotton T-Shirts – $48
Various Designs
Oversized and pre-shrunk
Tote Bags, Plush Bags, Puffy Bags, IRO Bags, All Sorts of Bags – $28-$45
Various designs
Drink Holders, Mesh Pouches, Nylon Pouches, Headbands, Blind Box Toys, Plush Trinkets – $15-$25
Various designs
Caps, Bucket Hats, Plush Hats, Beanies – $28-$30
Various designs
Bags, Plush, Rugs, Scarves – $50-$80
Various designs
Stickers, Socks, Pins, Air Fresheners – $4-$15
Various designs
Seek and ye shall find:
Travel back more than 250 million years with PBS Eons during a special San Diego Comic-Con preview screening of Eons: Life and Death on Pangea before the series officially premieres.
On Saturday, July 25 at 10am, attendees can watch the first episode of the new four-part miniseries, which explores the Permian Period and the “Great Dying,” Earth’s largest known mass extinction event that wiped out more than 80% of all species.
Following the screening, hosts Gabriel-Philip Santos and Michelle Barboza-Ramirez, along with series writer Farhan Mitha, will take fans behind the scenes of the production and stick around for a Q&A about bringing this prehistoric world to life.
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