Reminder: The Center for World Music's concert series is drawing to a close on Friday, May 19th with the Strings and Bamboo: The Essence of Chinese Music program featuring virtuoso erhu performer Chi Li. Participant Observer readers will get a $5 discount with the code: "WVP". Check it out!

On to the copious lineup of local events!

Yesterday, the 4-day Gator by the Bay Festival kicked off.

Friday (today), at UltraStar Mission Valley Cinemas, a 2-day Hong Kong On Screen Film Festival will take place. There will be a Binational Library Conference at the Central Library. At the Oceanside Museum of Art, there will be an Italian Artists and their Need for Speed Workshop. A Sitar and Tabla Concert will take place at the Iranian American Center. The film Axiom will screen for the German Currents Kino series at the Digital Gym. There will be repeat screenings on both the 14th and 17th of this month. Gabrielito y La Verdad Orquesta are playing at Illusion Hall in Chula Vista. Guatemalan singer-songwriter Ricardo Arjona will perform at the Pechanga Arena. The acclaimed Sergio Mendez will perform at the Belly Up. And Senderos de Mexico will be entertaining folks at the Vallarta Bar & Grill.

Saturday, the 16th Annual Alliance Dragon Boat Festival will take place in Mission Bay. With the Valle de Guadalupe Tour, you can celebrate Mother's Day a day earlier by visiting wineries and taking in the view. The House of Poland will hold their annual Lawn Program at the International Cottages. There also will be a Vyshyvanka Day Celebration at the House of Ukraine. At the Mission Valley Library, there will be a Dia de los Niños Kids Concert & Festivities for the young ones. Encanto will be shown atop the Hyatt downtown. For Tomorrow – the Documentary will be shown at the Digital Gym, and there will be a repeat screening the following day (Sunday). The classic film Casablanca will be shown at the Hyatt. There will be an art exhibition featuring the works of Pablo Castañeda, and the exhibit will continue until late July. At the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living, there will be a Carnatic Vocal Performance by Vasudha Ravi. At Corazon del Barrio, there will be a Chalino Art Show & Music Event in homage to the Mexican singer-songwriter. And at UCSD's Conrad Prebys Concert Hall, there will be a Persian Music Concert. At Corazon del Barrio there will be a Chalino Art Show & Music Event celebrating the late artist, Chalino Sanchez. Los Chulos Chulos y La Internacional Luz Roja will perform at the La Sinaloense Bar & Grill.

Sunday, the San Diego American Indian Health Center (SDAIHC) will host the 35th annual Balboa Park Pow Wow. Also at the Park, the House of Norway will host their annual Lawn Program. Persian band Dornob will perform at the cleverly named donut shop, Donut Panic. At Queen Bee's Art and Cultural Center, there will be a Salsa Concert with Aico Simon. Atop the Manchester Hyatt, everyone's mind-bending flick Everything Everywhere All At Once will screen. A second screening of the film Axiom will take place at the Digital Gym (the final screening will be next Wednesday).

Monday, at the Soda Bar, En Attendant Ana will perform.

Tuesday, there will be a Ballet Folklorico performance at the Logan Heights Library. There will be a Latin Jazz Night at Southwestern College.

Wednesday is chock full of stuff to do. The Our Walls Speak: Nuestros Muros Hablan art exhibition will start its run at the Logan Heights Library. At UCSD, Professor Peter Hayes will give a talk on Profits and Persecution during the Holocaust. PIFA will hold a Luau Fundraiser at Bali Hai. Italian film Sedotta e Abbandonata will screen at the Coronado Library. At USD's Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, Andrew McCarthy will talk about his latest book, Walking with Sam. El Ojo de Agua de Los Gálvez will be screened at the Digital Gym. There will be a Celebrando el Mariachi at Southwestern College in conjunction with the opening of the play The Miser of Mexico at the college. Jose Barrientos will perform at Mic Drop Comedy.

Next Thursday, the San Diego International Fringe Festival kicks off, promising its fair share of eclectic and unusual performances. La Colema at UCSD is an exhibit of the works of Alicia María Siu. There will be a Living Cultures Grant Info Session in San Diego held at the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center. A Midsummer Night's Dream performances begin at Grossmont College.

Next Friday, the wonderful Fred Benedetti will play flamenco and classical guitar works at the La Jolla Community Center. There will be a symposium on the subject of The Role of Myth in Anthropogeny at the Salk Institute. As mentioned above, the Center for World Music's Strings and Bamboo: The Essence of Chinese Music concert will feature virtuoso Professor Chi Li on erhu. Don't forget the use the "WVP" discount code! Destiny of Desire will open at the Old Globe and performances will continue until the end of June.

Next Saturday, you can start the day off with a Chinese Historical Society Zoom session on the history of Chinese Laundries in San Diego. At the International Cottages, there will be an Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration. At the Central Library, Culinary Historians of San Diego will present a talk on How British Silversmiths Changed America’s Dinner Tables. The Island Vibe Music Festival will take place in Del Mar. The Ocean Beach Library will hold an AAPI Cultural Festival. At the Joan B. Kroc Theatre, the All 'Bout The Blues Back and Forth in Time revue will be performed. At USD, there will be an Ahaana Festival. At the Worldbeat Center, A Night In Africa will celebrate African cultures with lots of music and food. South Asian-American vocalist and sitarist Ami Dang will perform at UCSD's Loft.

Next Sunday, Fandango Bombazo Y Accion! will employ music and dance to propel the idea of building a park, rather than a wall, at the border. The House of Israel Lawn Program will take place at the International Cottages in Balboa Park. There will be a Carnatic Veena concert by D.Balakrishna at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living. And capping off the week, Irene Tu will perform at Mic Drop Comedy.

Please note that after two weeks in the main calendar section, ongoing events (such as exhibitions and plays) can be found in Ongoing and Extended Events.

And if you are an avid and adventuresome reader, visit our www.multiculturalbooks.org site to browse our compendious collection.