WorldBeat Center Official Website

45th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration: December 29th, Ujamaa
2025-12-29 18:00 - 21:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | WorldBeat Center, 2100 Park Blvd, San Diego, 92101, United States
45th Annual Kwanzaa Celebration
Doors 6pm | Program 6:30PM
WorldBeat Cultural Center invites the community to celebrate its 45th Annual Kwanzaa, honoring four of the seven days of this African American cultural holiday rooted in African traditions. Observed from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa centers on the Nguzo Saba—the Seven Principles: Umoja-Unity, Kujichagulia- Self-Determination, Ujima – Collective Work & Responsibility, Ujamaa – Cooperative Economics, Nia – Purpose, Kuumba – Creativity, and Imani – Faith.
Each evening features ceremonial candle lighting, libations, African drumming, poetry, music, and reflections from featured speakers and performers aligned with the night’s principle. Guests will also share in the Karamu, the traditional Kwanzaa feast plate, featuring black-eyed peas, collard greens, gumbo, potato salad, and corn muffins. This year’s celebration also launches the inaugural Kwanzaa Awards, honoring individuals whose work embodies the values of the Nguzo Saba. All events are free, family-friendly, and open to the public. Advance RSVP encouraged.
Hosted by MC Sidiqa Hooker aka Soulspiration

Day 4: Monday, December 29th: Ujamaa, Cooperative Economics
Performance Highlights
Performance by Tebe Zalango
Tebe Zalango shares the energy and spirit of East African cultural traditions through drumming, dance, and vibrant ensemble performance. Their artistry highlights the power of community collaboration and cultural continuity.
Performance by WorldBeat Center’s African Drum and Dance Ensemble
Master drummer Dramane Koné and his ensemble deliver an electrifying showcase of West African percussion and movement. Their performances celebrate ancestral rhythms, collective expression, and the enduring spirit of cooperation.

This year also marks the inauguration of the Annual Kwanzaa Awards, honoring individuals whose work reflects the values of the Nguzo Saba, including Chuck Ambers, founder of the African Museum Casa del Rey Moro, Maria Lane, San Diego’s First Samba Instructor, Johnnierenee Nia Nelson, WorldBeat Center’s Poet Laurette. Dennis Newsome, Capoeira Angola Mestre, Starla Lewis, Global Teacher of Self-Love and Prince Habib, President of African American Writers & Artists.

Community Market - Martin Luther King Day
2026-01-19 11:00 - 16:00
Come & Support our Local Artisans by look & buy their Handmade works of art, organic produce, music, food, massage, tarot, and more!

37th Annual Martin Luther King Day Celebration
2026-01-19 11:30 - 17:30
WorldBeat Cultural Center Presents
The 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration
Peace In Every Step
WorldBeat Cultural Center invites the community to gather in celebration of the life, legacy, and enduring message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with our 37th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. This year’s theme, Peace In Every Step, honors the practice of peace as a daily, intentional act—one rooted in compassion, justice, and collective responsibility.
Dr. King was profoundly influenced by Thich Nhat Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk, peace activist, and spiritual leader. Thich Nhat Hanh offered Dr. King a critical perspective on the Vietnam War, encouraging him to speak out against violence and injustice beyond U.S. borders. Their friendship deepened King’s understanding of nonviolence as a universal practice that transcended religion and culture, leading Dr. King to nominate Thich Nhat Hanh for the Nobel Peace Prize as an “apostle of peace.” After Dr. King’s passing, Thich Nhat Hanh vowed to continue this work, carrying forward the vision of the Beloved Community through mindfulness, compassion, and global solidarity.
This family-friendly community celebration will feature live music, cultural performances, guest speakers, a community market, and opportunities to reflect, connect, and move forward together in the spirit of peace.
Event Details
📅 Monday, January 19th
Doors: 11:30AM
Program: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
📍 WorldBeat Cultural Center
Featured Performers & Guests
-Native American Drum & Dance
-Aztec Drum & Dance
-African Drum & Dance
-Sankoh and the Rockaway Kings
-Mara Sulu
-Sol Remedy
-Pinnacle Roots
-Fre3styl3

Attune to Venus: Astrology, Art, Sound, and Crystal Medicine
2026-02-07 16:00 - 19:00
Join Lisette and Najah for an immersive evening of embodied astrology at the WorldBeat Cultural Center. Through a blend of experiential art, sound healing, and crystal medicine, this workshop is designed to attune you to the energy of Venus—the planet of beauty, love, connection, and abundance.

This experience supports participants in deepening their connection to themselves through mindful, creative, and somatic practices. You will be guided back to the simple pleasures of life and into the essence of love and beauty, allowing those qualities to resonate outward into your relationships and daily experiences. Attendees will leave with a renewed sense of self and practical ways to cultivate greater connection with others.

Date: Saturday, February 7
Time: 4pm–7pm
Location: WorldBeat Cultural Center
Tickets: $55 solo | $99 bring a friend (two tickets)

What to Bring:
Journal, pen, yoga mat, eye mask, water bottle, and an open heart.

Black Comix Day 2026
2026-02-14 10:00 - 18:00
Feb 14th and Feb 15th
10am-6pm

Black Comix Day is a FREE 2 day event highlighting creators of African Descent in the arts of Comic Books, Animation & Film.

BCD 2026 is FREE ADMISSION to all. Parking is FREE (Located directly across the street.) Food is available inside the Worldbeat Center and within 2 blocks of the location. Activites for children such as gaming will be accessible as well. The main floor will feature various Black Creators in Comics, Fine Arts and Animation.

45th Tribute to the Reggae Legends/ Bob Day
2026-02-20, 2026-02-21
Join us for the 45th Annual Tribute to the Reggae Legends in San Diego, CA. The 2026 event will span two days.
Tribute to the Reggae Legends, also known as Bob Marley Day honors the rich legacy of reggae music. Founded by Prophet World Beat Productions in honor of Bob Marley’s legacy.
Reggae music carries a powerful message of unity, peace, and awareness of social inequities. The WorldBeat Center remains dedicated to preserving the legacy and message of reggae legends like Bob Marley and Peter Tosh.
2026 LINEUP

Friday, February 20th
Julian Marley and the Uprising
Johnny Osborne and Fully Fullwood Band
Mara Sulu
Pinnacle Roots
Saturday, February 21st
Line-up TBA
Weekend Pass TBA

Birds, Culture, and the Freedom of Belonging: A Celebration with Makeda & Marilú
2026-02-26 17:30 - 20:00
San Diego Bird Festival 2026 Keynote:

For over 13 years, Makeda Cheatom of the WorldBeat Center and Marilú of Celebrate Urban Birds have walked a shared path—one where birds, culture, history, and science come together in joyful connection. What began as a citizen science project has grown into a community-led celebration of belonging, where people of all backgrounds come together to explore nature, share knowledge, and engage with science in meaningful ways.
We’ve learned that birding can be so much more than counting birds. It’s a chance to slow down, be present, listen deeply, and connect with the wisdom of our ancestors, the communities around us, and with ourselves. By bridging communities and scientific institutions, we create spaces where people can actively participate in, contribute to, and use science—while celebrating culture, heritage, and identity.
From the Harriet Tubman Freedom Bird Walks during Juneteenth to cross-cultural collaborations in Baja, our work shows what’s possible when music, art, science, gardening, and community come together with curiosity, care, and purpose. Join us as we share how this journey has transformed the way we bird, connect with each other, and experience the freedom of belonging.

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