Spreckels Organ Pavilion

An open stage in a middle of a beautiful park. This very small venue with free concerts is the place to be to hear some good music. Even if nothing is going on, it’s surrounded by beauty, both in nature and architecture.

Great free concerts in the summer. Make sure you get there early for seats and parking.

Such an amazing venue. Guess what? IT’S FREE!!! Be sure to checkout the concert series so you can catch a free concert. If you have a children, they’ll be in awe of the sound of over 5,000 organ pipes. Bring shade, some snacks and enjoy the beautiful sounds. Also, the evening and night concerts are beautifully lit and spectacular!

Great place to listen to some free music. There is plenty of seating to people watch or enjoy the sunny weather. If when they are just practicing, it sounds great.

Twilight in the Park for Summer 2015. Love this city and the organ pavillion. Concerts Mon-​Thurs during summer, 630−730pm. Take a walk through this historic oart of the city. Listen to good music and dance if you want. Watched Stars on the Water, tropical Rock and Roll.

Free on Sundays. Maybe not the most entertaining stop for kids. Outdoors later in the afternoon so not too hot. Different weekly.

We didn’t get to watch a performance here, but the grounds are beautiful. It’s surrounded by lush vegetation, and the architecture is gorgeous. If you get a chance to see a show, or just to stroll around the place, take it.

The Spreckels Orpan Pavillion is not exactly a hidden treasure, seeing as how it is HUGE and and anyone who visits Balboa Park is sure to see it. But it certainly is forgotten. I know so many people who live in San Diego and have never been to a concert here.
There are free concerts every Sunday at 2 throughout the year, with additional ones on Mondays in the summer, and lots of additional performances sprinkled in between (check out the website for the full calendar). Sometimes the performances are by the resident organist, and sometimes by visiting musicians. After the Sunday concerts you can go back and see the working parts of the organ and have your questions answered by a volunteer.
Organ music not your thing? There is a regular program of other types of music on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays during the summer, and lots of other performances throughout the year. For example, the Diwali festival uses the stage for performances of Classical Indian dance.
Just be aware that it gets HOT in summer and there’s no shade. They rent out big umbrellas at the concerts for a few dollars, but come prepared with hats and sunscreen.

So I came here for the first time yesterday with my boyfriend since he came back to SoCal. He kept telling that we should go, so finally we went!
This is a good thing to go to if you are looking for a cheap event to go to. The acoustics in this place are fantastic and there is ample seating for a lot of people. Plus they also gave out free cake for the 100^th birthday of the Spreckels Pavilion.
We had a good time and I definitely recommend coming here if you happen to be in Balboa Park on a Sunday afternoon. The only thing I didn’t like about this was that the show is at 2 pm… personally, it’d be better if it were a little later, but I guess the 2 pm is the most convenient time. :)

My wife and I went to the centennial kickoff for New Years eve ²⁰¹⁴⁄₂₀₁₅.
Aside from it being ridiculously cold for San Diego, the organ was well-​tuned, and it was great to see such an old instrument played so well.

Chill place to take a break from walking and admire the detail of this space. Photo enthusiasts good place to practice w/​lenses and angle shots. This place comes alive when there’s a performance, event or concert

I drove here from LA for the Drive Like Jehu reunion show at Spreckels Organ Pavilion. I’d never heard of this gorgeous venue, but that was at least part of the point of the show… to show off this magical place using a band whose audience wouldn’t normally attend an organ concert.
The beautiful civic organist Dr. Carol Williams, whose job let me remind you is «civic organist» came out and played a few organ pieces, including a medley from «Phantom of the Opera.» A strange opener for hardcore legends, but the audience was game. Then the main event… DLJ came out and blew things out with a five song set of blistering jams accompanied by Dr. Williams, whose organ-​tickling gave the punk rock classics a proggy dimension that sounded great.
This venue is gorgeous… a huge old fashioned outdoor organ built into an opulent structure that looks even more gorgeous as the sun goes down and the lights go on. There’s plenty of bench seating (and places to stand when the show attracts as many people as Drive Like Jehu did).
The once-​in-​a-​lifetime DLJ reunion show won’t ever happen again, but Dr. Williams plays free organ concerts in the park every Sunday at 2. If you live in San Diego (or are visiting town), it’s most certainly worth checking out this civic treasure.

I originally came just to look at the architecture, but eventually also made it to one of their 2 PM, Sunday concerts. During the summer it can get a bit hot, which is why they have some umbrellas for loan/​rent. However, if you can find a seat under a tree, it’s a great hour of good organ music.

My wife and I went here many times for various performances, including on a date for one of the free concerts.
The organ pavilion is iconic. It is named after a sugar baron and is «the world’s largest outdoor musical instrument.» It was built for the Panama-​California exposition in 1915. The concerts are ALWAYS free. The organ pavilion seats over 2400 people. The organ pavilion «is flanked by curved Grecian style colonnades illuminated by 1400 embedded lights.»
It is an enjoyable experience to sit outside in the lovely San Diego weather to listen to a performance. In addition, it is always a pleasure to take an after concert stroll down the Prado.

My favorite place to sit and relax at the park, by far! Even when the organist isn’t out performing for the people (2pm on Sundays), it’s still a great place to sit, relax and people-​watch.
We were there for about an hour and a half this past Saturday, and there was absolutely no shortage of things to see (and comment on… cause that’s what we do…)
We saw photo shoots for two wedding parties; photo shoots for three different quinceañera parties; a handful of teens who looked as though they were planning some kind of performance; a couple family-​outing portrait sittings; and more than a few families/​groups there just to hang out like us.
The setting itself is nice — there’s more than enough benches to seat everyone, even when the organist is performing. During those performances, you can appreciate how well the whole thing is set up, as the sound carries to every corner of the pavilion. There are restrooms right across the street, and you’re just a few steps away from the Japanese Tea Pavilion, should you get hungry or thirsty while you’re there. There’s also a snacks stand, conveniently placed outside the pavilion, if you’re craving something sweet that won’t cost a ton of money. It’s like they thought of everything!
You can also hear the Museum of Man «bell tower» ring out the hour and half hours on the dot. I don’t know why I love that so much, but I do. There’s something very serene about sitting on an uncomfortable metal bench, under the San Diego sun, watching people in wedding dresses and tuxedos do silly poses for an overburdened photographer, and hearing the musicality of the Museum of Man’s tower tell the time.

I wish this was used for more. It seems like it could be a really cool place to have a great concert or something. I guess it’s not very secure and hard to manage if the event isn’t free. Too bad because the location is great, good parking all around, and has some history as well.
Under the flight path is another problem with sound I would assume.

My wife and I were on vacation in San Diego and we knew they had a huge pipe organ concert every Sunday at 2 PM.
The pipes were flowing and there were about 100 people in the audience.
The hour was cool, but I don’t think I need to go again, but it is worth seeing one time.
The majesty of all the pipes is pretty cool
I liked that she could do drum beats with her feet to hit the cymbal.

It always baffles me when someone can play the organ… it’s such a difficult instrument to play. You pretty much have to be an octopus and have 8 arms (or be Davy Jones)
Nothing beats an overture on a Sunday afternoon at 2 in Balboa park. The out door concert is free and there is no reason to stop by it if you’re already in the park. The stage is vast and beautiful. I can easily imagine a wedding being held here. Additionally, they pass out the schedule of the songs being performed so you can leave if you don’t like any of the songs.
Overall, it’s free, it’s different, and it’s awesome. There’s no reason for you to not give this place a try.
CULTURED!

Sweet sweet organ music can be found here. I happened to here during the pipe organ marathon on Labor Day. It was fantastic! Lots of open seating, though it was a bit sunny, so a lot of people gathered in the corners for shade. The acoustics seemed good at the spot that I was sitting. People were really into it (particularly since it was a marathon).
Nearby is a lemonade stand with very fresh lemonade!
I would love to come here during the evening to check out the atmosphere.

Free concerts! SCORE! Just went to the Monday night show (last night) at 7:30pm… I am planning to come back for more. Check the official website to see all the dates and times for free shows.
Tons of seating, and even if you sit way in the back on the stairs, you can still see and hear the music. Saw lots of people bring their own chairs and blankets and picnic food! Such a smart idea.
You can buy refreshments here but might as well pack your own yummy snacks and beverages.
It’s all outdoors under the night sky… such a cool thing to be able to head to Balboa Park which is already super beautiful and then get to enjoy music that is freely shared with the public.
Dogs are allowed! Saw plenty of dog owners with their furry companions here, listening to the tunes together.