Our picks of this week's events

SPECIAL EVENTS

The story

Chicano muralist Victor Ochoa could tell you some stories about the history of the Centro Cultural de la Raza in Balboa Park or the struggle behind Chicano Park. Yeah, he could tell you—or he could show you one of his famous colorful murals, some of which are part of iconic Chicano Park. Ochoa will be leading an arts-and-crafts workshop for children at this year’s Chicano Park Day celebration, happening from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 19. The rest of the day’s events include a performance of indigenous Aztec dance, poetry readings, a low-rider car show, food, music by Ledesma Brothers Band, Pachuco Jose & Los Boogie Boys and more. Chicano Park is located off Interstate 5 on Cesar Chavez Parkway under the Coronado Bridge. www.chicano-park.org or 619-563-4661.

For the world: You probably already know about EarthFair happening in Balboa Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 20. Organizers, after all, claim it’s the “largest free environmental fair in the world.” But what you might not know is that alongside the kids’ activity center, the five stages of entertainment, the art gallery, the food pavilion and the 200 or so exhibitors—Western Wind Energy Corp., a publicly traded non-income trust producer of pure wind energy, will be there, and so will Simple Creations Soy Candles and Onesta Organics, a San Diego-based certified organic pet food manufacturer—EarthFair will host a candidates forum on the Organ Pavilion Stage, with the mayoral candidates kicking things off at noon. For a complete list of events, visit www.earthdayweb.org.

SPORTS

Moving muscles

The Collegiate Nationals competition recognizes that there is more to sports than baseball and basketball. Beach volleyball, flowboarding and competitive eating will be the main attractions at this year’s event, which will descend upon The Wave House, 31156 Ocean Front Walk in Mission Beach, Friday, April 18, through Sunday, April 20. College-age athletes from San Diego and beyond will compete for their respective crowns, and CBS Sports will be covering the event—so if you even begin to doubt the seriousness of stuffing as many hotdogs as humanly possible into your mouth, think again. The event is free and open to the public and will culminate with a live-music festival. www.wavehouse.com.

BOOKS

The times

Actor Bert Williams’ choice to perform in blackface was never really understood by the black community. Despite the fact that he brought the first musical with an all-black cast to Broadway in 1903, he was never really viewed as a civil-rights activist because he never explained himself—he kept his politics, personal life and beliefs off the stage. UCSD professor Camille F. Forbes explores the on- and off-stage life of Williams in her new book, Introducing Bert Williams: Burnt Cork, Broadway and the Story of American’s First Black Star, which she will read from and sign at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at D.G. Wills Books, 7461 Girard Ave. in La Jolla. 858-456-1800 or www.dgwillsbooks.com.

Finding life: Having your protagonist wake up without a memory seems like an easy literary device for a young writer. The possibilities of what could happen in the ensuing hundreds of pages are pretty much endless, but fortunately for Steven Hall, he weaves in a touch of absurdity and a bit of surrealism and makes the tale of his amnesiac main character intense enough to thrill the hell out of you. Hall will give you a taste of his new book, The Raw Shark Texts, which won the Borders Original Voices Best Debut Fiction of 2007 award, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 18, at Borders Mission Valley, 1072 Camino Del Rio N. www.rawsharktexts.com.

PERFORMANCE

Slam dance

From 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, April 20, art critic Kevin Freitas, dancers Sara Plaisted and Heather Stants, musician Zuri Waters, poet Jaysen Waller, actors Marilyn Klisser and Aura Thielen and performance/spoken-word artists Ted Washington and CityBeat’s own Edwin Decker will either comment on, critique or provide an artistic interpretation of Innocence is Questionable, the art exhibition featuring the six recipients of the 2006/2007 San Diego Art Prize, currently showing at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido. At the end of the event, audience members will choose the most popular performer, who will be awarded a whopping $100. Think of it as your favorite competitive reality television show come to life. What organizers are calling a Performance Slam will go down from 5 to 7 p.m. at the center, 340 N. Escondido Blvd. 760-943-0148. www.sdvisualarts.net. $5.

Pearlophenia

By now, you’re aware of the mild mod resurgence among the masses. You probably have a friend, or at least a friend of a friend, who wears tailored retro dresses or skinny ties and insists on riding a scooter, even in the winter. From 9 p.m. to midnight Thursday, April 17, The Pearl Hotel, (1410 Rosecrans St. in Point Loma) will be the site of London Underground: Mod Madness, a party celebrating mod style and Britpop music from the ’60s through the ’80s. The fashion police/party planners from StyleXplorers.com will host the party and fill the poolside venue with appropriate tunage from The Beatles and The Yardbirds to The Beat and Madness. Free. www.thepearlsd.com. 619-226-6100.

ART

Bringing it back

London artist Nils Jawa says he’s on a mission to “bring messy back one piece at a time.” The graphic designer, illustrator and painter’s work is busy and bright, but the illustrator side of him usually makes sure to include at least one decipherable image—a duck-like character flashing a peace sign or a cute bunny-type guy waving hello. The design-obsessed folks over at Subtext (680 West Beech St., Downtown) dig his work so much that they’re bringing Jawa to the United States for his first solo show this side of the Atlantic. Flatlander opens from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, April 18. www.subtextstore.com.

The return: Like most good and interesting things, artist Craig Kane left San Diego. He left after high school and moved to New York and has been scoring shows in topnotch galleries across the world ever since—the most recent in Beijing, China. From 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, April 17, Kane will return to San Diego’s Spacecraft Gallery, 2865 North Park Way, for his second solo show. Expect miniature paintings and installations—miniature as in paintings that are only a few inches big—and a completely transformed gallery space. www.spacecraftstudio.com or 619-291-2752.

ARCHITECTURE

Times three

In architecture years—quite the opposite of dog years—Aaron Anderson is young. Although he was pushing 40 at the time, in 2006 he was named the Young Architect of the Year by the American Institute of Architects San Diego chapter. One look at his projects, like the industrial yet sleek Barrio Logan Workspace, and you’ll understand why he snagged the prestigious award even though he’d only been in business for little more than a year. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 19, Anderson will talk about his practice in a discussion, “Philosophy of Design: Practical and Emotion” at the NewSchool of Architecture and Design, 1249 F St., Downtown. He’ll be followed by two senior students from NewSchool—architects who really are young—presenting their design for a medical clinic in Peru set to break ground this year. $5. www.friendsofsdarch.com or 619-224-8584.