One of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs @ Balboa Park

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion
John D. and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ, one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, to the City of San Diego in 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition. This unique organ contains 4,530 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet and is housed in an ornate vaulted structure with highly embellished gables. Since 1917, San Diego has had a civic organist, who performs free weekly Sunday concerts

Probably the Best FREE event in San Diego every Sunday at 2pm !
With Pipes the size of a pencil to 32 feet. With only brief interruptions, the organ has been in continuous use, and today visitors can enjoy free hour-long concerts on Sundays at 2pm, given by civic organist Carol Williams; free concerts are also held in the evening during the summer months. There's seating for 2,400 but little shade, so bring an umbrella on warm days.
Attributes
Price Range: Free concerts

Transportation: Bus: 7 or 7A/B

Open Hours: Free 1-hr. organ concerts Sun 2pm year-round; free organ concerts late June-Aug Mon 7:30pm (visit the website for a schedule); free Twilight in the Park concerts Tues-Thurs mid-June to Aug (call tel. 619/239-0512 for schedule)
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
http://www.balboapark.org/in-the-park/detail.php?OrgID=75

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• culture
• destination
• events
• landmark
• Spreckles
• Organ
• Balboa
• Park
• San
• Diego
• music

[Davenergy]

Pipe organs are the best! Amazing, powerful sounds!

[videoie]

Thank you so much. I thoroughly enjoyed this concert.

Videoie

[jill506]

I was born across the street from this park at the Navy Hosp. She's a very good organist. Love the accent.

[TheOrganPro]

@LeeGeorge08 I guess that includes the great Mormon Tabernacle pipe organ. I think that the tabernacle is one the best pipe organs in the world... and its an american organ... hmmm.

[wallabeetles]

I just graduated there yesterday :)

[Stage079]

Although this is one of the largest outdoor pipe organs and sounds beautiful, it definitely isn't "the" largest. You should really make some type of notation correcting yourself in your description.

The largest of course is the "Massey Memorial Organ", located at Chautauqua Institution New York.

[manga12]

I have never been to either, but the size of boardwalk hall is huge as far as space inside it, used to play football games in there at a near full field lenght I think, so they organ have to be big to fill the space yet sadly even in its day it was rare to hear it at full power, and it has seven chambers full of pipes big.

One day hope to see and hear both of them

[JSneaker]

@manga12 OH YES! Been there, heard that several times! Will do so again, as it's a total treat for the senses. Philadelphia isn't far, was there August 1&2 LOL. The John Wanamaker Organ is the world's second largest organ-the first is in Atlantic City Convention Hall, and it is being restored! I never heard that one except here on YT.

[manga12]

the one in macys in philly, you know which one I mean, I am sure.

[JSneaker]

@manga12 "wienaker"??? What-theHOOT-the-hay???

[Marshall7302]

@RICHARDDAVISMCLEOD check out my videos of an original Fox Theater installation on my page. The theater was restored to mostly original specs with added lighting. And that is sad.. that they gave no consideration to the organ durring the restoration however... the restoration could never be a true full one in regards to the theater organ because it would be missing the electro pneumatics and relay.