With the onset of some sunshine, I took a run through Balboa Park and there it was, The Spreckels Organ Pavilion.

The pavilion houses the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world--the world.

The Spreckels Organ weighs over 100,000 pounds and requires a 20-horsepower blower engine to run its more than 4,500 pipes.

There are 1,400 lights embedded on the colonnades and main building. At night the lights give the pavilion a nostalgic "main street" feel.

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion was presented as a gift to the people of San Diego by Mr. John Spreckels in 1915 for the Panama-California Exposition.

On any given weekend, there are wedding parties taking pictures all over the pavilion area.

The organ concerts in Balboa Park are a charming aspect of our city that almost go unnoticed.

There is an organ concert every Sunday at 2pm from now until June 19th. On June 20th, the Monday night concerts start and go until the end of August.

To see an organ concert in Balboa Park might be a prerequisite for being a music lover in San Diego.

The concerts are free.

Most of the concerts are played by our current civic organist, British born Carol Williams.

Ms. Williams has been the San Diego Civic organist since 2001. She was the first female civic organist in the world.

Some of the concerts feature guest organists. Some of the concerts include singers, local choruses and even piano concertos with the organ playing the role of orchestra.

I can't imagine a more enjoyable Sunday afternoon than a picnic in Balboa Park with a world class organ performance thrown in for free.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P85oDIJ3BMY