Housed in a colorfully painted former water tower, WorldBeat Center opened in Balboa Park in 1996. Classes in international dance and drumming are offered year round, along with concerts and lectures. Founded in 1984 as WorldBeat Productions by Executive Director, Makeda Cheatom in San Diego. The WorldBeat Cultural Center serves the community as a non-profit community center, performing arts center for classes and showcasing, museum, gift shop, cafe and outdoor classroom. As a non-profit multi-cultural arts organization the WorldBeat Cultural Center is dedicated to promoting, presenting & preserving the African & Indigenous cultures of the world through Music, Art, Dance, Education & Technology

George Washington Carver Ethnobotany Peace Garden

WorldBeat Center’s Healing Peace Garden is an urban oasis featuring countless rare edible and medicinal plants that hold cultural significance. The garden was designed as a special place to help teach our community about the healing role of plants in society.

Today, the garden acts as an Outdoor Classroom and offers a wide variety of programs at the Garden, including citizen science through Celebrate Urban Birds, school tours, Summer Camp programs, internship programs, workshops, events and STEM research projects. As the first sustainable, edible garden in Balboa Park, this unique spot is also a Certified Monarch Way-station and a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Read more here.

One WorldBeat Cafe

Located in the WorldBeat Center, its the first all vegan cafe in Balboa Park. Serving Caribbean vegan soul food and alternative health drinks like kombucha on-tap. Come try to some of our popular items like our Jamaican patties, African-Peanut Curry and our Jerk Rasta Burger. Open Friday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Read more here.