Small python script that converts character sets to utf8 in all databases and tables. My solution for "Illegal mix of collations" errors. (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3029321/how-to-solve-illegal-mix-of-collations-in-mysql)

fix_database_to_utf8.py

from MySQLdb import connect

conn = connect(user="[USER]", passwd= "[PASSWORD]")
cur = conn.cursor()

cur.execute("show databases;")
dbs_to_update = filter(
  lambda db: db not in ('information_schema', 'mysql', 'performance_schema'),
	[dbname[0] for dbname in cur.fetchall()])

for db_to_update in dbs_to_update:
	print "Updating %s db" % db_to_update
	print "-" * (12 + len(db_to_update))

	cur.execute("use %s" % db_to_update)
	cur.execute("show tables;")

	tables_to_update = [t[0] for t in cur.fetchall()]

	for table_to_update in tables_to_update:
		query =	"ALTER TABLE %s CONVERT TO CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;" % table_to_update
		cur.execute(query)
		print table_to_update, "updated"