SummerFest concerts, Comic-Con pop-ups, and the Makers Arcade Summer Fair are just a few of the events worth checking out in San Diego this weekend. Foodies can try the regional delicacies of Eastlake, Julian, and Carlsbad; local cinephiles and surfers can merge their interests with Shredding: A New Lens in Surf Filmmaking; and fans of fine art may explore arresting textiles at the Fabulous Fiber exhibition. Plus, to cap off Disability Pride Month, San Diegans can stop by a pair of free events: Sensory Dimensions’ multimedia production My Body’s Wake or the opening of the Colors of Pride exhibition at Revision Gallery.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Taste of Eastlake
July 25
The annual Taste of Eastlake is back for another 21-plus tasting event, with guests invited to enjoy bites, libations, and the evening’s country theme. Visitors can peruse over 40 local vendors, as well as live entertainment and a silent auction, at Chula Vista Elite Training Center this Friday from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $80 per person and can be purchased here; all event proceeds will go towards technology and innovation in Eastlake K–12 public schools.
2800 Olympic Parkway, Chula Vista
Sip of Julian
July 26
Find more than just apple desserts on the menu at the ninth annual Sip of Julian. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., stop by the local tasting rooms for samples of wine, beer, hard cider, and craft cocktails paired with small bites. Visitors can chart their own path through Julian, with tickets available for a shuttle that will make regular stops on the “Sip Trail.” Tickets are $35 for Sip of Julian and $60 with the shuttle pass, with all attendees receiving a commemorative glass and wine tote.
Julian
Carlsbad Wine and Food Festival
July 26
The Rotary Club of Carlsbad invites foodies to dine and dance at the 21-plus Carlsbad Wine and Food Festival this Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. The festival will feature wines from San Diego County and throughout the state, along with plenty of beer, craft cocktails, and bites from local restaurants. Attendees will eat and mingle from 4 to 7 p.m. and then hit the dance floor for a party with a live DJ from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $125 (and will rise to $175 the day of); event proceeds will support North County charities and nonprofits.
2426 Town Garden Road, Carlsbad
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Father John Misty at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
July 23
Father John Misty released his latest full-length project, Mahashmashana, in November of last year to critical acclaim. Hear the tracks live this Wednesday at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre, where a pair of greats will join Misty to open the show: indie rock lynchpin Hamilton Leithauser and legendary Americana singer-songwriter Lucinda Williams. Tickets start at $30 for Wednesday’s concert at 7 p.m.
5500 Campanile Drive, Rolando
San Diego Comic-Con
July 24–27
Don your cosplay finest for the four-day fandom extravaganza of San Diego Comic-Con. Though all the attendee badges are gone, there are still plenty of Comic-Con events happening outside the walls of the Convention Center, such as the inaugural Indigi-Con at UC San Diego Park & Market (Friday and Sunday), highlighting Indigenous comic artists (register for free here). For more options, check out our roundup of free and low-cost ways to enjoy Comic-Con without a pass.
111 West Harbor Drive, Downtown
Música en la Plaza: Sabrosas Latin Orchestra at California Center for the Arts, Escondido
July 25
On the last Friday of each month through September, the California Center for the Arts, Escondido hosts local Latin music performers for free community concerts in the Lyric Courtyard as part of its Música en la Plaza series. This Friday at 7 p.m., CCAE will welcome all-women band Sabrosas Latin Orchestra, a 12-piece group that fuses the sounds of salsa, cumbia, and cha cha. Concertgoers can RSVP for free or purchase reserved seating options here.
340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido
SummerFest at La Jolla Music Society
July 25–August 23
La Jolla Music Society’s month-long SummerFest returns this Friday, with a trio of weekend performances in the Baker-Baum Concert Hall and a show at The JAI Sunday night. Opening night’s Great Expectations (7:30 p.m.) will kick off SummerFest with a celebration of iconic composers, while Saturday’s The Glass Menagerie invites ten pianists to pay tribute to Philip Glass. On Sunday, audiences will hear star-making orchestral selections at Emergence and finish with New York Takeover at The JAI (7 p.m.), a showcase of contemporary composers from the Big Apple. Tickets start at $53 for this weekend’s concerts.
7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
A Woman’s Journey at Light Box Theater
July 25–26
For the 2025 edition of its annual Live Arts Fest, San Diego Dance Theater is hosting three performances of A Woman’s Journey by Tokyo dance company Mademoiselle Cinema. This troupe of women contemporary performers will tell a powerful story drawn from the real-life history of Japanese picture brides, who left their home countries looking for love and opportunity. Ticket options include $21 general admission and $37 sponsor tickets, which help cover production costs, with shows happening Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
2590 Truxtun Road, Point Loma
Gretel: The Musical at Scripps Ranch Theatre
July 25–27
Local intersectional theater company Riot Productions’ adaptation of Gretel: The Musical is coming to Scripps Ranch Theatre for a three-night run happening Friday through Sunday at 7 p.m. This folk rock–laden take on the tale of Hansel and Gretel centers the women characters of the original Brothers Grimm story. General admission for Gretel: The Musical is $15.
9783 Avenue of Nations, Scripps Ranch
Colors of Pride: A Celebration of Disability, Diversity + Identity Opening Reception at Revision Gallery
July 26
In recognition of Disability Pride Month, local artists and Revision Gallery’s Artists in Residence are exploring themes such as community, self-expression, belonging, and activism in Revision’s new group exhibition Colors of Pride: A Celebration of Disability, Diversity + Identity. The exhibition will open this Saturday with a free reception from noon to 4 p.m., featuring drag performer Miss Kerioki (1 to 2:30 p.m.) for a live figure drawing opportunity and photo session.
8691 La Mesa Boulevard, La Mesa
My Body’s Wake at City Heights Performance Annex
July 26
Interdisciplinary artist duo Sensory Dimensions will present a free artistic exploration of disability through My Body’s Wake this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the City Heights Performance Annex, followed by a post-show talk back at 8:50 p.m. This multimedia production combines body painting, improv dance, violin, projection, and generative sound to reflect on the experiences of disabled people living with chronic illness and pain. As a tie-in, you can also participate in a Painting Your Pain workshop ($5+) at The Template on Sunday from 4 to 7 p.m. RSVP for Saturday’s show here.
3795 Fairmount Avenue, City Heights
Fabulous Fiber at Oceanside Museum of Art
July 26–November 2
Dive into the Oceanside Museum of Art’s engrossing new exhibition Fabulous Fiber, curated by Kate Stern. Showcasing modern works created with traditional and contemporary techniques for fiber art, Fabulous Fiber celebrates quilting, embroidery, weaving, crochet, and more. Fabulous Fiber will welcome guests for an exhibition celebration Saturday, August 23 from 5 to 7 p.m.; it is free for members and $15 for the public.
704 Pier View Way, Oceanside
Artists Respond to the Moment at PHES Gallery
July 27–September 1
For PHES Gallery’s new exhibition Artists Respond to the Moment, over thirty regional artists have been tasked with defining their feelings in the present tense. Artists Respond to the Moment will kick off with a free opening reception this Sunday from 2 to 5 p.m. and remain on display Thursday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and by appointment until September 1.
2633 State Street, Carlsbad
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Michael Giacchino at Epstein Family Amphitheater
July 22–23
Composer Michael Giacchino, who has scored Lost, action blockbusters, and animation classics, will feature in a pair of events at Epstein Family Amphitheater this week. At Tuesday’s Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen at 7:30 p.m., Giacchino will present several of his scores in a throwback 1950s Exotica style; tickets range from $18 to $80. The following night at 7:30 p.m., Pixar’s Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter will join Giacchino for Up Close, a conversation in which the pair will share stories of working together on some of the world’s most iconic animated films. Tickets range from $15-$50.
9480 Innovation Lane, La Jolla
Shredding: A New Lens in Surf Filmmaking at Brooks Theater
July 25
Get stoked for The Oceanside Theatre Company’s surf-filled lineup of short films for Shredding: A New Lens in Surf Filmmaking this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Brooks Theater. Shredding features the works of eight filmmakers—who will all be in attendance—and examines the core of surfing identity. Tickets are $17.
217 North Coast Highway, Oceanside
Makers Arcade Summer Fair
July 26–27
Shop from more than 120 local handmade vendors selling everything from jewelry to clothing at the Makers Arcade Summer Fair. This Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Waterfront Park, attendees can also check out a food truck court, photo booths, live music, and interactive art installations. For those looking to tap into their creative side, there will be walk-up Make & Take craft stations (with single tickets, three-packs, and six-packs available) and a range of premium workshops, including leather-working, torch-firing, and shoemaking, from The Crafter’s Retreat. Admission to the Makers Fair is $5, while kids ages 10 and under will receive free entry.
1600 Pacific Highway, Embarcadero
