18 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend September 10–14

With events lining the coast from Point Loma to Oceanside, there are plenty of things to do this weekend. New theater productions include a deep-dive on legendary SD resident Louis Rose (Thorn & Petal), the world premiere of an anxiety-inspired comedy (Beside Myself) and a musical about the Book of Exodus (The Prince of Egypt). Sports fans can cheer on international indoor soccer teams, see local surfers ride classic longboards and sign up to play pickleball with athletes and celebrities. Plus, the HeART of PB Restaurant Walk, the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival and San Diego Restaurant Week will offer unique culinary experiences, ranging from hidden gems to the finest of fine dining. 

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

HeART of PB Restaurant Walk 

September 10 

Take a bite out of Pacific Beach during the neighborhood’s art-filled foodie tour. This Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., the HeART of PB Restaurant Walk will feature bites and sips from over a dozen local eateries—including desserts, seafood and vegetarian options—along with art installations, including a 3D hologram exhibit. New stops on the Garnet Avenue restaurant walk include Mission Bagel, Kendall’s Kitchen, Monday Morning Bottle Shop and Armonia Kitchen. Tickets are $35 online and $40 the day of. 

Garnet Avenue between Dawes Street and Lamont Street, Pacific Beach

Del Mar Wine + Food Festival 

September 10–14

Don’t miss out on any of the events at this year’s Del Mar Wine + Food Festival. On Thursday, check out the Ramey Wine Dinner with Chefs Marc Murphy, Jackson Kalb, and Jason McLeod at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. Or check out the women-led Game Changers dinner hosted by Alex Morgan at The Fairmont Grand Del Mar featuring seven celebrity chefs to beenfit the Alex Morgan Foundation.

Of course, make sure to leave room for the two-day Grand Tasting, the festival’s main event, which is held at Surf Sports Park. Attendees can enjoy sips, bites, activations, and plenty of photo ops during this weekend affair. Single-day GA passes are $205 while two-day passes range from $305 to $815. A portion of the proceeds benefit Feeding San Diego.

Finally, Saturday brings Cluckfest, a poultry-filled after-party from TopChef‘s Michael Voltaggio and San Diego Wave FC. Enjoy fare from some of San Diego’s most notable chefs as well as some of the biggest names in the industry.

North County

San Diego Restaurant Week

September 14–21

Chart your course—and your courses—by budget, neighborhood, food type or dietary preference and let your appetite lead the way for the flavorful return of San Diego Restaurant Week. For eight delicious days, beginning Sunday, more than 100 participating eateries spanning over 30 neighborhoods will be offering multi-course menus starting at $30. Though not required, reservations are strongly encouraged. Plus, sign up for the SDRW giveaway contest for the chance to win eight local dinners for two. 

Citywide 

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

Solento Surf Festival

September 10–20

The stateside portion of the Solento Surf Festival will begin with a pair of free events in North County. First, Club Paradise is hosting a kick-off party on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. with complimentary drinks, light bites, and the chance to purchase discounted film fest tickets. RSVP here.

On Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the public can check out live music, local vendors and several surf contests at Seaside Reef. The festival will continue into next week with a free art exhibit night at Four Moons Spa in Encinitas (Sept. 16) and a three-day surf film fest at the historic La Paloma Theatre (Sept. 18-20), with tickets starting at $39. 

386 North Coast Highway 101 Encinitas | 2504 South Coast Highway, Solana Beach

Mavis Staples with Gaby Moreno at Belly Up 

September 11

Don’t miss the soulful Mavis Staples at the Belly Up on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. First coming to prominence as the centerpiece of her family’s band in the ‘60s, Staples is still going strong with her immensely powerful voice and songs wrapped in the power of praise. Staples’ performance will be opened by Guatemalan folk artist Gaby Moreno, whose varied discography includes composing the opening theme of Parks and Recreation and creating a full-length album with experimental pop luminary Van Dyke Parks (¡Spangled!). Tickets are $85. 

143 South Cedros Avenue, Solana Beach

San Diego Bayfair 

September 12–14

See powerboats zip through the waters of Mission Bay from Fiesta Island, Crown Point and East Vacation Island during the three-day San Diego Bayfair. Attendees can enjoy a weekend full high-speed racing and hydro-games, plus live entertainment, food and drink vendors, a cornhole tournament and car shows for lowriders and classic automobiles. Single-day general admission ($28-$38) and three-day ticket options, ranging from $68 to $369, can be purchased here. 

Mission Bay

Fiesta de Libros

September 13 & 14

Centro Cultural de la Raza and Lapicero Rojo are throwing a free literary festival Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. At Fiesta de Libros, families are invited to enjoy cultural and community programming including children’s book presentations, panels, storytelling sessions and book-themed workshops led by writers from San Diego and Tijuana. Bookworms can also pursue novels and new reads from more than 10 publishers, bookstores and exhibitors.

2004 Park Boulevard, Balboa Park

Coheed and Cambria & Taking Back Sunday at Gallagher Square

September 15

Take back your Monday with a performance from a pair of eclectic alternative bands: prog rockers Coheed and Cambria and pop punks Taking Back Sunday. Anchoring this co-headlining tour is Coheed and Cambria, whose science-fiction storylines continue on their newest album Vaxis – Act III: The Father of Make Believe, the latest chapter in Claudio Sanchez’s comic series The Amory Wars. Concertgoers can also expect emocore tracks from Taking Back Sunday and special guests Foxing. Tickets are $54. Show starts at 6 p.m.

899 J Street, Downtown

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend

The Prince of Egypt at Moonlight Amphitheatre 

September 10–27

Though it doesn’t carry the same cultural cache as DreamWorks successes like Shrek and Despicable Me, The Prince of Egypt laid the foundation for animated films to embrace bold visual storytelling. Nearly two decades after its release, the film was re-worked into a stage musical centered on Stephen Schwartz’s infallible soundtrack, including the inspirational “When You Believe.” Now local theater fans can catch the California premiere of The Prince Egypt through Moonlight Stage Productions’ adaptation of the biblical story. Tickets range from $45 to $67, with nightly performances Wednesday-Sunday at 7:30 p.m. through September 27. 

1250 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista

Beside Myself at North Coast Repertory Theatre

September 10 – October 5

Witness the world premiere of Paul Slade Smith’s mental health-minded comedy Beside Myself, with previews beginning Wednesday at North Coast Repertory Theatre. This production, directed by its artistic director David Ellenstein, humorously grapples with the topic of anxiety and follows a woman’s quest to rid herself of her woes, leading to the dual-identity fallout of an experimental procedure. Tickets are $59-$64 for the four previews Wednesday-Friday, $87 for Saturday’s opening night, and $69-$81 for the remainder of its run. 

987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach

Cygnet Theater’s Follies at The Joan 

September 10 – October 12

Cygnet Theatre will kick off its 2025/26 season with a classic Broadway musical and a new location in Liberty Station, with Follies marking Cygnet’s first production at The Joan. This collaboration from James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim offers a forlorn look at a run-down theater, as the venue’s former showgirls reminisce on the bygone era and their broken dreams. There will be daily preview performances of Follies Wednesday-Saturday ($44-$73), with tickets ranging from $54-$83 following Saturday’s sold-out opening night. 

2800 Roosevelt Road, Point Loma

Thorn & Petal: Rose Grows in San Diego at Trinity Theatre Company

September 12–21

Besides being the namesake of Point Loma’s Roseville neighborhood and several other local sites, Louis Rose is recognized for sowing the seeds of San Diego’s Jewish community after he arrived in 1850. Through the new theatrical production Thorn & Petal, Trinity Theatre Company invites San Diegans to observe Rose’s importance and the dream of a prosperous city he shared. General admission is $35 and deluxe tickets, which come with a signed copy of Donald H. Harrison’s book Louis Rose: San Diego’s First Jewish Settler, are available for $55. Performances take place on Friday (7:30 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) and Sunday (2 p.m.).

1640 Camino Del Rio North, Mission Valley

(S)Light of Hand at The Photographer’s Eye Gallery

September 13 through October 4

Five hundred entries were received by The Photographer’s Eye Gallery for its juried (S)Light of Hand exhibition, with the final selection whittled down to 52 works from 50 photographers. Tasked with using traditional methods, entrants employed a range of alternative processes to create their perfectly imperfect imagery. Robert Treat (Juror’s Choice) and Lynne Buchanan (Director’s Choice) will each have two photographs shown and be recognized with a separate exhibition in 2026. (S)Light of Hand will be open to the public Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 4 and have a free opening reception this Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. 

326 East Grand Avenue, Escondido

Mixed-Media to Motion at Art Produce Gallery 

September 13 – October 18

Interdisciplinary artist J. Kracht’s Mixed-Media to Motion acts as both a creative perspective of emotion and a study of the modern moment, a time rife with fear and surveillance. Kracht’s paintings within the exhibition incorporate color theory, texture-making, and found media with items including mylar film and colorful plastics, grounded in an existential approach. Mixed-Media to Motion will open at Art Produce Gallery with a free reception this Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m.

3139 University Avenue, North Park

More Fun Things To Do in San Diego This Weekend

Drew Brees Celebrity Pickleball Event at Barnes Tennis Center

September 12

Pick up a paddle for Del Mar Wine + Food Festival’s celebrity pickleball tournament, hosted by former NFL gunslinger Drew Brees, this Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Barnes Tennis Center Participants can sign up as a team or as an individual, with the chance to play doubles against athletes like Brees or hockey hall of famer Jeremy Roenick, as well as celebrities like actor Glenn Howerton or San Diego Mag‘s own (and former tennis prodigy) Troy Johnson. Attendees can enjoy an all-inclusive tasting experience with wines from Justin Winery plus several food and beverage vendors. Tickets range from $125 (spectator entry) to $600 to play with a celeb ticket. Event proceeds will go to Feeding San Diego. 

4490 West Point Loma Boulevard, Point Loma 

SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream

September 12 – November 1

Horrific haunted houses, sinister scare zones, bloody cocktail bars and much more await at Howl-O-Scream, SeaWorld San Diego’s hair-raising Halloween experience. This after-hours event will also include themed speakeasies, live entertainment, nighttime rollercoaster rides and the return of the Howl-O-Sprint 5K on Oct. 19. Howl-O-Scream will happen nightly (6 p.m.) Friday-Sunday through November 1 and on the last four Thursdays in October. Howl-O-Scream tickets start at $44 and can be purchased here; SeaWorld San Diego admission is not included. 

500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay

OMBAC Classic Longboard Surfing Contest

September 13

Surfers of all ages and skill levels can ride waves like Duke Kahanamoku through Old Mission Beach Athletic Club’s Classic Longboard Surfing Contest this Saturday at Crystal Pier. The contestants must use longboards that are at least 9 feet, have no leash and are from 1969 or older. Spectators will also be able to explore live entertainment and food vendors to go along with the old-school surfing commencing at 8:15 a.m. Registration is $39 and rises to $45 on Thursday. 

4500 Ocean Boulevard, Pacific Beach

Four Nations Cup at Frontwave Arena

September 13 & 14

Indoor soccer teams representing Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and the United States will face off at Frontwave Arena for $10K in prize money and the honor of lifting the Four Nations Cup. The tournament begins Saturday with semifinals between Mexico and Brazil (3 p.m.) and USA and Colombia (7 p.m.) and finishes Sunday with third-place (1 p.m.) and championship matches (5 p.m.). The festivities will include live music, cultural activities and cuisine for the four featured countries. Tickets are $30 for each match, $55 for each day and $99 for the four-match bundle. 

3475 Hero Drive, Oceanside