With springtime set to arrive on Saturday, the new season will bring free activities, interactive dining experiences and plentiful film screenings to San Diego, in addition to the unseasonably hot weather. Wallet-friendly fun includes the showcase for Aladino Ghioni’s In Conversation with Stones and the 22nd annual Julian Daffodil Show. Foodies can peruse the neighborhood flavors of Downtown Chula Vista during Taste of Third and enjoy a uniquely immersive evening at the Chapel via An Artist @ The Table. Plus, movie buffs have plentiful screening options with the return of the San Diego Latino Film Festival and the Blue Water Film Festival.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Taste of Third
March 19
Stroll the block for an assortment of appetizers, tasters and sweet treats during the annual Taste of Third this Thursday from 4-8 p.m. As always, Third Avenue is the setting for Downtown Chula Vista’s most tasteful event, with this year’s dining exploration featuring 25 neighborhood eateries and a handful of live musical performances. This year’s menu includes beer, wine and cocktail samples, dishes like rolled tacos and penne alla vodka, and for dessert, all natural ice cream and crêpes with nutella or strawberry rhubarb jam. Tickets are $54 for Taste of Third.
Third Avenue from H Street to E Street, Chula Vista
An Artist @ The Table at Chapel
March 20-22
Across three consecutive nights, Liberty Station’s Chapel will transform into a flurry of flavors, colors and elements as part of Vanguard Culture’s An Artist @ The Table series. This Friday-Sunday from 6-9 p.m., patrons can feast on the visual artistry of Ben Guerrette and a four-course dinner with wine pairings from chef Flor Franco. Throughout the dynamic meal, the interplay between art and food will draw inspiration from the creative inertia of the four classical elements. Tickets are $234 each for Friday and Sunday, with Sunday’s tickets already sold out.
2881 Roosevelt Road, Point Loma
Mediterranean Voyage: Croatia at Garibaldi
March 20-22
For the next stop in its monthly deep-dive into the breadth of Mediterranean gastronomy, Garibaldi will offer a Croatian-themed dinner menu this Friday-Sunday. The faithful Croatian fare will include grilled branzino with potato and swiss chard, fennel pollen and Istrian salsa verde (Pečeni Brancin), Istrian fuži pasta with black truffle butter sauce (Fuži s Tartufima) and plum dumplings with vanilla gelato and plum brandy coulis (Knedle sa Šljivama). Reservations are $76 per person, with an optional Croatian wine pairing add-on for $35 on OpenTable.
901 Bayfront Court, Embarcadero
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
The Black Jacket Symphony Presents Pink Floyd’s The Wall at The Magnolia
March 18
The Black Jacket Symphony specializes in recreating classic sounds, one legendary rock album at a time. The repertoire of this talented, ever-changing ensemble has tackled projects by the likes of The Beatles, Prince, Nirvana and Led Zeppelin, and for Wednesday’s 6:30 p.m. performance at The Magnolia, they’ll perform Pink Floyd’s seismic rock opera The Wall. The concert will serve as a full-scale reproduction of The Wall on wax and a spirited celebration of Pink Floyd’s career-spanning hits. Tickets range from $35 to $70 for this concert.
210 East Main Street, El Cajon
San Diego Latino Film Festival
March 18-22
See a wide-ranging selection of Latino-led films during the 33rd annual San Diego Latino Film Festival, with screenings beginning Wednesday at AMC Mission Valley and Digital Gym Cinema. Special events will include Wednesday’s opening night reception at El After ($35), Saturday’s closing night bash at UC San Diego Park & Market ($45), and a Sunday screening of American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez at Southwestern College Performing Arts Center. Festival pass options include a five ticket pack ($50), an 11-film pass ($120), an all-screening festival pass ($200) and the all-access VIP pass ($300); tickets are $13 for individual screenings.
Citywide
Blue Water Film Festival
March 19-22
Environmental storytelling is at the forefront of the Blue Water Institute’s 7th annual Blue Water Film Festival, with a lineup of independent features, shorts and animated films. The festival programming will include screenings ($23 each) at THE Lot La Jolla, as well as Sunday evening’s award gala ($211) at UCSD Park & Market with dinner and music by Tita Oses and Taj Mahal. Festival attendees can also check out the free Blue Water Summit, with eco-focused panels and workshops on Thursday and Friday at La Jolla Ridford Library; RSVP here.
Citywide
Foreigner & San Diego Symphony Orchestra at The Rady Shell
March 20
Though they began as a band of castaways, the American-English sextet Foreigner found immediate success on their 1977 self-titled debut, producing immortal hits like “Cold As Ice” and “Feels Like the First Time” and charting an eventual path to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Now as Foreigner turns 50, the band is celebrating its anniversary orchestral style. With the help of conductor Stuart Chafetz and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Foreigner will perform their greatest hits this Friday at 7:30 p.m. at The Rady Shell. Tickets start at $71 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Aladino Ghioni: In Conversation with Stones at Petra Stone
March 19
The works of 90-year-old painter, and Pacific Beach resident, Aladino Ghioni reside in many churches and artistic centers worldwide—including several in his native Italy—and now, they grace the walls of Mira Mesa’s Petra Stone. This Thursday from noon to 7 p.m., the public is invited to see 40 surrealist paintings crafted by Ghioni and curated to dazzle with the patterns of Petra Stone’s earthly materials, during In Conversation with Stones. RSVP here for the event.
5950 Nancy Ridge Drive, Sorrento Valley
The Salty Series: To Live a Loving Life by Patrick Michael Ballard at Bread & Salt
March 20
No two performances of To Live a Loving Life are exactly the same. The absurd structure of each show is firmly in the audience’s control, with viewers given autonomy to participate as much or as little as they’d like. This Friday at 7:30 p.m. as part of Project [BLANK]’s The Salty Series, Patrick Michael Ballard will get the ball rolling, but after that, the evening will likely unfold unpredictably as ever. Tickets range from $5-$50 on a sliding scale, and attendees are encouraged to bring items such as non-perishable food and new clothing to donate to Border Angels.
1955 Julian Avenue, Logan Heights
Empower: A Prism of New Work at Light Box Theater
March 20-22
If you have a fixed viewpoint when it comes to the art of movement, then The Rosin Box Project hopes to alter your perspective, beginning with Empower: A Prism of New Work. This ballet production will feature a trio of new works by TRBP Artistic Director Carly Topazio, resident choreographer Jeremy Zapanta and guest choreographer Adriana Pierce that aim to update and contextualize the lens in which performance is viewed. General admission is $50 for Empower, with shows Friday (7:30 p.m.), Saturday (8 p.m.) and Sunday (6 p.m.) in the Light Box Theater.
2590 Truxtun Road, Point Loma
Giulio Cesare at Shiley Theatre
March 21 & 22
Cinballera Entertainment’s upcoming production of Giulio Cesare will put a new spin—and perhaps, a new pirouette—on George Frideric Handel’s iconic opera. Unlike William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, Handel’s Baroque masterpiece takes historical inspiration from the Roman Civil War, as well as the romance between Caesar and Cleopatra. Plus, in this production, the story of love and conquest will be weaved together with classical ballet. Tickets are $42 for Giulio Cesare, with performances Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. at Shiley Theatre.
5998 Alcala Park, Morena
All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Balboa Theatre
March 21 & 22
When Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed in 2020, her death not only vacated a seat on the Supreme Court, but signaled the loss of a towering legal figure. Through the stage play All Things Equal: The Life & Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, written by Rupert Holmes, audiences can receive an extensive and revelatory look at her life and legacy. Actress Michelle Azar will play RBG as she recounts the many battles she fought inside and out of the courtroom, including her women’s rights advocacy and her eventual appointment to the country’s highest court. Tickets start at $33, with performances Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Balboa Theatre.
868 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp
Chanell Stone: Undulation of a Rupture at San Diego Museum of Art
March 21 – August 16
In direct contrast to the monochromatic dusk of her imagery, photographer Chanell Stone shines a light on the shameful histories this country often opts to gloss over. Beginning Saturday, the San Diego Museum of Art will begin displaying considerable photos from Stone’s Undulation of a Rupture series—previously shown in town as part of her MFA thesis exhibition at UC San Diego. Throughout this collection, Stone’s lens is drawn to the murky waters of the Mississippi Delta, as a massive force of nature, as a connection to her Black ancestral past, and as an unflinching depiction of the region’s uneasy relevance to the transatlantic slave trade.
1450 El Prado, Balboa Park
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Ken Kramer’s About San Diego 100th Episode Celebration at Music Box
March 18
Hidden landmarks, unsung heroes and compelling historical insights populate the numerous stories documented on the KPBS series Ken Kramer’s About San Diego. This Wednesday from 6-8:30 p.m., to commemorate the show’s 100th episode milestone, Music Box will host a Q&A featuring Kramer and the show’s producer Suzanne Bartole, as well as an early look at episode 101 before it airs Thursday. Tickets are $66 for this event.
1337 India Street, Little Italy
Julian Daffodil Show
March 21 & 22
Admire the white and yellow hues of spring this Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Julian Town Hall during the 22nd annual Julian Daffodil Show. This year’s event, open to the public as always, is dedicated to the “Daffodil Lovers,” inviting community members to extract feelings of hope from the flowers. Attendees can check out a floral display with more than a thousand blooms, a daffodil themed-art show created by Julian students and receive knowledgeable insight from members of the American Daffodil Society.
2129 Main Street, Julian
GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K
March 22
The second race in In Motion Events’ SoCal Triple Crown series promises a Sunday morning dash through downtown, with the choice of 3.1 miles or a hearty 13.1 mile option. The 15th annual GOVX San Diego Half Marathon & 5K will kick off at 6:30 a.m. with the 5K, followed by the half marathon at 6:50 a.m. Both races will conclude in Gaslamp with a finish line festival featuring vendors, local dining discounts and all the chocolate milk one could desire after a workout. Registration is $175 for the half marathon and $73 for the 5K, with all racers receiving prizes like a custom finisher’s medal and a one-day pass to the Columbia Employee store.
100 North Harbor Drive, Embarcadero
PARTNER CONTENT
San Diego Sockers doubleheader at Frontwave Arena
March 22
Take in a Sunday slate of indoor soccer during International Soccer Night at Frontwave Arena, featuring the first-ever exhibition match for San Diego Sockers W. First, the newly assembled Sockers W team will kick off against the women’s contingent of the Ontario-based Empire Strykers at 1:45 p.m. Then, the San Diego Sockers will play the St. Louis Ambush at 4 p.m. as they jostle with the Baltimore Blast for the top playoff seed. Tickets range from $26 to $90 and come with admission to both matches, as well as a Sockers Cowbell giveaway item.
3475 Hero Drive, Oceanside
