Los Angeles indie pop group The Aces will be performing at the Kimpton Alma this Thursday at 7 p.m. as part of the hotel chain’s charity concert series, 2023 Kimpton Off The Record. The concert will celebrate the opening of Leave of Absence, the hotel’s new poolside dining venue that will serve hors d’oeuvre and musical performances. All concert ticket proceeds will go toward the National Urban League, a civil rights and urban advocacy organization. Tickets for Thursday’s concert can be purchased here. | 1047 Fifth Avenue, Downtown
May 5
First Friday at Liberty Station
The Liberty Station’s arts district has several events in store for this month’s first Friday festivities including improv and musical performances, art workshops, and a new watercolor exhibition. Highlights throughout the day include live music from Street Bass Quintet outside the Liberty Public Market from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., San Diego Craft Collective’s Mother’s Day card-making workshop and the opening reception of the San Diego Watercolor Society’s newest exhibition “Climate of Change.” | 2820 Roosevelt Road, Point Loma
Liberty Station, First Fridays
El Cajon Dinner & A Concert
Downtown El Cajon’s weekly concert and food event is back beginning from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. this Friday and will continue every Friday through September 29. Performing on the Prescott Promenade, the first musical act of the 2023 season will be Fleetwood Mac tribute band Twisted Gypsy, who closely channel the on-stage personalities and singing abilities of the beloved rock band while performing their many hits. Attendees are encouraged to dine out on Main Street before the show or bring a picnic to the park for the free concert. | 200 East Main Street, El Cajon
May 5-6
Julian Women’s Club Wildflower Show
Enjoy this free flower show displaying hundreds of unique plant species from in and around Julian, from colorful flowers to prickly succulents, taking place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. This event is an effort to learn about the area’s flora while championing a greater effort toward conservation. Plants, seeds and books will be available for sale and donations to the Julian Women’s Club will be accepted.| 2607 C Street, Julian
May 5-7
2023 Old Town Cinco De Mayo
The historic streets and buildings of Old Town will serve as the backdrop to the city’s annual Cinco De Mayo celebrations this Friday through Sunday. Steeped in Latin American history, culture and cuisine, there will be several dining and drink specials lasting all weekend from participating locations including Cafe Coyote, Miguel’s Cocina and Guadalajara Mexican Restaurant. As you indulge in your fiesta feist, there will be plenty of live entertainment such as face painters, mariachi bands and ballet folklórico dancers. | Old Town
May 6
Tacotopia
Golden Hill Park will be the site for the gathering of the best taco vendors stretching from Los Angeles to Tijuana during the Reader‘s Tacotopia event, which includes unlimited taco tastings from taco trucks to hole in the wall joints. In addition to the diverse variety of tacos on the menu, there will be margaritas, live music and lawn games to enjoy. General admission tickets ($45) are valid from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., while VIP admission ($55) includes an extra hour of admission from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. along with a free drink ticket. | 2590-2596 Golden Hill Drive, Downtown
North County will have its fair share of Cinco De Mayo celebrations but the city of Ramona’s Tacos & Beer Fest from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. this Saturday is a stand-out event. There will be five taco trucks, all serving up specialty items like al pastor and quesabirria, and there will be Mexican beer, tequila shots and Micheladas. Attendees can also expect live music from Banda 619, Sangre Azull and Los Nuevos Ayalas along with a handful of craft vendors in attendance at Ramona Outdoor Community Center. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 online and for $15 at the door. | 421 Aqua Lane, Ramona
Spring Garden & Butterfly Festival
The Spring Garden & Butterfly Festival is a free nature event that returns this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with several ticketed experiences for attendees to enjoy along with food trucks, specialty vendors and workshops. There will also be live music during the Cuyamaca College – Coyote Music Festival, an extensive plant sale from the Cuyamaca College Nursery and tours of the Heritage of the Americas Museum. Plus, for kids there will be crafts, a children’s story time, crafts and petting zoo companions. | 12122 Cuyamaca College Drive West, El Cajon
Brooklyn Rider & Magos Herrera
Mexican-born singer Magos Herrera is teaming up with string quartet Brooklyn Rider for a night of Latin American music celebrating the works of poets and songwriters like Octavio Paz, Federico García Lorca, and Rubén Darío at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday. This performance at the Baker-Baum Concert Hall will showcase songs that emphasize love and the human spirit and show the beauty of Latin American jazz. | 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla
Cinco De Mayo Celebration at Seaport Village
Enjoy a free family-friendly Cinco De Mayo party this Saturday afternoon from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with food, drinks and live entertainment. The festivities include an equestrian showcase of charrería, dance troupe performances from Folklórico Ti-Pai and Ballet Wa-Kushma and live music from Mariachi Estrellas de Chula Vista, Radical Ensemble and Adriana Hernandez and much more. | 849 West Harbor Drive, Embarcadero
City Ballet of San Diego
Courtesy of City Ballet of San Diego
May 6-7
City Ballet of San Diego’s: Romeo & Juliet
The final installment of City Ballet’s 30th season will be a two-day showing of Romeo & Juliet. Shakespeare’s centuries-old story of star-crossed teenage lovers from two opposing families will be told through breathtaking ballet orchestrated by resident choreographer Elizabeth Wistrich and Sergei Prokofiev’s score played by the City Ballet Orchestra. Tickets for the performances on Saturday night (8 p.m.) and Sunday afternoon (2 p.m.) at the California Center for the Arts can be purchased here. | 340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido
May 7
Carlsbad Spring Village Faire
There will be more than 750 vendors selling everything from antiques and vintage clothing to handmade art and crafts at the Carlsbad Spring Village Faire from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free bi-annual street fair will also include a variety of children’s rides, face painting, 50 unique food booths, a wine and beer garden, live music and a pancake breakfast served from 7 a.m. to noon. | Carlsbad Boulevard & Grand Avenue, Carlsbad
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
