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Arts & Culture NOVEMBER 25, 2025

2025 San Diego Holiday Gift Guide: 15 Local Goods They’ll Love

Treat your friends and family to these handpicked products including skincare, apparel, experiences, and more

2025 San Diego Holiday Gift Guide: 15 Local Goods They’ll Love
Courtesy of Wreath.Co

Some of us are working to uphold our reputation as the family’s best gift giver. Others are just trying to find a present for our dads that’s not whiskey stones (we promise this gift guide does not contain whiskey stones). Whatever your gifting vibe is this year, take this as your sign to check everyone off your list early—we’ve rounded up 15 local products and experiences sure to delight. Happy holidays!

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring Silver Bells 26” Fresh Wreath from Wreath.Co
Courtesy of Wreath.Co

Silver Bells 26” Fresh Wreath, $89

Wreath.Co

Some of the best things in life are fleeting—like the holiday season, and festive wreaths not made of glossy plastic. Brighten up a loved one’s abode with some yummy-smelling décor crafted from real fir, cedar, and huckleberry leaves and boughs, which stays fresh for up to six weeks.

Buy it for: Your Christmas-obsessed aunt who starts decorating the second the clock strikes midnight after Halloween.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring the Feeling Nauti Salt Shield from Coconut Smuggler
Courtesy of Coconut Smuggler

Feeling Nauti Salt Shield, $28

Coconut Smuggler

Designed by a local hairdresser, this coconut- and sandalwood-scented “hair sunscreen” protects strands from the havoc sun and salt can wreak. The reef-safe formula is packed with aloe vera, vitamin E, and nourishing oils.

Buy it for: Your surfer friend whose waist-length locks are as impressive as her cutbacks.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring the Grand Tasting 2026 Two-Day Pass for the 2026 Del Mar Wine + Food Festival
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine + Food Festival

Grand Tasting 2026 Two-Day Pass, $275

Del Mar Wine + Food Festival

When in doubt, gift an experience. This pass gives your recipient a full weekend of sampling global sips and hundreds of bites from San Diego County bars, restaurants, and wineries—plus the chance to run into their favorite chefs and Food Network stars in line for a Wagyu slider.

Buy it for: Your parents, who insist they don’t want anything but will never say no to a free glass of sauv blanc.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring the Recovery Cube from Koa + Roy
Courtesy of Koa + Roy

Recovery Cube, $55

Koa + Roy

Loaded with hemp, camphor, and cooling menthol, this organic cube offers a portable way to soothe sore muscles, reduce inflammation, and stop cramps in their tracks. Think of it as a low-mess take on Tiger Balm in zero-waste packaging.

Buy it for: Your gym buddy who occasionally goes a little too hard in the pursuit of a PR. 

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring a One-Year Subscription from San Diego Magazine

One-Year Subscription, $18

San Diego Magazine

Okay, we’re biased, but a subscription to SDM is quite literally the gift that keeps on giving: For about the price of a single craft cocktail in North Park, your friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, acupuncturist, favorite barista, and/or bank teller will get 12 shiny issues of the best storytelling in the county (and—dare we say—the world).

Buy it for: Everyone you know 😉

San Diego women-owned business Native Poppy flower shop featuring owners Natalie Gill and Meg Blancato
San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring The Rocket tennis bag from Tennis C. Williams
Courtesy of Tennis C. Williams

The Rocket, $195

Tennis C. Williams

The final result of eight prototypes and hundreds of market-research interviews with players, this hardworking tennis bag isn’t what we’d call “petite” or “subtle.” But even at 30 inches tall, it has a Mary Poppins–like capacity that belies its size: The Rocket holds up to five racquets, tennis shoes and clothes, balls, snacks, a water bottle, a cell phone, a wallet, and your keys. 

Buy it for: Your doubles partner who’s always schlepping a minimum of three different bags.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring Móyla Moon Polish Exfoliant from N8iV Beauty
Courtesy of N8iV Beauty

Móyla Moon Polish Exfoliant, $80

N8iV Beauty

Indigenous entrepreneur and leader Ruth-Ann Thorn formulates N8iV Beauty products with organic acorn oil, a Native American beauty secret for healthy, glowing skin. This sleep mask sloughs off dead skin, leaving a moisturizing residue that hydrates overnight.

Buy it for: Your mom, who wants to tackle fine lines without a million products or steps.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring custom Cowboy Hats from Rancher Hat Bar
Courtesy of Rancher Hat Bar

Cowboy Hat, $170

Rancher Hat Bar

Stroll into Rancher Hat Bar’s Mission Beach location to build your bestie the topper of their dreams. The shop will tie on chic bands and chains, tack on accessories like feathers and playing cards, and brand cowboy hats with your recipient’s initials (or a playful nickname or inside joke).

Buy it for: Your friend who’s always first to share the lineup for Petco Park’s annual Wild Horses festival.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring Deodorant Sticks from Curie
Courtesy of Curie

Deodorant Stick, $14

Curie

A stocking stuffer perhaps best reserved for family (pals might take it as an awkward hint), this aluminum-free deodorant that got a boost from Shark Tank investors comes in eight different scents (and no scent at all, if that’s your recipient’s thing).

Buy it for: Your tween child—it’s time, kiddo.

Solid Matcha Bowls from Isiko
Courtesy of Isiko

Solid Matcha Bowl, $42

Isiko

Local ceramicist Janna Barker handcrafts these little bowls—called chawan in Japanese—designed for stirring together matcha powder and water with a bamboo whisk, or chasen. The spout makes it easy to pour the tea into a glass and mix with milk or sweetener.

Buy it for: Your matcha-obsessed friend who mentioned that swearing off $8 lattes will be their New Year’s resolution.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring That’s Not Food! from Mara Altman & Courtney Cook
Courtesy of 3 Plus 1 Publishing

That’s Not Food!, $13.95

Mara Altman & Courtney Cook

Who among us hasn’t sampled sand or chowed down on rubbery Polly Pocket clothes (RIP) in our youth? Beloved, hilarious San Diego Mag contributor Mara Altman penned this funny picture book about toddlers’ penchant for nibbling inedible things, with colorful illustrations from artist Courtney Cook.

Buy it for: Your mischievous preschooler who seems determined to invent the next Tide Pod Challenge.

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring Keep It Light Weekender from Aloha Collection
Courtesy of Aloha Collection

Keep It Light Weekender, $72

Aloha Collection

This lightweight nylon duffle from mega-successful San Diego brand Aloha Collection makes a killer carry-on (it’s got a strap on one side that slides neatly onto the handle of a rolling suitcase for breezing through airports), but it’s also a nice present for teens constantly running to sports practices or sleepovers.

Buy it for: Your long-distance best friend, to hint that it’s time for a visit.

ChargeTree MAG Portable Wireless Charging Station from STM Goods
Courtesy of STM Goods

ChargeTree MAG Portable Wireless Charging Station, $99.95

STM Goods

Founded in 1998 in Australia, STM Goods (the acronym stands for “Smarter Than Most”) is now based in SD, producing bags, cases, chargers, and accessories to protect and optimize tech. This foldable power station charges up an iPhone, an Apple Watch, and Airpods simultaneously.

Buy it for: Your tech-obsessed sibling (or your bud who’s constantly trying to bum a charger on weekend trips).

San Diego-made holiday gift ideas featuring the Neptune UPF50+ Boardshirt from Oleu
Courtesy of Oleu

Neptune UPF50+ Boardshirt, $119

Oleu

Surfers can swap their spring suit for this stylish, quick-dry, wind-resistant shirt made from stretchy boardshort material. Flat snaps take the place of buttons so there’s no discomfort when they’re paddling in, and the UPF quality protects against UV rays.

Buy it for: Your dad, who hasn’t so much as touched the reef-safe sunscreen you got him last Christmas.

Body Wash Bar from Broken Wave
Courtesy of Broken Wave

Body Wash Bar, $9.99

Broken Wave

Another great stocking stuffer, this vegan and gluten-free bar soap saves tons of water (H2O is the primary ingredient in most bottled body washes) and comes in two tropical scents: coconut lemongrass and coconut papaya.

Buy it for: Your secret Santa recipient at work—can’t go wrong!

Amelia Rodriguez is a writer and journalist and winner of the San Diego Press Club's 2023 Rising Star Award and 2024 Best of Show Award, she’s also covered music, food, arts and culture, fashion, and design for Rolling Stone, Palm Springs Life, and other national and regional publications. After work, you can find her hunting down San Diego’s best pastries and maintaining her five-year Duolingo streak.

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Arts & Culture SEPTEMBER 2, 2026

31 People Shaping San Diego’s Creative Scene

Meet the artists, makers, and advocates whose work shapes how the city looks, sounds, gathers, and connects

31 People Shaping San Diego’s Creative Scene
Photo Credit: Katie Gardner & Matt Furman

San Diego is full of people who deserve a few thousand words on what they make, who they bring together, and how their work changes the city around them. The artists, makers, advocates, and behind-the-scenes talent below are a small part of that larger ecosystem.

To help us narrow our list, we looked for names that kept coming up, work that reflects the diversity of our region, and people building something bigger than themselves.

Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.

Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.

Matt Eisenberg is an award-winning writer and photographer based in San Diego. A former ESPN editor, his work has also been published by CNN, Bleacher Report and the New York Daily News.

A

About Aaryn Belfer

Aaryn Belfer is a writer and editor specializing in nonfiction across art, architecture, and culture. Once upon a time, she wrote a provocative column for San Diego CityBeat (RIP). She was a runner up in the 2025 Matchbook Stories contest at the San Diego Central Library and is irrationally happy about it. Currently in her Soft Girl Era, Aaryn has expensive taste in (mostly flat) shoes and will choose a great art exhibit or live jazz concert over almost anything else. Except, possibly, Javier Bardem.

Leorah Gavidor won her first essay contest at age 5. She writes features, news, and non-fiction in San Diego.

Lili Kim

About Lili Kim

Lili Kim is a content coordinator and writer for San Diego Magazine, with experience highlighting local businesses and communities. When not writing or shooting film, she is likely brewing her seventh cup of tea of the day or strolling along Sunset Cliffs.

Emma Veidt

About Emma Veidt

Emma Veidt is an editor at San Diego Magazine. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism. She loves running, hiking, and rock climbing, but really, she mostly loves encounters with the street cats around North Park.

Gail Czyszczon is owner/copywriter at Z3 Writing and best-selling author of a children’s book series. As a strategic communications professional and editorialist, she's passionate about discovering untold stories and themes that ignite fresh conversation and true change in communities.

Everything SD AUGUST 28, 2026

San Diego Is Getting the Music Venue It’s Been Missing

Live Nation is turning the historic Wonder Bread Building into a 4,000-capacity concert hall designed to bring more touring acts to the city

San Diego Is Getting the Music Venue It’s Been Missing
Rendering courtesy of Live Nation

Imagine being the song continuously getting skipped on the playlist. Not because no one wants to hear you, but because you never quite fit the moment. For years, San Diego has been that song on the touring circuit. Artists who have outgrown intimate clubs but aren’t yet filling  arenas and stadiums have often passed us by, heading north to venues better suited to the size of their show. San Diego wasn’t missing the audience, it was missing the room.

That’s all about to change.

On August 17, Live Nation Entertainment announced plans to transform the historic Wonder Bread Building, which it purchased in June for $16.8 million, into a 4,000-capacity indoor venue slated to open in fall 2028. The new space will host music acts as well as private, corporate, and community events. 

Currently, San Diego’s concert landscape jumps quickly from intimate clubs like the Casbah, Winston’s, and Belly Up to larger theaters, amphitheaters, arenas, and stadiums. What’s largely missing—particularly downtown—is a modern indoor room built specifically for roughly 4,000 concertgoers. This leaves a gap in mid-size venues for touring acts that land stages like the Hollywood Palladium or Boston’s MGM Music Hall at Fenway. 

“We are filling a void in the market,” says John Schalk, Live Nation’s Vice President, San Diego Market. “There are other venues in town, but this […] building is just something that doesn’t currently exist.” Although SDSU’s Cal Coast Credit Union Amphitheater serves the 4,000-capacity range, its outdoor, fixed-seating arrangement isn’t as versatile as the proposed Live Nation project. 

Located at 171 14th Street, just a six-minute walk from Petco Park, the building carries a century of history. Architect Eugene Hoffman designed it in 1924, a year after completing the Barcelona Apartment Hotel in Bankers Hill. The landmark brick building served as a bakery and warehouse for the Southern California Baking Company before Continental Baking Company, producers of Wonder Bread, took over in the 1950s and operated there through 1988 continued at the site until 2007.

In the early 2000s, Bob and Gay Sinclair, the couple behind a portfolio of East Village properties, purchased the building. After Bob—the founder of Pannikin Coffee & Tea—died in 2011, Gay sold much of their real estate portfolio but held onto the Wonder Bread Building. Mission Brewing eventually took over the space, where it operated for more than a decade before announcing its 2026 departure.

Now, the building is preparing for another reinvention. Live Nation plans to preserve the historic bakery’s four exterior walls, red brick façade, grain silo, barrel-vaulted trusses, and skylights as part of its next chapter.

Live Nation isn’t looking to erase its history but to celebrate it, allowing the building’s past to give the new venue some soul. “It’s really important for us that we maintain the integrity and the history of that building,” Schalk says. “There will be new construction and design elements as we go through the process to create the concert venue, but we’re working really hard to preserve it.”

Blueprint Studio, Live Nation’s in-house design and development group, and Gensler, the architecture firm behind San Diego International Airport Terminal 1 and Snapdragon Stadium, will be heading the project. The plan is to design the ground-floor space as an open, general-admission area with a premium level above with 600-plus fixed seats, in addition to box and suite sections. There will also be an additional structure built on top of the historical portion of the building (the four original walls that house the lobby) called the Vinyl Room—a Japanese-inspired hi-fi listening VIP lounge serving elevated food options.

One of the most reassuring aspects of the project is the focus on the concertgoer’s experience—specifically the “pet peeves” we all know too well: long bathroom lines, cramped exits, obstructed views. According to Schalk, one of the best things about building upon the existing structure is having the ability to consider potential obstacles and tackle them before construction begins. “I’d say we are ‘purpose building’ the entirety of the project for a music venue,” says Gensler lead project architect Garrett van Leeuwen. “As part of our design process, we do an in-depth sightline analysis to make sure that sightlines are optimized from every point and seat within the venue.” 

Circulation design is also being implemented to ease traffic flow, alongside acoustic optimization and a transformative outdoor beautification effort. According to van Leeuwen, this “public realm space” will grow the existing 14-foot sidewalk to a 32-foot sidewalk complete with plazas and landscaping. 

“This venue is for the fans. For the music lovers,” Schalk explains. The vision is intimate: “I want a fan to walk up to that building, see that red brick facade, grab their ticket from the box office, go into the lobby and see some of the history that will present itself… and feel like you entered a home.” Schalk also expressed a “keen interest in making sure that we work with the local artists, the local bands, the local musicians in town.” It’s a project that recognizes San Diego as a growing market that is hungry and ready to see a vibrant arts and culture community thrive. 

According to an analysis by Oxford Economics analysis shared by Live Nation, the venue is projected to deliver a significant boost to the local economy, generating approximately $97 million in annual economic impact and supporting 660 jobs. This also includes welcoming 316,000 fans each year—with 126,000 traveling from outside the San Diego metro area—and driving $53 million in local spending at nearby restaurants, hotels, and retail establishments. 

Considering its proximity to other major event spaces and overall busy urban areas, traffic and parking may be a concern, especially on nights of overlapping events. But in those cases, Schalk said they would work together on communication efforts; parking availability; and staggering start, end, and loading times; as well as providing easy access to designated rideshare areas. With transit stations nearby (the closest one being a 4-minute walk at 12th & Imperial), public transportation is another great option for enjoying your night out. 

There are still two years of design, construction, and plenty of logistics between now and opening night. But the bigger promise of the Wonder Bread Building is simple: San Diego finally gets a venue built for the artists who have historically passed it by. After years of getting skipped on the touring playlist, the city may finally be getting its turn on repeat.

Camila Ibarra Gallego is a CaliBaja native pursuing a master's degree in culinary journalism at the Basque Culinary Center. Shaped by the culturally rich, bicultural megaregion, she's passionate about sniffing out stories that connect people, territory and culture through food. When she's not tumbling down internet rabbit holes, you can find her pretending to be a wine connoisseur at a local wine bar or nose-deep in a good book.

Everything SD AUGUST 28, 2026

The Best Things to See, Do & Explore in Balboa Park

Whether you're a lover of the arts, music, or a leisurely stroll through the park, these are Balboa's best attractions

The Best Things to See, Do & Explore in Balboa Park
Photo Credit: Jennifer Curry Wingrove

SDMA’s 100th Anniversary

On February 28, 1926, the Fine Arts Gallery of San Diego (now called the San Diego Museum of Art) opened its Plateresque doors to 3,000 guests for opening day. Over the next century, the museum changed with the times—even once functioning as a naval hospital after Pearl Harbor. This year, the museum is celebrating its 100th birthday with an exhibit (open through January 24, 2027) featuring photographs, ephemera, and film footage spanning the museum’s history.

Courtesy of Tim Novara

Free Concerts at Spreckels Organ Pavilion

Every Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m., stop by the historic Spreckels Organ Pavilion for a free concert presented by the City of San Diego on the largest outdoor organ in the world (more than 5,000 pipes). The pavilion seats 2,400 for performances by the civic organist or guest artists.

The New Natural History Museum

Some think natural history museums are just cemeteries for dioramas that haven’t received an update since the Reagan administration. When it comes to The Nat, which just finished a $7.5 million rejuvenation, they’re totally wrong. The museum debuted a new rooftop that replaces its 25-year-old atrium. The old roof created a greenhouse effect that steamed up some exhibits, so the new one—which includes 200 solar panels and better temperature control—will help preserve the artifacts inside. Each Friday in the summer, The Nat also becomes one of the season’s vibiest hotspots during Nat at Night, with food from places like Wolf in the Woods and The Craft Taco, bars and signature cocktails on several floors, and a rooftop DJ.

Fleet Science Theater Remodel

The Fleet Science Center just received its most significant update since the 1990s. It expanded its exhibit space by 20 percent and introduced a newly designed entrance gallery (formerly the IMAX theater lobby) that includes free exhibits for visitors who want a taste of the science without paying an admission fee. The former ticketing area now houses the Mindbender Mansion exhibit, and there’s a new café, Element 8, that will, of course, sell the center’s famous soft serve.

Studio S MAY 5, 2026

Artistry, Aesthetics, and Inclusive Luxury

KQ Aesthetic Society goes beyond cosmetic to provide comprehensive care and transformative results

Artistry, Aesthetics, and Inclusive Luxury

Kelly H. Harfouche, founder of KQ Aesthetic Society, knows firsthand that cosmetic treatments like fillers, neurotoxins, and microneedling, can not only enhance a person’s appearance and restore confidence, they have the power to truly change a person’s life. An expert injector has the ability to tailor treatments to each individual patient’s anatomy and goals for personalized results. Harfouche, a board-certified nurse practitioner, has spent nearly a decade perfecting her craft as an aesthetic injector and integrating her multifaceted artistic skills with precision patient care. Her commitment to continual education and training, plus a passion for helping people look—and feel—their best, set KQ Aesthetic Society apart in a sea of local medspas. 

For many people considering nonsurgical treatments, the intent is to look refreshed and refined. KQ Aesthetic Society’s philosophy eschews a cookie cutter approach that bases treatments around units, instead working to understand each person’s unique goals, then curating a treatment plan to fit that vision. Harfouche focuses on “inclusive luxury,” the belief that everyone deserves access to aesthetic treatments, respective of budget restrictions. She develops long-standing trusted relationships with her patients, and works with each one to achieve their aesthetic objectives and address the underlying causes of their concerns. 

“For me, forming an honest and open relationship with every patient who walks through the door is essential. This means understanding them on a deeper level and meeting them where they are to define and achieve their individual goals,” she says. 

Drawing on her artistic background, which inspired her transition into medical aesthetics, Harfouche sees each client as a “unique canvas.” Rather than relying on standardized procedures, the practitioner’s distinctive approach combines her profound understanding of the physiological and anatomical changes associated with aging with an unwavering commitment to ongoing education about the newest products and their mechanisms of action. Her goal is to make each patient feel beautiful in their own skin and to embrace their individuality. 

She has also pioneered a way to combine her talent for aesthetic artistry with her philanthropic nature. Harfouche is one of only a handful of providers using dermal fillers to treat patients with lip asymmetry and scarring resulting from cleft lip surgery. Patients travel from around the country for this transformative treatment, noting increased confidence and a restored identity. She hopes to eventually launch a training program to help fill the void in this space.  

“My passion has always been connecting with people and giving back in any capacity that I can,” she says. In the rapidly advancing landscape of aesthetic medicine, you can place your confidence in Harfouche and KQ Aesthetic Society to deliver exceptional care. To learn more or book a consultation, please visit kqaestheticsociety.com.

Arts & Culture AUGUST 27, 2026

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: September 2026

Whether you’re ready to lean into fall or determined to keep summer going, here are all the best things to do this month

The Best Things to Do in San Diego: September 2026
Courtesy of Oceanside Museum of Art

September is San Diego’s unofficial second summer—the crowds thin, the weather stays warm, and the city’s calendar somehow gets even busier. This month brings stadium-sized rock shows, Broadway’s buzziest comedy, a new anime convention, world-premiere theater, gallery openings, food festivals, and the first signs of spooky season. Whether you’re ready to lean into fall or determined to keep summer going, here are the best things to do in San Diego this September.

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

Courtesy of Kehlani

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Month

9/2 

As Guns N’ Roses storm into decade five, their appetite for destruction persists. During their Snapdragon Stadium concert, hear the hard rock anthems, new material and a set from The Black Crowes.

9/23

Kehlani is proof that the romance and earnest sensuality of old-school R&B will never go out of style. Hear her take it back to the aughts at Viejas Arena.

Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month

9/6-10/11

From the silver screen to The Old Globe stage, John Carney will Begin Again (again) with a world premiere musical adaptation featuring new songs—courtesy of Train—and a story overflowing with hope. 

9/12-10/17 

The concept of work is a guiding principle for San Diego native and multidisciplinary creative noé olivas. Observe his community-informed approach via Tierra y Cielo (Earth and Sky) at Best Practice Gallery. 

9/18-10/25 

Two workers grapple with the weight of their roles at a temporary migrant shelter in Mario Vega’s world premiere play Our Lady of the San Diego Convention Center, set for citywide performances. 

9/26-2/28/2027

Luminous visions of peace and the Punjabi-American roots of Rupinder Kaloti inform The Gathering, a wondrous unification of family foretold via paintings at Oceanside Museum of Art. 

9/29-10/4 

It’s Mary Todd Lincoln’s world and we’re just living in it. See the presidential paramour barrel to her way to stardom at the Civic Theatre during Oh, Mary!, Cole Escola’s political spoof. 

Courtesy of SeaWorld

More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month

9/5 & 9/6

Pros and Con(vention)s: Anime San Diego will debut at the San Diego Convention Center with cosplayers, panels and more than 400 vendors well-versed in Japanese animation.

9/11-10/31 

Scaredy cats beware: SeaWorld San Diego’s Howl-O-Scream embraces frights forged in darkness. Enjoy an ominous lineup of live shows, scare zones and bloody bars ahead of Halloween. 

9/12

The best parts of Artivál and the Alley Cat Art Walk have united for the free Alley Cat Art Fest, an all-day outing for live music and immersive artwork in Downtown El Cajon.

9/12 & 9/13 

Take a Grecian vacation for a fraction of the price during the annual Cardiff Greek Festival, two days of immersive cuisine and culture—with plenty of dancing—on the Encinitas coast.

9/13-9/20

Step away from the stove! The California Restaurant Association has eight days of eating experiences with your name on it. During San Diego Restaurant Week, explore by meal, neighborhood or cuisine for your personal dining plan. 

9/16 

Nourish yourself with an all-inclusive spread of Pacific Beach eats and locally-crafted artwork during the HeArt of PB Restaurant Walk on Garnet Avenue.

9/19 

When it comes to stand-up comedy, Chelsea Handler is always ready to roast. See Handler tell anecdotes and skewer an assemblage of victims during her Balboa Theatre performance. 

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.

Arts & Culture AUGUST 11, 2026

The Photos San Diego’s Young People Want You to See

Outside the Lens puts cameras in the hands of local youth, giving them the tools to capture their communities from the inside

The Photos San Diego’s Young People Want You to See
Photo Credit: Danny I.

Big feelings hit us all. Younger populations—or those who haven’t yet developed their own language of expression—outsource angst through external means. That’s where homemade haircuts, studded belts, and musicians like The Cure, Elliott Smith, or Phoebe Bridgers come around. In San Diego, though, there’s a nonprofit that gives youth a way to feel not only heard, but also understood, through photography and digital storytelling.

Outside The Lens’ mission is to amplify the voices of systemically marginalized young people and help them develop the confidence (and artistry) to tell their stories and shape their communities. OTL just celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year with dual exhibitions of student work at San Diego Central Library and Museum of Contemporary of Art San Diego. Since 2001, more than 30,000 students have completed programs at OTL, getting their hands on industry-respected DSLR cameras (no shade to iPhone photographers), editing files and images with Adobe Creative Suite, and recording podcasts. Participants explore their worlds through the lens and on the mic.

“Our biggest opportunity, and what’s really needed, is to bridge the understanding between the youth and their communities and how people are seeing what youth are going through right now,” says OTL Executive Director Sarah Beckman.

OTL’s participants, Beckman explains, are young people navigating systems that never gave them access to the tools and mentorship that inspire creative expression, financial mobility, and civic engagement. The nonprofit offers support—in the form of meals, transportation, and healing-centered educators—and a creative outlet for exploring and coping with those challenges.

San Diego skater fashion featuring a skateboarder jumping into a bowl at Robb Field Skate Park, Ocean Beach

OTL’s in-school programs meet California core standards for arts and partners with at least 37 schools and community sites throughout San Diego, including the Monarch School in Barrio Logan, East County Community School in El Cajon, and Creative Performing and Media Arts School in Clairemont Mesa. The nonprofit doesn’t just work within the school system. Its Media Makers program invites young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to express their place and purpose in the world through film, photography, animation, design, and entrepreneurship.

“We’re always asking the question, and we’re engaging youth in our civic discussions [of], ‘How can we make this city somewhere youth want to be?’” Beckman says. “‘How can we make San Diego somewhere for young people to build a future?’”

This year OTL’s annual Voice Out celebration event spotlighted student work that hung on gallery walls beside “Giants,” the Dean Collection at MCASD. The Voice Out contest is open to all San Diego youth ages 8 to 25; all submissions are published in a catalogue and displayed in a public exhibition. These are some of the students’ works, and their words, from the past three years of Voice Out.

Lines and Light Within Structure

“I wonder how the architect decided to connect the beams [at Del Norte High School] by creating repetition. Without color [in the photo], the structure becomes the focus of the image.” –Monroe S., 15

The Quiet In Between

“Every day, time slips forward, whether we notice it or not, and life can feel overwhelming in its constant motion. In this long-exposure photograph, the blurred train rushes past, symbolizing the speed of life, while the still subject remains grounded and aware. It’s easy to become tangled in society’s expectations: what to wear, what grades to earn, what future to chase. In that rush, we forget to pause. The stillness in this image becomes a breath, a moment of reflection. Through it, I hope to show that wonder lives in slowing down, in watching the world blur while choosing, even briefly, to stand still.” –Leo N., 15

Enough

“Teenagers constantly wonder if they will ever be enough. I wrote words on the mirror that might represent what a teenager thinks about when it comes to being ‘enough’ for the people around them. They might wonder if they are pretty, smart, or good enough. I wanted to bring attention to what thoughts teenagers struggle with in everyday life.” –Illiana I., 16

Go Skate Day

“I took this picture during Go Skate Day in 2023 or 2024 I think … but who cares? It’s sick! Keep riding!” –Danny I., 18

Never Let Go

“This was taken at an all-women’s retreat in the mountains to heal inner trauma, at the end of the trip where we all hugged each other and healed. My mother is the one being hugged and one of her friends is embracing her. Place is somewhere you belong, somewhere you feel comfortable in, and somewhere you can be yourself. I believe womanhood and friendship is not only a place but home.” –Michelle G., 16

Leorah Gavidor won her first essay contest at age 5. She writes features, news, and non-fiction in San Diego.

Partner Content MARCH 26, 2026

Design Leaders & Innovative Interiors: AVRP Studios

A look at San Diego's top designers creating unique environments that combine creativity and function

Design Leaders & Innovative Interiors: AVRP Studios


AVRP Studios’ tradition for Design Excellence and Innovation began in 1976 with Doug Austin, FAIA, in Solana Beach, California. The firm has since grown to complete major projects throughout the United States and Canada. We think of ourselves as a family and we care deeply about people. We want to inspire, help make their lives richer and more complete through our efforts. We believe that architecture is one of the most important art forms because of the impact it can have on the lives of those it touches. We’re delighted to have been recognized with over 150 awards for design excellence.

703 16th Street, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92101  |  619-704-2700  |  avrpstudios.com

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1230 Columbia Street, Suite 800,

San Diego, CA