January 1
Ring in the new year by hopping onto the first brunch cruise of 2024—think endless mimosas and picturesque views of the skyline and bay that will make you fall in love with the city all over again. The two-hour-long jaunt launches from North Harbor Drive and features a buffet, music, and a fully stocked bar. Kids under three ride free.
January 6
Sing your heart out to your favorite hits from the King of Pop. Who’s Bad: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Experience moonwalks into El Cajon’s Magnolia Performing Arts Center, taking audiences on a live tour of Jackson’s most iconic songs and dance moves.
January 9–14
Step into your ruby slippers and follow the yellow brick road to the San Diego Civic Theatre to see The Wiz, a Tony Award–winning adaptation of The Wizard of Oz celebrating Black American culture. The musical puts a twist on the original production, throwing in ballet, jazz, and modern pop moves to match the show’s contemporary spin on the story’s score.
January 12–14
Twinkling treasures await at the Del Mar Fairgrounds’ Gem Faire, a marketplace for fine jewelry, crystals, beads, minerals, fossils, and other sparkly things. Tickets are $7 and give you access to a kaleidoscopic lineup of accessories, raw minerals, supplies, tools, and vendors ready to repair, clean, or resize your jewelry on the spot. Kids 11 and under enter free.
January 12–14
Grab your 10-gallon hat—it’s Petco Park’s first rodeo. The Padres are partnering up with C5 Rodeo Company Inc and Outriders Present to showcase a three-day competition in which cowpokes attempt to ride, wrestle, and rope their way to a half-million-dollar prize.
January 14
The San Diego Alpha Foundation sponsors several activities fêting Martin Luther King Jr. Day, including a sensational parade through the Embarcadero. Attendees can also take a trek themselves with the MLK 5K, then explore wellness-and social justice–focused activities, workshops, and vendors at the Harmony Health Festival at Ruocco Park.
January 19–21
A 60-foot-long spinosaurus and an 80-foot apatosaurus are barging onto the Del Mar Fairgrounds for Jurassic Quest, an opportunity to live out the Jurassic Park movies (without fear of being chomped). Check out life-sized replicas, meet baby dinosaurs, and entertain the kiddos with dino rides, bounce houses, games, and more.
January 20
As a tie-in to their exhibition of 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century Korean masterworks, the San Diego Museum of Art presents Korea in Color: On The Steps at SDMA. The free festival features K-pop performances, art activities, Korean snacks, local artwork by Korean artists, and other fun happenings.
January 20
On every third Saturday of the month, the East Village Artisan Market sets up shop at The Merian Community Plaza at Park and Market, bringing an array of artisan goods. In partnership with Las Jefas Markets, the fair offers plants, accessories, jewelry, and other treats crafted by San Diego–based small businesses.
