Food excursions, springtime festivals, and gearhead gatherings are among the many things to do this weekend, but the events don’t stop there. San Diegans can ring in Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with the opening of Thumbprint Gallery’s AAPI Exhibition and a collaborative market from Kilowatt Brewing and Convoy Nights, both on Saturday and free to attend. Cinco De Mayo celebrations are also out in full force, and the Gaslamp Quarter is throwing a community block party to get everyone in the holiday spirit. Plus, theater fans can see a Shakespeare-inspired play in an intimate black box (Women Playing Hamlet) or a Broadway adaptation at the Moonlight Amphitheatre (Grease).
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Taste of Cardiff
May 1
Grab an eco-friendly bamboo spork and explore a menu of more than 20 seaside food samples at the 15th annual Taste of Cardiff, returning Thursday from 5:30 to 8 p.m. While roaming Highway 101 for good eats, enjoy live music and a selection of beer, wine, hard kombucha, and canned cocktails at neighborhood businesses. Taste-only tickets ($50) come with one sample per restaurant, while Taste & Sip tickets ($55) include a dozen drink samples (two ounces for beer and one ounce for wine).
South Coast Highway 101, Cardiff-by-the-Sea
Kilowatt Brewing + Convoy Nights 10-Year Anniversary Celebration
May 3
Kilowatt Brewing rings in its decennial with live entertainment, a curated car exhibition, and a limited-edition lineup of anniversary beers. On Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m. at the brewery’s Kearny Mesa location, Kilowatt will team up with the Convoy District to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, too. This event is free for humans (and pets) of all ages and will feature over 40 vendors, plus food trucks, activities, a cocktail bar, and a performance by The Water Spots.
7576 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, Kearny Mesa
San Diego Zoo Food, Wine & Brew
May 3
The San Diego Zoo will fundraise for wildlife conservation with Food, Wine & Brew, an after-dark feast taking place Saturday from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The event features all-inclusive bites and sips from more than 130 regional restaurants, breweries, and wineries, plus music, activities, and discussions led by wildlife ambassadors. Tickets are $299 for VIP, which comes with entry at 6:30 p.m. along with exclusive lounges stocked with special food and beverage vendors, and $179 for general admission. Proceeds from this 21-plus event will help support the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s eight conservation hubs across six continents.
2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park
SoCal Taco Fest at SeaWorld
May 3–4
SeaWorld’s SoCal Taco Fest will offer attendees a wide variety of tortilla-wrapped tastiness. Wash down tons of tacos with margaritas, micheladas, or any other libation on the themed drink menu. Other festivities include a lineup of DJs, a karaoke stage, lucha libre wrestling, the Guac Off Challenge, and performances from cumbia group La Sonora Dinamita. Single-day tickets for this all-ages event start at $70; live entertainment is included with park admission.
500 SeaWorld Drive, Mission Bay
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Art of Elan: Revelations at the Mingei International Museum
April 29
Local classical music ensemble Art of Elan continues its Mosaic season with a performance Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Mingei International Museum. Inspired by the Mexican textile artistry of Mingei’s ongoing Fashioning an Icon exhibition, Art of Elan’s Revelations performance will feature music composed by Gabriela Ortiz, José Elizondo, and Nico Muhly along with the splendid “in Memoriam” by Arnold Bax. An hour before showtime at 7 p.m., there will be a complimentary Champagne reception and gallery viewing. Tickets are $34 for museum members and $39 for general admission.
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park
Spring Garden & Butterfly Festival at Cuyamaca College Nursery
May 3
The student-led Cuyamaca College Nursery will host its free, annual Spring Garden & Butterfly Festival—a seasonal tradition for more than three decades—on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Shop from more than 75 specialty vendors selling handmade items, crafts, and plant-themed merchandise and explore food trucks, plant sales, nonprofit booths, and a live music lineup. Nursery visitors can also purchase a $13 ticket to release a butterfly into the air as part of the Butterfly Release Program, with proceeds going to Dorcus Utter Butterfly Pavilion’s conservation efforts.
900 Rancho San Diego Parkway, El Cajon
Gaslamp Cinco De Mayo
May 3
This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., the Gaslamp Quarter celebrates Cinco De Mayo with a massive fiesta packed with two live music stages, an artisanal mercado, and a lowrider show. Gaslamp Cinco De Mayo will also feature an urban cantina experience, a tasting area for Arizona Hard Tea and Jumex Hard Nectar, lucha libre matches, and several dog competitions (such as chihuahua races), plus live mariachi groups and DJs performing all day. Admission is free at this downtown block party.
5th Avenue and Market Street, Gaslamp
Carlsbad Village Spring Street Faire
May 4
Spend the day perusing more than 800 vendors at the Carlsbad Village Street Faire this Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The free, family-friendly festival includes a morning pancake breakfast, an international food court, live entertainment, a beer garden, arts and crafts, and children’s rides. Visitors can take advantage of free bike valet service and complimentary shuttles going to and from the fair every 15 minutes at two nearby pickup locations.
Carlsbad Boulevard & Grand Avenue, Carlsbad
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Grease at Moonlight Amphitheatre
April 30–May 17
Moonlight Stage Productions’ 2025 summer season will begin Wednesday with the beloved ’50s-nostalgia musical Grease. The students of Rydell High will sing classic tracks like “Greased Lightnin’” and “We Go Together.” Tickets range from $45 to $62 for Grease, with performances Wednesday through Sunday at 8 p.m.
1250 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista
Women Playing Hamlet at Patio Playhouse
May 2–May 18
To be or not to be? That’s the question in the newest production at the Patio Playhouse. Featuring an all-women cast, the show follows an actress undergoing a Hamlet-esque conflict after she’s cast as the lead in a production of the play and is forced to confront the pressures of portraying such a monumental role. General admission is $23 for Women Playing Hamlet.
201 East Grand Avenue, Escondido
3rd Annual AAPI Show at Thumbprint Gallery
May 2–31
Thumbprint Gallery is kicking off AAPI Month with its third annual AAPI Show, showcasing painting, mixed media, sculpture and more from artists of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage. The AAPI Show opens this Friday with a free reception, featuring participating artists and refreshments, from 4 to 9 p.m. Thumbprint co-owner Johnny Tran will also perform during the reception (7 p.m.) to celebrate the release of his new dance music album The New Deal.
920 Kline Street, La Jolla
A Night of Art & Music with G. Love & Friends at The Soap Factory
May 3
G. Love & Special Sauce frontman Garrett Dutton will host A Night of Art & Music at The Soap Factory with live art installations and a gallery of original pieces created by him and his talented friends on display and available for purchase. This Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m., attendees can also check out drink specials on cocktails and beer, local food vendors, and an acoustic concert from G. Love. General admission is $39, and VIP meet-and-greet tickets ($131) are also on sale.
2995 Commercial Street, Logan Heights
Avant Garde Ball at MCASD La Jolla
May 3
Strut the runway and pose for the camera at the fashion-forward, 21-plus Avant Garde Ball. This creative evening, taking place Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, will include live music, art installations, photo ops, and an open bar. General tickets are $250 while VIP admission is $500 and includes perks like a limited edition gift, a photography portrait session with Stacy Keck, and first dibs at shopping from the Re:claimed pop-up shop.
700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
San Diego Mojo vs. Columbus Fury at Viejas Arena
May 1
Year two in the Pro Volleyball Federation has not gone as planned for the San Diego Mojo, but the Mojo faithful will have two more chances to cheer on their team this season with matches Thursday at 7 p.m. against the Columbus Fury and Saturday night versus the Indy Ignite. The first 1,000 fans through the gates on Thursday will receive a blue Mojo belt bag giveaway and everyone in attendance can receive vouchers (a.k.a. Mojo Bucks) usable at concession stands as part of the Free Food Thursdays promotion. Tickets start at $23 and can be purchased here.
5500 Canyon Crest Drive, Rolando
Sam Morril at Balboa Theatre
May 2
Sam Morril continues the West Coast leg of his newest comedy venture, The Errors Tour, with a show Friday at 7 p.m. at the Balboa Theatre. A frequent presence on Comedy Central, Morril finds humor in the raunchy and relatable. Tickets start at $52 for this comedy show.
868 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp
MotorCars on MainStreet Coronado
May 4
Hot rods, old-school trucks, iconic automobiles, and, for the first time, lowriders will grace the streets of downtown Coronado as part of MotorCars on MainStreet. This Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., classic car aficionados can rev their engines for an afternoon of four-wheeled fun. Spectating is free for all, and the event will include opportunity drawings, as well as live Americana and rock n’ roll from Tommy Price and The Stilettos.
Orange Avenue, Coronado
