14 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: June 17–22
See the premiere of a '70s music celerbation, join San Marcos’ inaugural Juneteenth shindig, and sample several local ice cream shops at Scoop San Diego
This Friday marks the summer solstice. Ring it in with some fun summer happenings. Foodies can spend two evenings touring Little Italy for bites, treats, and tasters, while sweet tooths can beat the heat with a sugar rush this Sunday at the annual Scoop San Diego festival in North Park. Plus, locals can celebrate the first annual Juneteenth San Marcos or partake in the San Diego Black Artist Collective’s Juneteenth Black Arts Festival, plus more.
Sample neighborhood flavors at the annual Taste of Little Italy, returning Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 to 8 p.m. Each day, attendees will check in at the Piazza della Famiglia to get their taste passport and begin their culinary tour of Little Italy. Bites and sips will include beer, sweet treats, Australian wagyu skewers, and a variety of pasta dishes, such as rigatoni alla vodka, penne with pesto, and campanella sausage with creamy tomato sauce. Tickets are $71 per day, with Tuesday already sold out.
Help blow out the candles for The Crab Hut as the seafood boil chain celebrates its 18th birthday this Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at its Convoy location. The festivities will include drink specials, live music from DJ @e.vandamme, photo ops, raffles, prizes, and exclusive merch.
4646 Convoy Street, Kearny Mesa
Scoop San Diego
June 22
Dive into desserts from more than 35 vendors serving ice cream, gelato, and paletas at Scoop San Diego. From noon to 4 p.m. this Saturday, enjoy live music, photo ops, and your fill of the sweets. All net proceeds from the festival will benefit local food recovery nonprofit ProduceGood. General admission tickets ($45) are shareable and come with 10 one-ounce samples, while VIP passes ($125) include a swag bag, seven exclusive vendors, a VIP-only hour from 11 a.m. to noon, and much more.
30th Street & North Park Way, North Park
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival
June 18–28
Many of the finest orchestra players from around the country, under the tutelage of conductor Michael Francis, will gather in San Diego for the upcoming Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival. This year’s festival, beginning this Wednesday, will feature six classical music performances, happening at the Epstein Family Amphitheater (June 21 and 28) and the Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center (June 18, 20, 24, and 26). Tickets range from $88 to $260 for individual concerts, while subscription packages by venue or for the entire festival can be purchased here.
9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla | 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla
Juneteenth San Marcos
June 19
Natalie and Lionel Saulsberry, partners in life and in podcasting on Couples Unfiltered, are expanding their community Juneteenth celebration to the campus of California State University San Marcos this Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. Created alongside Clinton and Renee Huggins, the inaugural Juneteenth San Marcos offers free admission, with food trucks, live entertainment, a kids’ zone, over 30 vendor booths, and a focus on educating and empowering. The VIP culinary experience ($65) in the rooftop “Emancipation Lounge” comes with red carpet photo ops, handcrafted mocktails, swag bags, and elevated small bites from a handful of the area’s most outstanding Black chefs.
333 South Twin Oaks Valley Road, San Marcos
Dierks Bentley at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
June 19
Dierks Bentley will perform his newest album Broken Branches at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre in Chula Vista, with bluegrass singer Zach Top and Georgia country group The Band Loula opening. Tickets start at $30 for this concert, beginning Thursday at 7 p.m.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Juneteenth Black Arts Festival
June 19–22
The San Diego Black Artist Collective will celebrate Black cultural and creative expression at its Juneteenth Black Arts Festival at University Heights’ Diversionary Theatre. The festival programming begins with a kickback Thursday night, followed by a new play series (Friday), a community showcase, and a featured play reading (Saturday). It finishes with a gospel brunch on Sunday at 11 a.m. Tickets for individual events are $29, while an all-inclusive festival pass is $87.
4545 Park Boulevard, University Heights
Wu-Tang Clan at Pechanga Arena
June 21
After spending over 30 years as a musical force to be reckoned with, Wu-Tang Clan have embarked on what could be their final tour with Wu-Tang Forever: The Final Chamber. This East Coast collective has a bulletproof legacy as one of the best rap groups of all time. Their show Saturday at Pechanga Arena will feature hip hop duo Run the Jewels as the opening act. Tickets range from $67 to $269 for this concert, beginning at 8 p.m.
3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway
Courtesy Lamb’s Players Theatre
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Oklahoma!at Cygnet Theatre
Through August 2
The iconic Broadway partnership of composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II began with a musical set in the farmlands of the soon-to-be Sooner State. In Oklahoma!, a range war, a love triangle, and Texas-sized ambitions intertwine. Tickets for Cygnet Theatre’s new production of Oklahoma!—its final show in its Old Town location—will range from $39 to $73, with seven performances taking place this week.
4040 Twiggs Street, Old Town
The ’70s! The Golden Age of the Album at Lamb’s Players Theatre
June 19–September 14
Playwrights Kerry Meads and Vanda Eggington tackle yet another era of popular music, this time setting their sights on the transformative 1970s. The world-premiere musical The ’70s! The Golden Age of the Album will begin its three-month run at Lamb’s Players Theatre this Thursday, with five shows this week. Tickets range from $48 to $98 for weekdays and $68 to $118 for weekend performances.
1142 Orange Avenue, Coronado
Next Gen 2025 at ICA Central
June 21–February 31, 2026
The Institute of Contemporary Art San Diego is debuting its newest class of local art graduates this Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. with a free reception at ICA Central as part of the museum’s C You Saturday! event. The Next Gen 2025exhibition showcases the works of seven burgeoning talents from the border region.
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park
Carlsbad Art in the Village
June 22
The Carlsbad Village Association invites all to admire the coastal-inspired works of over 150 local and regional fine artists for its 27th annual Art in the Village this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visitors to State Street and Grand Avenue can mingle with the artists, purchase their favorite pieces, contribute to a community mural, and make their own mini mural. Plus, this free event will include live glassblowing, sculpting and printmaking, tunes from sidewalk musicians, a chalk zone, and live music and art performances on the main stage.
300 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad
Courtesy San Diego Wave FC
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Make Music Day 2025
June 21
Participate in the worldwide day of creation that is Make Music Day with a free slate of activities at the Museum of Making Music. Visitors to the museum will receive free admission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and get to explore exhibitions, enjoy make-and-play musical art projects, and see live performances in the lobby. Plus, local musicians can bring their instrument and join an acoustic jam session under the outdoor tent. RSVP for this free event here.
5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad
San Diego Wave FC vs. Washington Spirit at Snapdragon Stadium
June 22
After notching a 3-2 victory on the road against the Houston Dash last Friday, the Wave will play their final home match until August this Sunday against the Washington Spirit. Tickets start at $21.70 for this game, kicking off at 7 p.m.
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.
