Bored? Don’t be. From a free Normal Heights music fest featuring more than 60 shows to a few family-friendly fairs, here are 13 ways to stay busy this weekend in San Diego. The hard part will be deciding which events to attend.
Food and Drink | Concerts and Theater | Festivals and Art | More Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Pio Cesare Wine-Pairing Dinner
April 24
Offering a menu inspired by the cuisine of Sardinia and Sicily, Garibaldi will host northern Italian winemaker Pio Cesare for an exclusive five-course wine-pairing dinner this Wednesday at 6 p.m. Guests will feasts on bites like grilled prawns, rack of lamb, and dark chocolate mousse on the restaurant’s outdoor rooftop, catching a coastal sunset from the third floor of the InterContinental San Diego. They’ll also get to try six Cesare wines. Tickets for Garibaldi’s pairing dinner are $90, plus tax and an 18 percent gratuity. Each ticket will include a take-home gift.
901 Bayfront Court, Downtown
Chef Drew Deckman at Rancho Valencia
April 25
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa is partnering with chef Drew Deckman to present a multi-course dinner from 6 to 9 p.m. this Thursday under the welcoming lights and peaceful scenery of the resort’s outdoor dining area, The Garden. While guests jam to live music from trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos and his trio, Deckman, along with Rancho Valencia executive chef Emiliano Safa and chef Christopher Gentile, will utilize sustainable, locally sourced ingredients to offer an elevated take on San Diego and Baja flavors. Each dish will be paired with Baja region wines from Paralelo and Casa de Piedra. Tickets are available for $325 per person.
5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe
San Diego Cocktail Championship
April 28
What makes a good cocktail? This Sunday, that’s for you to decide. Along 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp, attendees can sip unique signature cocktails from 21 San Diego County restaurants and bars at the inaugural San Diego Cocktail Championship. Rustic Root, Swing Social, and Tiki Annex will host the festivities, with a handful of nearby Gaslamp spots also getting in on the fun. Competitors include South Park’s Fernside, Captain’s Quarters of Pacific Beach, and Chula Vista’s Vogue Tavern. A $49 general admission pass gets you mini cocktails from all participating locations from 2 to 5 p.m., while $79 VIP passes offer perks like food options and early access beginning at 1 p.m. As an added bonus, all cocktail voters will be registered to win $2,100 worth of gift cards—$100 from each location.
5th Avenue, Gaslamp
Concerts & Theater in San Diego This Weekend
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
April 24–25
Neil Young released his first album with Crazy Horse in 1969. Fifty-five years later, they’re still going strong, kicking off a new North American tour in San Diego this Wednesday and Thursday. The Love Earth Tour will celebrate more than a half-century of classic rock excellence and the release of Young & Crazy Horse’s new album Fu##in’ Up, which also features live recordings from their 1990 album Ragged Glory. Tickets for both performances start at $84.
5500 Campanile Drive, El Cajon
Tuck Everlasting
Opens April 26
The magical musical Tuck Everlasting opens at the Coronado Playhouse this weekend and runs through May 19. Based on the novel of the same name by Natalie Babbitt, Tuck Everlasting follows Winne Foster, an ordinary 11-year-old who becomes embroiled with the Tuck family and their gift of eternal youth. As Foster attempts to help the enchanted clan hold on to their secret in the face of danger, she must decide whether to go back to her normal life or continue her adventure. There will be four performances of Tuck Everlasting this week, beginning with opening night on Friday. Tickets to all shows are $27 per person.
1835 Strand Way, Coronado
Adams Avenue Unplugged
April 26–27
Explore a variety of genres and musicians at this all-day live music marathon along two miles of Adams Avenue. More than 60 concerts will take place throughout the day as a number of restaurants, bars, and cafes transform their spaces into makeshift venues. From intimate café sets to rockin’ outdoor shows, all performances are free to the public, excepting the headliner concert from The California Guitar Trio ($25). Normal Heights United Church will host the main stage and a beer garden, where attendees can purchase $24 VIP beer and food tickets to get three craft beers and a combination plate from Ponce’s Mexican Restaurant. Before Saturday’s musical block party, catch a Friday night screening of the film Recordially Yours, Lou Curtiss, a documentary on Lou Curtiss, the late local music legend and owner of Folk Arts Rare Records, at the Adams Avenue Theater. Attendees will also experience opening performances and a post-screening panel discussion.
Adams Avenue, Hillcrest
Festivals and Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Art Alive
April 25–28
Local aesthetes can ring in spring at the San Diego Museum of Art’s annual fundraiser. This year’s theme celebrates Indian art and culture with dozens of striking, prismatic floral arrangements. Art Alive 2024 will include a special installation from the museum’s Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of South Asian paintings and several Indian keynote artists, including Meghaa Modi, SDMA’s first international rotunda designer. The event promises four days of immersive affairs, beginning with the black-tie Premiere Dinner Thursday night, followed by the annual Bloom Bash kick-off party Friday night from 7 p.m. to midnight (expect live performances, tons of bites and cocktails, and a ferris wheel). The 2024 Art Alive exhibition will be on display Friday through Sunday. General admission is $40 for nonmembers, $5 for children aged 7 to 17, and free for kids under six years old. Attendees can check out the interactive Garden of Activities on Saturday and Sunday for free with Art Alive admission, but Bloom Bash and Premiere Dinner tickets are sold separately.
1450 El Prado, Balboa Park
Mission Federal Artwalk
April 27–28
More than 250 artists working in a vast array of genres—such as oil, acrylic, mixed media, printmaking, pottery, and much more—will display their work throughout Little Italy during the Mission Federal Artwalk. This free annual event celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2024. When not perusing fine art from the US and Mexico, you can enjoy four music stages, food vendors, and interactive art activities from 11 a.m to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. This event benefits local nonprofit ArtReach.
2210 Columbia Street, Little Italy
The Artist Speaks: Cara Romero
Opens April 27
Split into three sections (Native California, Imagining Indigenous Futures, and Native Woman), Cara Romero’s exhibition at the Museum of Photographic Arts draws upon her experience as a Native American woman and the cultural memory and collective history of her Chemehuevi Indian Tribe to explore identity and heritage. On view through October 20, the exhibition will be open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission to the museum is free, but visitors are encouraged to make a contribution if possible.
1649 El Prado, Balboa Park
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Lakeside Rodeo
April 25–28
The Lakeside Rodeo returns for its 60th anniversary with four family-friendly nights of cowboy competition, including classic rodeo events like bull riding, steer wrestling, and team roping. In addition to watching daring rodeo contests, attendees can test their own skills by signing up for lower-stakes activities like the stick horse or pony hop races. Tickets for Thursday’s festivities are $15 for all attendees. Friday through Sunday, expect to pay $25 for adults and $15 for kids. All proceeds go toward local arts, sports, health, and education initiatives in Lakeside.
12584 Mapleview Street, Lakeside
Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair & Parade
April 27
The Linda Vista Multi-Cultural Fair & Parade returns for the 39th time from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday. The free afternoon of festivities will begin with a community parade—bands, performers, clubs, and other marchers will take off from Genesee Avenue. Afterward, the fair will feature a world artists village with local artisans displaying handmade textiles, pottery, jewelry, glasswork, and more for sale and offering craft-making demonstrations and workshops. Attendees can also enjoy carnival rides, live music, an education pavilion with information booths and activities, a history section highlighting community stories in Linda Vista, a beer garden, and an international food court.
6900 Linda Vista Road, Linda Vista
Encinitas Spring Street Fair
April 27–28
From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday, North County residents can enjoy a weekend of outdoor activities along Highway 101. Encinitas’ annual seasonal event features children’s rides, a craft beer garden, and over 450 vendors slinging antiques and artworks. Three performing stages will host San Diego bands like The Surf Birdz and Half Hour Late, as well as dance shows from local performing arts troupes.
South Coast Highway 101 between D and J Streets, Encinitas
MotorCars on MainStreet
April 28
The 32nd edition of this annual car show brings more than 400 classic cars and trucks to downtown Coronado. MotorCars on MainStreet celebrates automobiles that are at least 50 years old, including old Cadillac convertibles and vintage Volkswagen surf buses. The event will feature live music and raffle drawings. It’s free for spectators, while anyone wanting to show off their ride must pay a registration fee ($50 before April 27 and $60 after).
Isabella & Orange Avenues, Coronado
