16 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: August 20–24
Sing along to Japanese Breakfast, see the opening of Alex Katz: Theater and Dance, and plug into the local literary community at the KPBS book festival
The dog days of summer have technically passed, but with plenty of toasty days on the way, consider spending some time outside this weekend. Bike the Bay offers a morning cycle around the San Diego Bay and over the Coronado Bridge, and the Padres will take on the Dodgers in a three-game grudge match at the ballpark. Up the coast, stroll along Highway 101 for the LeucadiART Walk or sample your way through the Oceanside Vegan Food Festival.
Courtesy of Eventbrite Oceanside Vegan Food Festival
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Oceanside Vegan Food Festival
August 23
At the Oceanside Vegan Food Festival, visitors to Oceanside Civic Center Plaza can explore a vast animal-free menu with 70 vendors serving mushroom tacos, dairyless desserts, and plant-based plates this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will also be games, a live DJ, and pet adoptions from A Way Home For Dogs and Desert Catopia.
Cutwater’s Beach Bash returns for another island-themed extravaganza this Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. In Cutwater’s Tasting Room and Kitchen, attendees can cool off with cocktail tastings and listen to live music from Jason Lee and the Dark Entities. Ticket options include $20 general admission and $45 VIP admission, which comes with a welcome cocktail and a tasting of cask-strength Cutwater Bali Hai Barrel Aged Rum; all tickets include a trucker hat with a choice of patch design.
9750 Distribution Avenue, Miramar
Courtesy of Japanese Breakfast
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Japanese Breakfast at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
August 20
Fronted by singer-songwriter and bestselling memoirist Michelle Zauner, indie pop outfit Japanese Breakfast stops by Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre to share tunes from their latest project, For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women). Tickets start at $21 for the band’s upcoming show featuring Ginger Root this Wednesday at 8 p.m.
Lost ’80s Live at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
August 21
Lost ’80s Live highlights several underrated acts from the decade, including one-hit wonders and synth-pop pioneers. Hosted by 1st Wave’s Richard Blade and featuring retro bands like A Flock of Seagulls, Big Country, and General Public, Lost ’80s Live promises a nostalgic night for ’80s babies and a fun introduction for any new wave novices. The Vapors, China Crisis, Icicle Works, Belouis Some, Josie Cotton, The Polecats, and Peter Godwin round out the lineup for Thursday’s 6 p.m. concert at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. Tickets start at $18.
FilmOut San Diego’s LGTBQ Film Festival celebrates a quarter century this year. The opening night film and afterparty ($65) at the Natural History Museum will kick things off on Thursday, followed by three days of feature and short film screenings at the Museum of Photographic Arts. Festival highlights include the world premiere of Garrett Abdo’s Exit Interviews, the Queer Joy On Screen Q&A discussion (free with RSVP), and the closing night screening of Twinless with a dessert reception. All-access film passes have sold out, but tickets for individual screenings ($17.50) and special events (starting at $30) are still available.
1788 El Prado, Balboa Park & 1649 El Prado, Balboa Park
KPBS San Diego Book Festival
August 23
Readers of all ages can peruse activities, panels, book signings, and more at the first-ever KPBS San Diego Book Festival, taking place Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the University of San Diego. Bookworms can hear from a range of bestselling and up-and-coming authors, as well as local poet laureates, writers, and professors. Plus, there will be live music and entertainment, food trucks, independent booksellers, a youth reading stage, and bilingual programming. RSVP for this free festival here.
5998 Alcalá Park, Morena
SamaFest
August 23–24
Taking place Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., SamaFest, a free festival from SAMAHAN Filipino American Performing Arts and Education Center, features a slate of live entertainment headlined by local musicians Jesse Barrera and Albert Posis. There will also be traditional performances, a break-dancing battle, and Filipino food and retail vendors on Presidents Way Lawn at Balboa Park. RSVP for the festival here.
Park Boulevard & Presidents Way, Balboa Park
Big Time Rush at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 24
Former Nickelodeon stars Big Time Rush reunited in 2021 and have been traveling the world ever since. Now on the In Real Life Worldwide Tour, the band is running through their greatest hits, with Katelyn Tarver and Stephen Kramer Glickman, who played Jo and Gustavo on the show, respectively, also along for the ride. Tickets start at $40 for Big Time Rush’s concert this Sunday (7 p.m.) at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Courtesy of Oceanside Museum of Art
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
The Heart at La Jolla Playhouse
August 19–September 28
The Heart, a world-premiere musical from the La Jolla Playhouse, features a story inspired by the French novel Réparer les Vivant, a thumping electronic score, and direction from the Playhouse’s longtime leader Christopher Ashley. In The Heart, a tragic and untimely death leads to another person’s new beginning, with audiences tracking a heart transplant across one fateful day in San Diego. Due to high demand, The Heart has been extended through September 28; all August performances have sold out, but tickets (ranging from $30 to $109) are still available for several shows in September.
See figurative painter Alex Katz at his most intimate and innovative with Alex Katz: Theater and Dance. As a close observer of New York’s many scenes, Katz has chronicled the city’s artistic evolution. This traveling exhibition, which kicked off a year ago in Naples, Florida, includes elements from his many productions with choreographer Paul Taylor, plus paintings, sets, and seldom-seen sketches. Alex Katz: Theater and Dance will open during the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego’s Free Third Thursday (11 a.m. to 7 p.m.).
700 Prospect Street, La Jolla
Surf Art: Exploring Southern California’s Coastal Culture at Oceanside Museum of Art & California Surf Museum
August 23–February 1, 2026
For the new group exhibition Surf Art: Exploring Southern California’s Coastal Culture, a collaborative endeavor for the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA) and California Surf Museum, 55 artists honor surf and stoke. See Surf Art at an exhibition celebration this Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. at OMA; admission is free for members and $15 for visitors.
This Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Leucadia 101 Mainstreet Association welcomes around 100 crafters, potters, photographers, and more for LeucadiART Walk, North Country’s biggest juried fine art show. Attendees can explore the festival via a hop-on-hop-off trolley and enjoy live art demonstrations, interactive activities, two beer gardens, a children’s artwalk, and 11 artist plazas.
Highway 101, Leucadia
Courtesy of San Diego Padres
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
August 22–24
Last weekend’s face-off against the Dodgers may not have gone the Padres’ way, but fortunately for the Friars, they’ll have another chance to best the Dodgers when Shohei Ohtani and co. come to Petco Park for a three-game showdown Friday through Sunday. Tickets start at $81 for this weekend series.
Particle FM and Burn All Books host the third annual Compressed Zine & Music Fair this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bread & Salt Gallery. Expect DJs; vendors selling food, drinks, and records; and over 60 exhibitors showcasing unique prints, zines, and more. This free event will also include meet-ups, talks, and panel programming on topics like publishing, low-cost home recording, and collaborative creative world-building.
1955 Julian Avenue, Logan Heights
Soccer Doubleheader at Snapdragon Stadium
August 23–24
Cheer on both of the city’s soccer powerhouses this weekend at Snapdragon Stadium, with each team celebrating Pride Night. San Diego FC is just seven games away from Supporters’ Shield glory, and they can continue chiseling away at that milestone with a strong performance against the Portland Timbers this Saturday at 7:30 p.m.; tickets start at $27, with the first 10,000 fans receiving Pride-themed luggage tags. Then, on Sunday at 5 p.m., Wave FC will face off against Racing Louisville. Tickets start at $22 for this match, which includes a roll-up blanket giveaway.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
Bike the Bay
August 24
Cycle around San Diego Bay at your own pace during Bike the Bay, a 25-mile community ride with a prime sightseeing route. Bikers will begin and end their journey at Embarcadero Marina Park South and navigate across National City, Chula Vista, and the 2.12 mile-long Coronado Bridge, followed by a finish line festival with food vendors, a beer garden, and live entertainment. Registration is $97 for general participants and $176 for VIP riders, with proceeds from the event going towards the nonprofit San Diego County Bicycle Coalition.
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.
