We have to admit—it’s our humble opinion that the single best thing to do this weekend in San Diego is hang out with us at our annual Best of San Diego event, a food and drink extravaganza featuring unlimited tastes from more than 100 local vendors. But other activities abound: a five-day gathering for tiki fanatics, a rugby match to scratch your I-wish-I-was-in-Paris itch, and 12 more San Diego events.
Aloha shirt wearers, tiki glass collectors, and people who get home décor ideas from dining inside Islands restaurants will find paradise at Tiki Oasis, a tiki culture conference-slash-festival at the Town and Country Resort. The festivities include the free annual art show (Thursday–Sunday) and marketplace (Saturday–Sunday), as well as burlesque, pool parties, seminars, and mixologist-led cocktail instruction. Ticket options include packages for 3, 4, or 5 days, spanning from $180 to $699.
Culture & Cocktails is back at the San Diego Museum of Art from 6 to 10 p.m. this Thursday. Guests ages 21 and up can dine on complimentary eats from local vendors, vibe to a seasonal party playlist from DJ Heabnasty, enjoy music and dance performances, play baseball arcade games, and take part in an art-making activity inspired by the featured exhibitionJasper Johns: Drawing & Prints. Attendees will also receive a themed cocktail from Cooperstown Distillery and Surf City Still Works, plus their pick of a beer from Ballast Point or an Angeleno Spritz from Ventura Spirits. Tickets for Culture & Cocktails 2024 are $70 for museum members and $85 for non-members.
1450 El Prado, Balboa Park
Best of San Diego Party 2024
August 2
All (who are 21 or older) are invited to our annual Best of San Diego Party, celebrating the city’s standout tastes, tastemakers, activities, and adventures. Celebrate with San Diego Magazine and a number of the local eateries, businesses, and icons featured within the pages of our Best Restaurants and Best of San Diego issues at Legacy Plaza in Liberty Station from 6:30 to 9 p.m. this Friday. Tickets are $99 and change and come with unlimited bites and sips from over 100 local vendors, live entertainment, photo ops, and so much more. If not sold out, tickets will be available the day of at the door.
2640 Historic Decatur Road, Point Loma
Taste of Imperial Avenue
August 2
Come hungry for tamales, mariscos, and more as you cruise down the culinary row of Logan Heights at the Taste of Imperial Avenue. The third iteration of the gastronomic event, taking place this Friday from 4 to 7:30 p.m., will feature food and drinks from over 20 of Imperial Avenue’s neighborhood businesses. Once you’ve eaten your fill, stop by Gilliam Community Space for a beer garden, live music from local artists, and games from 6 to 9 p.m. Tasting tickets are $30 for food only and $40 for food and beer.
Between 19th Street & 31st Street on Imperial Avenue, Logan Heights
Uncorked Wine Festival
August 3
The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club will pop bottles—of wine—at the fifth annual Uncorked Wine Festival this Saturday. Don your most debonair attire to enjoy a VIP day at the Del Mar Racetrack while sipping on more than 100 types of wine, plus seltzers, mead, and cocktails. Proceeds from the festival, which will also feature live music, food trucks, and views from the Stretch Run, will benefit Urban Surf 4 Kids. Ticket options include $85 VIP passes, which come with early entry at 1 p.m., and $70 general admission tickets with entry from 2 to 5 p.m.
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
Farm to Bay 2024
August 3
Help raise funds for San Diego Bay’s coastal wildlife at Living Coast Discovery Center’s yearly fundraising dinner. This night of charitable good will include silent and live auctions; food and drinks from sustainable restaurants, breweries, and wineries; and up-close encounters with critters such as sea turtles, bald eagles, and bat rays. Tickets to Farm to Bay 2024 are $120 and can be purchased here.
1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista
Courtesy of Niall Horan
Festivals & Concerts in San Diego This Weekend
Niall Horan at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
July 30
Former One Direction member Niall Horan has established himself as a formidable popstar in his own right. Directioners can catch Horan on the western leg of his live tour featuring indie pop artist Del Water Gap at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre. Tickets start at $41 for tonight’s performance.
Bazaar del Mundo’s Latin American Festival and Mata Ortiz Pottery Market
August 2–4
Several Latin American artists specializing in folk art, clothing, and textiles will stop by San Diego for Bazaar del Mundo Shops’ annual Latin American Festival, which also serves as a mega showcase of Mata Ortiz–style pottery and includes Latin American folk music and dancing, live traditional art demonstrations, and food for purchase from Casa Guadalajara. The festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. Pro tip: Old Town visitors can find free parking at the nearby Caltrans parking lot after 5 p.m. on Friday through the end of the weekend.
4133 Taylor Street, Old Town
Heiva San Diego
August 2–4
San Diego’s biggest Tahitian celebration kicks off this Friday with the annual Mister & Miss Heiva San Diego pageant at 5:30 p.m. Taking place at the Jr. Seau Oceanside Pier Amphitheater, Heiva San Diego is a family-friendly celebration of culture and community with traditional food, music, dancing, arts, and more. Tickets start at $18 for a single-day pass and can be purchased here.
301 The Strand North, Oceanside
Jhené Aiko at Pechanga Arena
August 3
R&B and neo-soul star Jhené Aiko is taking her tour to Pechanga Arena this Saturday night. Though fans are still awaiting the release of her fourth studio album, Aiko just released “Guidance,” a tranquil new single and a possible precursor to more new music on the way. Tickets start at $110 and can be purchased on AXS.
3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway
Endless Sunsets
August 3
San Diego’s favorite retro-soul musicians, Thee Sacred Souls, will co-headline the lineup for Saturday’s Endless Sunsets festival from Outriders West. This fest at Waterfront Park will feature a mix of genres, with bluegrass group and co-headliners Trampled By Turtles, funk band The Dip, and San Diego psych rockers Creature Canyon also on the bill. Doors will open at 3 p.m. for this all-ages event. General admission is $78, while 21-plus VIP is $155 and comes with priority viewing, entrance, and bars. Both ticket tiers can be purchased here.
1600 Pacific Highway, Embarcadero
Courtesy of Liberty Station
Art Exhibits & Theater in San Diego This Weekend
ArtWalk Liberty Station
August 2–4
Enjoy two days of free art viewing on Saturday (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) and Sunday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at the 19th annual ArtWalk Liberty Station, featuring works from more than 175 artists from the US and Mexico. If you can’t wait to dive in, get a sneak peek at the artwork, chat with participating artists, and enjoy live music from Mark Wood & The Parrot Head Band at Ranch & Coast Magazine’s ArtWalk preview party this Friday from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the preview party, which come with one free drink voucher, are $25 (kids ages 12 and under receive free admission).
2751 Dewey Road, Point Loma
Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B
Through August 25
Playwright Kate Hamill’s Ms. Holmes & Ms. Watson – Apt. 2B takes the dynamic detective duo to the modern day. In this play, inspired by the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Shirley Holmes and Joan Watson find themselves on the trail of an elusive criminal in a comedic reimagining that is more than just elementary. This production will run at The Old Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre through August 25. Tickets are still available for four performances happening this weekend (starting at $54 on Friday and $113 on Saturday and Sunday), including the Globe’s BIPOC Theatre Night this Friday at 6:30 p.m.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
Courtesy of Major League Rugby
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Grand Cinema Under the Stars
August 3
Have the time of your life watching Dirty Dancing this Saturday evening, the next installment of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s Grand Cinema Under the Stars series. For the uninitiated, Dirty Dancing is a memorable summertime romance starring Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze, with a nostalgic soundtrack and an iconic lift that’s been imitated in a million homes across the nation. Chill on Fatboy bean bag chairs in the outdoor lounge or bring your own blankets and chairs. Popcorn, snacks, cocktails, and entrées will be available for purchase. Tickets to Saturday’s moonlight screening of Dirty Dancing are $20 per person; seating is first-come, first-served.
5300 Grand Del Mar Court, Del Mar
2024 Major League Rugby Championship
August 4
In this year’s Major League Rugby (MLR) Championship match, the defending champion New England Free Jacks and the two-time champion Seattle Seawolves will battle it out at Snapdragon Stadium this Sunday. This year’s title game also represents a clash between the league’s two top point-scorers: Australian fly-half Mack Mason (Seawolves) and New Zealand fullback Jayson Potroz (Free Jacks). The fight for the MLR Shield will begin at 1 p.m. and feature a live performance from Marshmello. Tickets for the MLR championship match start at $35 and can be purchased on Ticketmaster.
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.
Big feelings hit us all. Younger populations—or those who haven’t yet developed their own language of expression—outsource angst through external means. That’s where homemade haircuts, studded belts, and musicians like The Cure, Elliott Smith, or Phoebe Bridgers come around. In San Diego, though, there’s a nonprofit that gives youth a way to feel not only heard, but also understood, through photography and digital storytelling.
Outside The Lens’ mission is to amplify the voices of systemically marginalized young people and help them develop the confidence (and artistry) to tell their stories and shape their communities. OTL just celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year with dual exhibitions of student work at San Diego Central Library and Museum of Contemporary of Art San Diego. Since 2001, more than 30,000 students have completed programs at OTL, getting their hands on industry-respected DSLR cameras (no shade to iPhone photographers), editing files and images with Adobe Creative Suite, and recording podcasts. Participants explore their worlds through the lens and on the mic.
“Our biggest opportunity, and what’s really needed, is to bridge the understanding between the youth and their communities and how people are seeing what youth are going through right now,” says OTL Executive Director Sarah Beckman.
OTL’s participants, Beckman explains, are young people navigating systems that never gave them access to the tools and mentorship that inspire creative expression, financial mobility, and civic engagement. The nonprofit offers support—in the form of meals, transportation, and healing-centered educators—and a creative outlet for exploring and coping with those challenges.
OTL’s in-school programs meet California core standards for arts and partners with at least 37 schools and community sites throughout San Diego, including the Monarch School in Barrio Logan, East County Community School in El Cajon, and Creative Performing and Media Arts School in Clairemont Mesa. The nonprofit doesn’t just work within the school system. Its Media Makers program invites young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to express their place and purpose in the world through film, photography, animation, design, and entrepreneurship.
“We’re always asking the question, and we’re engaging youth in our civic discussions [of], ‘How can we make this city somewhere youth want to be?’” Beckman says. “‘How can we make San Diego somewhere for young people to build a future?’”
This year OTL’s annual Voice Out celebration event spotlighted student work that hung on gallery walls beside “Giants,” the Dean Collection at MCASD. The Voice Out contest is open to all San Diego youth ages 8 to 25; all submissions are published in a catalogue and displayed in a public exhibition. These are some of the students’ works, and their words, from the past three years of Voice Out.
Lines and Light Within Structure
“I wonder how the architect decided to connect the beams [at Del Norte High School] by creating repetition. Without color [in the photo], the structure becomes the focus of the image.” –Monroe S., 15
The Quiet In Between
“Every day, time slips forward, whether we notice it or not, and life can feel overwhelming in its constant motion. In this long-exposure photograph, the blurred train rushes past, symbolizing the speed of life, while the still subject remains grounded and aware. It’s easy to become tangled in society’s expectations: what to wear, what grades to earn, what future to chase. In that rush, we forget to pause. The stillness in this image becomes a breath, a moment of reflection. Through it, I hope to show that wonder lives in slowing down, in watching the world blur while choosing, even briefly, to stand still.” –Leo N., 15
Enough
“Teenagers constantly wonder if they will ever be enough. I wrote words on the mirror that might represent what a teenager thinks about when it comes to being ‘enough’ for the people around them. They might wonder if they are pretty, smart, or good enough. I wanted to bring attention to what thoughts teenagers struggle with in everyday life.” –Illiana I., 16
Go Skate Day
“I took this picture during Go Skate Day in 2023 or 2024 I think … but who cares? It’s sick! Keep riding!” –Danny I., 18
Never Let Go
“This was taken at an all-women’s retreat in the mountains to heal inner trauma, at the end of the trip where we all hugged each other and healed. My mother is the one being hugged and one of her friends is embracing her. Place is somewhere you belong, somewhere you feel comfortable in, and somewhere you can be yourself. I believe womanhood and friendship is not only a place but home.” –Michelle G., 16
Films, concerts and an exorbitant amount of lemons comprise this week’s most entertaining events in San Diego. Those looking to beat the heat can find shelter and cinematic gold with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre at Digital Gym Cinema, or check out a cult classic at the Balboa Theatre’s 40th anniversary screening of Little Shop of Horrors. From South Bay to La Jolla, concertgoers can catch collaborative tours from the likes of Santana & the Doobie Brothers, Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical and Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan. This weekend also marks the return of the two-day San Diego Made Summer Market and the yearly Lemon Festival, both of which are ripe for shopping unique local vendors.
SeaWorld San Diego’s beer and barbeque party is back with a live music component and an extra ‘B’ in its name. Every Friday-Sunday (and Labor Day) through Sept. 7, the Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ festival will feature 60+ locally crafted beers and bites like pork belly tater tots, root beer baked beans and s’mores pie. SeaWorld visitors can also check out rock concerts featuring Saliva (Saturday), Uncle Kracker (Aug. 22) and Skillet (Aug. 29) in the Bayside Amphitheater. Park entry starts at $74 for Bayside Bands, Brew & BBQ dates, and includes festival admission.
500 Sea World Drive, Mission Bay
Lemon Festival
August 15
Seize the day, or squeeze the day—whichever your preference—at the Downtown Chula Vista Association’s free Lemon Festival. This annual event celebrates lemons in all their citrusy glory and ensures the city’s lemon legacy still bears fruit for years to come. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., enjoy a lemony menu, two live music stages, arts and crafts vendors, kids activities at Memorial Park and photos with the festival’s mascot, Tarty the Lemon. And be sure to save room for the lemon pie eating contest, with registration still open to those ages 12-99.
Third Avenue, Chula Vista
Courtesy of Jason Aldean
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Santana & the Doobie Brothers at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
August 11
Few regions have birthed as many iconic bands as the Bay Area, with Santana (San Francisco) and the Doobie Brothers (San Jose) among the area’s most influential. Though they’ve mastered different variations of rock n’ roll—with Santana championing Latin rock and the Doobie Brothers masters of breezy yacht rock—both groups understand the importance of a good groove. This Tuesday (7 p.m.), the two bands will run through their greatest hits at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre, and showcase their shared roots. Tickets start at $28 for this concert.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Helado Negro & Reyna Tropical at Esptein Family Ampitheater
August 12
One of the year’s best musical teamups—combining the talents of Roberto Carlos Lange (Helado Negro) and Fabi Reyna (Reyna Tropical)—produced Helado Tropical, a subtle yet audacious daliance with Latin pop and wavy soundscapes. This Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Epstein Family Amphitheater, Lange and Reyna will pull from their respective catalogs and play their collaborative album in full. Ticket options include youth admission for ages 2-18 ($25-$28) and adults ($35-$50).
9480 Innovation Lane, La Jolla
An Evening with Goose at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
August 13
The defining quality that makes a jam band truly so is a willingness to improvise, keeping audiences, and even their most dedicated fans, waiting with bated breath for their next move. As with pioneers of the practice like the Grateful Dead, Connecticut rock group Goose treat concerts as a nightly display for their vast musical chemistry. When Goose performs this Thursday (7 p.m.) at Cal Coast Credit Union Theatre, don’t be surprised if a familiar track is extended by an extra five, ten or thirty minutes into a new cosmic space. Tickets start at $55 for this concert.
5500 Campanile Drive, College Area
Jason Aldean & Luke Bryan at Petco Park
August 16
Georgians Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan both began their rise to country music stardom in the 2000s, and have since become two of the genre’s revered elder statesmen. After a sold-out one-off show at the University of Georgia in April, the pair decided to take the Peach State experience nationwide with co-headlining stops in Missoula, Montana, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas and San Diego’s Petco Park. This Sunday (4 p.m.), country fans can catch the two stars, as well as a slew of up-and-coming talent, with openers Gavin Adcock, Chase Matthew, Dee Jay Silver and DJ Rock. Tickets start at $74 for this concert.
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.
A perfectly designed home rarely happens by accident. Those kitchens that feel effortless and rooms that seem to tell a story the second you walk in? They’re usually the work of someone who knows exactly what they’re doing.
It’s knowing which ideas will actually work, which materials will hold up over time, and how to turn a collection of choices into a space that feels intentional. That’s where a professional interior designer comes in.
For the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) California San Diego Chapter, the goal is to help people see interior design as more than just the finished look. Behind every well-designed space is a process built on technical expertise. Designers are educated in everything from professional software and construction details to building codes, space planning, materials, and functionality.
Courtesy of ASID
“People don’t always realize how much goes on behind the scenes,” Kirsten Recce , current president of the ASID California San Diego Chapter, says. “Our designers are not just doing furniture placement and color selection and picking out new fluffy pillows. That’s not what they’re trained for.”
ASID members bring formal education, continued learning, and industry knowledge to their projects, helping create spaces that are not only beautiful, but designed to work. A paint color that changes completely depending on the lighting. A material that looks beautiful in a showroom but doesn’t make sense for everyday life. A layout that photographs well but doesn’t function for the people living there. These are the details where professional guidance can make all the difference.
Still, one of the biggest misconceptions about hiring an interior designer is that it’s reserved for massive renovations, luxury homes, or people who already know exactly what they want. The process can feel intimidating. Where do you begin? Is a designer worth the investment? What if you only need help with one room?
ASID’s answer: start with one hour.
ASID’s Spruce Up events break down one of the biggest barriers between homeowners and professional design: knowing where to begin. Held twice a year, the community program gives homeowners the chance to work directly with an ASID designer through a one-hour, $125 consultation in their own home. Whether you’re looking for advice on furniture placement, window treatments, kitchen and bath updates, remodeling ideas, vacation rentals, color selections or something else entirely, the upcoming September 2026 event offers an approachable way to get expert guidance before committing to a full project. Signups are open through Sept. 7, with consultations taking place Sept. 21 through Oct. 31. Proceeds benefit ASID San Diego’s educational and community programs. Register here!
Courtesy of ASID
“It’s a great opportunity for people who are in that exploratory phase,” Recce says. “Maybe they’re not sure they want to hire an interior designer yet, or they think it sounds daunting or expensive. This gives them a chance to discover what working with a designer is actually like.”
Design is personal. A good designer isn’t just creating a beautiful room; they’re helping create a space that fits the way someone lives.
“We’re a resource to all of San Diego County,” Recce says. “It doesn’t cost anything to pick up the phone and call and ask. We’ll answer.”
From celebrity pickleball tournaments to intimate dinner parties with your favorite Food Network chefs, here are all of the can’t-miss events going on Sept 30–Oct 4
Play is underrated. Somewhere along the way, someone decided it was something we should outgrow. That you A good song comes on, and they dance. A game appears, and they’re in. Someone hands them a melting ice cream cone, and somehow it’s the best part of the day.
Adults tend to need a reason. Or maybe just the right setting.
That’s part of what makes the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival feel different. Yes, the week revolves around food and wine, with celebrated chefs, winemakers, and restaurants drawing crowds from across the region. But what lingers afterward is the conversations that stretch a little longer than expected, the strangers who become dinner companions, the live music that pulls people out of their seats, and the rare chance to spend a few hours simply enjoying yourself without much of an agenda.
The Grand Tasting is the festival’s centerpiece, bringing thousands of guests together over two days for hundreds of bites and pours. But some of the week’s most memorable experiences happen on a smaller scale. In the days leading up to the main event, intimate dinners, chef collaborations, and guided tastings create opportunities for guests to interact more closely with the people behind the food and wine and with each other.
Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub
Start festival week the San Diego way: ocean views, Baja-inspired bites, and a drink in hand as the sun goes down. The Signature San Diego Opening Night Party at Monarch Ocean Pub sets the tone for the week ahead with a walk-around tasting experience celebrating the flavors that make this city impossible to replicate. It’s an evening of fresh coastal cuisine, bold Mexican flavors, Baja seafood, and plenty of local favorites—all served against one of Del Mar’s most iconic backdrops. Consider it your first official toast to the weekend ahead…
Celebrity Pickleball Tournament Presented by Justin Vineyards & Winery
Wine and competition make an unexpectedly perfect pair. You can join Drew Brees and celebrity players at Barnes Tennis Center for a pickleball tournament benefiting Feeding San Diego, where the sidelines are just as exciting as the court. Grab a paddle, cheer from the sidelines, or simply enjoy a glass of wine while the action unfolds. The day blends friendly competition with an all-inclusive tasting experience.
Since year one, Del Mar Wine & Food Festival has partnered with Feeding San Diego to raise $100,000 in support of the organization’s mission to fight hunger across the region. Every serve, sip, and bite helps give back to the community that makes this festival possible.
Remember that pickleball paddle you swore you’d use? Time to put it to work.
Barnes Tennis Center | 4490 W Point Loma Blvd, San Diego, CA 92107
This is essentially a passport to Spain with no airport required. Set among the lush grounds of Rancho Valencia, Rioja Uncorked celebrates one of Spain’s most iconic wine regions with an evening of exceptional pours and thoughtfully paired bites. Guests will sip their way through Rioja wines while enjoying a menu featuring everything from Hiramasa crudo and uni toast to duck rillette, birria mini tacos, Cardiff Crack tri-tip sandwiches, and a sweet finale from Karen Krasne of Extraordinary Desserts (date night plans, solved).
Rancho Valencia | 5921 Valencia Cir, Rancho Santa Fe
Justin Wine Dinner with Chefs Kaitlyn Weber, Buddha Lo & Jackson Kalb
Justin Wine Dinner sounds simple: three chefs, one unforgettable table. But chefs Kaitlyn Weber (Estancia La Jolla), Buddha Lo (Top Chef), and Jackson Kalb (Top Chef) are taking you on a one-night-only culinary ride where three styles collide over a multi-course menu paired with exceptional pours from Justin Vineyards & Winery. Set in Estancia’s coastal estate, the evening unfolds course by course with pairings from Justin wines as each chef brings their own style to a menu focused on craft, connection, and a bit of friendly culinary overlap. It’s the kind of culinary conversation that only happens when very, very talented people cook together.
Estancia – Olive Lawn | 9700 N Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Arts District Liberty Station officially became one of the state’s designated cultural districts, joining a list reserved for places with thriving creative communities. Considering the campus is home to more than 100 galleries, artist studios, museums, and arts organizations—not to mention The Joan, the 42,000-square-foot performance center housing Cygnet Theatre—it was only a matter of time until the district got its flowers.
Best Deterrent of Public Vandalism
Vision Culture Foundation
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. The National City Public Works building has been a target of graffiti artists for years, only to be constantly painted over (and the cycle restarts). Now, it’s working with the local artists from Vision Culture Foundation to create intentional public murals. A win-win in our book.
One of the biggest questions this year is who will show up for San Diego arts and culture—so a Best Of nod goes to a nonprofit that’s been doing it for years. Founded by longtime arts advocate Susanna Peredo Swap, Vanguard Culture has staged events for creatives, told their stories, and just created an SD ARTS Pass—a single ticket that gets you access to 39 creative spots.
Photo credit: Carly Topazio
Best Way to Overcome Your Fear of Ghosts
The Rosin Box Project
Ballet’s already got a sort of otherworldly thing going for it, with people morphing into 90-degree angles and defying gravity with each pirouette. The Rosin Box Project feels like a raw, creative new force in the classic art form, though—especially with its annual Ghost Light Masquerade. It’s a dance of eerie spirits that makes you second-guess what’s real and what’s not.
Best Music Venue That Also Sells Hot Dogs
Gallagher Square
Once upon a time, Gallagher Square was just a grassy knoll behind the outfield wall at Petco Park. Now, it’s a concert venue, playground, play ball field, dog park, and unofficial home for those who prefer the vibe of baseball more than the actual game. Big-time performers are showing up: Ms. Lauryn Hill, Cypress Hill, and Peach Pit.
Best Local Canvas
Casa Casillas
Casa Casillas has filled a long-standing gap in Chula Vista’s art scene. Open since last August, the space gives local artists a dedicated venue to display their work and visitors a chance to explore the neighborhood’s vibrant art. Two rotating resident artists always keep the space moving, so it rarely looks the same twice.
Courtesy of Alley Cat Art Fest
Best Place to Say “I Think It’s About Capitalism”
Alley Cat Art Fest
El Cajon translates to “the box” in Spanish—a nod to the city’s surrounding hills—but Alley Cat Art Fest (previously called Artivál) doesn’t stay inside it. As the first arts festival in East County, it celebrates local galleries, sculpture, live music, and food trucks—the whole nine.
Best On-Two-Feet Art Tour
Barrio Art Crawl
Every second Saturday, Barrio Logan turns into a choose-your-own-adventure with the Barrio Art Crawl, a free self-guided art tour through galleries, museums, and murals, with street food and music filling in the gaps. Barrio is one of the city’s most thriving arts neighborhoods, and it’s worth getting a bit lost in.
Leave it to The Old Globe to give the local theater scene some Hollywood glamour. Katie Holmes led the premiere of Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler this past spring, turning the classic Norwegian play into one of the most buzzed-about theater productions of the year.
Chemotherapy and radiation have long been considered gold standards of cancer treatment, but they can cause severe side effects. A promising new approach called theranostics—a combination of “therapeutics” and “diagnostics”—could offer patients with certain types of metastatic cancers new hope. It’s a two-step process that uses a drug that binds to specific receptors on cancer cells. Advanced imaging detects this radioisotope, allowing doctors to then use a second radioisotope that binds to the cancer cells and destroys them. Click here to learn more about how specialists at Scripps Cancer Center are using theranostics.
For more nutrition, wellness, and healthy living tips, sign up for the San Diego Health newsletter here.
