This weekend dine at a foodie paradise in Del Mar, celebrate Cinco de Mayo at an all-day party in Gaslamp, and show off your soccer skills with San Diego FC in Chula Vista. Here are the best things to do in San Diego this weekend:
Food and Drink | Concerts and Theater | Festivals and Art | More Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
14th Annual Taste of Cardiff
May 2
This Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., Cardiff will have a community-wide sampling soiree as visitors will get to taste the best local food, craft beer, wine that the beach town has to offer. With the $60 taste and sip ticket, attendees can get tastings from each participating restaurant plus 12 samples (2 oz. for beer, 1 oz. for wine) from participating wineries and breweries; there are also $55 taste tickets for those only interested in the food offerings. Attendees will get to award the best tastings with the 2024 Morgan Mallory Golden Fork Award.
Downtown Cardiff-by-the-Sea
FoodieLand Night Market
May 3-5
Paying homage to the sights, sounds and smells of Asia’s night market scene, FoodieLand Night Market at Del Mar Fairgrounds will feature more than 210 vendors cooking up multicultural cuisine, plus treats, sweets and nearly anything that can be fried on a stick. This three-day festival is an absolute foodie’s delight, whether you have an eye (and stomach) for street bites, grilled delicacies, or fluffy desserts. The market will be open starting this Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. and will continue Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Single-day tickets for all three days are available for $6; children under the age of five are admitted for free.
2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard, Del Mar
Concerts & Theater in San Diego This Weekend
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark in Concert at The Shell
May 3
Take a cinematic and symphonic adventure with the San Diego Symphony as they perform John Williams’ iconic score during Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark Live in Concert this Friday at 7:30 p.m. Led by conductor John Beal, the symphony will take audiences through the soundtrack of Indy’s perilous journey in search of the holy grail, from a deadly duel with a massive boulder in the jungle to out-maneuvering Nazis in Cairo for humanity’s greatest hidden treasure. Audiences can channel their inner adventurer as the origin story of cinema’s greatest archaeologist is brought to life on the big screen at the Rady Shell for one night only.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
El Cajon Dinner and a Concert
Begins May 3
This Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., El Cajon Dinner and a Concert returns to Prescott Promenade Park with a performance from Fleetwood Mac tribute band Twisty Gypsy. The group channels the stadium show performances of the classic rock legends—with hits like “Dreams” and “Rhiannon” certainly on the setlist—bringing a modern flair to their timeless songs with verve and dedication. As always, San Diegans are invited to bring chairs, blankets, food and drinks to the show and are encouraged to check out the local restaurants in Downtown El Cajon before and after the concert.
East Main Street, El Cajon
Giselle at Balboa Theatre
May 4 & 5
The San Diego Ballet’s production of Giselle at the Balboa Theatre, led by artistic director Javier Velasco, trades the original setting of the classic ballet from Europe’s Middle Ages to Spanish Colonial California. A tale of love, tragedy and deadly revenge set around a Spanish nobleman and a Mexican peasant in a forbidden love, Giselle is told through resounding, romantic movements as the dramatic story escalates into a haunting group of women spurned by their lovers and seeking payback from beyond the grave. There will be two performances of Giselle this weekend: Saturday night at 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase here.
868 4th Avenue, Gaslamp
Stir at The Old Globe
Begins May 4
Premiering this Saturday at The Old Globe, Stir showcases the transformative power of food and how it can unexpectedly reconnect families, even when they drift far apart. Written by and starring Melinda Lopez and Joel Perez, Stir is a family comedy that tells the story of two siblings who begin to reconcile while working on their mother’s favorite recipe, and as they reminisce the duo begin to rebuild their trust and discover the strength of family ties. With a story that connects deeply with anyone who yearns for or possesses a close family connection, Stir runs at the Sheryl and Harvey Theatre through May 26.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
Festivals and Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Gaslamp Quarter Inaugural Cinco de Mayo Extravaganza
May 4
The Gaslamp Quarter is celebrating Cinco de Mayo in style with a free all-day fiesta featuring live music, restaurant specials, acrobatic wrestling matches and more this Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The inaugural Cinco de Mayo Extravaganza will include Latin DJs, mariachis, ballet folklorico dancers, and a lucha libre tournament that sees masked luchadores from World Power Wrestling fly off the top rope for some high-stakes wrestling. There will also be mezcal tastings, an artisanal mercado with local Mexican artists and a lowrider competition where 60 entrants will show off who’s got the best hydraulics.
614 5th Avenue, Gaslamp
“The Art of Experience” Exhibition at Union Hall Gallery
Opens May 4
Union Hall Gallery will launch its first exhibition this Saturday, a memorial show from sculptor Ted Berryman and his late wife Martha Moramay Cuevas featuring works from the previous decade made inside their Santa Ysabel home studio. “The Art of Experience,” on display through June 16 in partnership with Santa Ysabel Art Gallery, features large-scale sculptures by Berryman made using natural elements along with delicately unique abstract paintings from Cuevas, pairing the couple’s artwork to present their shared belief that art transcends the human experience.
There will be a free opening reception for the exhibition held this Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. “The Art of Experience” will be open for viewing Fridays from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and by appointment.
2323 Broadway, Golden Hill
Celebrating Asian American & Pacific Islander Fashion and Stories Exhibition
The newest exhibition at the Bonita Museum and Cultural Center will recognize traditional Asian American and Pacific Islander attire with clothing from over a dozen countries and communities on display. In honor of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage month, this exhibition will allow visitors the opportunity to dive into AAPI fashion traditions and how it represents centuries of culture and heritage.
The exhibition will have an opening reception, hosted by ABC Channel 10 reporter Vanessa Paz, this Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with Asian Pacific cuisine — including favorites like Korean gimbap and Filipino pandan dessert — served up by local chefs and cultural dance performances. Tickets to the opening reception are $40 for adults, $20 for youth ages 6 to 12 years old and free for kids age 5 and under; reservations for the opening reception can be made here.
4355 Bonita Road, Bonita
Cinco de Mayo Festival
May 5
North County residents can celebrate Cinco de Mayo at Grape Day Park with live entertainment, food, shopping and family-friendly festivities during USA Multicultural’s 4th annual Cinco de Mayo Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This free community event, organized by the Escondido nonprofit, is focused on unifying the community through diverse cultural expression and will include several local food and craft vendors, along with an all-day lineup of cultural singing and dancing performances on two stages. The festival will also feature a beer garden, kids zone and the “Palette of Possibilities Art Exhibition,” celebrating new artwork from a group of local and Mexican artists.
321 North Broadway, Escondido
Carlsbad Spring Village Street Faire
May 5
More than 900 vendors—selling everything from homemade clothing items and sports merchandise to antique collectibles and holistic remedies—will be a part of the Carlsbad Spring Village Faire this Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce’s free marquee event comes around twice a year during the spring and fall (May and November) and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. In addition to the row of arts, crafts and unique vendor finds, this non-stop block party will have plenty of live entertainment, plus a beer garden, inflatable rides, two food courts, and a family pancake breakfast.
Grand Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard, Carlsbad
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
The Talk of the Town: Old Hollywood Edition
May 3
The Athenaeum Music & Arts Library’s annual benefit event will once again welcome guests to Old Hollywood with a night inspired by the elegant aesthetic and silver screen charm of the biggest stars of the 1920s and ‘30s. This Friday, Talk of the Town 2024 will feature the sounds of big band jazz, an open bar, hors d’oeuvres, and a buffet dinner for all attendees; plus guests are encouraged to dress in the glamorous Hollywood attire of stars like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. General admission tickets for this fundraising affair are $250 and VIP tickets, which come with early entry at 5:30 p.m. and special red carpet treatment, plus Champagne, cocktails and first dibs on the silent auction, are available for $1,000.
1008 Wall Street, La Jolla
Julian Woman’s Club Wildflower Show
May 3 & 4
This free annual tradition from the Julian Woman’s Club, which dates all the way back to 1926, highlights a plethora of gorgeous flower finds, offering educational insights to all visitors who make their way to Julian for its natural beauty. A variety of flowers that have been picked by club members—featuring the best blooms from the estimated 855 specifics of plants growing in and around Julian—will be on display for free from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday and Saturday. As attendees see and smell the flowers, they can also enjoy art from local schools and handicrafts from club members as they learn more about the lovely local flora and how they blossom through the surface.
2607 C Street, Julian
2024 San Diego FC Chrome Ball Tour
May 4
San Diego FC’s Chrome Ball Tour makes its biggest stop yet in Chula Vista this Saturday as part of its 18-city community engagement tour throughout the County, embracing each neighborhood’s unique art, culture and love for soccer. From 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., South Bay locals are invited to come through and connect with San Diego’s newest pro sports team, and enjoy a first responders tournament, 3v3 street soccer matches and custom artwork made by local artists Josue Baltezar, Chikle! And Paola ‘Panca’ Villaseñor. The event will also include a lucha libre performance from Masked Republic, plus a local car show, a kids zone, a beer garden, and a “Colors of the Community” fashion show with musical performances from several South Bay natives. Anyone interested in attending is encouraged to RSVP here.
300 Park Way, Chula Vista
