ArtWalk at Liberty Station
Paul Nestor
August 2:
Summer isn’t officially official until—please hold for the plane passing overhead—Shakespeare outdoors begins at The Old Globe’s Lowell Davies Theatre. Bonus points if it’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which blends poetically with the stage’s Balboa Park backdrop (through September 4).
August 2:
In Here There Are Blueberries at the La Jolla Playhouse, World War II-era photographs lead a museum archivist and a Nazi descendent down separate rabbit holes of discovery. Slowly the stories behind the photos unfold, along with new revelations on the Holocaust and humanity (through August 21).
August 4:
California native, singer, TikTok superstar and supreme hair-owner Oliver Tree is coming to Petco Park’s Gallagher Square alongside alternative/indie singer Jawny. Last fall, the Santa Cruz singer/filmmaker announced his latest album, Cowboy Tears, may be his last. Hand-wash your primary-color track suit and tear-up like a real cowboy.
Petco Park’s Gallagher Square
August 6:
Twinzers, bonzers, rhino chasers. If those words get you emotional, head to the full display of San Diego surf culture at One Paseo’s Summer Surf Fest. Alongside live surf rock performances, pop-up shops, and interactive art installations, you can gawk at vintage surfboards and cars.
August 6-7:
At ArtWalk at Liberty Station you can score a new painting or vase or unidentifiable yet oddly compelling thing you just really need—and get the story of the pieces from the makers themselves. The festival gathers local and national artists who specialize in all forms, from ceramics to watercolor to sculpture, with demos and interactive pop-ups.
August 13:
San Diego Museum of Art’s book club, Art of Reading, highlights fictional reads that pair with the museum’s exhibits. This month, it’s a discussion about Deborah Davis’ Strapless: John Singer Sargent and the Fall of Madame X— Sargent’s most famous painting, and one that nearly ruined Madame X. Total scandal.
August 14:
Hillcrest’s CityFest is known by locals as Pride-Light, a massive neighborhood block party. The annual festival celebrates the restaurants and shops that make up San Diego’s most iconic LGBTQ+ neighborhood with six interactive art installations and performances over the nine-block span.
August 14:
Local bookstore legend Warwick’s has been bringing big names in the literary world to San Diego for decades. This month at Balboa Theatre, its iconic investigative journalist Bob Woodward, gives an inside look into his reporting on Watergate, Washington, and political dynamics.
Muna Band
Issac Schneider
August 15:
Fresh off their new self-titled album, Muna is taking the stage at The Observatory in North Park. The L.A.-based trio has carved out a name for their punchy, electronic indie-pop that addresses sexuality, gender, and love.
