There’s much to be thankful for this week—including another busy weekend full of fun San Diego events. Folks who still have Woodstock FOMO will have two chances to celebrate the music of the era’s biggest stars. Local theaters will bring iconic holiday tales to life. And a handful of SD restaurants are offering Friendsgiving spreads, so you can skip the cooking and focus on all the other great things to do in San Diego this weekend.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Rumorosa
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
“Snowed In” Christmas Cocktail Pop-Up at Fort Oak
Through December 31
Fort Oak’s “Snowed In” cocktail pop-up will pair snow globe ambience with a dozen seasonal drinks. The menu from Fort Oak Beverage Director Jess Stewart will feature highlights like creamy espresso martinis and tiki-inspired rum and fruit concoctions in festive mugs. These libations can be enjoyed nightly from 5 p.m. to midnight, now through the end of the year.
1011 Fort Stockton Drive, Mission Hills
Friendsgiving Feast at Lionfish
November 27
Lionfish chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz is taking a fine-dining approach to holiday home cooking with his Friendsgiving Feast menu. From 5 to 10 p.m. this Wednesday, guests can indulge in a deep-fried turkey bucket, Boursin mashed potatoes, truffle mac and cheese, and buttermilk biscuits for $45, and if you’d like, wash it all down with $5 shots.
435 Fifth Avenue, Gaslamp
Berry Good Food Foundation Friendsgiving Eve Fundraiser at Rumorosa
November 27
Rumorosa on Harbor Island is hosting a range of fundraisers this month, with 15 percent of proceeds going to the sustainable nonprofit Berry Good Food Foundation. The restaurant’s Friendsgiving Eve Fundraiser this Wednesday will be a buffet-style meal with Baja white fish ceviche, agave-and-chipotle-glazed chicken wings, and mezcal-flambéed cream cheese flan for $20 per person plus tax and gratuity. Patrons arriving in groups of four or more can also enjoy the restaurant’s month-long Friendsgiving Fundraiser, a $65-per-person meal from chef Cesar Oceguera with items such as mole negro roasted chicken, through Nov. 30.
1380 Harbor Island Drive, Harbor Island
Beer By the Bay 2024
November 30
Beer By the Bay returns this Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. at Coronado Ferry Landing Park. Attendees can enjoy craft beer, selections from regional wineries, games, a photo booth, and live music by the water. Ticket options include general admission ($81.88) and military GA ($65.87), which come with unlimited craft beer, spirit, wine, cocktail and seltzer tastings, and VIP ($161.90), which comes with early admission, VIP seating, and more.
1201 1st Street, Coronado
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Gand Band Woodstock Immersive Experience at Humphreys Backstage
November 27
Fronted by local singers Michele Lundeen and Damion Willis, the six-piece Gand Band is bringing the Woodstock festival experience to Humphreys Backstage this Wednesday night. While the band members play the defining hits of the counterculture period—from Santana to Sly Stone—in all of their tie-dye glory, psychedelic visuals and interviews with the era’s musicians will be projected on screen. Tickets are starting at $28.75.
2241 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party at Balboa Theatre
November 30
This Saturday at the Balboa Theatre, swing revival specialists Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will keep things fun and festive, performing original yuletide tunes—like the brass-heavy lounge track “Christmas Time in Tinsel Town”—along with holiday essentials. Tickets start at $54.05.
868 Fourth Avenue, Gaslamp
Thee Sacred Souls at SOMA
December 1
San Diegans will have one last chance to see Thee Sacred Souls perform live locally in 2024 this Sunday night at SOMA. Tickets are officially sold out for this performance from the darlings of San Diego soul, but resale admission is going for upwards of $230.
3350 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Miracle on 34th Street: A Live Musical Radio Play at New Village Arts
Through December 24
In this radio play adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street at New Village Arts, when a newly hired Macy’s department store Santa Claus claims to be the real deal, all in his orbit are forced to confront their belief in the existence of Old Saint Nick. There will be four performances of Miracle on 34th Street this week, with previews through Nov. 29 and opening night this Saturday. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased here.
2787 State Street, Carlsbad
Jewels of the Season at Timken Museum of Art
Through December 31
Jewels of the Season is an annual installation at the museum, featuring over 1,000 decorative, handcrafted ornaments by local artists Florence Hord and Elizabeth Schlappi. This year, you can see the spectacular trinkets alongside a model train on loan from the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.
1500 El Prado, Balboa Park
Six String Society Presents “27 Club” at California Center for the Arts, Escondido
November 29
Six String Society’s ode to the infamous “27 Club” gathers the collective’s most famous rockstars for a mythical performance in 1969 Greenwich Village on the night before Woodstock. The music of artists like Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Amy Winehouse, and Jimi Hendrix, whose lives were all cut short at the age of 27, will collide for a jam session from the afterlife. There will be two performances this Friday (one at 2 p.m. and another at 7 p.m.) at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, with ticket prices ranging from $38 to $96.
340 North Escondido Boulevard, Escondido
A Christmas Carol at Cygnet Theater
November 29–December 24
The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future guide the cantankerous Ebeneezer Scrooge to a necessary realization in this stage production of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol featuring original music, puppetry, and live sound effects. Ticket prices range from $39 to $73 for this production, with four performances this weekend (including two on Saturday).
4040 Twiggs Street, Old Town
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Downtown Skate By The Bay
Through January 5
Roll over to the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina for a spin around its new 6,000-square-foot roller skating rink at Downtown Skate By The Bay. Open daily from 12 to 10 p.m., the outdoor rink will feature Christmas-themed pop-ups, tastings, and more. A 90-minute skating session will set you back $26. For a more elevated experience, two-hour premium rinkside seating reservations come with heaters and mobile dining service for $150.
333 West Harbor Drive, Downtown
Turkey Trots
November 28
Before diving into a Thanksgiving spread and the subsequent food coma, make room for the big meal by running, jogging, or strolling your way through a local 5K. This year’s offerings include a team-friendly race in Oceanside, a fundraiser for Father Joe’s Villages in Balboa Park, and a classic competition along the San Diego Bay in Coronado.
Citywide
Julian Country Christmas & Tree Lighting
November 30
The centerpiece of Julian’s holiday festivities, Julian Country Christmas, takes place from noon to 8 p.m this Saturday. The event will include live music, a Christmas market, holiday-themed performances, an appearance from Santa Claus, and a holly jolly tree lighting at Julian Town Square.
Main and Washington, Julian
East Village Tree Lighting & Holiday Market at Quartyard
November 30
The East Village will embrace the seasonal spirit this Saturday with a tree lighting, conducted by the East Village Association and city officials, and a holiday market at Quartyard from 4 to 8 p.m. There will be photos with Santa, live music on two stages from local acts like Mojo Repair Shop and Harmonica John, and plenty of handcrafted items to purchase from artisan vendors. Anyone interested in stopping by can RSVP for free here.
1301 Market Street, East Village
