Beer, beats, and nights at the cinema are only some of what San Diego has in store this weekend. As always, there’s a bevy of live music options, with concerts from Miguel Bosé, Doechii, and Tame Impala, plus the return of the Train Song Festival. Movie buffs can spend time at the Coronado Island Film Festival and the San Diego Asian Film Festival, as well as at cinema-centered talks featuring Roger Deakins and Wendy Benchley. Locals and visitors can also check out the sustainability-minded Slow Fashion Day, the Capital of Craft Beer Fest, and a match between San Diego FC and the Portland Timbers.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Capital of Craft Beer Fest
November 8
San Diego Beer Week kicks off this Saturday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Harley Davidson Festival Grounds with its hoppy party-starter, Capital of Craft Beer Fest. Enjoy a variety of food, craft, and artisan vendors; live music from FlashPants and DJ Twon Burgundy; and unlimited two-ounce craft beer samples, with over 80 local beers to try. Ticket options include $41 designated driver tickets, $56 general admission, and $72 VIP passes, which grant early admission at noon. Additional Beer Week festivities (Nov. 7–16) happening countywide will include new IPA releases, a neighborhood cleanup in North Park, and a morning hike at Annie’s Canyon Trail.
4645 Morena Boulevard, Clairemont
Sails & Ales Beer Fest
November 8
Head over to Shelter Island for Kona Kai San Diego’s fifth annual Sails & Ales Beer Fest this Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m. This 21-plus festival will feature a live DJ, bites, and samples of beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages from several local drinkmakers for a scrumptious afternoon along the coastline. Tickets start at $65; food will be available for an additional cost and a portion of event proceeds will go towards Surfrider Foundation San Diego County.
1551 Shelter Island Drive, Shelter Island
University Heights Arts Open & Taste of University Heights
November 9
Take a free shuttle through two parallel events in University Heights this Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.: The University Heights Arts Open and Taste of University Heights invite attendees to peruse 20 taste and sip stops and view works on display at local artists’ studios and neighborhood businesses. Following the event (3:30 p.m.), win prizes and gift cards in a raffle at Kairoa Brewing Co. The UH Arts Open is free for the public, while tickets for Taste of University Heights are $35 online ($40 the day of).
4601 Park Boulevard, University Heights
Tame Impala
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Doechii at Gallagher Square
November 5
Rapper Doechii’s sophomore mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal scored the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. You can see the rising star this Wednesday (8 p.m.) at Gallagher Square. Tickets start at $77 for this concert.
899 J Street, Downtown
Coronado Island Film Festival
November 5–9
The Coronado Island Film Festival will celebrate its 10th year with five days of panels, workshops, premieres, and more this Wednesday through Sunday. The festival’s selections will include centerpiece films Jay Kelly and The Secret Agent, an opening night screening of Gus Van Sant’s Dead Man’s Wire, and a closing night showing of Some Like It Hot. Attendees can also explore special events like the annual Leonard Maltin Industry Tribute Awards Gala; showcases for short films, animation, and emerging filmmakers; and a Beatles-themed event ($25) centered on the 60th anniversary of the band’s concert at Balboa Stadium. Ticket options include general-admission screening tickets ($17) as well as the all-inclusive Emerald Badge ($495)
Coronado
San Diego Asian Film Festival
November 6–15
UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, along with a handful of nearby venues, will host the 26th annual San Diego Asian Film Festival, which is showing more than 150 films from over 30 countries. Special events across the festival’s 10-day programming include happy hours, an LGBTQ+ shorts program (Saturday), an artist talk with filmmaker Julian Castronovo (Nov. 12) and a free pop-up market (Nov. 15). Tickets for individual screenings are $15 for general admission, $20 for the opening night film and centerpiece film, $30 for the closing night film, and free for weekday films at 4 p.m.; SDAFF’s all-fest pass is $325.
7510 Hazard Center, Mission Valley
Miguel Bosé at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
November 7
Since his last tour in 2017, Miguel Bosé has encountered tragedy, heartbreak, and the partial loss of his voice. But on his Importante Tour, Bosé is returning revitalized. This Friday at 7 p.m., Bosé will perform at Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre for the penultimate show of his tour’s US leg. Tickets start at $80 for this concert.
5500 Campanile Drive, Rolando
Train Song Festival
November 8
Enjoy model trains in Templars Hall, locomotive rides around Old Poway Park, and live folk music this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at San Diego Folk Heritage’s free Train Song Festival. Attendees can hear tunes from Bill Dempsey, Gayle Skidmore, UL Standard, JT Moring, and Sara Petite and see a preview of Michael de Luca’s Dust Bowl–era musical Hop on Board. The festival will also overlap with the nearby Poway Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and an artisan market at Old Poway Park (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.).
14134 Midland Road, Poway
Tame Impala at Pechanga Arena
November 9
One-man band Tame Impala’s latest album, Deadbeat, departs from musician Kevin Parker’s usual smooth psychedelic pop in favor of cultivating a house-infused vibe inspired by Australian bush doofs (outdoor raves). This Sunday (8 p.m.) at Pechanga Arena, hear the dance grooves of Deadbeat in person and catch an opening set from NYC-based electronic band Fcukers. Tickets start at $225 for this concert.
3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Rent at New Village Arts
Through December 24
Jonathan Larson’s Rent, on stage this month and next at Carlsbad’s New Village Arts, follows a group of struggling artists living through the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the East Village. Tickets are $40 for previews Thursday and Friday (7:30 p.m), $80 for Saturday’s opening night (7:30 p.m.) show, and $70 for all successive performances through Christmas Eve.
2787 State Street, Carlsbad
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at The Old Globe
November 5–December 31
Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! returns to The Old Globe for the 28th time. Tickets start at $43 for this production. The Globe will also host its free Christmas tree lighting ceremony this Sunday at 6 p.m. in Copley Plaza; those without a reservation can join the standby line at 5 p.m. or check if more tickets become available in the event of a Christmas miracle.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
Modern Simplicity: The Architecture of Irving J. Gill at Oceanside Museum of Art
November 6–April 26, 2026
With Modern Simplicity: The Architecture of Irving J. Gill, the Oceanside Museum of Art invites visitors to explore Gill’s role as an early pillar of modernism and his contributions to Oceanside (the former city hall and fire station which sits adjacent to the museum). Attend the exhibition celebration (which will also feature the museum’s 2025/26 Artist Alliance Biennial and Francisco Eme: Future Rituals & La Eco-Resistencia) on Nov. 22; event admission is free for members and $15 for visitors.
704 Pier View Way, Oceanside
Native American Art Show at EC Gallery and Native Star Boutique
November 7–9
Exclusive Collections Gallery ushers in Native American Heritage Month with its sixth annual Native American Art Show this Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. This free exhibition will highlight an array of sculptures, paintings, photography, and mixed-media works from Indigenous artists. Next door on Friday and Saturday, Native Star Boutique will host free designer trunk shows and mini runway fashion shows; VIP fashion tickets for Friday and Saturday, which come with front-row seating, exclusive afterparty admission, and more, are on sale for $250.
621 & 631 5th Avenue, Gaslamp
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
JAWS @ 50: A Conversation with Wendy Benchley at Birch Aquarium
November 5
When Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, adapted from Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel, swam into movie theaters across the country in 1975, it represented the birth of the summer blockbuster and the defining portrayal of sharks on the silver screen. Half a century later, Jaws remains a milestone, and an upcoming lecture event at the Birch Aquarium—featuring Benchley’s wife, activist and conservationist Wendy Benchley—will revisit its importance. This Wednesday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., there will be a reception with light refreshments, a preview of the JAWS @ 50 documentary, and a conversation about the connection between Jaws and marine conservation. Tickets are $25 for aquarium members and $40 for the general public.
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
Cinema is Power: In Conversation with Roger Deakins at MCASD
November 8
The Film Dispatch and the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego have teamed up for Cinema is Power. This Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m., attendees can catch a moderated conversation with visionary cinematographer Roger Deakins, whose award-winning filmography includes No Country For Old Men, 1917, and Sicario. The event will also feature a modern dance piece curated by Milana Aernova, a musical performance by Joe Devito, and the premiere of a short film directed by Bárbara Perrín Rivema. Tickets are $40 for Cinema is Power.
1450 El Prado, Balboa Park
Slow Fashion Day
November 9
Claudia Rodriguez-Biezunski (Sew Loka) and Chris Carson of The Homegrown Project will lead San Diego’s first-ever Slow Fashion Day, embracing community, creativity, and sustainability. This Sunday from 2 to 9 p.m. at The Lane, there will be textile art installations, sustainable fashion vendors, hands-on upcycling and sewing workshops, and an eco-friendly Sew Homegrown fashion show. Plus, expect tacos, aquas frescas, 18 Cities Coffee, and music from Go Scarlet and DJ Beazie Beats. Entry to Slow Fashion Day is free, but RSVPs are encouraged.
900 Bayfront Court, Embarcadero
San Diego FC vs. Portland Timbers at Snapdragon Stadium
November 9
Last Saturday in Portland, San Diego FC was just seconds away from securing a spot in the MLS conference semifinals when disaster (AKA Gage Guerra) struck in the eighth minute of stoppage time. Guerra’s header gave the Portland Timbers a lifeline, and in the ensuing penalty shootout, they narrowly edged out SDFC 3-2 to force a decisive third game in this first-round series. Now it’ll come down to a winner-take-all showdown this Sunday at 6 p.m. at Snapdragon Stadium— maybe Chucky Lozano’s triumphant return to the team means more goals will be in store (one can only hope). Tickets start at $54 for this match.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
