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🌞 San Diego Weekend: 15 Can't-Miss Picks

🌞 San Diego Weekend: 15 Can't-Miss Picks

From pasta parties to jazz brunches, here’s your no-regrets weekend lineup.

Brandon Iverson
April 03, 2025

👋 Hey, it's Brandon. Welcome to Area 619, your weekly guide to San Diego's best local events and hidden gems—so you never run out of weekend plans.

Good morning, San Diego. Did you know that our beloved Balboa Park is actually 20% larger than New York's Central Park? While tourists flock to admire our 1,200 acres of cultural paradise, we locals know the real treasures are in the experiences that fill our city each week. Speaking of which, your calendar is about to get wonderfully overcrowded with everything from Jewish theater festivals to anime symphonies and garden parties that promise botanical cocktails worth ditching your Sunday sweats for.

In Area 619 today:

🍥 Ninjas meets orchestra; your ears will thank you.

🍻 A Festival of Beers - Eighty reasons to skip Sunday morning plans.

🚲 GranFondo San Diego - Suffer now, pasta later. Worth every pedal.

Let’s get to it.

— Brandon Iverson

Thank you to the newcomers that completed last week’s survey. The winner of the free dinner is Adrienne! Congrats, I will send an email to you separately with details!

READER’S RECS

Grass Skirt

Welcome to Reader's Recommendations, where our community of food-loving locals share their favorite hidden gems, must-try spots, and neighborhood staples that make our city's culinary landscape truly special. Whether you are new to San Diego or you've been eating your way through the 619 since birth, this column is your chance to discover (or rediscover) San Diego through the taste buds of your neighbors who know where the good stuff is hiding. Here’s this week’s picks I’ve chosen:

From Michael → Bali Hai 🌺 Polynesian eatery on Shelter island!
From Lucas → Sardina’s 🍝 For my Italian lovers.
From Caroline → Tofu House 🍜 Korean cuisine in Kearny Mesa!
From John → Grass Skirt 🍹 Super cool and fun bar with live tiki music!
From Theresa → El Puerto Seafood and Beer By the Park 🐠 I hear the surf turf burritos are the best.

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WHATS HAPPENIN’

The Whole Megillah Jewish New Play Festival, Wednesday April 2-6 🕍 Dive into three captivating new Jewish plays that explore everything from family history to klezmer music at The Old Globe.
NARUTO: The Symphonic Experience, Thursday April 3 🍥 Relive Naruto Uzumaki's ninja journey through epic scenes accompanied by a live orchestra at Civic Theatre – the closest thing to feeling like you've mastered your own chakra without years of training.
Hillary and Clinton, Thursday April 3-19 🗳️ This fictional peek behind the political curtain of Hillary Clinton's 2008 campaign promises to be juicier than any CNN coverage – and at $45 a ticket, cheaper than a campaign donation.
Art Noir at The Studio Door, Thursday April 3-26 🎨 Step into the shadowy, mysterious world of noir at this exhibition where the art, like your ex, refuses to see things in black and white.
Quartyard's 10th Anniversary Weekend Concerts, Friday April 4-6 🕺 East Village's coolest outdoor venue is turning ten with three nights of psychedelic rock, orchestral compositions, and dance-happy grooves – proving that getting older doesn't mean getting boring.
Fine Art and Craft Sale for LA Wildfire Relief, Friday April 4-6 & 11-13 🖼️ Score artwork from as little as $10 at Union Hall Gallery's charity sale – allowing you to simultaneously decorate your apartment and feel good about helping artists affected by wildfires.
Wanda Sykes at Civic Theatre, Friday April 4 😂 The queen of cutting observations brings her razor-sharp wit to the Civic Theatre – worth every dollar of the ticket price just to hear her dissect modern life in that unmistakable voice.
North Park Festival of Beers, Saturday April 5 🍻 Sip your way through 80 beers while jamming to live music at the LaFayette Hotel this Saturday, and feel smug knowing your hangover is actually supporting music education for kids.
Spring Art & Wine Walk at The Forum Carlsbad, Saturday April 5 🍷 Wander through The Forum Carlsbad with a wine glass in one hand and a cupcake in the other while pretending to understand art – my kind of multitasking!
San Diego Writers Festival, Saturday April 5 ✍️ Rub elbows with 100 literary minds including Tembi Locke and Ed Begley Jr. at this free festival where you can finally ask that burning question about how to get your psychological thriller published.
Boots In The Park Festival, Saturday April 5 🥾 Country music royalty Old Dominion and Chris Young will have you two-stepping at Waterfront Park – just be prepared to explain to your wallet why spending $129+ on a day of line dancing seemed reasonable.
The Art of Autism: A Different Lens, Saturday April 5-August 3 🤔 Experience the world through the extraordinary perspective of neurodivergent artists at this Oceanside Museum collaboration – guaranteed to make you question who gets to define what "normal" even means.
Garden Party at Estancia La Jolla, Sunday April 6 ⛲️ Don your fanciest garden attire and prepare to be dazzled by botanical cocktails and floral vendors at Estancia's adults-only spring bash – because sometimes we deserve a Sunday funday without someone's kids running through our Instagram photos.
San Marcos Spring Fling Festival, Sunday April 6 🎊 North City District transforms into a free playground of 250 vendors, live music, and North County libations – the perfect Sunday activity when you're too broke for brunch but still want to day drink.
GranFondo San Diego, Sunday April 6 🚲 Pedal your way through 34, 60, or 101 miles of San Diego scenery with the promise of pasta, beer, and bragging rights waiting at the finish line – because suffering is always better when there's carbs involved.
Carlsbad 5000, Sunday April 6 🏃🏼‍♀️ Sprint, jog, or leisurely stroll along Coast Highway 101 in this legendary 5K where two free beers await finishers – proving that runners really are just in it for the post-race rewards.