16 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: June 30-July 5
Before, during, and after the Fourth of July, San Diegans can commemorate America’s 250th anniversary with an abundance of stars, stripes and local celebrations. America The Beautiful: 250 at The Rady Shell and Lamb’s Players Theatre’s revival of American Rhythm will look back at the many songs which define our country. Liberty Station’s Anchored in Freedom celebration and the Independence Day Carnival offer community-centered fun and loads of family-friendly activities. And who can possibly forget the Big Bay Boom, which will resume its reign over San Diego Bay as the state’s biggest fireworks show. Outside of the holiday festivities, this week brings the yearly return of Little Italy’s Summer Sera and the Athenaeum Summer Festival, as well as a slate of championship matches for All Elite Wrestling.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Sunset & Spritz at 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar
July 3
Sip on refreshing beverages and savor a panoramic rooftop view this Friday from 6-8 p.m. during the 21-plus Sunset & Spritz at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar. There will be a live DJ (until 9 p.m.), appetizers, pool and cabana access, a photo booth, and a cash bar (until 11 p.m.). To accentuate the summer theme, guests are invited to dress in white, pink, and orange attire. Tickets are $29 and come with a welcome aperol spritz.
616 J Street, Gaslamp
The 250 Grand Tasting Menu at Amaya
July 3 & 4
Bring a patriotic palette to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar for The 250 Grand Tasting Menu at Amaya this Friday and Saturday from 5-8:30 p.m. Patrons will be treated to a five-course tasting menu, curated to exhibit a selection of standout regional flavors and culinary concepts that have shaped our country’s distinct food heritage. The meal will also include beverage pairings with each course, such as wine, cocktails, and artisanal drinks. Reservations are $330 per person (with tax and 20% gratuity) on OpenTable.
5300 Grand Del Mar Court, Del Mar
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Don Toliver at Pechanga Arena
June 30
Don Toliver thrives at being the life of the party (and the “After Party”). His fifth album Octane, released in February, is indicative of his thrill-seeking nature. As with his earlier releases, Octane sees Toliver operating in the space between hip-hop and R&B, with warbling vocals and blaring beats that are best heard at a high volume. This Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Toliver will play at Pechanga Arena, with rappers SoFaygo, Chase B and SahBabii—who had a guest verse on Octane standout “K9”—as special guests. Tickets start at $156 for this concert.
3500 Sports Arena Boulevard, Midway
Blockbuster Broadway! at The Rady Shell
July 3
What makes musicals like Wicked, Cats, Chicago, and Jersey Boys so timeless is the legion of excellent songs that makes fans out of those who’ve never even watched the show. This Friday at 7:30 p.m. during Blockbuster Broadway! at The Rady Shell, conductor Evan Roider, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and veteran vocalists Alex Getlin, Jessica Hendy, Scott Coulter, and John Boswell (also on piano) will perform an all-star theater soundtrack. In addition to the shows named above, audiences can expect songs from A Chorus Line, The Phantom of the Opera, Annie, and more. Tickets range from $57 to $129 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
America The Beautiful: 250 at The Rady Shell
July 4
One night after recognizing the brilliance of Broadway, The Rady Shell will ring in the United States’ landmark anniversary with America The Beautiful: 250 this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Conductor Byron Stripling, joined by a five-performer ensemble and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, will lead a night of ballads that best resemble the red, white, and blue, including songs sourced from the Great American Songbook. After the show, concertgoers are invited to watch the nearby Big Bay Boom from their seats. Tickets range from $71 to $139 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
Athenaeum Summer Festival at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
Sundays from July 5-26
For the 27th annual Summer Festival at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library, pianist Gustavo Romero will spend four Sundays (4 p.m.) playing the catalog of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, the phenom who inspired “Lisztomania.” Romero’s examination of Romantic Fire and the Spanish Soul will also tie in works by a trio of Spanish composers. Following the first and final concerts, Girard Gourmet will cater an intimate dinner for eligible attendees. Ticket options include individual concert tickets (nonmembers: $60), series tickets (nonmembers: $225), individual concert with dinner tickets ($210), and series tickets with dinner included ($475).
1008 Wall Street, La Jolla
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Joni Sternbach: Surfboard at Joseph Bellows Gallery
Through August 29
The buoyant subjects of Surfboard stand tall as personalized monuments, objects which equally represent the waves of history and humanity that power surf culture. Joni Sternbach’s new photo exhibition at Joseph Bellows Gallery is not light on details, with boards which champion a blend of functionality and simplicity, and others—such as one with a skeleton decal—which echo each design’s individuality. In all, Surfboard features twenty 14×11-inch gelatin-silver contact prints, made through a 19th century-esque collodion process, to meticulously surf through.
7661 Girard Avenue, La Jolla
Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass at Mingei International Museum
Through September 20
Glass art is certainly no one-size-fits-all type of practice, with nearly limitless ways to meld, blow, and shape. The traveling exhibition Clearly Indigenous: Native Visions Reimagined in Glass, on display at Mingei International Museum, spotlights a collection of 120 unique glass artworks from twenty-nine Native American artists, four Indigenous Pacific Rim artists, and preeminent glassblower Dale Chihuly. As part of the nationwide Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026 initiative, the exhibition makes clear the myriad of ways in which glass preserves the creative cultural markers of several modern Indigenous artists.
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park
American Rhythm at Lamb’s Players Theatre
July 1 – September 27
Feel the notes, lyrics, and time-honored traditions of American Rhythm, returning to the Lamb’s Players Theatre with a new ensemble of vocalists, dancers, and musicians. Ahead of Saturday’s semiquincentennial, this revived and revamped production from Kerry Meads and Vanda Eggington will spotlight the last century of American musical excellence, spanning from playful ragtime to rock & roll and beyond. Tickets start at $48, with performances this Wednesday-Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.
1142 Orange Avenue, Coronado
North by Northwest at The Old Globe
July 3 – August 2
Emma Rice’s theatrical adaptation of North by Northwest is coming across the pond for its maiden North American production at The Old Globe. As in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 spycraft classic, a case of mistaken identity forces an advertising executive to go on the lam and navigate a world full of subterfuge and scenic locales alike. But in Rice’s version, the silliness of the premise is given the spotlight via a ‘50s soundtrack and a flexible cast of seven actors. Tickets start at $43, with performances this Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 & 7 p.m.
1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
Summer Sera
July 1
This Wednesday from 4-8 p.m., the biweekly Little Italy Mercato will unwind and expand for a special evening excursion during the free Summer Sera. At this seasonal event, stroll India Street for live music, neighborhood food and drinks, and even pet-themed treats. Plus, take in the festive atmosphere by shopping for a variety of produce, flowers, and artisan goods from a lineup of local vendors.
India Street, Little Italy
AEW Dynamite/Collision: San Diego at Viejas Arena
July 1
Enjoy a double dose of All Elite Wrestling—Wednesday Night Dynamite and Saturday Night Collision—this Wednesday (4:30 p.m.) at Viejas Arena. Following Sunday’s Forbidden Door pay-per-view event, Mark Briscoe is slated to face AEW World Champion MJF in a bid for the title belt. Also, a Survival of the Fittest match will be held to decide the TBS Championship, with six wrestlers in the women’s division competing to be the last one standing. Tickets start at $48 for AEW Dynamite/Collision: San Diego.
5500 Canyon Crest Drive, Rolando
Independence Day Carnival at Lakehouse Resort
July 3
This Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lakehouse Resort is throwing a classic Fourth of July barbecue, complete with a plethora of all-ages activities and cookout fare. At the Independence Day Carnival, there will be a rock climbing wall, lawn games, and carnival-style entertainment like a dunk tank, ring toss, mechanical shark ride, and more. Attendees can also pack their plate with a BBQ spread from Brickman’s Restaurant & Bar, including smashburgers, watermelon, and corn on the cob. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children ages 10 and younger.
1105 La Bonita Drive, San Marcos
Anchored in Freedom at Liberty Station
July 3
Liberty Station will pay tribute to its storied naval history this Friday with a 5K, a parade, and a free community festival during Anchored in Freedom. The celebration kicks off with the Fleet Week 5K Fun Run at 11:30 a.m. and continues at 1 p.m. with a half-mile parade on Cushing Road beginning from Womble Road and ending at Chauncey Road. Then, from 2-5 p.m. in Ingram Plaza, there will be kids activities, food vendors, music from Navy Band Southwest, and a wing eating contest courtesy of Dirty Birds. Fun Run registration for adults (civilian: $45; active duty: $35) and children ages 8-13 (civilian: $20; active duty: $15) can be purchased online.
2640 Historic Decatur Road, Liberty Station
San Diego Wave FC vs. Gotham FC at Snapdragon Stadium
July 4
We’re so back! As the FIFA World Cup progresses into the knockout rounds, soccer fans can rejoice even further with the NWSL returning from its month-long slumber. While the first-place San Diego Wave are primed for a great second half of the season, they’ll have to manage without Dudinha, who suffered a gutting ACL injury while on international duty. This Saturday at 5:45 p.m., the Wave will face recent NWSL Challenge Cup winners Gotham FC, who just bolstered their attack even further by signing elite forward Sam Kerr. Tickets start at $26 for this match.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
Big Bay Boom
July 4
The sky above San Diego Bay will whistle, crackle, and kaboom with kaleidoscopic beauty during the annual Big Bay Boom this Saturday. Beginning at 9:15 a.m., pyrotechnics will launch from four barges, with vantage points from Shelter Island, Harbor Island, North Embarcadero, Coronado Ferry Landing, the Marina District or on the water (from a safe distance, of course), plus musical accompaniment on 91X FM. Early arrival is encouraged and attendees can take advantage of expanded public transportation, free meters, and pre-paid parking options.
San Diego Bay
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