The best things to do this weekend in San Diego: April 24-26
Here are some of the best things to do this weekend in San Diego from Friday, April 24 to Sunday, April 26.
Friday
‘Art Alive’ celebration this weekend: The 100-year-old San Diego Museum of Art hosts its biggest annual fundraiser, an exhibition the pairs the creations of local floral designers with artworks from the museum’s permanent collection. This year’s theme is “A Centennial Soirée in Full Bloom.” There will also be large-scale floral and art installation and from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday there will be outdoor family activities. Art Alive hours: Noon to 4 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. 1450 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego. $45, adults; $10, youth ages 7-17; Free, children 6 and under. sdmart.org/art-alive-tickets
San Diego Symphony presents “A Feast of Beethoven”: Conductor Trevor Pinnock and pianist Alexandra Dovgan join the orchestra for a program that includes Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor" and Symphony No. 7 in F major. 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Jacobs Music Center, 750 B St., downtown. $30-$108. 619-235-0804, sandiegosymphony.org
Whales and AI topic of talks: LIFE, MiraCosta College's lifelong learning group, hosts two free lectures starting April 24 at MiraCosta's Oceanside Campus in the Board Room of the Administration Building, Bldg. 1000, or online via Zoom. At 1 p.m., Elizabeth Rohwer, a speech technology adviser, will give a presentation on "AI, Philosophy and Language." At 2:30 p.m., Cory Hom-Weaver of Ocean Science Analytics will discuss "Whales and Porpoises." Visit miracosta.edu/life.
San Diego Sockers in the playoffs: San Diego’s indoor soccer team will compete in the Ron Newman Cup Finals against the Milwaukee Wave. 7:30 p.m Friday. Frontwave Arena, 3475 Hero Drive, Oceanside. Tickets start at $26. frontwavearena.com/events/detail/san-diego-sockers-playoffs
WOW Festival: La Jolla Playhouse’s immersive arts festival continues today through Sunday on the campus of of UCSD with more than two dozen, mostly free experiences of theater, dance, music, puppetry, and spectacles from around the world. Events run from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. UCSD, La Jolla. For full schedule, visit wowfestival.org.
Shrek The Musical: San Diego Junior Theatre will perform “Shrek The Musical.” 7 p.m. Fridays. 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Runs April 24 to May 10. Casa del Prado Theatre, 1600 Village Place, San Diego. $20-22. juniortheatre.com
San Diego Asian Film Festival's Spring Showcase: The Pacific Arts Movement, which hosts the San Diego Asian Film Festival, will present its spring showcase throughout the weekend. Friday’s opening night film is “The Road to Sydney.” Saturday and Sunday will feature four more films each day. 7 p.m. Friday, 1:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, 12:10 p.m. to 9:03 p.m. Sunday. UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, San Diego. $12-15. https://sdaff.org/spring2026/schedule/
La Jolla Concours d’Elegance: Classic, luxury and historic cars are on exhibition at the 20th annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance. Vehicles from 1925 through 1996 will be showcased across three days with events, including live music, food tastings, a live auction, car tours, art displays and a car show and awards gala. The event highlights 16 car categories such as supercars, American muscle, pre-World War I, Volkswagen buses and Formula 1 racers. The public is invited to see the cars on display at La Jolla Cove, with certain events requiring a ticket to enter. Friday through Sunday. Various venues. lajollaconcours.com
“Beau Jest”: North Coast Repertory Theatre presents James Sherman’s 1989 comedy about an unmarried Jewish woman trying to please her pushy parents by hiring an actor to pose as her fiance. Preview, 8 p.m. Friday. Opens Saturday and runs through May 12. 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. and Sundays. 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach. $53.50-$68.50. 858-481-1055, northcoastrep.org
Last Laugh Friday performance: Last Laugh Friday is a night of comedy hosted by Emmy-winning actor and comedian Mark Christopher Lawrence and featuring headliner Noah Copfer. On-site fast-casual dining with live music before the show is at TERI Common Grounds Cafe, starting at 4 p.m. Concessions will be sold. 7 p.m. Friday. The Bornemann Theatre at TERI Campus of Life, 555 Deer Springs Road, San Marcos. Tickets are $25; parking is free. Proceeds support TERI's programs for community members with autism and other developmental challenges. Visit thebornemann.com.
Climate Dance Party: The Birch Aquarium will host an event celebrating climate and ocean science with after-hours access to the aquarium. Local climate experts and vendors will be on hand to share their expertise and there will be a dance party with music from DJs for Climate Action. There will also be a book launch for UCSD alumna Ayana Elizabeth Johnson for “What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures.” The first 300 guests will get a free copy. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday. 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla. $39.95. aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/climate-dance-party
“Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress”: Mosaic Theatricals presents this theater for young audiences production Juliany Taveras’ stage adaptation of the 2014 children’s picture book about an adventurous boy who goes on a magical journey of self expression. Opens Friday and runs through May 2. 7 p.m. Fridays; 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. this Sunday. Patio Playhouse's Black Box Theater, 201 E. Grand Ave., Suite 1D, Escondido. $26-$36. 442-304-0505, theatricals.org
“Into the Woods”: San Diego City College will present Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Old Globe-born musical about what happens when fairy tales don’t have happy endings. Opens Friday and runs through May 2. 7:30 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturdays; 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 30. Seville Theatre, 14th and C St., San Diego. $8-$20. citycollegetheatre.com
“Alien Girls”: The Old Globe presents the world premiere of Amy Berryman’s sci-fi-enhanced story of the up-and-down friendship between two female friends over several decades. 7 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through May 10. Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $41 and up. 619-234-5623, theoldglobe.org
“The Lehman Trilogy”: Stefano Massini Tony-winning drama features three actors tracing the 150-year history of the birth, rise and fall of the Lehman brothers. 7 p.m. Friday; 1 and 7 p.m. Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Dottie Studio Theater, Cygnet Theatre, The Joan, 2880 Roosevelt Road, San Diego. $68 and up. 619-337-1525, cygnettheatre.org
“Matt & Ben”: New Village Arts presents Mindy Kaling and Brenda Withers’ 2002 play about the lifelong friendship between actors Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, but played by two women actors. 2 and 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. 2787 State St., Carlsbad. $35-$60. 760-433-3245, newvillagearts.org
“Fences”: The Old Globe presents August Wilson’s 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about a 1950s working-class Black man whose hopes and dreams have been limited by racism, missed opportunities and his own mistakes. 8 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through May 3. Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, Balboa Park, San Diego. $40 and up. 619-234-5623, theoldglobe.org
“The Play That Goes Wrong”: Lamb’s Players Theatre presents the San Diego professional premiere of this London-born stage comedy about a troupe of theater actors struggling to get through a performance while the everything collapses around them. 7 p.m. Fridays; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays. Through June 7. 1142 Orange Ave., Coronado. $48-$98. 619-437-6000, lambsplayers.org
Saturday
“Dancing on Tiptoes”: Art of Elan and La Jolla Music Society present the North American premiere of this multimedia "Musical Exploration of Melody, Movement and Mood,"featuring works from the Australian Chamber Orchestra recording, "Collective Wisdom." 10 and 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The JAI, Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center, 7600 Fay Ave., La Jolla. $25-$38. 619-678-1709, artofelan.org
Point Loma Art Association Show and Sale: This group’s 30 members will exhibit and sell their work. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. 3215 Tennyson St., San Diego. facebook.com/PointLomaArtistsAssociation/
San Diego Book Crawl: The San Diego Book Crawl runs Saturday through April 27 at 15 area bookstores. This year's crawl will have two new author ambassadors and two artist ambassadors, who will pop up at participating bookstores through the three-day event. Crawlers who visit any of the participating stores listed below can pick up a free passport/map. Crawlers who spend $10 or more at any shop will receive a stamp on their passport. Prizes will be awarded at different levels based on the number of stamps accumulated throughout the three-day event. Store hours vary by location. Free to participate, but participants who spend at least $10 at participating shops are eligible for prizes. sdbookcrawl.com/home, instagram.com/sdbookcrawl/
Bigger-than-ever San Diego Book Crawl returns for its ninth year
Fern Street Circus: San Diego's social circus, Fern Street Circus, is back this spring with six free shows at six different parks around the city of San Diego. This year's show is titled, “Seeds of Joy/Semillas de Alegría,” and is inspired by community gardens and the idea that "joy grows when people care for things together," according to Fern Street Circus. Attendees can expect a bilingual show with professional circus artists, musicians and student performers from the circus’ free after-school program. New to the circus this year will be a live musical performance by the Chunky Hustle Brass Band, who will move throughout the space as playful characters dressed up as fungi. The neighborhood tour also hosts a community health resources fair during the shows. Fern Street Circus kicks off this weekend at Park de la Cruz on Saturday and the Golden Hill Recreation Center on Sunday. The Cesar Chavez Recreation Center will host the show on May 2, Egger-South Bay Park on May 3, North Park Recreation Center on May 16 and Azalea Park on May 17. Each event goes from 1:15 to 3:30 p.m.fernstreetcircus.com
Chicano Park Day:Musical performances, Aztec Indigenous dances, cultural and historical speeches, food, artwork and lowrider car showcases will be on display at the 56th annual Chicano Park Day. The event honors Chicano Park, which was founded after an effort by Chicano movement activists and the Logan Heights community banding together in April 1970. They protested against the construction of a California Highway Patrol station. Since then, the community has celebrated the historical landmark. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. . Chicano Park, 1949 Logan Ave., San Diego. Free. chicano-park.com
Wine Spectator's Grand Tour:Attendees can taste over 200 wines as the Wine Spectator's Grand Tour lands in Chula Vista for the first time this weekend. The one-day event, held at the Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center, brings wineries from around the world for guests to sample, along with conversations with winemakers and food pairings. Guests will also receive a souvenir tasting glass. 6 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. 1000 H St., Chula Vista. $250-$395. grandtour.winespectator.com/sandiego
Panda Fest:Various Asian cuisines will be on display for consumption at Panda Fest. This traveling Asian food festival is debuting for the first time in San Diego and brings more than 80 vendors, creating over 200 dishes, from various countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Japan and China. Noteworthy vendors from outside of San Diego at this two-day event are Tanghulua, serving up Chinese street food, and WobbleBake, making Japanese soufflé pancakes. Some of the featured local food vendors are Na Tart, with its Portuguese egg tarts infused with Asian-inspired flavors and ESSNTL Coffee with banana Vietnamese coffee and matcha cookies. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. 1600 Pacific Highway, San Diego. $15-$35. pandafests.com
Sacra/Profana presents “Where the Sea Meets the Sky”: Los Angeles-based Filipino-Chinese composer and choral artist Saunder Choi has curated and will conduct this diverse concert of of his own and others' work. 7 p.m. Saturday. San Dieguito United Methodist, 170 Calle Magdalena, Encinitas. $15-$40. 619-432-2920, sacraprofana.org
Paint for the Planet:Rumorosa in Harbor Island is hosting a paint and sip event in honor of Earth Day. The event allows attendees to learn from a professional instructor on how to create an original, zero-waste painting using coffee. Tickets to the event includes painting supplies and one mini espresso martini. 6:30 to 8 p.m. Saturday. 1380 Harbor Island Drive, San Diego. $50. eventbrite.com/e/paint-for-the-planet-at-rumorosa
Mission Fed ArtWalk:A celebration of fine art is taking place in Little Italy at the 42nd Mission Fed ArtWalk. The event fills India Street with more than 250 visual artists, interactive art for families, four music stages and food vendors. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with artists who travel to this show from across the U.S. and Mexico. Artwork will also be available for purchase. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Little Italy along India Street. artwalksandiego.org/missionfed
Encinitas Spring Street Fair: Guests to this annual event can enjoy live music on multiple stages as well as kids activities and a beer garden. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. South Coast Highway 101. encinitas101.com/events/2026-encinitas-spring-street-fair
LA Sparks exhibition game: Southern California’s only WNBA team will play an exhibition game in San Diego this weekend against the Nigeria national team. Noon Saturday. 5500 Canyon Crest Drive, San Diego. $48.40. https://as.sdsu.edu/viejas_arena/event/1042
“Blue Marigold”: TuYo Theatre presents Mabelle Reynoso’s magical realism-inspired play about a teenager who travels to the Mexica Land of the Dead to find answers about her late father. 7 p.m. Saturday and May 1 and 2; 2 p.m. Sunday and May 3; Bayfront Charter High School, 830 Bay Blvd., Chula Vista. $10-$15. tuyotheatre.org/blue-marygold
Gilbert & Sullivan’s “Trial By Jury”: Genesis Opera Theatre presents his 30-minute comic operetta about courtroom theatrics featuring singers from around the region. 7 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday. Trinity Episcopal Church, 845 Chestnut St., Escondido $30. 760-525-9573, genesisoperatheatre.com.
Sunday
Marine Science Day:The San Diego State University Marine Ecology and Biology Student Association is hosting its Marine Science Day event this Sunday. The free, family-friendly event will be held at the Coastal and Marine Institute Laboratory and attendees will get to learn about local ocean ecosystems through activities such as scuba gear demonstrations, a water tank, short research talks and an arts and crafts area. There will also be local vendors, food trucks, raffle prizes and a silent auction. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. 4165 Spruance Road, San Diego. Free. lovestemsd.org/marine-science-day
Estancia's Tea in the Garden Series:Every Sunday through mid-October, Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa is renovating its garden with a tea series. There will be six different themes in the series that will last about four weeks each. Each theme will bring various teas, food and decor. The themed lineups are: Petals & Pastels on Sunday, April 26; Bridgerton & Blooms High Tea on May 31; Solstice Garden Tea on June 28; Mediterranean Daydream on July 19; A Gilded Garden Tea on Aug. 23; Harvest & Herb Tea on Sept. 27; and A Curious Mad Hatter Tea Party on Oct. 18. Noon to 3 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 18. 9700 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla. $75. 858-412-0500, estancialajolla.com
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This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 11:57 AM.