16 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: May 21–26
Got plans for your three-day weekend? How about a show? From University Heights to Oceanside, there will be new theater productions popping up all over the map this Saturday, such as the playful comedy Merry Me at the Diversionary Theatre, Oceanside Theatre Company’s funny and informative Latino History for Morons, and the historical fiction The Mountaintop at New Village Arts. If performing arts aren’t your thing, there’s still plenty of fun things to do, including the free Vista Strawberry Festival, a Snoop Dogg DJ set at Oxford Social Club, and a SDFC match at Snapdragon Stadium.
Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do
Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend
Taste of East Village
May 21–22
Each day of the third annual Taste of East Village will offer a unique sampling menu. More than 30 neighborhood staples will take part in this eating (and sipping) expedition this Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. Attendees can try street corn, Oaxacan mini tamales, and crispy pork belly; for sweet tooths, there will be mini baklava, freshly baked cookies, and tres leches bread pudding. Mark each stop on your taste passport and try to complete them all. Tickets are $49 per day.
East Village
Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival
May 24
The Santee Street Fair and its hopping craft beer festival return this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with an array of street performers, a dog-friendly beer garden, and more than 300 food and vendor booths. This community party on the Parkways will also include a lineup of interactive workshops, art displays, and live performances from local artists. Festival admission is free, and there are VIP experiences perfect for kids (the $24 unlimited carnival ride wristband) and adults ($25 VIP beer garden tickets that include 10 beer tasters and a meal from Doggos Gus).
Town Center Parkway & Riverview Parkway, Santee
Vista Strawberry Festival
May 25
The free Strawberry Festival, happening from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Sunday in Downtown Vista, starts off with a community 5K run and continues with a host of activities, including costume contests, dessert-eating competitions, a film fest, and live entertainment. There will also be carnival rides, a kids zone, a beer garden, and tons of strawberry-filled delicacies.
Downtown Vista
Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend
Hardy at North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre
May 22
San Diego’s North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre will be the starting point of a new tour from Hardy, one of Nashville’s biggest country rockers. Known for several collaborations with Morgan Wallen—the most recent being “Come Back As A Redneck”—Hardy is a certified hitmaker with a penchant for hard rock. Fellow country artists Koe Wetzel, McCoy Moore, and Stephen Wilson Jr. will kick off the show. Tickets start at $41 for this concert, with doors opening Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Curren$y at The Music Box
May 22
Musician Curren$y is a weed rap pioneer with a prolific output—dozens of albums and mixtapes packed with quotable bars. His performance at The Music Box this Thursday will feature live instrumentation from the 747 Band and special guests Rollo Papers, A1 Beanz, Fendi P, Young Deji, and G Style. Tickets start at $59 for this concert at 9 p.m.
1337 India Street, Little Italy
Asian Pacific Cultural Festival of San Diego
May 24
Enjoy a wide range of cultural food and entertainment at the free Asian Pacific Cultural Festival of San Diego from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday at Balboa Park’s International Cottages. The event’s onstage lineup will begin with an opening ceremony and feature a mix of traditional and modern dance and music performances.
2191 Pan American West Road, Balboa Park
Simple Minds at North Island Credit Union Amphitheater
May 24
Break out the leg warmers and mullets—’80s band Simple Minds is bringing their Alive & Kicking tour to San Diego. Best known for their 1985 hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” forever linked to the Brat Pack classic The Breakfast Club, the Glasgow-based band is set to light up Chula Vista’s outdoor amphitheater with a night of retro music. They’ll be joined by throwback legends Modern English (“I Melt With You”) and Soft Cell (“Tainted Love”), making this a must-attend show for anyone still mentally living in the ’80s.
2050 Entertainment Circle, Chula Vista
Snoop Dogg at Oxford Social Club
May 25
Long Beach’s finest will be behind the boards at Oxford Social Club Sunday night when DJ Snoopadelic, better known as the one and only Snoop Dogg, appears for a late-night set. Expect a party-starting mashup of rap, funk, soul, and more. General admission tickets range from $37 to $74 for this performance; doors will open at 10:30 p.m.
435 5th Avenue, Gaslamp
Coronado Promenade Summer Concert Series
May 25–August 31
The 55th season of the Coronado Promenade Summer Concert Series begins with a pair of performances this Sunday from the Coronado Concert Band (4:30 p.m.) and ’70s and ’80s cover band Side Traxx (6:30 p.m.). Free outdoor shows will take place every Sunday through August 31 at Spreckels Park, with the public invited to pack a picnic and enjoy live music at sunset.
601 Orange Avenue, Coronado
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
Merry Me at the Diversionary Theatre
Through June 8
In Merry Me, an unexpected blackout provides the perfect cover for a naval lieutenant to pursue a sapphic escapade. Directed by Vanessa Stalling, this production at the Diversionary Theatre marks the West Coast premiere of Hansol Jung’s play. Tickets range from $11.50 to $66.50 for this production, with previews Thursday and Friday and opening night taking place Saturday.
4545 Park Boulevard, University Heights
Latin History For Morons at Brooks Theater
May 23–June 8
Traverse 3,000 years of Latin history with Latin History For Morons, opening Friday at the Brooks Theater. This funny one-man stage show, written and originally performed by John Leguizamo, examines the absence of Latino figures in American history courses. Tickets for Friday’s preview performance ($22) and Saturday’s opening night ($48) can be purchased here, with all other tickets available here. Special events include a Champagne toast following the opening night show ($45) and Sunday’s military matinee, which grants military service members and veterans with ID two free tickets.
217 North Coast Highway, Oceanside
Unnecessary Farce at Scripps Ranch Theatre
May 23–June 15
A motel sting operation goes hilariously awry in Paul Slade Smith’s play Unnecessary Farce, coming to the Scripps Ranch Theatre in a new production directed by Robert May. There will be a single preview performance Friday at 7:30 p.m., with opening night taking place the following evening at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $29 to $49 for this production.
9783 Avenue of Nations, Scripps Ranch
The Mountaintop at New Village Arts
May 23–June 22
Katori Hall envisions the night before the assasination of Martin Luther King Jr. in The Mountaintop, which begins its month-long run this Friday at New Village Arts. This fictional story, set in the Lorraine Motel following MLK’s “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech, sees the civil rights leader strike a surprising bond that soon prompts him to face his fate. Previews will begin Friday for The Mountaintop, with opening night taking place Saturday, May 31. Tickets start at $35 for this weekend’s performances.
2787 State Street, Carlsbad
Tuck and Roll: The Art of Armadillos at Mingei International Museum
May 24–January 11, 2026
The Mingei International Museum is pulling from its permanent collection to pay tribute to the spiny-shelled beauty of armadillos in its Tuck and Roll installation, opening this Saturday. Throughout this exhibition, more than 80 colorful artisan-crafted armadillo figures will be on display for free on the ground floor of the museum.
1439 El Prado, Balboa Park
Elemental: Artist Alliance Opening Reception at Sparks Gallery
May 25
This Sunday from 5 to 8 p.m., Sparks Gallery will host an opening reception for the newest exhibition from the Oceanside Museum of Art’s Artist Alliance. In this group exhibition, juried and curated by Sonya Sparks, artists contemplate the four elements: earth, air, fire, and water. The 38 artworks of Elemental: Artist Alliance will remain on display in the Gaslamp through July 6. RSVP for the free reception here.
530 Sixth Avenue, Gaslamp
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
San Diego FC vs. Los Angeles Galaxy at Snapdragon Stadium
May 24
The debut campaign for San Diego FC has exceeded even the most ambitious of expectations as the team heads into the second third of the season as a legitimate championship contender. In the team’s next home match, they’ll play the downtrodden LA Galaxy, who have plunged from first to worst and are winless through 14 league matches. Tickets start at $55 for this match, kicking off Saturday at 1:45 p.m.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
Memorial Day Observances
May 26
San Diegans can honor fallen military veterans on Monday, with Memorial Day events taking place countywide. The USS Midway Museum will conclude its Legacy Week with a wreath ceremony at 9 a.m., featuring guest speakers and a flyover, plus performances on the flight deck from the US Coast Guard Arizona Band and Bonita Vista High School’s Music Machine throughout the day. In La Jolla, Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial will host its annual ceremony from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., honoring San Diego native Lakiba Nicole Palmer, who was killed in a terrorist attack on the USS Cole in 2000.
910 North Harbor Drive, Embarcadero | 6905 La Jolla Scenic Drive South, La Jolla
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