June is here, San Diego, and you know what that means: the water is getting warmer, the California poppies are blooming, and best of all, it’s festival time! Grab the sunscreen and get ready to bite into the most succulent strawberries, groove to the hottest bands, chomp the spiciest tacos, and guzzle the hoppiest IPAs on the planet. Let our handy guide direct you to all the events this month that make San Diego America’s Finest City.
June 7
Petco Park, $11+
Head to Petco Park for the San Diego Padres Beerfest, a tailgate-style happy hour party with live music and $5 beer specials that commences at 4:30 pm in Petco Park’s Gallagher Square and continues until just before the first pitch. Friday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks will also feature the Padre’s eye-popping City Connect uniforms, which the team wears at Friday home games all season. The uniforms are a nod to the Padres international fan base, with vibrant pink, yellow, and green representing San Diego’s famous sherbet-colored sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.
June 7, 14, 21, 28, 5–10 pm
Balboa Park, $12, Members are free
The San Diego Museum of Natural History, affectionately known as The Nat, starts your weekend off with Nat at Night, an after-hours museum experience with co*cktails! Stroll through the halls and rooms, enjoying access to all the current exhibitions, try your hand at trivia, or chill on the rooftop deck overlooking Balboa Park. Beer, wine, non-alcoholic beverages, and small plates are available from The Nat’s restaurant partner, Wolf in the Woods.
June 8
Liberty Station, $50–$65
The 13th annual San Diego Brew Festival returns to Liberty Station with one of San Diego’s premier beer festivals! You’ll enjoy a fun-filled day with unlimited tastings from nearly 70 craft and international breweries, live music, lawn games and San Diego’s most popular food trucks. The early admission option gets you in an hour before the crowds, along with special pours. Grab your tickets online before they’re sold out. 21+, no pets.
June 8, 7:30 pm
Gaslamp Quarter, $25
Leave of Absence, the breezy, beachy bar and restaurant on the pool deck of the boutique Kimpton Alma Hotel has reopened for the season and will kick off its Sofar Sounds summer music series with a live concert showcasing Black voices. Enjoy live performances and discover new artists against the backdrop of downtown San Diego.
June 11
La Jolla, $180
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, George’s at the Cove is hosting a monthly dinner series, featuring alumni chefs from the beloved restaurant’s history. This month welcomes Stephanie Prida, former pastry chef and Forbes magazine “30 Under 30 in Food & Drink” honoree. Prida, who is currently working on a new concept, will create an eight-course, Sicilian-inspired prix fixe menu that includes seafood and pasta dishes, flavorful snacks, and chef’s signature desserts and breads. Reservations are required, and each guest receives a parting gift from chef Prida and kitchen team, while each party receives complimentary valet parking for one car.
June 12–July 7
Del Mar Fairgrounds, $16 and up
Eat your weight in funnel cakes, hop aboard the best stomach-churning rides and indulge in the most over-the-top deep-fried food on a stick, stack, or bun at the 2024 San Diego County Fair. You can also peruse world-class exhibits in fine art, photography, woodworking, jewelry/gems and minerals, home and hobby, and the Paul Ecke Jr. Flower & Garden Show. Mid-week tickets are discounted for adults, kids 12 and younger are free every Friday, and kids under five are free daily. Check the website for discounted tickets, special events, season passes, coupon books, and other ways to save.
June 13 & 15
June 13–location disclosed with ticket purchase, $275–$375
June 15–Encinitas, Free–$175
Join Grammy award-winning rock band Switchfoot for their 20th annual Bro–Am Benefit Party 2024, North County’s annual community-oriented event benefitting San Diego’s local youth initiatives including Monarch Schools, Feeding San Diego, A Step Beyond, Save the Music Foundation, and the Challenged Athletes Foundation. You’ll enjoy an intimate concert by Switchfoot and some surprise guests, as well as drinks and bites from San Diego’s buzziest restaurants. There’s also a silent auction for some epic prize packages. Three ticketing options include general admission, reserved seating, or a VIP lounge for groups of 10-16 people with band meet and greets available. On Saturday, the party continues with BRO-AM 2024 Beach Fest, a free day of surfing and music at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. For details, registration and VIP options, visit the Beach Fest website. Contact VIP@broam.org for VIP Stagefront Lounge pricing.
June 14, 6 pm
Mission Bay, $55
Celebrate San Diego’s craft beer culture at Beers by the Bay, a beer pairing dinner hosted by San Diego Mission Bay Resort and Ballast Point Brewing. Chef Roy Henderickson has created a decadent four-course menu to enjoy with a quartet of Ballast Point’s finest, including Speed boat Blond Style Ale paired with Shrimp Aguachile, Longfin Lager Helles Lager and Queso Fundido, Grapefruit Sculpin IPA alongside Crispy Pork Belly and Nitro Calm Before The Storm Cream Ale and Hazelnut Mousse. Reserve your spot online. 21+.
June 17, 5:30 pm
North Park, $40
Learn to taste cider like a pro as Bivouac Ciderworks and the American Cider Association host a cider sensory workshop. An expert Certified Pommelier will lead you through the two-hour experience, where you'll sip and swirl delicious ciders and learn insider’s tips for understanding the components of local and national ciders. The hand-on workshop is suitable for cider lovers of any level. Reserve your spot online. 21+
June 18–19
Little Italy, $55
The Taste of Little Italy lets you stroll, sip and taste samples from some of Little Italy’s best-loved restaurants. Purchase tickets online in advance, then check in at the Piazza della Famiglia, where you’ll be given your Taste Passport. From there, you can wander from place to place at your leisure, noshing on tastes from up to 20 different restaurants, bars, breweries, dessert shops and more. A list of participating restaurants can be found here, and you can check out our Little Italy dining guide to learn about our favorite restaurants in the area.
June 18–19, June 25–27, 6:30 pm
Balboa Park, Free
For more than 40 years, San Diegans have enjoyed a kaleidoscope of musical genres, from disco to Dixieland and big band to bluegrass, every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 6:30-7:30 pm at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. Pack a picnic for a romantic date night, or just sit back and listen to some great music in fabulous surroundings. The summer schedule, along with concert details, can be found online. Pro tip: park for free at Inspiration Point in Balboa Park and take advantage of free tram service from there, available until 8 pm.
June 20, 6–9 pm
Rancho Bernardo, $165
AVANT at Rancho Bernardo Inn presents the latest edition of its Vine-to-Table Series, this time featuring Daou Vineyards. The culinary team of chef de cuisine Sergio Jimenez and regional sommelier Joe Baumgardner has curated a five-course tasting menu of vibrant dishes, each perfectly paired with a Daou wine. Get more info and reserve your spot online.
June 21–23
Various locations, Prices vary
San Diego Brewers Guild, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting local craft beer, is hosting the 3rd annual San Diego Beer Weekend (not to be confused with SD Beer Week, which is still happening November 1-10). Breweries throughout San Diego will hold events and offer beer specials that focus on the community of craft and the individuals, breweries, beer bars, retailers and neighborhoods that make SD Beer so special. Check out the Brewers Guild calendar for all the events taking place over the weekend. Kick the weekend off early at Karl Strauss Brewing Company’s 35th anniversary block party on Thursday, June 20 at its The Outpost beer garden in San Marcos
June 21, 6–9 pm
La Jolla, $95
Agave Fest, hosted by Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, is an immersive event that showcases the best of authentic Baja-inspired bites and artisanal Mexican spirits. Guests will enjoy a uniquely curated collection of 100% agave-based spirits from brands like Casamigos, Patron, La Luna Mezcal, Milagro, Cazadores, Lunazul, Ranch Riders, Proximo-Maestro Dobel, Gran Coramino, Tanteo, Herradura, Lalo Tequila, and Bay City Brewing, plus live music, entertainment, raffles and a few surprises! Reserve your spot online.
June 21, 7–10 pm
Shelter Island, $129
Kona Kai San Diego's 4th Annual Luau Party is back, giving guests all the fun of an island feast right here in our own little corner of paradise. There’ll be plenty of authentic island cuisine like Hawaiian macaroni salad, whole-roasted Kalua pig, Spam musubi, lomi lomi salmon, octopus fried rice, and more, plus traditional song and dance, including Tahitian drums and fire knives dancing.
June 22
Ocean Beach, Free entry, $25 to taste everything
The 44th annual Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cookoff brings some of San Diego’s finest amateur and professional chili connoisseurs together for an epic throwdown, in categories like Hottest Chili, Judges' Award, and the Grand Prize: People's Choice Award. Will the team from OB Surf Lodge successfully defend their title in the restaurant category or will a new upstart reign supreme? Taste the competition and cast your vote for the People’s Choice favorite with a Master Chili Cook-off Tasting Ticket.
June 23
North Park, $45 and up
San Diego resident Daniel Szpak, co-founder of Hammond’s Gourmet Ice Cream in North Park, wanted to celebrate everyone’s favorite frozen treat as well as support social change, so he founded Scoop San Diego, a non-profit that supports San Diego’s underserved communities. Your general admission ticket gets you ten tastings, or choose the VIP option to also meet local ice cream and gelato chefs, get a complimentary swag bag, a cold brew from Communal Coffee available in the shady VIP Lounge, and enjoy an hour of early entry. Vendors include Gelati & Peccati, Mr. Trustee Creamery, Neiderfrank’s Ice Creams, Stella Jean’s Ice Cream, Holy Paleta, The Craft Creamery, and many more. Proceeds will be donated to San Diego Food Bank.
June 26, 6:30 pm
Encinitas, $95, $170 with optional wine pairing
VAGA at Alila Marea is hosting the second installment of its Elements of Nature Dinner Series, showcasing the elements of the world—fire, earth, air, and water. Chef Ananda Bareño have curated a five-course, pre-fixe menu to be unveiled at the time of the dinner for an element of surprise. The second dinner, The Nature of Earth, highlights local ingredients and vibrant dishes that include brand-new menu items, plus a bespoke introductory co*cktail, which will remain on the menu for the duration of the season.
June 29, 9 am–3 pm
Liberty Station, $30
One of San Diego’s most popular neighborhoods, Liberty Station, is hosting a daylong festival in Ingram Plaza, celebrating the wellness options and offerings in and around the neighborhood. The Anchored in Wellness: A Day of Movement and Mindfulness Festival features two stages of movement and mindfulness classes and activations designed for everything from grounding meditations to sweaty bootcamps. Just a few of the events include yoga class instructed by Point Loma YogaSix, Pilates class instructed by Point Loma Club Pilates, Sound bath led by Soundbath Meditation, Bootcamp HIIT class lead by Fit Athletic Club, cold plunges and breathwork lead by Soul Plunge and pop up pickleball hosted by VOLO. Attendees can also enjoy a wellness village with more than 35 vendors, plus a beer garden hosted by Liberty Public Market! Tickets can be purchased online.
June 30, 11 am–3 pm
Adams Avenue, $50
The 23rd Annual Taste of Adams Avenue features 40 of the street's most popular restaurants, breweries, coffee and ice cream shops, and wine bars. Here’s your chance to visit venues like An’s Dry Cleaning Gelato, Hanna’s Gourmet,The Nood Bar, Village Vino, Et Voilà French Bistro, and many more. Order your tickets online and then pick them up at the will-call ticket booth, or skip will-call and purchase your tickets at select Taste of Adams Avenue locations.
Cost: $45 in advance, $55 day of.
Mary Beth Abateis a San Diego-based freelance writer.
