Come this summer, this stage at the San Diego County Fair is going to be jammin’ with excitement. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
The San Diego County Fair will return to the Del Mar Fairgrounds Wednesday, June 11-Sunday, July 6 with 2,000+ attractions, rides, fried food, exhibits, entertainment, and live performances.
The fair’s highly-anticipated Toyota Summer Concert Series lineup was finalized this week — here’s who’s hitting that Corona Grandstand Stage this season:
Live and Collective Soul | Wednesday, June 11 | These two headliners will kick off the fair’s concert series.
Zedd | Saturday, June 14 | The EDM record producer and DJ has remixed for artists like Skrillex + Lady Gaga; tickets to this one go on sale Friday, April 25.
2 Chainz + Lil’ Jon | Friday, June 20 | We’d better stretch and snap our fingers for this one — the Grammy-winning “No Lie” and “Get Low” rappers unite. Turn down for what.
Third Eye Blind | Wednesday, July 2 | You’ll be living a “Semi-Charmed Life” when these alt-rockers hit the stage.
Ziggy Marley | Saturday, July 5 | The Grammy-winning reggae icon fuses storytelling with blues, funk, and rock.
WOW Festival: La Jolla Playhouse | Thursday, April 24-Sunday, April 27 | Times vary | UC San Diego | Free | Explore 20+ new works from local, national, and international artists through both free and paid events at various locations around the La Jolla campus.
Friday, April 25
Tampa Bay Rays vs. San Diego Padres | Friday, April 25-Sunday, April 27 | Times vary | Petco Park | $40+ | Enjoy live music and pre-game $5 beer specials at Party in the Park: BeerFest as the Padres swing into this series against the Rays.
The Wailers | 8 p.m. | The Sound, Del Mar | $45+ | The Jamaican reggae icons take the stage at the Del Mar venue, and it’s all love.
Saturday, April 26
Dia De Los Niños | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Escondido | $14 | Celebrate Mexico’s annual kids-centric holiday with fun activities like bilingual storytime, a ballet folklorico performance, and crafting a piñata; included with museum admission.
Real Salt Lake vs. San Diego FC | 4:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium | $32+ | The club’s first-ever Youth Night goes down at the stadium this evening celebrating the young players + families that shape the local soccer community.
Sunday, April 27
Flower Flow: Yoga at the Flower Fields | Sunday, April 27, Sunday, May 4 | 8:30-9:30 a.m. | The Flower Fields, Carlsbad | $45+ | Find your flow among the flowers at the Carlsbad springtime attraction.
Celebrate the Craft | 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Lodge at Torrey Pines, La Jolla | $300+ | This food fest will showcase SoCal’s top chefs, artisanal food creators, local produce, wine + brews — yep, we can toast to that.
Monday, April 28
Trivia Mondays | 6-8 p.m. | Windmill Food Hall, Carlsbad | Free | Grab some grub at the food hall before testing your knowledge of random facts.
Tuesday, April 29
San Diego Music Awards 2025 | 7-10 p.m. | Humphreys Concerts by the Bay | $43+ | The 34th annual awards honoring local musicians will also raise money for the nonprofit Guitars for Schools, and that really rocks.
Sunset in the City | 5-7:30 p.m. | Kensington Residence | $40 | Make a difference at this paint and sip fundraiser for the Scholars Forward Foundation’s college scholarship fund — plus, don’t miss the auction for San Diego FC and Rugby tickets.*
This timeless fairy tale tells the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed by the wicked fairy Carabosse to fall into a deep slumber for a century — until true love awakens her.
Withlavish sets, hand-painted backdrops, and intricately designed costumes by top Ukrainian artists, this two-act ballet will transport you into a world of magic and wonder, set against Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
Don’t miss the chance to see this family-friendly performance featuring world-class dancers in a show that’s sure to cast its spell on you.
With SD facing a $258 million budget deficit, leaders are mulling tough cuts. The 2026 draft budget includes closing libraries Sundays + Mondays, reducing rec center hours, shutting down 184 fire pits on beaches, and scaling back Humane Society funding. City Council will approve the final budget this June. (CBS 8)
Open
Carbonaro’s, a new, fast-casual pasta restaurant, is now open at 5120 College Ave. near SDSU. The menu focuses on scratch-made pasta — from spaghetti and rigatoni to fusilli and gnocchi — topped with sauces like pomodoro, bolognese, alfredo, and pesto.
Try This
Bookworms, take note. The San Diego Book Crawl in celebration of Independent Bookstore Day returns Saturday, April 26-Monday, April 28. Visit these bookstores and make a purchase of at least $10 to get your “passport” and join the fun; we know how much San Diego loves its bookstores.
Transit
Years in the works, local leaders approved the city’s first-ever Mobility Master Plan. The blueprint is designed to create an equitable + sustainable mobility system for SD, enhance transportation in areas that need it most, and improve street safety for everyone — whether you’re walking, rolling, driving, or taking public transit.
Festival
Foodies, gather ‘round. Rancho Bernardo Inn will host its first-ever James Beard Winners Food & Wine Festival Friday, May 2-Sunday, May 4. The culinary event will feature James Beard Award-winning chefs, mixologists, and sommeliers leading experiences like a six-course dinner, wine seminars, and knife skills workshops. Chef’s kiss.
Community
The Port of San Diego will host a community meeting on Wednesday, April 30, at 5 p.m. at Barrio Station to talk about improvements to César Chávez Park in Barrio Logan. Upgrades could include enhanced amenities, a play area, and gathering spaces. You can share your feedback via this survey, too.
Drink
The latest San Diego-centric craft beer on our radar is the Voice of San Diego 20th Anniversary Lager. The collab between the investigative journalism outlet and 3 Punk Ales debuts tonight at the brewery. The limited-edition pale Mexican lager will be available in 16-ounce cans and on draft while supplies last.
Travel
Starting Wednesday, May 7, you’ll need a REAL ID or valid passport to fly domestically. To apply for a REAL ID in California, you must gather identification + proof of residency documents, fill out an online application, and visit a DMV field office to finish the process. Here’s a step-by-step guide.(ABC10)
Sports
There’s a lot going on with the San Diego Padres — can their lineup depth survive the onslaught of injuries? Also, Nick Pivetta is a lifesaver. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes with Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
The Word
Unlimited. As in, the limit does not exist when it comes to how many job listings you can post on the SDtoday Job Board. Get started today + watch the applications roll in. Psst — upgrade your job posting and it will be featured right here in the newsletter.
Read
Looking for an informative, faith-based newsletter? The Pour Over delivers current events with a Christian perspective, perfect for staying informed. Subscribe to the newsletter to join the community.*
Number
$5,000. That’s how much your dog’s ACL surgery could cost if you don’t have pet insurance. With this plan, 90% of that could be reimbursed.*
Finance
They went from a 40-seat “blink-and-you’d-miss-it” bar to routinely topping “best of” awards lists across the country. Now Death & Co is expanding to Nashville, Seattle, Las Vegas, Atlanta, and even Australia. Don’t miss your chance to invest in Death & Co stock and lock in the current share price by May 15.†‡*
Shop
These cannabis gummies keep selling out — just one can get you feeling right within five minutes. Get 20% off with code FIRST20.†*
Biz
Biz
👀 Introducing ad bundles
Our bundles secure your business more advertising space for less. | Graphic by 6AM City
The newest addition to our self-service ad portal — our advertising marketplace with no long-term contracts — is bundles. We’ve put some of our most popular products into two different offerings — each with a savings of 20%. Here’s the rundown:
Branded Content Bundle: Three placements in our newsletter, including a 75-word article and two text ads in the News Notes section.
We agree, San Diego’s coffee scene is dope. | Photo by Michael Beausoleil + SDtoday
For richer or pour over, San Diego’s coffee shops are what keep us going in the morning.
SD ranks among the top coffee cities in America thanks to factors like cafes per capita and the price of beans. But if you’re having trouble deciding on a spot, gather some brews clues with our guide to many of the best coffee shops in San Diego.
Roasts to boast
Bird Rock Coffee Roasters | This chain started in its namesake Bird Rock neighborhood in 2006 and offers an impressive lineup of single origin beans and locally-inspired blends. In 2012, “Roast Magazine” recognized this local biz as Roaster of the Year.
Plenty of outlets and internet connection
Light Bulb Coffee | Here’s a bright idea — try a drink at this glowing shop. There’s plenty to choose from, and if you sit at the spacious café, you might even get to drink from a light bulb-shaped glass.
A smart bird feeder that auto-captures and identifies 10,000+ bird species. It features an HD camera with a wide angle lens and full color night vision, Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to receive real-time messages when a bird is detected, and a sturdy, waterproof fabrication for long-term use.
Hi, friends. I just returned from a trip across the pond and I’m already daydreaming about afternoon tea. Here’s my daughter and I having a ball during tea in London.
I’ll be getting my tea fix in SD soon and thankfully, our city offers lots of great places for afternoon tea including the lovely Britannia Tearooms in the Midway District. Do you know a great local spot for a spot of tea? Kindly drop me a note so I can keep this pinkie up.
‡This is a paid advertisement for Death & Company Regulation A offering. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Please read the offering circular at invest.deathandcompany.com.
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