From Valentine’s Day and Mardi Gras to film festivals and carnivals; find the best San Diego things to do in February 2017 in our events roundup.
Edited by Madelyn Harris
Matilda the Musical
Through Feb. 5. Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, the award-winning musical tells the story of an extraordinary girl who dares to take a stand and change her own destiny. Broadway/San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown, 619.544.1000. san-diego-theater.com
Freaky Friday
Feb. 1-Mar. 12. When a mother and her teenager daughter magically swap bodies, they have just one day to put things right again before mom’s big wedding, in this new musical comedy based on the celebrated novel and hit Disney films. La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Villa Drive, La Jolla, 858.550.1010. lajollaplayhouse.org
San Diego Black Film Festival
Feb. 1-5. Catch more than 100 films across many genres—including comedy, drama, documentaries, shorts, music videos and animations—celebrating African-American and African Diaspora cinema at this annual event, one of the largest black film festivals in the country. 220 W. G St., downtown, 619.232.1913. sdbff.com
San Diego Museum Month
Through February. Access more than 40 of San Diego’s top museums all month long for half-off admission. Participants include local favorites such as the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, several museums in Balboa Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego and Maritime Museum. Pick up passes at San Diego Macy’s stores. Macy’s, various locations around San Diego. sandiegomuseumcouncil.org
Valentine’s Day Getaway at Tower 23
Through Feb. 28. Enjoy the ultimate lovers’ getaway with surprises such as chocolate-dipped strawberries, a bouquet of roses, lovers’ massage oil, and a Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose breakfast in bed. For those hoping to turn their Valentine’s Day up a notch, try the Sex on the Beach hotel package which includes dinner and cocktails for two, breakfast in bed each morning, an in-room couple’s massage and valet parking. $509 per night. Tower 23 Hotel, 723 Felspar St., 858.270.2323. t23hotel.com
“City of Love” at the Westgate Hotel
Through Feb. 28. Experience a true Parisian escape with Westgate’s hotel getaway package called La Vie en Rose, featuring a three-course dinner and wine pairing for two in the Westgate Room, an overnight stay in a premier room, late checkout and valet parking. The Mon Amour special includes a three-course dinner and wine pairing for two in the Westgate Room, a bottle of Pol Clement champagne in a premier room, and Sunday brunch. $469 & $699. The Westgate Hotel, 1055 2nd Ave., downtown. 619.238.1818. westgatehotel.com
Black Violin
Feb. 2. California Center for the Arts, Escondido proudly presents virtuoso violinists Black Violin. The group appeals to an eclectic audience ranging from fans of all genres and all ages by melding highbrow and pop cultures through a fusion of classical, jazz, hip-hop, blues and R&B music. Joining the classically-trained violinists is turntable wiz DJ TK. 7:30p.m. $20-40. California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., 760.839.4138. artcenter.org
Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4
Feb. 3. This program features Dmitri Shostakovich’s concert opener for the ages, his Festive Overture. Other highlighted songs include Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 and Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. 8:00p.m. San Diego Symphony, 750 B. St., 619.235.0804. sandiegosymphony.org
La Jolla Playhouse Gala: Come From Away
Feb. 4. After record-breaking runs in La Jolla, Seattle, Washington D.C. and Toronto, the much-loved, Playhouse-born hit musical Come From Away will be heading to Broadway in 2017. But not before it returns to San Diego for one final night. The evening will begin with an exclusive VIP reception for top-tier sponsors and donors, offering a chance to mingle with director Christopher Ashley and co-creators David Hein and Irene Sankoff. Following the reception will be a sumptuous dinner, during which guests will enjoy the Spotlight Tribute Performance honoring Mr. Ashley. After dinner, guests will be treated to the concert performance of Come From Away. The evening will cap off with a cast party, where patrons can mix and mingle with the cast. Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, 333. W. Harbor Dr., 619.234.1500. lajollaplayhouse.org
Sunset Whale Watching Wine Cruises
Feb. 4, 11. Oceanside Adventures’ 50-foot catamaran offers a year-round whale watching experience from Oceanside Harbor. For a truly unique Valentine’s experience, guests can book a featured wine cruise, which includes appetizers and three wine tastes from Oceanside’s Beach House. Visitors can also opt for a sunset champagne cruise on Valentine’s Day, which includes champagne, chocolate and romantic views of the Oceanside sunset. $39. 5-6:30p.m. Oceanside Adventures, 315 Harbor Dr., Oceanside, 888.507.1130. oceansidewhalewatching.com
Picasso at the Lapin Agile
Feb. 4-Mar. 12. Enjoy Steve Martin’s comedic play that features the characters of Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso, who meet at a bar called the Lapin Agile. Picasso and Einstein, whose egos are as big as their intellects, spar with the regulars and each other about art, science, inspiration, love and the promise of the 20th Century. Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, 619.234.5623. theoldglobe.org
The Sleeping Beauty
Feb. 5. The stars of the Russian National Ballet grace the stage at the Balboa Theatre with the timeless classic The Sleeping Beauty. Considered the crowning jewel in Marius Petipa’s career and lauded by many as the finest achievement of the Classical Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty is a grandiose and refined blending of the traditional mime, expressive pas d’action, and spectacular dance sequences, in a lavish theatrical setting. 1pm. $40. Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown, 619.570.1100. sandiegotheatres.org
A Lang Lang Super Sunday
Feb. 5. One of the world’s most celebrated pianists, Lang Lang returns to the Jacobs Music Center for one concert only, performing Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 1. San Diego Symphony, 750 B. St., 619.235.0804. sandiegosymphony.org
Classic Car Cruise
Feb. 9. Take a trip back in time at the Oceanside Car Cruise. Attendees can admire the vintage cars, while talking to and meeting with the owners to discover all the work that goes into preserving the vehicles. Couples that cruise by with their classic cars will also receive a 10 percent discount when dining at the Privateer. 5-9 p.m. Privateer Marketplace, 1704 S. Coast Highway, Oceanside, 760.231.8795. privateer-marketplace.com
2.5 Minute Ride
Feb. 9-Mar. 19. This inventive solo show is a roller coaster adventure through the playwright’s family album, focusing on her relationship with her father, a Holocaust survivor, and the ties that bind a family. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. #101, University Heights, 619.220.0097. diversionary.org
Annual San Diego Jewish Film Festival
Feb. 9-19. The mission of the San Diego Jewish Film Festival is to offer outstanding world cinema that promotes awareness, appreciation and pride in the diversity of the Jewish people to attendees of the community at large. Festival programs aim to educate and illuminate through evocative, independent fiction and documentary films that portray the Jewish experience from current to historic global perspectives. Various locations around San Diego, 858.362.1330. sdcjc.org
Well
Feb. 10-Mar. 19. This comedy begins as a reverent study of the playwright’s chronically ill mother and her extraordinary ability to heal a racially divided community despite her inability to make herself well. A funny and magical memoir, Well reveals how we heal ourselves is not always the best medicine for those we love. Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. #101, University Heights, 619.220.0097. diversionary.org
Sweet Petite Confections: Hard Cider and Chocolate Pairing
Feb. 10. Sweet Petite Confections will host a Julian Ciderworks chocolate pairing. The pairing with feature a variety of hard ciders from Julian Ciderworks—one of San Diego’s only cider houses to use solely Julian apples in their locally crafted libations—paired with a selection of Sweet Petite Confections’ Valentine chocolates. 6:30p.m. 21+. $30. Sweet Petite Confections Shop, 3582A Mount Arcadia Blvd., 858.688.0210. sweetpetiteconfections.com
Tango at the Museum
Feb. 10. Beginners and experts, singles and couples are all invited to come dance at the Oceanside Museum of Art. The evening starts with a happy hour of wine and snacks. Once dancers have had a chance to mingle, the one-hour instruction begins with a demonstration by instructors Krista Ann and Matthew Bellamy. After learning the basics of the dance, dancers will practice until 9 p.m. Both couples and individuals are welcome. 6-9 p.m. Oceanside Museum of Art. 704 Pier View Way, Oceanside, 760.435.3720. oma-online.org
Everyday California
Feb. 10-14. The ocean adventure company offers a two-for-one deal on any kayak tour. Share a double kayak on an adventurous tour, which mixes quality time with a workout and local marine life. You can also get 20 percent off and a complementary glass of prosecco at Shore Rider restaurant. Use code VDayCave or VDayWhale when booking on website. 2261 Avenida de la Playa, La Jolla, 858.454.6195. everydaycalifornia.com
San Diego Film Week
Feb. 10-19. San Diego Film Week will include nightly curated screenings of locally produced films and showcase the best of San Diego’s previous film festivals. Other film week events include professional workshops for filmmakers that cover funding, distribution, SAG and Final Cut Pro, as well as networking events. Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park, 1649 El Prado, 619.238.7559. mopa.org
Tidepooling Adventure with Birch Aquarium
Feb. 11, 26. Visit a local tide pool with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Learn how these amazing habitats and their inhabitants truly survive between a rock and a hard place. Trained naturalists will show you how to tread lightly during your visit and how to protect and preserve these natural wonders. $16. Birch Aquarium at Scripps, 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla, 858.534.7336. aquarium.ucsd.edu
The Classical Style
Feb. 11. Enjoy an array of renowned classical pieces, including Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 1, Haydn’s Sinfonia concertante in B-flat Major and Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra.The concert is led by gifted 27 year old Israeli conductor Lahav Shani, first prize winner at the 2013 Gustav Mahler International Conducting Competition. San Diego Symphony, 750 B. St., 619.235.0804. sandiegosymphony.org
Circus Vargus
Feb. 11-21. Enter the big tent and listen to lively circus music and watch thrilling exploits of human stars rendering unparalleled artistry and comical acts. See silly clowns, trampoline acrobatics, balancing acts and aerial ballet. Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar, 877.468.3861. delmarfairgrounds.com
Sips & Sweets with Your Little Sweetheart
Feb. 11. Bring your little ones and join the Hotel Karlan for an afternoon of sweet treats, light bites, drinks and activities. From chocolate covered strawberries and peanut butter jelly finger sandwiches, to DIY decorating stations, your little sweetheart will surely appreciate the quality time together. 2-4:00p.m. Hotel Karlan, 14455 Pensaquitos Dr., 858.672.9100. hilton.com
Valentine’s Day Dinner at Marina Kitchen
Feb. 14. In celebration of Valentine’s Day, award-winning chef Aron Schwartz has curated a special menu for Marina Kitchen. Dine on a three-course dinner, which includes a champagne toast. In honor of the romantic evening, jazz duo Lorraine and Gilbert Castellanos will be performing. $55. 5:30-10p.m. Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina, 333 W. Harbor Dr., downtown, 619.234.1500. marriottmarquissandiego.com
Culture & Cocktails: Persian Nights
Feb. 16. The San Diego Museum of Art’s popular sundown series returns with Persian Nights. Guests will enjoy Persian art, signature cocktails by Papa Pilar’s Rum, a make-your-own choker necklace bar, an interactive Post-It mosaic and a themed photo booth. $25 pre-sale. San Diego Museum of Art, 1450 El Prado, 619.232.7931. sdmart.org
Shaolin Warriors
Feb. 17. In this fully choreographed theatrical production, masters of Kung Fu bring skill, movement and death-defying martial-arts prowess to the stage. 8 pm. $38 and up. Balboa Theatre, 868 Fourth Ave., downtown, 619.570.1100. sandiegotheatres.org
Monster Jam
Feb. 18. World-class drivers compete in both monster truck racing and freestyle competitions during the action-packed live event. Monster Jam combines spontaneous entertainment with the ultimate off-road, motorsport competition. $15+. 7-10p.m. Petco Park, 100 Park Boulevard, 619.795.5555. monsterjam.com
#IMomSoHard
Feb. 18. Join Kristin Hensley and Jen Smedley, the women behind #IMomSoHard for a night of laughs. With over 400,000 Facebook fans and more than 30 million views of their web series, the duo blend humor and honesty, delivering straight talk that all women are sure to understand, not just moms. $29.75. 8-9:30 p.m. Historic Balboa Theatre, 868 Fouth Ave., downton, 619.570.1100. sandiegotheatres.org
Falstaff
Feb. 18-26. In San Diego Civic Theatre’s newest opera, Sir John Falstaff is the ultimate human juxtaposition – old yet immature, hapless but manipulative, decent yet wickedly indecent. Suddenly finding himself broke, he hatches a plot to cure his woes – he sends identical love letters to two married women to get his hands on their wealthy husbands’ purse strings. Falstaff doesn’t bank on getting found out and with the help of some ‘merry wives’, husbands and supernatural creatures, he gets his due and finds out the joke is on him. San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., 619.570.1100. sdopera.org
The Illusion
Feb. 22-Mar. 19. Renowned playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America) gives us a wildly inventive tour de force, which celebrates the magic and illusory nature of theater. It’s an entertaining tale of passion, regret, love and magic. North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987-D Lomas Santa Fe Drive, Solana Beach, 858.481.1055. northcoastrep.org
Villalobos Brothers
Feb. 23. Hailing from Veracruz, Mexico, the Villalobos Brothers are acclaimed as one of today’s leading contemporary Mexican ensembles. The violin trio draws on many genres including jazz, rock, and blues. These classically trained virtuosos deliver a signature style known as “Fast-Chatting Violin.” $25-35. California Center for the Arts, Escondido, 340 N Escondido Blvd., 800.988.4253. villalobosbrothers.com
Sex with Strangers
Feb. 23-March 19. This sensuous and provocative comedy about fame and cyber identity explores the timely question: what transpires when our online and offline identities intersect and our private lives become public domain? Contains strong language. San Diego Rep, Lyceum Theatre, 79 Horton Plaza, downtown, 619.544.1000. sdrep.org
Mardi Gras Big Easy Bites & Booze Tour
Feb. 25. The new Mardi Gras festival promises to take you on a tour of delicious holiday-inspired bites and festive sips throughout the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Indulge the offerings from 20 hot-spots all while collecting beads. Collect 10 beads and head over to check-in to receive exclusive VIP beads, which will grant you access into the secret rooftop after party. $25. 5p.m –1a.m. 4th Avenue and E Street, downtown, 619.233.5008. sdmardigras.com
